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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 01/18/2024.
Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Claims 1-15 are rejected.
Claims 1, 5, 9 and 13 are independent claims.
Claim Interpretation
5. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
6. The claims 9 and 13 in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
7. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: controller in claims 9 and 13.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
8. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
9. Claim limitations “controller in claims 9 and 13” invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function and/or there is no algorithm for each and every step of the above limitations. Therefore, the claims 9 and 13 are indefinite and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Claims 10-12 depend on claim 9, thus they are rejected for the same reason.
Claims 14-15 depend on claim 13, thus they are rejected for the same reason.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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 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.
11. 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 of this title, 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.
12. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
13. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahmed Abdelaziz Ibrahim ZEWAIL et al. (US 2022/0007434 A1), hereinafter ZEWAIL, in view of Guillermo Pocovi et al. (US 2023/0014238 A1), hereinafter Pocovi.
For claim 1, ZEWAIL teaches a method performed by a terminal of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station, configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 405 and paragraph 68 teach a UE may receive random access configuration information indicating information associated with PRACH resources, such as a starting symbol for a PRACH, one or more PRACH slots, and/or a quantity of transmission opportunities (e.g., PRACH occasions) included in the one or more PRACH slots, among other examples.);
identifying at least one valid physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion, based on the first configuration information and the second configuration information (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 and paragraph 68 teach the UE may determine whether a PRACH occasion is valid based at least in part on a time gap between a time at which the UE receives an SSB and the time at which the PRACH occasion occurs.); and
transmitting a random access preamble to the base station, based on the at least one valid PRACH occasion (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 410 and paragraph 62 teach the UE 120 may transmit a RAM, which may include a preamble (sometimes referred to as a random access preamble, a PRACH preamble, and/or a RAM preamble).).
Pocovi further teaches receiving, from a base station, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. See also Fig. 8 for the UE receiving configuration of Cross-Division Duplex (XDD) before data communication with the gNB).
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 method taught in ZEWAIL with receiving, from a base station, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink taught in Pocovi in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112].
For claim 2, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 3, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 4, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to transmit the random access preamble or receive a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have receiving, from the base station, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to transmit the random access preamble or receive a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 5, ZEWAIL teaches a method performed by a base station of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a terminal, configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 405 and paragraph 68 teach a UE may receive random access configuration information indicating information associated with PRACH resources, such as a starting symbol for a PRACH, one or more PRACH slots, and/or a quantity of transmission opportunities (e.g., PRACH occasions) included in the one or more PRACH slots, among other examples.);
identifying at least one valid physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion according to the first configuration information and the second configuration information (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 and paragraph 68 teach the UE may determine whether a PRACH occasion is valid based at least in part on a time gap between a time at which the UE receives an SSB and the time at which the PRACH occasion occurs.); and
receiving a random access preamble from the terminal, based on the at least one valid PRACH occasion (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 410 and paragraph 62 teach the UE 120 may transmit a RAM, which may include a preamble (sometimes referred to as a random access preamble, a PRACH preamble, and/or a RAM preamble).).
Pocovi further teaches transmitting, to a terminal, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. See also Fig. 8 for the UE receiving configuration of Cross-Division Duplex (XDD) before data communication with the gNB).
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 method taught in ZEWAIL with transmitting, to a terminal, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink taught in Pocovi in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112].
For claim 6, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 5, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 7, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 5, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 8, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the method of claim 5, further comprising: transmitting, to the terminal, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to receive the random access preamble or transmit a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have transmitting, to the terminal, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to receive the random access preamble or transmit a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 9, ZEWAIL teaches a terminal of a wireless communication system (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 120), the terminal comprising:
a transceiver (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 252); and
a controller (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 280) configured to control the transceiver to
receive, from a base station, configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 405 and paragraph 68 teach a UE may receive random access configuration information indicating information associated with PRACH resources, such as a starting symbol for a PRACH, one or more PRACH slots, and/or a quantity of transmission opportunities (e.g., PRACH occasions) included in the one or more PRACH slots, among other examples.);
identify at least one valid physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion, based on the first configuration information and the second configuration information (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 and paragraph 68 teach the UE may determine whether a PRACH occasion is valid based at least in part on a time gap between a time at which the UE receives an SSB and the time at which the PRACH occasion occurs.); and
control the transceiver to transmit a random access preamble to the base station, based on the at least one valid PRACH occasion (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 410 and paragraph 62 teach the UE 120 may transmit a RAM, which may include a preamble (sometimes referred to as a random access preamble, a PRACH preamble, and/or a RAM preamble).).
Pocovi further teaches receiving, from a base station, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. See also Fig. 8 for the UE receiving configuration of Cross-Division Duplex (XDD) before data communication with the gNB).
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 method taught in ZEWAIL with receiving, from a base station, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink taught in Pocovi in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112].
For claim 10, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the terminal of claim 9, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 11, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the terminal of claim 9, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 12, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver to receive, from the base station, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling, and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determine whether to transmit the random access preamble or receive a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have receiving, from the base station, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to transmit the random access preamble or receive a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 13, ZEWAIL teaches a base station of a wireless communication system (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 110), the base station comprising:
a transceiver (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 234); and
a controller (ZEWAIL, Fig.2 item 240) configured to control the transceiver to
transmit, to a terminal, configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 405 and paragraph 68 teach a UE may receive random access configuration information indicating information associated with PRACH resources, such as a starting symbol for a PRACH, one or more PRACH slots, and/or a quantity of transmission opportunities (e.g., PRACH occasions) included in the one or more PRACH slots, among other examples.);
identifying at least one valid physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion according to the first configuration information and the second configuration information (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 and paragraph 68 teach the UE may determine whether a PRACH occasion is valid based at least in part on a time gap between a time at which the UE receives an SSB and the time at which the PRACH occasion occurs.); and
control the transceiver to receive a random access preamble from the terminal, based on the at least one valid PRACH occasion (ZEWAIL, Fig. 4 step 410 and paragraph 62 teach the UE 120 may transmit a RAM, which may include a preamble (sometimes referred to as a random access preamble, a PRACH preamble, and/or a RAM preamble).).
Pocovi further teaches transmitting, to a terminal, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. See also Fig. 8 for the UE receiving configuration of Cross-Division Duplex (XDD) before data communication with the gNB).
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 method taught in ZEWAIL with transmitting, to a terminal, first configuration information related to time division duplex (TDD) and second configuration information related to duplex in which a partial frequency resource corresponding to a downlink time resource is used for uplink taught in Pocovi in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112].
For claim 14, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the base station of claim 13, wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, or a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have wherein the at least one valid PRACH occasion comprises a PRACH occasion in at least one uplink symbol determined as a union of at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one uplink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, or a PRACH occasion that does not precede a synchronization signal block in a PRACH slot, starts after a predetermined symbol interval from a last downlink symbol of at least one downlink symbol determined as an intersection of at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the first configuration information and at least one downlink symbol corresponding to the second configuration information, and starts after the predetermined symbol interval from a last synchronization signal block symbol in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
For claim 15, ZEWAIL and Pocovi further teach the base station of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver to transmit, to the terminal, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling, and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determine whether to receive the random access preamble or transmit a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information (Pocovi, Fig. 3 and paragraph109 teach in one example, a time/frequency component 310 of the component carrier may be configured for DL communication, while another time/frequency component 320 of the component carrier may be configured for UL communication. In other words, in a configuration of the component carrier, subsequent PRBs may be configured for different transmission directions (e.g. uplink, downlink, one or both communication directions between two devices in sidelink communication, etc.), i.e. may be used for different XDD formats. In the first example of FIG. 3, TDD operation (i.e. TDD UL) may occur using UL time/frequency component 320. 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 method taught in ZEWAIL with Pocovi to have transmitting, to the terminal, third configuration information on priority between the at least one valid PRACH occasion and downlink scheduling; and in case that the at least one valid PRACH occasion and the downlink scheduling collide with each other, determining whether to receive the random access preamble or transmit a downlink signal according to the downlink scheduling, based on the third configuration information in order to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception [Pocovi: paragraph 112]).
Conclusion
14. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILL W LIN whose telephone number is (571)272-8749. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/WILL W LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412