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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/01/2024 and 01/08/2025 are considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 shows the claim limitation “…in which the terminal device is located and.” (last line of the claim). Applicant is advised to revise this claim limitation into “…in which the terminal device is located [[and]].”
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hsieh et al. (US 2021/0297149; hereinafter Hsieh).
Regarding claim 1, Hsieh shows a communication parameter indication method (Figures 3B and 4 shows a method performed in part by a UE.), comprising:
obtaining first information (Figure 4, step 4030; Par. 0141; UE receives a command (i.e. instruction, request, etc.) to select a new group.), for requesting a first parameter of a terminal device, wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of location information of the terminal device (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.) and a parameter related to a timing advance TA, wherein the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a first reference point and the terminal device, or the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a network device and the terminal device (Preceding group of claim limitations are not elected for prosecution.);
sending second information based on the first information, wherein the second information indicates the first parameter (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.); and
obtaining third information (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0143; UE receives updated scheduling information.), wherein the third information indicates a timing offset for determining an amount of delay to be scheduled for sending information by the terminal device (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; the scheduling information includes at least a group offset information of the newly selected group ID. Further, the group information used for UL transmissions may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups.), wherein the timing offset is related to at least one of the first parameter and a communication parameter corresponding to a cell in which the terminal device is located (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.).
Regarding claim 2, Hsieh shows obtaining the communication parameter corresponding to the cell in which the terminal device is located (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.), wherein the communication parameter comprises at least one of a reference timing offset at a cell level (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.), and a reference timing offset at each beam level comprised in the cell.
Regarding claim 3, Hsieh shows wherein when a value of the first information is a first value (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.), the timing offset is a reference timing offset at a beam level corresponding to the terminal device (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.); or when the value of the first information is not [[a]]the first value, the timing offset is determined based on the first parameter.
Regarding claim 4, Hsieh shows wherein the cell comprises one or more beam levels, and the beam level corresponding to the terminal device is determined based on the first parameter (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100.).
Regarding claim 5, Hsieh shows wherein when the value of the first information is the first value or a second value (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.), the first parameter comprises the location information of the terminal device (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.); or when the value of the first information is a third value, the first parameter comprises the parameter related to the TA.
Regarding claim 6, Hsieh shows wherein the second information comprises at least one of:
a differential value between a location of the terminal device and a location of a second reference point (Par. 0141; the NTN device 300 may determine and/or calculate a timing advance “drift” in the UL transmission received from the UE device 201. In other words, if the UL transmission from the UE device 201 is received by the NTN device 300 outside of the expected UL slot for the UL transmission, based on the selected group ID of the UE device 201, then the NTN device 300 may determine that the UE device 201 should use a different reference point and group offset information for UL transmissions of the UE device 201. The NTN device 300 determines that the UE device 201 should select a new group ID and/or new timing advance.); and
a differential value between the TA and a common timing advance TA_common, wherein the TA_common is determined based on the round-trip transmission delay between the network device and the first reference point (Par. 0141; the NTN device 300 may determine and/or calculate a timing advance “drift” in the UL transmission received from the UE device 201. According to at least one example embodiment, the NTN device 300 may compare the time at which the UL transmission from the UE device 201 is received with a desired threshold value based on the timing advance value associated with the UE device 201's group ID, and if the time exceeds the desired threshold value, the NTN device 300 determines that the UE device 201 should select a new group ID and/or new timing advance.).
Regarding claim 7, Hsieh shows a communication parameter indication method (Figures 3B and 4 shows a method performed in part by a UE.), comprising:
sending first information (Figure 4, step 4030; Par. 0141; NTN device transmits a command (i.e. instruction, request, etc.) to select a new group.) requesting a first parameter of a terminal device, wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of location information of the terminal device (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.) and a parameter related to a timing advance TA, wherein the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a reference point and the terminal device, or the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a network device and the terminal device (Preceding group of claim limitations are not elected for prosecution.);
obtaining second information, wherein the second information indicates the first parameter (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides, to the NTN device, a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.); and
sending third information (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0143; NTN device transmits updated scheduling information.), wherein the third information indicates a timing offset for determining an amount of delay to be scheduled for sending information by the terminal device Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; the scheduling information includes at least a group offset information of the newly selected group ID. Further, the group information used for UL transmissions may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups.), wherein the timing offset is related to at least one of the first parameter and a communication parameter corresponding to a cell in which the terminal device is located and (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.).
Regarding claims 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, these claims are rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claims 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
Regarding claim 13, Hsieh shows a communication apparatus (Figure 2A shows a UE performing the method shown in Figures 3B and 4), comprising:
a processor coupled to a memory that stores a computer program or instructions, and when the computer program or instructions are executed on the processor (Figure 2A shows software stored in memory and executed by a processor coupled to the memory to perform the disclosed method.), cause the communication apparatus to:
obtain first information (Figure 4, step 4030; Par. 0141; UE receives a command (i.e. instruction, request, etc.) to select a new group.), for requesting a first parameter of a terminal device, wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of location information of the terminal device (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.) and a parameter related to a timing advance TA, wherein the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a first reference point and the terminal device, or the parameter related to the TA is determined based on a round-trip transmission delay between a network device and the terminal device (Preceding group of claim limitations are not elected for prosecution.);
send second information based on the first information, wherein the second information indicates the first parameter (Figure 4; Par. 0084, 0141-0142; based on the requested action/command of the NTN, the UE provides a group ID of the UE. The group ID corresponds to a reference point (e.g., a centroid location, etc.) associated with and/or corresponding to the desired coverage area of the group.); and
obtain third information (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0143; UE receives updated scheduling information.), wherein the third information indicates a timing offset for determining an amount of delay to be scheduled for sending information by the terminal device (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; the scheduling information includes at least a group offset information of the newly selected group ID. Further, the group information used for UL transmissions may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups.), wherein the timing offset is related to at least one of the first parameter and a communication parameter corresponding to a cell in which the terminal device is located (Figures 3B-4; Par. 0129, 0143; group information may include the group IDs corresponding to the groups of the beam coverage area 100, the reference point information corresponding to the groups, including location information of the reference points, the timing advance information corresponding to the groups, the slot offset information corresponding to the groups, and/or the Doppler frequency shift offset information corresponding to the groups, etc.).
Regarding claims 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, these claims are rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claims 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20250234314 A1 - Appropriate timing control is realized in accordance with propagation delay between a terminal and a base station.
US 12149333 B2 - Various arrangements are presented for using an estimated timing advance for user equipment communications. A location of an instance of user equipment may be determined. An estimated distance between the user equipment and a communication satellite may be determined using the determined location of the user equipment and an estimated satellite location.
US 20230284060 A1 - A method performed by a wireless device for a Synchronization Signal Block Measurement Time Configuration (SMTC) window and measurement gap configuration includes receiving at least one configuration parameter for the SMTC window and/or a measurement gap from a network.
US 20230232365 A1 - According to one aspect, a method (700) for determining positioning is performed by a wireless device (1000).
US 20230068762 A1 - The transmission method comprises: receiving, by a terminal, first information which comprises timing advance (TA) related information, wherein the TA related information is used to indicate a TA used by the terminal for transmission.
US 20220408389 A1 - This application provides a method and an apparatus for updating a timing offset, and is particularly applicable to an NTN network such as satellite communication.
US 20220394650 A1 - The method includes: receiving, by the terminal device, first indication information; and determining, by the terminal device, a first offset parameter value based on the received first indication information. The first offset parameter value is used to determine a timing relationship of transmission.
US 20220287048 A1 - relates to scheduling timing of a User Equipment (UE) transmission, in response to a received transmission, in consideration of timing advance requirements in a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) and other networks with increased propagation delays.
US 20170367062 A1 - generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to guard period modification in a time division duplexing (TDD) wireless system.
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/REDENTOR PASIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413