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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter, which does not fall into the categories of “process”, “machine”, “manufacture”, and “composition of matter”. Referring to claim 20, it recites the limitation “A computer-readable medium…” Since the specification doesn’t clearly define what the medium encompasses, it can be interpreted to include both transitory and non transitory media. For example, paragraph 20 of the US-PGPUB of the instant app recites: “[c]omputer-readable media includes computer storage media. Storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer.” A claim that covers both statutory and non-statutory embodiments (under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim when read in light of the specification and in view of one skilled in the art) embraces subject matter that is not eligible for patent protection and therefore is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma et al. (US Publication 2023/0198610) in view of Zhang et al. (US Publication 2024/0155536).
Regarding claims 1, 12 and 20 Ma teaches an apparatus and a method of wireless communication of a user equipment (UE), comprising:
determining multiple uplink measurement occasions for transmitting multiple reference signals to a satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN); (i.e. fig. 4 shows a UE may receive control signaling indicating uplink slots configurations for uplink transmissions (element 410); see paragraphs 123 - 127)
generating, based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location data of the UE and ephemeris data of the satellite, multiple timing advance (TA) reports that are linked to the multiple uplink measurement occasions, respectively; (i.e. fig. 4 shows the UE may select multiple timing advance (TA) values (415, 420) which are to be used for transmission of uplink reference signals based upon the configured uplink slot configuration, the TA values are based upon predictive satellite data; see paragraphs 128 – 134)
transmitting the multiple TA reports to the satellite at multiple time points; (i.e. fig. 4 shows the determined TA values may be transmitted to the satellite (425) based upon determined times; see paragraphs 135 - 137) and transmitting the multiple uplink reference signals to the satellite on the uplink measurement occasions. (i.e. fig. 4 shows the multiple uplink reference signals are transmitted to the satellite on the configured uplink slots; see paragraphs 138 - 141)
Ma does not explicitly teach generating, based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location data of the UE and ephemeris data of the satellite, multiple timing advance (TA) reports.
However, Zhang teaches generating, based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location data of the UE and ephemeris data of the satellite, multiple timing advance (TA) reports. (i.e. figure 4 of Zhang shows updating a TA value for uplink transmission timing in a NTN based on the GNSS position of the UE and ephemeris satellite information; see paragraphs 70, 71)
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the time the invention was filed utilize satellite ephemeris and UE location data to update the TA of Nam into the TA information of Ma. Both Nam and Luo teach uplink transmission timing in NTN networks. Applying precise, real-time positional information from GNSS and ephemeris data to pre-compensate for signal travel time is an evident solution to the timing synchronization problem in NTN.
A person with ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to Luo to improve network performance by pre-compensating timing before uplink transmissions.
Regarding claims 2 and 13 Ma teaches the method of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple TA reports contains a TA value that represents a time interval between when the UE receives a downlink signal from the satellite and when the UE transmits an uplink signal in a corresponding uplink slot to the satellite. (i.e. Ma discloses the timing advance vales may include a propagation delay between receiving a downlink slot and the transmission of an uplink slot; see paragraphs 134)
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 2 and 13 as described previously from which claims 3 and 14 depend. Ma does not teach wherein the TA value is determined partially based on: a common timing adjustment factor derived from satellite position parameters in the ephemeris data; and a UE-specific timing adjustment factor calculated based on a position of the UE determined from the GNSS location data.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the TA value is determined partially based on: a common timing adjustment factor derived from satellite position parameters in the ephemeris data; and a UE-specific timing adjustment factor calculated based on a position of the UE determined from the GNSS location data. (i.e. figure 4 of Zhang shows updating a TA value for uplink transmission timing in a NTN based on the GNSS position of the UE and ephemeris satellite information timing adjustments; see paragraphs 70, 71)
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the time the invention was filed utilize satellite ephemeris and UE location data to update the TA of Nam into the TA information of Ma. Both Nam and Luo teach uplink transmission timing in NTN networks. Applying precise, real-time positional information from GNSS and ephemeris data to pre-compensate for signal travel time is an evident solution to the timing synchronization problem in NTN.
A person with ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to Luo to improve network performance by pre-compensating timing before uplink transmissions.
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 2 and 13 as described previously from which claims 4 and 15 depend. Ma teaches wherein the TA value in each of the multiple TA reports is associated with a time point that is within a predetermined offset from a corresponding uplink measurement occasion of the multiple measurement occasions. (i.e. Ma discloses that the TA values that are transmitted to the satellite are time aggregated (offset) based upon respective uplink slot of the configured uplink slots for reference signal transmission; see paragraph 135, 136)
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 and 12 as described previously from which claims 5 and 16 depend. Ma teaches wherein the multiple uplink reference signals comprise at least one of multiple Sounding Reference Signals (SRSs), multiple Physical Random Access Channels (PRACHs), and multiple Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRSs). (i.e. Ma discloses the uplink reference signals may be SRSs; see paragraph 139)
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 and 12 as described previously from which claims 6 and 17 depend. Neither Ma or Zhang teaches wherein the multiple uplink measurement occasions are determined to be within a predetermined offset from Epoch time of the satellite.
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the time the invention was filed to configure the uplink timeslots of Ma to be within a predetermined offset for the epoch time of the satellite. Configuring satellite time slots as an offset in epoch time is considered standard practice and well-known to POSITA because it provides a precise, stable, and computationally efficient method to synchronize high-speed, dynamic, and distributed systems. Using an epoch (a fixed, agreed-upon point in time)
A person with ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to Ma increase performance in that it allows for simple integer calculations to determine when communication slots begin, overcoming the complexities of relativistic effects, clock drift, and significant propagation delays.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 and 12 as described previously from which claims 7 and 18 depend. Neither Ma or Zhang teaches further comprising: receiving a trigger to acquire updated ephemeris data of the satellite prior to generating the multiple TA reports.
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the time the invention was filed to update the satellite Ephemeris of Ma before uplink transmission of TA data. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites move rapidly across the sky. To establish a stable, high-performance link, the ground station antenna must accurately point at the satellite's exact future location. Outdated data leads to pointing errors, resulting in failed connections. Therefore, having updated satellite ephemeris (orbital position and velocity data) before uplink transmission is considered obvious to POSITA and also critical.
A person with ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to Ma increase performance because it ensures the ground station’s signal reaches the fast-moving satellite and prevents critical operational failures.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 and 12 as described previously from which claims 5 and 16 depend. Ma teaches wherein a time difference between transmitting each of the multiple TA reports and transmitting a corresponding one of the multiple uplink reference signals is less than a threshold to mitigate impact of timing drift caused by movement of the satellite. (i.e. Ma discloses the transmission of the uplink reference signals is performed within a minimum duration after the transmission of the TA values to compensate for timing errors; see paragraphs 134 - 137)
Regarding claims 9, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 8 as described previously from which claims 9 depend. Ma teaches wherein the timing drift comprises at least one of: clock drift of the UE and Doppler shift due to the movement of the satellite. (i.e. Ma discloses wherein a timing drift may be caused by clock drift rates; see paragraph 44, 99)
Regarding claims 10, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 as described previously from which claims 10 depend. Ma teaches further comprising: predicting the TA value in each of the multiple TA reports up to a time instance when a corresponding one of the multiple uplink reference signals is received by a base station via the satellite. (i.e. Ma discloses a TA value is predicted based upon a network node or ground station receiving the uplink reference signals see paragraphs 140, 141)
Regarding claims 11, Ma discloses all the recited limitations of claims 1 as described previously from which claims 11 depend. Ma teaches further comprising: receiving, from a location server via the satellite and a base station, a request for location information to determine a location of the UE, wherein generating the multiple TA reports and transmitting the multiple uplink reference signals are in response to receiving the request for location information. (i.e. figure 4 the UE position information is determined as a result of a network request (435, 440); see paragraphs 44, 45, 139 - 143)
Conclusion
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
January 28, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471