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 Amendment
This communication is in response to the RCE of 4/13/2026. All changes made to the claims have been entered. Accordingly, Claims 1-17, 19 are currently pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 1, 17, 19 (dependent claims also being rejected since they are dependent upon rejected claims set forth) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites the subject matter “receiving, by a terminal from a base station through system information, a timing offset related to uplink transmission; receiving, by the terminal from the base station, a downlink channel in a first time unit; and transmitting, by the terminal to the base station, in response to the received downlink channel, an uplink in a second time unit, based on a timing advance value in addition to a number of time units between the first time unit and the second time unit, wherein the number of time units between the first time unit and the second time unit is based on a first time offset or a second time offset, wherein the first time offset is based on the timing offset, base offset information and additional offset information, and wherein the second time offset is based on the timing offset and the base offset information, wherein the base offset information is acquired through downlink control information (DCI) related to the downlink channel, and wherein a size of a field indicating the base offset in the DCI is the same for the first time offset and the second time offset, and wherein the additional offset information is signaled to the terminal”. However such subject matter do not seem to be disclosed in the Specification. Examiner suggests amending the subject matter or specifically pointing out such subject matter. Similar rationale is applied to independent claims 17 and 19 reciting similar subject matter.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-17, 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sergeev et al. (US 2022/0191898) disclosing transmitting to the UE a slot offset and a timing advance value for transmission of the PUSCH ([0007]-[0008]).
Cheng et al. (US 2021/0105761) disclosing an offset value indicated in the DCI ([0015]-[0018]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN HOANG NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-8398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NGUYEN H NGO/Examiner, Art Unit 2473