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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "a second quantity of frequency domain units in frequency domain" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because “a first quantity of frequency domain units in frequency domain” is not disclosed in claim 1 upon which claim 9 depends.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 2, 5, 9, 10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu et al US 20240179756 (hereinafter Liu).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a random access method (see fig. 5), comprising:
receiving, by a terminal device (UE 120, see fig. 5), a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) (505, see fig. 5, [0076]);
determining, by the terminal device, a frequency domain position of a random access occasion based on a frequency domain position of the SSB (SSB with ATG dedicated RACH configuration which includes a frequency offset of a lowest RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see fig. 5, [0076], [0088]); and
initiating, by the terminal device, random access based on the random access occasion (510, see fig. 5, [0077]), wherein the random access occasion comprises a frequency domain resource (RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see [0088]) determined based on the frequency domain position of the random access occasion (see [0077], [0088], [0087]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Liu further discloses wherein a spacing between the frequency domain position of the random access occasion and the frequency domain position of the SSB is a first quantity of frequency domain units (spacing of the RACH message, see [0088]);
wherein the frequency domain position of the random access occasion comprises one or more of a frequency domain starting position of the random access occasion, a frequency domain ending position of the random access occasion, or a center frequency of the random access occasion (SSB with ATG dedicated RACH configuration which includes a frequency offset of a lowest RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see fig. 5, [0076], [0088], [0107]); and
wherein the frequency domain position of the SSB comprises one or more of a frequency domain starting position of the SSB, a frequency domain ending position of the SSB, or a center frequency of the SSB (RACH parameters indicating quantity of SSBs, see [0089], [0165]).
Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 2, Liu further discloses wherein a duplex mode of a band on which the SSB is located is time division duplex (see [0066]).
Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 1, Liu further discloses wherein the random access occasion comprises a second quantity of frequency domain units in frequency domain ([0088]-[0089], [0107], [0119], [0135]).
Regarding claim 10 as applied to claim 1, Liu further discloses wherein a subcarrier spacing of the random access occasion is one of a subcarrier spacing of the SSB, or a subcarrier spacing indicated by a master information block (MIB) corresponding to the SSB (see [0088]).
Regarding claim 20, Liu discloses a communication apparatus (UE 120, see figs. 2 and 5, [0051]), comprising:
a processor (280, see fig. 2, [0051]); and
an interface circuit (252, 254, see [0051]), wherein the interface circuit comprises circuitry adapted to: perform at least one of:
receive a signal from a second communication apparatus other than the communication apparatus (Base Station 110, see figs. 2 and 5, [0051]) and transmit the signal to the processor (see fig. 2, [0051]); or
send a signal from the processor to the second communication apparatus (510, see fig. 5, [0077]); and
wherein the processor is configured to perform, using a logic circuit or by executing code instructions (see [0051]):
receiving a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) (505, see fig. 5, [0076]);
determining a frequency domain position of a random access occasion based on a frequency domain position of the SSB (SSB with ATG dedicated RACH configuration which includes a frequency offset of a lowest RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see fig. 5, [0076], [0088]); and
initiating random access based on the random access occasion (510, see fig. 5, [0077]), wherein the random access occasion comprises a frequency domain resource (RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see [0088]) determined based on the frequency domain position of the random access occasion (see [0077], [0088], [0087]-[0088]).
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240179756 (hereinafter Liu) in view of Oh et al US 20210360705 (hereinafter Oh).
Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 1, Liu discloses the claimed invention except wherein a center frequency of the random access occasion is equal to a center frequency of the SSB. In the same field of endeavor, Liu discloses wherein a center frequency of the random access occasion is equal to a center frequency of the SSB (see [0133]).
It would therefor have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Oh with Liu by having RO with a same center frequency as a SSB, as taught by Oh, for the benefit of efficiently transmitting uplink control information and data.
Claims 11-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240179756 (hereinafter Liu) in view of Mangalvedhe et al US 20240397556 (hereinafter Mangalvedhe).
Regarding claim 11, Liu et al US 20240179756 discloses a random access method (see fig. 5), comprising:
determining, by a terminal device, a frequency domain position of a random access occasion, wherein the frequency domain position of the random access occasion is within a first frequency range (SSB with ATG dedicated RACH configuration which includes a frequency offset of a lowest RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see fig. 5, [0076], [0088]); and
initiating, by the terminal device, random access based on the random access occasion (510, see fig. 5, [0077]).
Liu does not disclose a starting position of the first frequency range is 1457 megahertz MHz, and wherein an ending position of the first frequency range is 1492 MHz. In the same field of endeavor, Mangalvedhe discloses a terminal device initiating random access based on a random access occasion, wherein the random access is initiated within a frequency range of a starting and ending position within a frequency range FR1 (SIB, transmitted via a SSB(s) mapped to ROs in FR1, see [0036]).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Mangalvedhe with Liu by transmitting a SSB including a SIB that provides RACH configuration which include the ROs in the frequency domain in FR1 which includes 1457MHz-1492 MHz frequency range, for the benefit of enabling multiple random access channel occasions in the frequency domain of the uplink bandwidth.
Regarding claim 12 as applied to claim 11, Liu further discloses determining, by the terminal device, that an uplink channel bandwidth of a cell is different from a downlink channel bandwidth of the cell (see [0066]).
Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 11, Liu further discloses wherein the frequency domain position of the random access occasion comprises one or more of a frequency domain starting position of the random access occasion, a frequency domain ending position of the random access occasion, or a center frequency of the random access occasion (SSB with ATG dedicated RACH configuration which includes a frequency offset of a lowest RACH occasion in the frequency domain with respect to PRB 0, see fig. 5, [0076], [0088], [0107]).
Regarding claim 15 as applied to claim 11, Liu further discloses wherein the random access occasion further comprises a time domain resource (see [0088]);
wherein the initiating, by the terminal device, random access based on the random access occasion comprises sending, by the terminal device, a random access preamble to a network device (Base Station 110, see figs. 2 and 5, [0051]) based on the time domain resource and the frequency domain resource (510, see fig. 5, [0077], [0088]-[0089]); and
wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the terminal device, a random access response (RAR) from the network device based on an RAR window, wherein a start point of the RAR window is a Pth symbol after a last symbol of the time domain resource, and wherein P is an integer greater than or equal to 0 (515, see fig. 5, [0078]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6-8, 14, and 16-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jeong et al US 20250331014 discloses for a SSB, when all bit values of a RA preamble index are not 0, it indicates an SSB used to determine a RACH occasion for PRACH transmission.
Yang et al US 12,219,618 discloses a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, are characterized by detecting one or more SSBs, selecting some SSBs from among the detected SSBs, and transmitting PRAM through an RO which succeeds in LBT, among ROs corresponding to the selected SSBs.
Hu et al US 20240032111 discloses a terminal device obtains a first RA report that includes information about a random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to a source secondary access network device.
Qian et al US 20220086774 discloses determining, by a terminal, optimal synchronization signal blocks according to a downlink measurement result; acquiring, by the terminal, an index of the random access channel configuration and information on a preamble sequence resource pool based on the optimal synchronization signal blocks; determining, by the terminal, a time-frequency resource of corresponding random access occasion according to an association between the synchronization signal blocks and the random access channel resources and/or the acquired random access channel configuration index; selecting, by the terminal, preamble sequences from the preamble sequence resource pool; and transmitting the selected preamble sequences at the determined time-frequency resource for the random access occasion.
Xiong et al US 20220046725 discloses receiving a configuration indicating a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission occasion (RO), determining resource set(s) corresponding to one or more PRACH ROs according to the configuration, and performing uplink transmission on the determined one or more resource sets.
Liu et al US 20210014889 discloses transmitting target resource indication information to a user equipment based on a pre-defined mapping relationship; where the target resource indication information is used to determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion (RO) resource, the target resource indication information includes at least one of a physical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined mapping relationship includes a correspondence between a value range of the target resource indication information and the RO resource.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLUMIDE T AJIBADE AKONAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6496. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM.
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/OLUMIDE AJIBADE AKONAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648