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, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 20 under 35 USC @ 103, as being unpatentable over US 20210029679 Al (hereinafter "Si") in view of Ko US 20200099493 Al (hereinafter "Ko") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 2 under 35 USC @ 103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of CA 3054543-Al (hereinafter "On ggosanusi") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 3, 21-23, and 30, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 3, 21-23, and 30 under 35 USC §103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of US 20210321327 Al (hereinafter "Miranda") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 4 under 35 USC @ 103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of US 20210084605 Al (hereinafter "Wu") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 7-8 under 35 USC § 103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of US 11937129 B2 (hereinafter "Rico") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 26 under 35 USC § 103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of Onggosanusi and Miranda have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 27 and 30 under 35 USC § 103, as being unpatentable over Si in view of Ko in view of Miranda US 11968634 B2 (hereinafter "Abotabl") have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20210153250 A1 to Jiang.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 20 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210029679 A1 to Si et al., from hereon Si in view of US-20210153250-A1 to Jiang et al., from hereon Jiang.
Regarding claim 20 Si teaches…a user equipment (UE) comprising (Abs, discloses the method an UE, BS for managing feedback for synchronization ): at least one transceiver; at least one memory comprising instructions; and at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the UE to (P. 58): operate using a numerology comprising at least one item from a list consisting of: a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz or greater(P.36 discloses the support for multiple numerologies as the UE or network device determines the initial numerology (P35)supporting subcarrier spacing (SCS) 60KHz or greater in this case 60 and 120 KHz ), a cyclic prefix greater than 8 us, and ten symbols per slot; detect, via the at least one transceiver, synchronization signal block (SSB), the SSB associated with a burst set(P. 100 discloses… In initial cell selection, a user equipment (UE) assumes a default SSB burst set periodicity as 20 ms, and for detecting non-standalone NR cell, network provides one SSB burst set periodicity information per frequency carrier to UE and information to derive measurement timing/duration), but does not teach… wherein the burst set comprises 5 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a1ms duration SSBs; and process the SSB.
Jiang teaches…… wherein the burst set comprises 5 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a1ms duration SSBs; and process the SSB (P.57 discloses…the PDCCH is reserved in each slot, a SS Block 1, a SS Block 2 and a SS Block 3 are reserved in the first slot of this 1 ms, a SS Block 4, a SS Block 5 and a SS Block 6 are reserved in the second slot of this 1 ms, there are no other transmission positions within this 1 ms apart from the reserved transmission positions of the PDCCH and SS Blocks. Further, if there is no downlink control information to be transmitted, a channel reservation signal may be transmitted at the transmission position (the time domain symbol) originally reserved for the PDCCH. As shown in FIG. 15, no control channel is reserved in each slot, a SS Block 1, a SS Block 2 and a SS Block 3 are reserved in the first slot of this 1 ms, a SS Block 4, a SS Block 5 and a SS Block 6 are reserved in the second slot, and the network device transmits a channel reservation signal at transmission positions in the first slot other than the reserved transmission positions of the SS Blocks ).
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 combination of Si by incorporating the teachings of Jiang because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration cross-of the LBT procedure and transmitting the configured synchronization block (Jiang, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 31 Si teaches…a user equipment (UE) comprising(Abs, discloses the method an UE, BS for managing feedback for synchronization ): at least one transceiver; at least one memory comprising instructions; and at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the UE to (P.58 ): operate using a numerology comprising at least one item from a list consisting of: a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz or greater(P.36 discloses the support for multiple numerologies as the UE or network device determines the initial numerology (P35)supporting subcarrier spacing (SCS) 60KHz or greater in this case 60 and 120 KHz ), a cyclic prefix greater than 8 us, and ten symbols per slot; detect, via the at least one transceiver, a synchronization signal block (SSB), the SSB associated with a burst set(P. 100 discloses… In initial cell selection, a user equipment (UE) assumes a default SSB burst set periodicity as 20 ms, and for detecting non-standalone NR cell, network provides one SSB burst set periodicity information per frequency carrier to UE and information to derive measurement timing/duration), but does not teach… wherein the burst set comprises 6 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a 1 ms duration; and process the SSB.
Jiang teaches… wherein the burst set comprises 6 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a 1 ms duration; and process the SSB(Fig. 14, P.57 discloses…the PDCCH is reserved in each slot, a SS Block 1, a SS Block 2 and a SS Block 3 are reserved in the first slot of this 1 ms, a SS Block 4, a SS Block 5 and a SS Block 6 are reserved in the second slot of this 1 ms, there are no other transmission positions within this 1 ms apart from the reserved transmission positions of the PDCCH and SS Blocks. Further, if there is no downlink control information to be transmitted, a channel reservation signal may be transmitted at the transmission position (the time domain symbol) originally reserved for the PDCCH. As shown in FIG. 15, no control channel is reserved in each slot, a SS Block 1, a SS Block 2 and a SS Block 3 are reserved in the first slot of this 1 ms, a SS Block 4, a SS Block 5 and a SS Block 6 are reserved in the second slot, and the network device transmits a channel reservation signal at transmission positions in the first slot other than the reserved transmission positions of the SS Blocks ).
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 combination of Si by incorporating the teachings of Jiang because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration cross-of the LBT procedure and transmitting the configured synchronization block (Jiang, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 21-23, and 32-34are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210029679 A1 to Si et al., from hereon Si and US-20210153250-A1 to Jiang et al., from hereon Jiang in view of US-20210321327-A1 to Miranda et al., from hereon Miranda.
Regarding claim 22 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 20, but do not teach…wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that a base station transmitting the SSB is an air to ground (ATG) base station.
Miranda teaches… wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that a base station transmitting the SSB is an air to ground (ATG) base station(Fig. 5 step 502, 505). .
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Miranda because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities implementing in an air to ground environment the network devices (Miranda, P. 59). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 23 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 20, but do not teach…wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that the UE is operating in an air to ground (ATG) mode.
Miranda teaches… wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that the UE is operating in an air to ground (ATG) mode(Fig. 4, steps 402 and 405)..
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Miranda because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities implementing in an air to ground environment the network devices (Miranda, P. 59). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 32 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 31, but do not teach…wherein the UE comprises an air to ground (ATG) UE implemented in an aircraft.
Miranda teaches… wherein the UE comprises an air to ground (ATG) UE implemented in an aircraft(claim 9 discloses the UE comprises an air to ground UE implemented in an aircraft).
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Miranda because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities implementing in an air to ground environment the network devices (Miranda, P. 59). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 33 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 31, but do not teach…wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that a base station transmitting the SSB is an air to ground (ATG) base station.
Miranda teaches… wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that a base station transmitting the SSB is an air to ground (ATG) base station(Fig. 5 step 502, 505). .
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Miranda because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities implementing in an air to ground environment the network devices (Miranda, P. 59). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 34 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 31, but do not teach…wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that the UE is operating in an air to ground (ATG) mode.
Miranda teaches… wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to determine to operate using the numerology based at least in part on determining that the UE is operating in an air to ground (ATG) mode(Fig. 4, steps 402 and 405)..
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Miranda because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities implementing in an air to ground environment the network devices (Miranda, P. 59). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 26 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210029679 A1 to Si et al., from hereon Si and US-20210153250-A1 to Jiang et al., from hereon Jiang in view of CA-3054543-A1 to ONGGOSANUSI.
Regarding claim 26 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 20, but do not teach…wherein the burst set spans a plurality of slots, wherein the burst set avoids symbols at ends of each slot, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, uplink signals in the symbols at the ends of each slot.
Onggosanusi teaches… wherein the burst set spans a plurality of slots, wherein the burst set avoids symbols at ends of each slot, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, uplink signals in the symbols at the ends of each slot(Fig. 17, P. 217 and P. 225 discloses… the UE can use the end timing of the SS block to identify the half slot boundary; similarly, if detecting the SS block index as #(21), the UE can use the start timing of the SS block to identify the half slot boundary. The CP information is explicitly/implicitly indicated in the detected SS block). ,
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Onggosanusi because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities (Onggosanusi, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 36 Si and Jiang teach the UE of claim 31, but do not teach…wherein the burst set spans a plurality of slots, wherein the burst set avoids symbols at ends of each slot, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, uplink signals in the symbols at the ends of each slot.
Onggosanusi teaches… wherein the burst set spans a plurality of slots, wherein the burst set avoids symbols at ends of each slot, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, uplink signals in the symbols at the ends of each slot(Fig. 17, P. 217 and P. 225 discloses… the UE can use the end timing of the SS block to identify the half slot boundary; similarly, if detecting the SS block index as #(21), the UE can use the start timing of the SS block to identify the half slot boundary. The CP information is explicitly/implicitly indicated in the detected SS block). ,
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 combination of Si and Jiang by incorporating the teachings of Onggosanusi because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration of resources to avoid interference on systems with smaller transmission opportunities (Onggosanusi, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25 and 35 are objected and claims 37 and 42 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the main reason for allowance of the claims under discussion is the inclusion of wherein the burst set comprises the 6 SSBs per 40 symbols ”, “operate using a numerology comprising at least one item from a list consisting of: a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz or greater, a cyclic prefix greater than 8 us, and ten symbols per slot; and detect a synchronization signal block (SSB), the SSB associated with a burst set, wherein the burst set comprises 8 SSBs per 80 symbols, the 8 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a 2ms duration; and process the SSB”and “operate using a numerology comprising at least one item from a list consisting of: a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz or greater, a cyclic prefix greater than 8 us, and ten symbols per slot; and detect a synchronization signal block (SSB), the SSB associated with a burst set, wherein the burst set comprises 5 SSBs per 40 symbols, the 5 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a 1 ms duration; and process the SSB” as the prior art of records in stand-alone form nor in combination read into the amended claims. Furthermore, the nearest prior art such as the nearest prior art such US 20170311315 A1 to Islam et al., from hereon Islam, CN 115443634 A to Ma, US 20240137966 A1 to Li disclose air-to-group signaling but are silent on the number of symbols per SSB being 40 and 80 symbols respectively in 1 ms duration. Additionally, US-20230059563-A1 to Harada discloses the duration windows being a configurable parameters from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 milliseconds but it is silent on burst sets of SSB being 5, 6, or 8 milliseconds with 80 or 40 symbols. Claim 42 receive similar treatment as they too include “operate using a numerology comprising at least one item from a list consisting of: a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz or greater, a cyclic prefix greater than 8 us, and ten symbols per slot; and detect a synchronization signal block (SSB), the SSB associated with a burst set, wherein the burst set comprises 5 SSBs per 40 symbols, the 5 SSBs having time domain (TD) locations fitting into a 1 ms duration; and process the SSB”, And the nearest prior art such as US 20170311315 A1 to Islam et al., from hereon Islam, CN 115443634 A to Ma, US 20240137966 A1 to Li disclose air-to-group signaling but are silent on the number of symbols per SSB being 40 and 80 symbols respectively. Additionally, US-20230059563-A1 to Harada discloses the duration windows being a configurable parameters from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 milliseconds but it is silent on burst sets of SSB 6, or 8 milliseconds with 80 or 40 symbols.
Claims 38-41 and 43-46 are allowed as they depend from an allowed claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO form PTO-892: US 20170311315 A1 to Islam et al., from hereon Islam, CN 115443634 A to Ma, US 20240137966 A1 to Li. .
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.
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/L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2476
/AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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