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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/09/26 have been fully considered but they are moot due to the fact that all independent claims have been amended to which new ground rejections are made as show below.
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.
Claims 1, 3-7, 9-13, 15-19, 21-25 and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo (EP 3432673) in view of in view of Pelletier (US 20210368548 A1), further in view of RAHMAN (US 20170332411 A1).
For claim 1, Yoo discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a processing system that includes one or more processors, and one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors, (FIG. 1, Terminal which has one or more memories; and one or more processors), the processing system configured to cause the UE to:
transmit a first message, wherein the first message is of a random access channel (RACH) procedure (FIG. 1: Random Access Preamble S120 from “terminal” to “base station”; such as “[0027] Specifically, the terminal may acquire random access channel configuration (RACH configuration) information transmitted through a downlink broadcast signal (broadcast channel (BCH) / system information block (SIB) or the like), and select any random access (RA) sequence based on the acquired RACH configuration information and transmit the selected random access sequence to the base station (MSG1). …” or claim 1 “… transmitting (S13 10), to the base station, a random access preamble selected based on the random access configuration information, on a subset of random access channel, RACH, resources, the subset of RACH resources being determined based on a resource on which a downlink synchronization signal is received”); and
receive a second message associated with a grant, wherein at least part of the second message is scrambled using a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) that is associated with whether a first carrier or a second carrier is used for the RACH procedure (FIGs. 1, 10 and 13 and associated text, such as “[0029] Specifically, the base station may detect the RACH from each terminal and transmit a random access response message including resource allocation information for uplink transmission to the terminal (MSG2). [0030] The resource to which the random access response is transmitted may be indicated by DCI transmitted on PDCCH, and the DCI may be scrambled using RA-RNTI (may be addressed to the RA-RNTI on the PDCCH) …”; and FIG. 1: Random Access Response S130 from “base station” to “terminal”; or FIG. 13 in view of claim 1 “… receiving (S1320), from the base station, a random access response message as a response to the random access preamble; and decoding the random access response message scrambled based on a random access-radio network temporary identifier, RA-RNTI.“; note that FIG 10A shows that MSG2 is used if MSG1 fails),
wherein the RA-RNTI is generated using a carrier identifier (claim 1 “the RA-RNTI is generated based on RA-RNTI = 1 + t_id + f_id + index of subframe, t_id indicating a time index of the subset of RACH resources and f_id indicating a frequency index of the subset of the RACH resources.”),
wherein a value of the carrier identifier indicates one of the first carrier or the seconder carrier ([0166]-[0169], such as “[0169] … A frequency index of a subset of RACH resources may be used to generate the RA-RNTI. RA-RNTI = 1 + f_id, f_id: Frequency index of a subset of RACH resources “; note that f_id in MSG1 and MSG2 suggest the first carrier and the second carrier).
Yoo is silent but Pelletier, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses: the carrier identifier is an uplink carrier identifier (claim 1 “… wherein a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) is associated with the PRACH transmission, and wherein the RA-RNTI is a function of: a carrier ID of the selected uplink carrier, a time index associated with the PRACH transmission, and an index of the at least a portion of the one or more frequency resources.”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Pelletier above to the RA-RNTI disclosed by Yoo to yield a predictable result of generating RA-RNTI.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Yoo and Pelletier for the benefit of generating RA-RNTI (claim 1 of Pelletier).
Yoo in view of Pelletier is silent but RAHMAN, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses that the first carrier is a primary carrier and the second carrier is a supplementary carrier ([0167] “In CA one of the component carriers (CCs) is the primary component carrier (PCC) or simply primary carrier or even anchor carrier. The remaining ones are called secondary component carrier (SCC) or simply secondary carriers or even supplementary carriers. …”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of RAHMAN above to the first carrier and second carrier disclosed by Yoo in view of Pelletier to yield a predictable result of serving primary cell and secondary cell.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine RAHMAN in view of Yoo and Pelletier for the benefit of serving primary cell and secondary cell ([0167] of RAHMAN).
Claim 13 is rejected because it is a method performed by the UE of claim 1 and has the same subject matter as claim 1.
Claim 25 is rejected because it is a corresponding network entity interacting with the UE of claim 1 and has the same subject matter as claim 1.
Claim 29 is rejected because it is a method performed by the network entity of claim 25 and has the same subject matter as claim 25.
As to claims 3, 15 and 27, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1, 13 and 25, and Yoo further discloses:
wherein the first message is MSG1 of the RACH procedure (FIG. 1: S120 in view of [0026] “In step S120, the terminal transmits a random access preamble to the base station. In the present disclosure, a message which transmits the random access preamble may be referred to as a first message or MSG1”),
wherein the second message MSG2 of the RACH procedure, and wherein the second message of the RACH procedure is a random access response of the RACH procedure (FIG. 1: S130 in view of “[0029] Specifically, the base station may detect the RACH from each terminal and transmit a random access response message including resource allocation information for uplink transmission to the terminal (MSG2)”).
to claims 4, 16 and 28, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1, 13 and 25, Yoo further discloses:
wherein the first message is a random access preamble ([0026] “In step S120, the terminal transmits a random access preamble to the base station. In the present disclosure, a message which transmits the random access preamble may be referred to as a first message or MSG1””), and
wherein the RA-RNTI is associated with a transmission of the random access preamble (claim 1 “… transmitting (S1310), to the base station, a random access preamble selected based on the random access configuration information, on a subset of random access channel, RACH, resources, the subset of RACH resources being determined based on a resource on which a downlink synchronization signal is received … the RA-RNTI is generated based on RA-RNTI = 1 + t_id + f_id + index of subframe, t_id indicating a time index of the subset of RACH resources and f_id indicating a frequency index of the subset of the RACH resources”).
As to claims 5 and 17, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses: wherein the RA-RNTI is associated with a random access response of the RACH procedure (claim 1, “… a random access response message as a response to the random access preamble; and decoding the random access response message scrambled based on a random access-radio network temporary identifier, RA-RNTI.” In view of the parent claims).
As to claims 6 and 18, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Pelletier, further discloses:
the processing system is configured to cause the UE to:
transmit the first message on a carrier of the primary carrier or the supplementary carrier, and wherein the RA-RNTI is based on the carrier (claim 1 “… wherein a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) is associated with the PRACH transmission, and wherein the RA-RNTI is a function of: a carrier ID of the selected uplink carrier, a time index associated with the PRACH transmission, and an index of the at least a portion of the one or more frequency resources.”). The motivation of combining Yoo and Pelletier are same as stated in the parent claims.
As to claims 7 and 19, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses:
wherein the RA-RNTI is based at least on an index for a slot on which the first message is transmitted ([0162] “… Here, the time or frequency index of the subset of the RACH resources may be represented by the OFDM symbol index / slot index / subframe index of the time when the RACH is transmitted, the starting point of the frequency domain or the like.”; or claim 1).
As to claims 9 and 21, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses:
wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to: receive RACH configuration information (claim 7, “A terminal … receive, from a base station, system information including random access configuration information, on a subset of random access channel, RACH, resources, the subset of RACH resources being determined based on a resource on which a downlink synchronization signal is received,) associated with the primary carrier and the supplementary carrier ([0063] “… The RACH OFDM symbol may have one or a plurality of subcarrier spacing values. That is, in the case of operating in a low frequency band, an RACH OFDM symbol (RACH symbol) having a short subcarrier spacing with respect to a data channel as in the LTE may be considered, and in the case of operating in a high frequency band, an RACH OFDM symbol having a subcarrier spacing similar to a data channel in consideration of phase noise may be considered. …”).
As to claims 10 and 22, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses:
wherein the first message is a first message of the RACH procedure (FIG. 1: Random Access Preamble S120 from “terminal” to “base station”), and
wherein the second message of a second message the RACH procedure (FIG. 1: Random Access Response S130 from “base station” to “terminal”).
As to claims 11 and 23, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses:
wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to:
unscramble the at least part of the second message using a slot index and a carrier frequency offset index (suggested by [0162] “… Here, the time or frequency index of the subset of the RACH resources may be represented by the OFDM symbol index / slot index / subframe index of the time when the RACH is transmitted, the starting point of the frequency domain or the like.” and FIG. 1, wherein each device must unscramble a received message to understand it).
As to claims 12 and 24, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, Yoo further discloses:
wherein, receive the second message, the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive the second message using a resource granted by the grant ([0086] “… 1-1. The base station may transmit one RAR on the assumption that it has received a plurality of received RACHs from one terminal. The RAR may include grant information, and the grant information may include uplink resource allocation information for transmitting MSG3. Also, the RAR may include timing information for uplink synchronization. …”).
Claims 8, 20 and 31-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN, further in view of Deng (US 20190104549 A1).
As to claims 8 and 20, Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN discloses claims 1 and 13, and is silent but Deng, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses: the processing system is configured to cause the UE to: wherein the RA-RNTI is based at least on a carrier frequency offset index for a carrier, of the primary carrier and the supplementary carrier, on which the first message is transmitted ([0294] “… The RA-RNTI may be based on the determined frequency resource allocation for example frequency offset index, the PRACH transmission opportunities for example sub-frame/TTI/symbol number or other parameters” in view of the parent claims). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Deng above to the RA-RNTI disclosed by Yoo in view of Pelletier to yield a predictable result of performing RACH procedure according to MPEP 2143(D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Yoo in view of Pelletier and Deng for the benefit of performing RACH procedure ([0294] of Deng).
For claim 31, Yoo discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a processing system that includes one or more processors, and one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors, (FIG. 1, Terminal which has one or more memories; and one or more processors), the processing system configured to cause the UE to:
receive random access channel (RACH) configuration information associated with a first carrier and a second carrier (FIG. 1, S110 and the associated text, such as [0027] “the terminal may acquire random access channel configuration (RACH configuration) information transmitted through a downlink broadcast signal (broadcast channel (BCH) / system information block (SIB) or the like), …); and
perform a RACH procedure using a selected carrier, of the first carrier and the second carrier, based at least in part on the RACH configuration information, wherein, to perform the RACH procedure ([0027] “… and select any random access (RA) sequence based on the acquired RACH configuration information and transmit the selected random access sequence to the base station (MSG1)”), the one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to:
transmit a message of the RACH procedure using the selected carrier (FIG. 1, S140 and associated text, such as [0033] “The terminal may transmit a third message using an uplink resource which is configured from the base station, and the terminal may transmit a message for its own unique ID and RRC connection to the third message.”); and
receive information including a grant, wherein at least part of the information is scrambled using a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) that is associated with the selected carrier (FIG. 1, S150 and associated text, such as [0034] “In step S150, the base station detecting the message may transmit RRC setup information to the terminal. This may allow the base station to perform contention resolution. In this case, early contention resolution addressed to temporary C-RNTI for initial access can be made. …”).
wherein the RA-RNTI is generated using a carrier index (claim 1 “the RA-RNTI is generated based on RA-RNTI = 1 + t_id + f_id + index of subframe, t_id indicating a time index of the subset of RACH resources and f_id indicating a frequency index of the subset of the RACH resources.”).
Pelletier, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, more clearly discloses: RA-RNTI is generated using a carrier identifier (claim 1 “… wherein a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) is associated with the PRACH transmission, and wherein the RA-RNTI is a function of: a carrier ID of the selected uplink carrier, a time index associated with the PRACH transmission, and an index of the at least a portion of the one or more frequency resources.”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Pelletier above to the RA-RNTI disclosed by Yoo to yield a predictable result of generating RA-RNTI according to MPEP 2143(D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Yoo and Pelletier for the benefit of generating RA-RNTI (claim 1 of Pelletier).
Yoo in view of Pelletier is silent but RAHMAN, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses that the first carrier is a primary carrier and the second carrier is a supplementary carrier ([0167] “In CA one of the component carriers (CCs) is the primary component carrier (PCC) or simply primary carrier or even anchor carrier. The remaining ones are called secondary component carrier (SCC) or simply secondary carriers or even supplementary carriers. …”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of RAHMAN above to the first carrier and second carrier disclosed by Yoo in view of Pelletier to yield a predictable result of serving primary cell and secondary cell.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine RAHMAN in view of Yoo and Pelletier for the benefit of serving primary cell and secondary cell ([0167] of RAHMAN).
Yoo in view of Pelletier and RAHMAN is silent but Deng, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses: wherein the RACH configuration information includes a threshold associated with the primary carrier and the supplementary carrier ([0208] “… The mWTRU may perform measurements on one or more backup beams when one or more of the following events are triggered: … (2) when the receive signal strength indicator (RSSI)/reference signal receive power (RSRP)/reference signal receive quality (RSRQ)/channel quality indicator (CQI) of the serving beam pair is below a defined threshold and/or the RSSI/RSRP/RSRQ/CQI of the alternate beam pair is above a defined threshold or better than the serving beam pair by at least a configured offset …”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Deng above on the threshold of RSRP on beams to the first carrier and the second carrier of Yoo in view of Pelletier to yield a predictable result of power control according to MPEP 2143(D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Yoo in view of Pelletier and Deng for the benefit of power control ([0208] of Deng).
Claim 32 is rejected because it is a method performed by the UE of claim 31 and has the same subject matter as claim 31.
Claim 33 is rejected because it is a corresponding network entity interacting with the UE of claim 31 and has the same subject matter as claim 31.
Claim 34 is rejected because it is a method performed by the network entity of claim 33 and has the same subject matter as claim 33.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIANYE WU whose telephone number is (571)270-1665. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8am-6pm.
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/JIANYE WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462