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.
Claims 1-15, 17-22 and 28-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No US 2024/0147352 to Agiwal et al. (hereinafter Agiwal)
As to claims 1, 14 and 28, Agiwal discloses a user equipment (UE), comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code (Agiwal; [0209]); and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code (Agiwal; [0209]) to cause the UE to:
receive, from a first serving cell, a broadcast system information message, wherein the broadcast system information message comprises system information for connecting to a second serving cell, and wherein the broadcast system information message comprises a synchronization signal block message, a system information block message, or any combination thereof (Agiwal; [0049]; [0053] [0130]-[0131]; [0119]-[0120] discloses Cell 1 may broadcast mapping between RACH resource (preamble and/or RO) and type (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or OSI) of the broadcast information for other cells and also discloses wherein the UE receives broadcasted SIB information) ;
transmit, to the first serving cell based at least in part on receiving the broadcast system information message, a RACH preamble message associated with the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0130]-[0131]; [0119]-[0120] discloses the UE may transmit a random access preamble to Cell 1 using the selected RACH resource) ;
receive, based at least in part on transmitting the RACH preamble message, a random access response message that indicates an uplink resource (Agiwal; [0130]-[0131]; [0119]-[0120] discloses Upon transmitting the random access preamble, the UE may monitor for a random access response from Cell 1. In operation 404, the UE may receive the random access response from Cell 1, wherein the response may include a UL gran); and
transmit, in response to receiving the random access response message, an uplink message on the uplink resource (Agiwal; [0121] discloses In operation 405, the UE may transmit a Msg3 to Cell 1 using the UL grant. In the Msg3, the UE may include information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs). The information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (e.g., SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs) for Cell 2 may be included in form of bitmap, wherein each bit of the bitmap may indicate one of PSS/SSS/MIB/SIB1/SIBx).
As to claims 2, 15 and 29, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the system information for connecting to the second serving cell comprises one or more random access channel sequences for transmitting a random access channel message, resources associated with random access channel occasions, one or more random access response search space configurations, a quantity of resource occasions in frequency, one or more second serving cell identifiers, or any combination thereof (Agiwal; [0131] discloses Cell 1 may broadcast mapping between RACH resource (preamble and/or RO) and type (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or OSI) of the broadcast information for other cells. In operation 503, the UE may transmit a random access preamble Cell 1 using the selected RACH resource. Here Agiwal is applied for the 2nd alternative)
As to claims 3 and 30, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the uplink resource is an uplink resource of the first serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, based at least in part on transmitting the uplink message, a downlink message on a downlink resource, wherein the downlink resource is a downlink resource of the first serving cell or a downlink resource of the second serving cell (Agiwal; Fig.3:305; Msg3 corresponding to uplink message and Fig.3:307; Msg4 corresponding to downlink message).
As to claim 4, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the uplink resource is an uplink resource of the second serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, based at least in part on transmitting the uplink message, a downlink message on a downlink resource, wherein the downlink resource is a downlink resource of the second serving cell (Agiwal; Fig.3:305; Msg3 corresponding to uplink message and Fig.3:307; Msg4 corresponding to downlink message).
As to claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the RACH preamble message or the uplink message indicates an establishment cause associated with the UE requesting to connect to the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0121] discloses in operation 405, the UE may transmit a Msg3 to Cell 1 using the UL grant. In the Msg3, the UE may include information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs). The information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (e.g., SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs) for Cell 2 may be included in form of bitmap, wherein each bit of the bitmap may indicate one of PSS/SSS/MIB/SIB1/SIBx).
As to claim 6, the rejection of claim 5 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, based at least in part on transmitting the uplink message, a downlink message on a downlink resource, wherein the downlink resource is a downlink resource of the first serving cell (Agiwal; Fig.3:305; Msg3 corresponding to uplink message and Fig.3:307; Msg4 corresponding to downlink message).
As to claim 7, the rejection of claim 6 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message includes an RRC container of the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0056] the UE initiates a transmission of SI request based on Msg3 based SI request. In other words, the UE initiate transmission of RRCSystemInfoRequest message (345). The UE transmits Msg1 (i.e., random access preamble) and waits for random access response. Common random access resources (PRACH preamble(s) and PRACH occasions(s)) are used for Msg1. In the UL grant received in random access response, the UE transmits RRCSystemInfoRequest message and waits for acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message). If acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message) is received, the UE monitors the SI window of the requested SI message in one or more SI period(s) of that SI message).
As to claim 8, the rejection of claim 6 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message includes an RRC container of the first serving cell (Agiwal; [0056] the UE initiates a transmission of SI request based on Msg3 based SI request. In other words, the UE initiate transmission of RRCSystemInfoRequest message (345). The UE transmits Msg1 (i.e., random access preamble) and waits for random access response. Common random access resources (PRACH preamble(s) and PRACH occasions(s)) are used for Msg1. In the UL grant received in random access response, the UE transmits RRCSystemInfoRequest message and waits for acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message). If acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message) is received, the UE monitors the SI window of the requested SI message in one or more SI period(s) of that SI message).
As to claim 9, the rejection of claim 6 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message is a physical layer message that indicates access to the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0068] A next generation node B (gNB) transmits the RAR on physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH carrying RAR is addressed to RA-radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI). RA-RNTI identifies the time-frequency resource (also referred as physical RA channel (PRACH) occasion or PRACH transmission (TX) occasion or RA channel (RACH) occasion) in which RA preamble was detected by a gNB).
As to claim 10, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the RACH preamble message or the uplink message indicates an establishment cause associated with the UE requesting to connect to the second serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, based at least in part on receiving the random access response message, a downlink message on a downlink resource of the second serving cell that indicates granted access to the second serving cell (Agiwal; Fig.3:305; Msg3 corresponding to uplink message and Fig.3:307; Msg4 corresponding to downlink message).
As to claim 11, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the RACH preamble message indicates an establishment cause associated with the UE requesting to connect to the second serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, based at least in part on receiving the random access response message, a downlink message on a downlink resource of the second serving cell that indicates granted access to the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0121] discloses in operation 405, the UE may transmit a Msg3 to Cell 1 using the UL grant. In the Msg3, the UE may include information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs). The information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (e.g., SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs) for Cell 2 may be included in form of bitmap, wherein each bit of the bitmap may indicate one of PSS/SSS/MIB/SIB1/SIBx).
As to claim 12, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the first serving cell is associated with a first radio access technology, and wherein the second serving cell is associated with a second radio access technology (Agiwal; Abstract; [0006]; [0040])
As to claim 13, the rejection of claim 12 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the first radio access technology comprises a Fifth Generation radio access technology, a New Radio access technology. or both, and wherein the second radio access technology comprises a Sixth Generation radio access technology (Agiwal; Abstract).
As to claim 17, the rejection of claim 14 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the uplink resource is an uplink resource of the first serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the first serving cell:
receive, based at least in part on transmitting the random access response message, an uplink message on the uplink resource (Agiwal; [0121] discloses In operation 405, the UE may transmit a Msg3 to Cell 1 using the UL grant. In the Msg3, the UE may include information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs). The information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (e.g., SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs) for Cell 2 may be included in form of bitmap, wherein each bit of the bitmap may indicate one of PSS/SSS/MIB/SIB1/SIBx).
As to claim 18, the rejection of claim 17 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the first serving cell:
transmit, based at least in part on receiving the uplink message, a downlink message on a downlink resource of the first serving cell (Agiwal; Fig.3:305; Msg3 corresponding to uplink message and Fig.3:307; Msg4 corresponding to downlink message)..
As to claim 19, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message includes an RRC container of the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0056] the UE initiates a transmission of SI request based on Msg3 based SI request. In other words, the UE initiate transmission of RRCSystemInfoRequest message (345). The UE transmits Msg1 (i.e., random access preamble) and waits for random access response. Common random access resources (PRACH preamble(s) and PRACH occasions(s)) are used for Msg1. In the UL grant received in random access response, the UE transmits RRCSystemInfoRequest message and waits for acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message). If acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message) is received, the UE monitors the SI window of the requested SI message in one or more SI period(s) of that SI message).
As to claim 20, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message includes an RRC container of the first serving cell (Agiwal; [0056] the UE initiates a transmission of SI request based on Msg3 based SI request. In other words, the UE initiate transmission of RRCSystemInfoRequest message (345). The UE transmits Msg1 (i.e., random access preamble) and waits for random access response. Common random access resources (PRACH preamble(s) and PRACH occasions(s)) are used for Msg1. In the UL grant received in random access response, the UE transmits RRCSystemInfoRequest message and waits for acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message). If acknowledgement for SI request (i.e., RRCSystemInfoRequest message) is received, the UE monitors the SI window of the requested SI message in one or more SI period(s) of that SI message).
As to claim 21, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein the downlink message is a physical layer message that indicate access to the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0068] A next generation node B (gNB) transmits the RAR on physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH carrying RAR is addressed to RA-radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI). RA-RNTI identifies the time-frequency resource (also referred as physical RA channel (PRACH) occasion or PRACH transmission (TX) occasion or RA channel (RACH) occasion) in which RA preamble was detected by a gNB)
As to claim 22, the rejection of claim 21 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Agiwal discloses wherein:
the RACH preamble message indicates an establishment cause for connecting to the second serving cell ; or
the uplink message indicates an establishment cause for connecting to the second serving cell and the random access response message indicates a downlink resource of the first serving cell and a downlink resource of the second serving cell (Agiwal; [0121] discloses In operation 405, the UE may transmit a Msg3 to Cell 1 using the UL grant. In the Msg3, the UE may include information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs). The information indicating that/whether the UE needs broadcast information (e.g., SSB and/or SIB1 and/or other SIBs) for Cell 2 may be included in form of bitmap, wherein each bit of the bitmap may indicate one of PSS/SSS/MIB/SIB1/SIBx. Here Agiwal is applied for the 2nd alternative).
Claims 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No US 2025/0056414 to Ma al. (hereinafter Ma)
As to claim 24 , Ma discloses a network entity associated with a second serving cell, the network entity comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the second serving cell:
receive, from a first serving cell, a wake-up signal that indicates the second serving cell to wake-up from a sleep state (Ma; Abstract; [0017]; [0020]-[0021];[0027] discloses the wake-up request is transmitted via a first cell to activate the first cell or a second cell in a specific mode. The wake-up information is carried by a sequence-based signal transmitted on the PRACH resource or by one or more random-access preambles with at least one of the following: a specific PRACH preamble format, a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI, or a PRACH resource);
receive, from the first serving cell, a RACH preamble message associated with a user equipment (UE) and associated with the wake-up signal (Ma; Abstract; [0017]; [0020]-[0021];[0027] discloses the wake-up request is transmitted via a first cell to activate the first cell or a second cell in a specific mode. The wake-up information is carried by a sequence-based signal transmitted on the PRACH resource or by one or more random-access preambles with at least one of the following: a specific PRACH preamble format, a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI, or a PRACH resource); and
communicate with the UE or the first serving cell based at least in part on receiving the RACH preamble message and the wake-up signal (Ma; [0020] discloses activating the cell comprises at least one of: activating a secondary cell, SCell, turning the cell in a specific mode into a normal mode, changing specific configurations on the cell, or starting transmissions of Synchronization Signal/Physical Broadcast Channel Blocks, SSBs, on the cell .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1. 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 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.
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 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 16 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No US 2024/0147352 to Agiwal et al. (hereinafter Agiwal) in view of U.S. Publication No US 2025/0056414 to Ma et al. (hereinafter Ma)
As to claim 16, Agiwal discloses a first cell receiving RACH preamble from a UE, bit fails to disclose transmit, to the second serving cell based at least in part on receiving the RACH preamble message, the RACH preamble message and a wake-up signal for the second serving cell. Howeve Ma discloses
wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the first serving cell:
transmit, to the second serving cell based at least in part on receiving the RACH preamble message, the RACH preamble message and a wake-up signal for the second serving cell (Ma; [0017]; [0027] discloses the wake-up request is transmitted via a first cell to activate the first cell or a second cell in a specific mode. The wake-up information is carried by a sequence-based signal transmitted on the PRACH resource or by one or more random-access preambles with at least one of the following: a specific PRACH preamble format, a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI, or a PRACH resource).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to send a cell activation request or a cell deactivation request (Ma; Abstract)
As to claim 23, Agiwal discloses a first cell receiving RACH preamble from a UE, bit fails to disclose transmit, to the second serving cell based at least in part on receiving the RACH preamble message, the RACH preamble message and a wake-up signal for the second serving cell. Howeve Ma discloses
wherein the RACH preamble message or the uplink message indicates an establishment cause associated with the UE requesting to connect to the second serving cell, and wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the first serving cell:
transmit, to the second serving cell based at least in part on receiving the establishment cause, a wake-up signal and the RACH preamble message (Ma; [0017]; [0027] discloses the wake-up request is transmitted via a first cell to activate the first cell or a second cell in a specific mode. The wake-up information is carried by a sequence-based signal transmitted on the PRACH resource or by one or more random-access preambles with at least one of the following: a specific PRACH preamble format, a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI, or a PRACH resource).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to send a cell activation request or a cell deactivation request (Ma; Abstract)
Claims 25-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No US 2025/0056414 to Ma al. (hereinafter Ma) in view of U.S. Publication No US 2020/0053607 to Ingale et al. (hereinafter Ingale)
As to claim 25, Ma discloses RAR message, but fails to disclose of sending RAR message from second cell. However, Ingale discloses
wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the second serving cell:
transmit, to the UE based at least in part on receiving the RACH preamble message, a random access response message that indicates an uplink resource of the second serving cell (Ingale; Fig.4:418 discloses target base station sends RAR message to a UE)
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the UE can measure the indicated CSI-RS received through RAR message.
As to claim 26, Ma discloses target cell and UE, but fails to disclose wherein the target cell or second cell receives uplink information from the UE. However, Ingale discloses
wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the second serving cell:
receive, from the UE, an uplink message on an uplink resource of the second serving cell (Ingale; Fig.4:422).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the target cell receives the HA confirmation message.
As to claim 27, Ma discloses target cell and UE, but fails to disclose wherein the target cell or second cell sends downlink information to the UE. However, Ingale discloses
wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to, via the second serving cell:
transmit, to the UE, a downlink message on a downlink resource of the second serving cell (Ingale; Fig.4:424).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the UE can make a decision based on the beam indication received in downlink message from the target cell.
Conclusion
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/FAISAL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478