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 .
This Office Action is a response to communications dated 09/22/2023. Claims 1-23, 39, 41, and 77 are pending in the application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 09/22/2023 complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. It has been considered and placed in the application file.
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 1-23, 39, 41, and 77 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun et al. (US 2022/0039045) (hereinafter “Sun”).
Regarding claim 1, in accordance with Sun reference entirety, Sun teaches a method performed by a wireless communication device (base station) (FIG. 4 and paras [0110] to [0114]), the method comprising:
transmitting, to an access node (base station), a signal (uplink signal or PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) for enhanced uplink timing estimation (measuring a propagation delay), wherein the signal occupies more or separate physical resources as compared to a corresponding signal transmitted for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation (FIG. 4; step S401 and para [0111]: “Step 401: receiving an uplink transmission signal from at least one UE.” Also; para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each UE according to the uplink transmitting signal … .” Moreover; para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like. It is inherent that the uplink signal (PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) occupies physical resources in a manner as claimed); and
receiving, from the access node (base station), a message (indication information) comprising timing-related information or clock time, responsive to transmitting the signal for enhanced uplink timing estimation (FIG. 4; step S403 and para [0113]: "Step S403: transmitting corresponding indication information to each UE according to the propagation delay of each UE, the indication information being used to indicate propagation delay between each UE and the base station and/or the time information of the TSN." Moreover, para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each VE according to the uplink transmitting signal; and the base station transmits corresponding indication information to the UE according to the propagation delay of each UE, the indication information being used to indicate the propagation delay between each UE and the base station and/or the Time information of the TSN.").
Regarding claim 2, in addition to features recited in base claim 1 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the signal (uplink signal or PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) for enhanced uplink timing estimation is a physical random access channel, PRACH, preamble for enhanced uplink timing estimation, wherein the PRACH preamble for enhanced uplink timing estimation occupies more or separate physical resources as compared to a PRACH preamble for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation (para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like. It is inherent that the uplink signal (PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) occupies physical resources in a manner as claimed).
Regarding claim 3, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the message comprising the time-related information (TA) or clock time is a random access response (RAR) (TA is carried in the Random Access Response (RAR) is discussed in paras [0134] to [0136]).
Regarding claim 4, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the PRACH preamble has a bandwidth that is greater than 12 Physical Resource Blocks, PRBs, and the PRACH preamble for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation is 12 PRBs (PRACH resource for the high-accuracy TA is discussed in para [0193] and thereinafter).
Regarding claim 5, in addition to features recited in base claim 4 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein each PRB has a bandwidth of 15·2μ·12 kilohertz, wherein 15·2μ kilohertz is a subcarrier spacing of a respective cell on which the PRACH preamble (para [0195] and thereinafter, accumulated TA adjustment information and 2ux15 kHz subcarrier spacing are also discussed).
Regarding claim 6, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the message comprises the timing-related information (TA adjustment information is discussed in para [0194] to [0195] and thereinafter).
Regarding claim 7, in addition to features recited in base claim 6 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the timing-related information comprises at least one of an absolute timing advance, a timing advance adjustment, and a propagation delay (TA adjustment information is discussed in para [0194] to [0195] and thereinafter. It is also noted that the claim is drafted in an alternative format not requiring all cited limitations but one of the cited limitations).
Regarding claim 8, in addition to features recited in base claim 6 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the timing-related information comprises a timing advance command the timing advance command has a granularity of K/2μ, 15·2μ kilohertz where μ is an integer greater than or equal to zero is a subcarrier spacing of a respective cell on which the PRACH preamble is transmitted, and K is less than 1,024 (para [0195] and thereinafter; accumulated TA adjustment information and time information are discussed. Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 9, in addition to features recited in base claim 8 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein K is a power of 2 value (para [0195] and thereinafter; accumulated TA adjustment information and time information are discussed. Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 10, in addition to features recited in base claim 8 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein K is 512, 256, 128, 64, 32, or 16 (para [0195] and thereinafter; accumulated TA adjustment information and time information are discussed. Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 11, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the PRACH preamble is transmitted on a PRACH resource from a common set of PRACH resources for all wireless communication devices in a respective cell on which the PRACH preamble is transmitted (para [0193] and thereinafter, it is discussed “… the UE may select a PRACH resource for the high-accuracy TA according to pre-configuration … corresponding to TA granularity.” Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 12, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble comprises transmitting the PRACH preamble in accordance with a RACH configuration that is cell-specific and common to all wireless communication devices in a respective cell on which the PRACH preamble is transmitted (para [0193] and thereinafter, it is discussed “… the UE may select a PRACH resource for the high-accuracy TA according to pre-configuration … corresponding to TA granularity.” Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 13, in addition to features recited in base claim 11 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the PRACH preamble is one of a first set of PRACH preambles dedicated for time synchronization, the first set of PRACH preambles being different than a second set of PRACH preambles defined for the cell for random access for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation (paras [0193] to [0195] and thereinafter, it is discussed “… the UE may select a PRACH resource for the high-accuracy TA according to pre-configuration … The UE will receive a value indicated by the timing advance command TA in the RAR … corresponding to TA granularity … using a specific PRACH resource, an SR resource, an SRS resource, etc.) … the TA adjustment information accumulated from the last random access of the UE … .” Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 14, in addition to features recited in base claim 13 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the wireless communication device transmits the PRACH preamble from the first set of PRACH preambles responsive to an indication from an upper layer that the random access procedure is for TSN time synchronization or an indication that a TSN protocol was started at the wireless communication device (paras [0193] to [0195] and thereinafter, it is discussed “… the UE may select a PRACH resource for the high-accuracy TA according to pre-configuration … The UE will receive a value indicated by the timing advance command TA in the RAR … corresponding to TA granularity … using a specific PRACH resource, an SR resource, an SRS resource, etc.) … the TA adjustment information accumulated from the last random access of the UE … .” Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 15, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble is triggered by a downlink signal (downlink signal is discussed in para [0133] and thereinafter).
Regarding claim 16, in addition to features recited in base claim 1 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble while the wireless communication device is in a connected state (UE connected to one of base station is also discussed in para [0053] and thereinafter. Being connected to is construed to corresponding to the claimed being in connected state).
Regarding claim 17, in addition to features recited in base claim 16 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble is triggered by a downlink control information, DCI, received from the access node while the wireless communication device is in the connected state (UE connected to one of base station is also discussed in para [0053] and thereinafter. Being connected to is construed to corresponding to the claimed being in connected state. Moreover, DCI is discussed in para [0079] and thereinafter to include the introduction a new amount in the reserved bit information of the DCI used to trigger the random access procedure in para [0233]).
Regarding claim 18, in addition to features recited in base claim 17 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the DCI comprises a field that points to one or more PRACH occasions that are configured for enhanced uplink timing estimation UE connected to one of base station is also discussed in para [0053] and thereinafter. Being connected to is construed to corresponding to the claimed being in connected state. Moreover, DCI is discussed in para [0079] and thereinafter to include the introduction a new amount in the reserved bit information of the DCI used to trigger the random access procedure in para [0233]).
Regarding claim 19, in addition to features recited in base claim 16 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble while the wireless communication device is in the connected state is in accordance with a configuration received via device-specific or group-specific signaling (UE connected to one of base station is also discussed in para [0053] and thereinafter. Being connected to is construed to corresponding to the claimed being in connected state. Moreover, group common downlink control information (DCI) is discussed in para [0079] and thereinafter to include the introduction a new amount in the reserved bit information of the DCI used to trigger the random access procedure in para [0233]).
Regarding claim 20, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the PRACH preamble is transmitted on a dedicated PRACH resource, and a PRACH mask index value defined for clock synchronization in a Time-Sensitive Network, TSN, is used for the dedicated PRACH resource (In addition to the above discussion, para [0204]: "For the method 1 and method 2 and the high accuracy TA adjustment method described above, the corresponding granularity corresponding to each index value TTSN of the indication information of the TSN time synchronization, i.e., the time unit or granularity, may be pre-defined in the protocol, or directly configured by the base station, or inferred from other parameters. The number of bits of the indication information for the TSN time synchronization may be prescribed in the protocol, or may be directly configured by the base station, or inferred by other parameters." Such discussed is equated to correspond to the claimed limitation in the present condition).
Regarding claim 21, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble comprises transmitting the PRACH preamble in accordance with a PRACH configuration for enhanced uplink timing estimation, wherein the PRACH configuration for enhanced uplink timing estimation is the same as a PRACH configuration for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation but with a configurable time domain modification (FIG. 4; step S401 and para [0111]: “Step 401: receiving an uplink transmission signal from at least one UE.” Also; para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each UE according to the uplink transmitting signal … .” Moreover; para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like).
Regarding claim 22, in addition to features recited in base claim 2 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein transmitting the PRACH preamble comprises transmitting the PRACH preamble in accordance with: a first power ramping step size that is greater than a second power ramping step size used for PRACH preamble transmission for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation; a first back-off time that is smaller than a second back-off time used for PRACH preamble transmission for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation; or both the first power ramping step size and the first back-off time ((FIG. 4; step S401 and para [0111]: “Step 401: receiving an uplink transmission signal from at least one UE.” Also; para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each UE according to the uplink transmitting signal … .” Moreover; para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like. Moreover, para [0283]: "In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 1610 configured to generate indication information related to a power control parameter set of a channel for transmitting data with a first priority and transmit the indication information to a User Equipment (UE).").
Regarding claim 23, in addition to features recited in base claim 1 (see rationales discussed above), Sun also teaches wherein the signal (uplink signal) for enhanced uplink timing estimation (measuring a propagation delay) comprises one or more uplink reference signals for enhanced uplink timing estimation (measuring a propagation delay), wherein the one or more uplink reference signals (PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) for enhanced uplink timing estimation occupy more or separate physical resources as compared a corresponding one or more reference signals transmitted for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like.” It is inherent that the uplink signal (PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) occupies physical resources in a manner as claimed).
As per claim 39, the claim appears to call for a wireless device having limitations variously and essentially mirrored functional limitations of method claim 1. Thus, it is anticipated by Sun for the same rationales applied to method claim 1 as above discussed.
Regarding claim 41, in accordance with Sun reference entirety, Sun teaches a method performed by an access node (base station) (FIG. 4 and paras [0110] to [0114]), the method comprising:
receiving, from a wireless communication device, a signal for enhanced uplink timing estimation, wherein the signal for enhanced uplink timing estimation occupies more or separate physical resources as compared to a corresponding signal for a purpose other than enhanced uplink timing estimation (FIG. 4; step S401 and para [0111]: “Step 401: receiving an uplink transmission signal from at least one UE.” Also; para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each VE according to the uplink transmitting signal … .” Moreover; para [0085]: "… wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal), a reference signal for measuring a propagation delay, and a pilot signal demodulated by the UE (DMRS, Demodulation Reference Signaling), a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)." Or para [0171]: "the uplink signal may be one or more of a PRACH, an SRS, an uplink reference signal, a PUSCH, a PUCCH, and the like.” It is inherent that the uplink signal (PRACH; SRS; DMRS; PUSCH or PUCCH) occupies physical resources in a manner as claimed);
deriving timing-related information based on the signal for enhanced uplink timing estimation (FIG. 4; step S402 and para [0112]: “Step S402: estimating a propagation delay of each UE according to the uplink transmission signal." Moreover; para [0114]: "... the base station estimates the propagation delay of each UE according to the uplink transmitting signal; and the base station transmits corresponding indication information to the VE according to the propagation delay of each UE, the indication information being used to indicate the propagation delay between each VE and the base station and/or the Time information of the TSN. Accordingly, it may be capable of achieving more accurate time synchronization of a Time sensitive network (TSN)"); and
transmitting, to the wireless communication device, a message comprising timing-related information or clock time, responsive to transmitting the signal for enhanced uplink timing estimation FIG. 4; step S403 and para [0113]: "Step S403: transmitting corresponding indication information to each UE according to the propagation delay of each UE, the indication information being used to indicate propagation delay between each UE and the base station and/or the time information of the TSN." Moreover, para [0114]: "In the embodiment of the present application, the base station receives the uplink transmitting signal of the at least one UE; the base station estimates the propagation delay of each VE according to the uplink transmitting signal; and the base station transmits corresponding indication information to the UE according to the propagation delay of each UE, the indication information being used to indicate the propagation delay between each UE and the base station and/or the Time information of the TSN."
As per claim 77, the claim appears to call for an access node having limitations variously and essentially mirrored functional limitations of method claim 41. Thus, it is anticipated by Sun for the same rationales applied to method claim 41 as above discussed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Babaei (US 2023/0413204).
Tan et al. (US 2023/0262635).
Singh et al. (US 2022/0369263).
Prakash et al. (US 2020/0322908).
Lee et al. (US 2016/0192376).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANK DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-3164. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-3:30PM.
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/FRANK DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 September 18, 2025