DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claims 4-10 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 4-5, 7-10, 14-15, and 17-20, the claims each recite the limitation “the at least one PSS.” This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether “the at least one PSS” recited in this limitation corresponds to the “one or more PSS” previously recited as being “detected” in line 7 of claim 1 (line 5 of claim 20), or the “at least one determined PSS” previously recited in line 9 of claim 1 (line 7 of claim 20).
Regarding Claims 5, 7, 15, and 17, the claims each recite the limitation “another one or more of the at least one PSS.” This limitation renders the claim indefinite because if there is only one PSS detected in claims 1 or 20, there can be no “another” PSS.
Regarding Claims 6 and 16, the claims each depend on claims 5 or 15 and therefore inherit the 35 U.S.C. 112 issues of the claims upon which they depend.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-4, 8, 11-14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Damnjanovic et al. (US 2014/0233530 A1, hereinafter “Damnjanovic”) in view of Li et al. (WO 2024/067508 A1, hereinafter “Li”).
Regarding Claim 1, Damnjanovic teaches a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), comprising: circuitry, including any of a processor, memory, transmitter and receiver (Damnjanovic: At the UE 650, each receiver 654RX receives a signal through its respective antenna 652 ... The data and control signals are then provided to the controller/processor 659 ... The controller/processor can be associated with a memory 660 that stores program codes and data, see paragraphs [0047]-[0048]), the circuitry configured to:
determine a set of candidate primary synchronization signal (PSS) parameter values (Damnjanovic: The dormant eNB 702 sends overhead channel transmissions in bursts. The bursts are at a reduced periodicity. The dormant eNB 702 may transmit the PSS ... in N ms bursts every M ms with L ms offset. The values for N, M, and L may be configured by the active eNB 703 ... The active eNB 703 may signal the UE 701 to look at multiple burst configurations to acquire the overhead signals from the dormant eNB 702, see paragraph [0055]);
perform, based on the set of candidate PSS parameter values, PSS detection on one or more synchronization frequencies (Damnjanovic: When the eNB 702 is in a dormant state, the dormant eNB 702 is configured to transmit overhead signals with reduce periodicity at 720 ... The UE 701 acquires at 722 parameters for overhead channels of the dormant eNB 702 from the active eNB 703 ... The parameters indicate the resources (e.g., subframes, periodicity) on which the overhead signals can be obtained from the dormant eNB 702. On the indicated resources, the UE 701 receives the PSS and the SSS, and detects the dormant eNB 702 based on the received PSS and the SSS, see paragraph [0058]);
based on detecting one or more PSS, determine at least one PSS having corresponding PSS parameter values from the set of candidate PSS parameter values (Damnjanovic: On the indicated resources, the UE 701 receives the PSS and the SSS, and detects the dormant eNB 702 based on the received PSS and the SSS, see paragraph [0058]); and
based on the PSS parameter values of one or more of the at least one determined PSS, determine that a cell is in a dormancy state (Damnjanovic: On the indicated resources, the UE 701 receives the PSS and the SSS, and detects the dormant eNB 702 based on the received PSS and the SSS, see paragraph [0058]).
While Damnjanovic teaches to determine an uplink resource based on the at least one determined PSS (Damnjanovic: The UE 701 may acquire limited SI at 726 from the dormant eNB 702 before the UE 701 initiates a random access procedure with the dormant eNB 702. The limited SI ... may provide enough information to the UE 701 for the UE 701 to begin the random access procedure by transmitting a PRACH signature sequence to the dormant eNB 702, see paragraph [0061]); and
transmit, based on one or more criteria associated with the at least one determined PSS, a message initiating cell activation on the uplink resource (Damnjanovic: the UE 701 may determine to reselect to the dormant eNB 702 from the active eNB 703. The UE 701 may make the determination to reselect based on the determined RSRP, RSRQ, and/or SINR of the received CRS or other reference signals, see paragraph [0060]; The random access procedure between the idle UE 701 and dormant eNB 702 includes several messages ... The UE 701 initiates the access by transmitting a message 1. Message 1 is a PRACH preamble signature sequence. After receiving the message 1 at 730 from the UE 701, the dormant eNB 702 may send a request to the active eNB 703 for activation, see paragraph [0062]),
Damnjanovic does not explicitly teach that the uplink resource is a cell activation request (CAR) resource; and
that the message initiating cell activation is a cell activation request (CAR).
However, in the same field of endeavor, Li teaches that the uplink resource is a cell activation request (CAR) resource (Li: The terminal determines the first signal resource used to transmit the first signal based on the first signal configuration information, see paragraph [0154]; The first signal may include ... a random access channel preamble signal, a cell activation request signal, see paragraph [0084]); and
that the message initiating cell activation is a cell activation request (CAR) (Li: The terminal uses the first signal resource to send the first signal to the first network-side device, see paragraph [0155]; The first signal may include ... a random access channel preamble signal, a cell activation request signal, see paragraph [0084]).
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 invention of Damnjanovic to include the features as taught by Li above in order to enable faster synchronization and greater flexibility (Li: see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding Claim 2, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1, wherein the candidate PSS parameter values comprise any of: PSS sequence index, PSS sequence initialization value, PSS sequence length, PSS repetition factor, PSS periodicity, and PSS symbol rate (Damnjanovic: The parameters indicate the resources (e.g., subframes, periodicity) on which the overhead signals can be obtained from the dormant eNB 702, see paragraph [0058]).
Regarding Claim 3, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the set of candidate PSS parameter values correspond to the dormancy state (Damnjanovic: The dormant eNB 702 sends overhead channel transmissions in bursts. The bursts are at a reduced periodicity. The dormant eNB 702 may transmit the PSS, ... in N ms bursts every M ms with L ms offset, see paragraph [0055]).
Regarding Claim 4, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 3, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine that the cell is in the dormancy state on condition that any of the PSS parameter values of the at least one PSS belongs to the first subset of the candidate PSS parameter values that correspond to the dormancy state (Damnjanovic: The values for N, M, and L may be configured by the active eNB 703 ... The active eNB 703 may signal the UE 701 to look at multiple burst configurations to acquire the overhead signals from the dormant eNB 702, see paragraph [0055]; On the indicated resources, the UE 701 receives the PSS and the SSS, and detects the dormant eNB 702 based on the received PSS and the SSS, see paragraph [0058]).
Regarding Claim 8, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria associated with the at least one PSS comprise any of:
(i) a received power of a PSS having PSS parameter values corresponding to the dormancy state is above a threshold,
(ii) a maximum received power among PSSs having PSS parameter values corresponding to a non-dormancy state is below a threshold,
(iii) a difference between a received power of a PSS having PSS parameter values corresponding to the dormancy state and a maximum received power among PSSs having PSS parameter values corresponding to a non-dormancy state is above a threshold, and
(iv) one or more cells in a non-dormancy state are not suitable (Damnjanovic: the UE 701 may determine to reselect to the dormant eNB 702 from the active eNB 703. The UE 701 may make the determination to reselect based on the determined RSRP, RSRQ, and/or SINR of the received CRS or other reference signals, see paragraph [0060]).
Regarding Claims 11-14 and 18, the limitations of the claims are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 1-4 and 8, and claims 11-14 and 18 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 5-7 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Damnjanovic-Li in view of Guan et al. (US 2017/0302312 A1, hereinafter “Guan”).
Regarding Claim 5, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach that the circuitry is configured, based on the PSS parameter values of another one or more of the at least one PSS, to determine that a cell is in a non-dormancy state.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Guan teaches that the circuitry is configured, based on the PSS parameter values of another one or more of the at least one PSS, to determine that a cell is in a non-dormancy state (Guan: to enable user equipment in a local cell to normally obtain time-frequency synchronization information, channel estimation information, and the like, a base station sends a reference signal according to a preset period, and corresponding user equipment in the local cell detects the reference signal in this preset period and obtains the time-frequency synchronization information, the channel estimation information, and the like according to the detected reference signal, see paragraph [0054]; the cell in the active state sends a primary synchronization signal/secondary synchronization signal (PSS/SSS) signal once every 5 ms, while the cell in the dormant state sends a PSS/SSS signal once every 40 ms or 80 ms, see paragraph [0059]).
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 invention of Damnjanovic-Li to include the features as taught by Guan above in order to improve the success rate of sending a reference signal (Guan: see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding Claim 6, Damnjanovic-Li-Guan teaches the WTRU of claim 5.
Guan further teaches a second subset of the set of candidate PSS parameter values correspond to the non-dormancy state (Guan: the cell in the active state sends a primary synchronization signal/secondary synchronization signal (PSS/SSS) signal once every 5 ms, see paragraph [0059]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Guan is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 5.
Regarding Claim 7, Damnjanovic-Li-Guan teaches the WTRU of claim 6.
Guan further teaches the circuitry is configured to determine that the cell is in the non-dormancy state on condition that any of the PSS parameter values of the another one or more of the at least one PSS belongs to the second subset of the candidate PSS parameter values that correspond to the non-dormancy state (Guan: a base station sends a reference signal according to a preset period, and corresponding user equipment in the local cell detects the reference signal in this preset period and obtains the time-frequency synchronization information, the channel estimation information, and the like according to the detected reference signal, see paragraph [0054]; the cell in the active state sends a primary synchronization signal/secondary synchronization signal (PSS/SSS) signal once every 5 ms, see paragraph [0059]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Guan is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 5.
Regarding Claims 15-17, the limitations of the claims are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 5-7, and claims 15-17 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 9-10 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Damnjanovic-Li in view of Rune et al. (US 2022/0240326 A1, hereinafter “Rune”).
Regarding Claim 9, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1.
Li further teaches to determine the cell activation request (CAR) resource (Li: The terminal determines the first signal resource used to transmit the first signal based on the first signal configuration information, see paragraph [0154]; The first signal may include ... a random access channel preamble signal, a cell activation request signal, see paragraph [0084]).
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 invention of Damnjanovic to include the features as taught by Li above in order to enable faster synchronization and greater flexibility (Li: see paragraph [0043]).
Damnjanovic-Li does not explicitly teach to determine one or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions with one or more time offsets from the at least one PSS.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Rune teaches to determine one or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions with one or more time offsets from the at least one PSS (Rune: RRC configures the following parameters for the Random Access procedure: ... ra-ssb-OccasionMaskIndex: defines PRACH occasion(s) associated with an SSB in which the MAC entity may transmit a Random Access Preamble, see paragraphs [0592]-[0604]).
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 invention of Damnjanovic-Li to include the features as taught by Rune above in order to reduce latency (Rune: see paragraph [0218]).
Regarding Claim 10, Damnjanovic-Li teaches the WTRU of claim 1.
Li further teaches wherein the cell activation request (CAR) resource comprises any of: a time-frequency resource (Li: The terminal determines the first signal resource used to transmit the first signal based on the first signal configuration information, see paragraph [0154]; The first signal may include ... a random access channel preamble signal, a cell activation request signal, see paragraph [0084]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Li is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 9.
Damnjanovic-Li does not explicitly teach a time-frequency resource that starts a determined time offset after the at least one PSS.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Rune teaches a time-frequency resource that starts a determined time offset after the at least one PSS (Rune: random access preambles may only be transmitted in the time resources given by the higher-layer parameter prach-ConfigurationIndex ... Random access preambles can only be transmitted in the frequency resources given by the higher-layer parameter msg1-FrequencyStart, see paragraph [0050]; RRC configures the following parameters for the Random Access procedure: prach-ConfigurationIndex: the available set of PRACH occasions for the transmission of the Random Access Preamble; ... ra-ssb-OccasionMaskIndex: defines PRACH occasion(s) associated with an SSB in which the MAC entity may transmit a Random Access Preamble, see paragraphs [0592]-[0604]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Rune is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 9.
Regarding Claims 19-20, the limitations of the claims are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 9-10, and claims 19-20 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park et al. (US 2024/0259896 A1) teaches that cells may be deactivated and activated by L1/L2 signaling based on signal quality such as one or more of an RSRP, an RSRQ, a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), or a signal-to-noise and interference ratio (SINR) measurement of an SSB or a PSS (see paragraph [0086]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP J EGAN KEARNS whose telephone number is 571-272-4869. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-6 MST.
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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