DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an amendment filed on 12/10/2025.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 3, 5, 8, 11-14, 16, 18, 24-25, 29 and 31 have been amended.
Claims 32-33 have been added.
Claims 6-7, 9-10, 13, 19-20, 22-23, 26-28 and 30 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues on pages 16-17 in the remarks that current prior art does not teach claim 1. The applicant strongly believes that current prior art does not teach the amended limitations of claim 1, therefore, the current rejection should be withdrawn. In response, examiner disagrees with the applicant. The examiner’s interpretation of amended claim 1 is using a method for CORSET#0, the method comprises configuring the CORESET#0 according to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) for a frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz, wherein the configuration comprises in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 480 kHz, configuring a SCS of the CORESET#0 to 480kHz or in a case of the SCS of the SSB beIN 960 kHz. configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to 960kHz. Oteri’s teaching in paragraph 52 about using a gNB is equated to a base station, paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET and performing by a base station, his teaching in paragraph 126 about dynamically indicating a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as using CORESET#0, his teaching in paragraph 118 about multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET#0, his teaching in paragraph 125 about using a synchronized signal block (SSB) subcarrier signal spacing (SCS) is equated to subcarrier spacing of synchronized signal, paragraph 126, PBCH is equated to physical broadcast channel, dynamically indicating the SCS via one or more PBCH and using a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as using CORESET#0 according to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB), and his teaching in paragraph 88 about operating anew radio (NR) between 52GHz and 71 GHz with SSB SCS is interpreted as using frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz for physical broadcast channel block (SSB).
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 1-3, 11, 14-16, 24, 29 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by Oteri et al. (hereinafter, “Oteri”; 20230106166).
In response to claim 1,
Oteri teaches a method for configuring a control resource set (CORESET)#0, performed by a network device (paragraph 52, gNB is equated to a base station, paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET and performing by a base station, paragraph 126, dynamically indicating a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as using CORESET#0), comprising:
configuring the CORESET#0 according to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) for a frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz (paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET#0, paragraph 125, synchronized signal block (SSB) subcarrier signal spacing (SCS) is equated to subcarrier spacing of synchronized signal, paragraph 126, PBCH is equated to physical broadcast channel, dynamically indicating the SCS via one or more PBCH and using a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as using CORESET#0 according to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB), paragraph 88, operating anew radio (NR) between 52GHz and 71 GHz with SSB SCS is interpreted as using frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz for physical broadcast channel block (SSB));
wherein configuring the CORESET#0 according to the SOS of the SSB comprises at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 480 kHz, configuring a SCS of the CORESET#0 to 480kHz (paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET#0,fig. 19, element “SSB SCS” and “Data SCS”, paragraph 153, using a multiplexing pattern for utilizing design 8 for the SCS (SCS 1904) of 480kHZ explicitly teaches this limitation), or in a case of the SCS of the SSB beIN 960 kHz. configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to 960kHz.
In response to claims 2 and 15,
Oteri teaches wherein a candidate value of the SCS of the SSB comprises at least one of: 120kHz; 240kHz; 480kHz; or 960kHz (paragraphs 138-139 are interpreted as using a candidate of SCS value with SSB, paragraph 140 is interpreted as using 480kHz with the candidate of SCS value with SSB).
In response to claim 3,
Oteri teaches wherein configuring the CORESET#0 according to the SCS of the SSB further comprises at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 240kHz, configuring a SCS of the CORESET#0 to one of 120kHz, 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz (fig. 19, element “SSB SCS” and “Data SCS”, paragraph 152, multiplexing patterns for SCS of 240kHZ is interpreted as using SSB being 240 in response to the SCS, paragraph 153, using data SCS 120 kHz (for design 7) is interpreted as configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to one of 120kHzz );
in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 480kHz, configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to one of 120kHz, 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz; or in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 960 kHz, configuring the SCS of theCORESET#0 to one of 120 kHz, 240 kHz, 480 kHz and 960 kHz.
In response to claim 11,
Oteri teaches wherein configuring the CORESET#0 according to the SCS of the SSB comprises at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, configuring a multiplexing pattern of the CORESET#0 and the SSB to be pattern 2 (paragraph 155, using a design 7, pattern 2 with a SSB signal that have SCS 240kHz and using RMSI CORESET signal 120kHz explicitly teaches this limitation);
in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, configuring a number of symbols occupied in a time domain by the CORESET#0 to be 1; in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, configuring a number of RBs occupied in a frequency domain by the CORESET#0 to be 48 or 96; or in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz or 960kHz, configuring a number of RBs spaced between a frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and a frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB to be 97, -41 or -42.
In response to claims 14 and 31,
Oteri teaches a method for configuring a CORESET#0 control resource set (CORESET)#0, performed by a user equipment (UE) (paragraph 52, user equipment is equated to a UE, paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET and performing by a base station, paragraph 126, dynamically indicating a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as using CORESET#0), comprising:
receiving configuration information of the CORESET# 0 configured according to a SCS of a SSB a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) for a frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz (paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as using configuration information of CORESET#0, paragraph 125, synchronized signal block (SSB) subcarrier signal spacing (SCS) is equated to subcarrier spacing of synchronized signal, paragraph 126, PBCH is equated to physical broadcast channel, dynamically indicating the SCS via one or more PBCH and using a DCI field in CORESET#0 is interpreted as receiving CORESET#0 according to a SCS of a SSB a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB), paragraph 88, operating anew radio (NR) between 52GHz and 71 GHz with SSB SCS is interpreted as using frequency range of 52.6 GHz to 71 GHz for physical broadcast channel block (SSB));
wherein configuring the CORESET#0 according to the SOS of the SSB comprises at least one of:in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 480 kHz, configuring a SCS of the CORESET#0 to 480kHz (paragraph 118, multiplexing index values with SSB and CORESET is read as configuring CORESET#0,fig. 19, element “SSB SCS” and “Data SCS”, paragraph 153, using a multiplexing pattern for SCS of 480kHZ explicitly teaches this limitation), or in a case of the SCS of the SSB beIN 960 kHz. configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to 960kHz.
In response to claim 16,
Oteri teaches wherein the configuration information indicates at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 240kHz, a SCS of the CORESET#0 being one of 120kHz, 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz (fig. 19, element “SSB SCS” and “Data SCS”, paragraph 152, multiplexing patterns for SCS of 240kHZ is interpreted as using SSB being 240 in response to the SCS, paragraph 153, using data SCS 1020 kHz (for design 7) is interpreted as configuring the SCS of the CORESET#0 to one of 120kHz); in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 480kHz, the SCS of the CORESET#0 being one of 120kHz, 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz; or in a case of the SCS of the SSB being 960 kHz, the SCS of the CORESET#0 being one of 120kHz, 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz.
In response to claim 24,
Oteri teaches wherein the configuration information indicates at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, a multiplexing pattern of the CORESET#0 and the SSB being pattern 2 (paragraph 155, using a design 7, pattern 2 with a SSB signal that have SCS 240kHz and using RMSI CORESET signal 120kHz explicitly teaches this limitation);
in case of to the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, a number of symbols occupied in a time domain by the CORESET#0 being 1; in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz and 960kHz, a number of RBs occupied in a frequency domain by the CORESET#0 being 48 or 96; or in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz or 960kHz, a number of RBs spaced between a frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and a frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB being 97, - 41 or -42.
In response to claim 29,
Oteri teaches a base station, comprising; a processor ;a transceiver ;and a memory storing executable programs executable by the processor (paragraph 279-281, antenna structure is equated to a transceiver, processor is equated to a processor, and memory is equated to a processor),
wherein the processor is configured to perform the method of claim 1 (this limitation is identical to claim 1, therefore, this limitation is rejected as claim 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 8, 12, 17-18, 21, 25 and 32-33 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As for dependent claims 4 and 17, these claims are objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein the SSB carries an indication bit for indicating a SCS of the CORESET#0.”
The closet prior art in the record Nui et al. (US patent 12231110B2) teaches from column 7, line 65 to column 8, line 20 about using a SCS within a subframe of a frame and using a SSB index with a formula for determining a CORESET frame location, but he fails to teach above cited limitation.
As for dependent claims 5 and 18, these claims are objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein a carrier band in which the SSB and the CORESET#0 are located comprises at least one of: a first band; or and/or, a second band; the method further comprising at least one of: in response to a carrier band in which the SSB and the CORESET#0 are located being a first band, the SCS of the SSB and a Quasi Co-Location (QCL) using different indication bits; or in response to the carrier band in which the SSB and the CORESET#0 are located being a second band, the SCS of the SSB and the QCL using a same indication bit, wherein a frequency of the second band is lower than a frequency of the first band.”
The closet prior art in the record Oteri et al. ( US 20230106166) teaches in paragraphs 136-137,152-160, 170-180n and 188-199 about using different designs for using SCS with different frequency bands and multiplexing with corresponding SSB indexes for CORESET #0, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
Claims 6 and 19 are objected, because these claims depend on claim 5 and 18.
Claim 8 is objected because it depends on claim 5.
As for dependent claims 12 and 15, these claims are objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein kSSB is configured to indicate a number of resource elements (REs) offset between the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB, or wherein configuration information of the CORESET#0 comprises an Offset, the Offset is configured to indicate a number of resource blocks (RBs) offset from the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 to the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSBAs.”
The closet prior art in the record Oteri et al. ( US 20230106166) teaches in paragraphs 136-137,152-160, 170-180n and 188-199 about using different designs for using SCS with different frequency bands and multiplexing with corresponding SSB indexes for CORESET #0, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
As for dependent claims 32 and 33, these claims are objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz, or 960kHz, the number of RBs spaced between the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB being 97, -41 or -42, comprises at least one of: in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz, or 960kHz, and the number of REs indicated by the kSSB being 0, the number of RBs spaced between the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB being -41; in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz, or 960kHz, and the number of REs indicated by the kSSB being greater than 0, the number of RBs spaced between the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB being -42; or in a case of the SCS of the SSB comprising at least one of 240kHz, 480kHz, or 960kHz, and the number of REs indicated by the kSSB being any real number, the number of RBs spaced between the frequency domain lower boundary of the CORESET#0 and the frequency domain lower boundary of the SSB being 97.”
The closet prior art in the record Oteri et al. ( US 20230106166) teaches in paragraphs 136-137,152-160, 170-180n and 188-199 about using different designs for using SCS with different frequency bands and multiplexing with corresponding SSB indexes for CORESET #0, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
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 ABUSAYEED HAQUE whose telephone number is (571)270-7252. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am -7:30 pm.
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/ABUSAYEED M HAQUE/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466