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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/09/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 11-13, filed June 23, 2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-3, 6, 7, 15-17, 20 and 21 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Li (EP 2 839 711 B1).
Regarding Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 13-14, filed June 23, 2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 8-11, 13, 14, 22-25 and 27 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Li (EP 2 839 711 B1).
Applicant’s arguments filed June 23, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive in the respects set forth below.
With respect to Applicant’s argument that “The portions of ALI relied upon, however, are directed to uplink beams/panels of the UE, not panels at the network node” (Remarks, page 12, paragraph 2), the Examiner agrees, and Ali is no longer relied upon for the quantity of panels at the network node. Ali is retained below only for the assignment of a set of root sequences, and Lei only for the assignment of cyclic shifts to those root sequences, which are the teachings for which Ali and Lei were applied to the dependent claims.
To the extent the argument is directed at the record as a whole, however, it is not persuasive, because the panels on which the rejections below rely for that limitation are the panels of Narasimha, not those of Ali, and Narasimha’s panels are expressly panels of the base station. Narasimha teaches that “The base station can monitor for PRACH signals in multiple directions (e.g., using multiple receive beams). In one example, the base station can monitor for PRACH signals using different panels for each beam direction” (Narasimha, para [0115]), that “If multiple panels are used, receive beam sweeping at the base station can be avoided” (Narasimha, para [0115]), and that “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion” (Narasimha, para [0115]). Panels used for simultaneous monitoring at the base station are panels at the network node usable concurrently in a PRACH procedure, and the number of PRACH occasions in a RACH occasion is, on Narasimha’s own teaching, configured in accordance with that quantity.
In regard to Applicant’s argument that “Applicant respectfully submits that NARASIMHA does not disclose each and every feature recited in amended claim 1” (Remarks, page 11, paragraph 2), the Examiner agrees in the single respect that Narasimha does not describe the network node providing to the UE an indication of the quantity of its own panels. That limitation is newly recited, and it is the limitation for which Li is applied for the first time in the rejections below. Li teaches that “The base station sends the information about its configuration on BS RX beams to receive the random access signal to the mobile station, e.g., in SIB2” (Li, para [0077]), and Li identifies the quantity so communicated: “P indicates the number of RX beams that are formed by steering, and R indicates the number of rounds of steering the RX beams” (Li, para [0085]). Li therefore supplies precisely the network-node-side indication that Applicant identifies as missing, and it supplies it on the network side, not the user-equipment side.
As to Applicant’s argument that “As discussed above with respect to claim 1, however, the cited portions of ALI are directed to uplink beams/panels of the UE, not panels at the network node” (Remarks, page 13, paragraph 5), the argument is answered for claims 8 and 22 in the same way. The quantity of panels those claims require the network node to identify is supplied by Narasimha, and the transmission of an identification of that quantity to the user equipment is supplied by Li, as set forth in the rejection below. In response to applicant’s arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Turning to Applicant’s arguments that the dependent claims are patentable “for at least the reasons set forth above with respect to their parent claims and for their additional distinguishing features recited therein” (Remarks, page 14, paragraph 4) and that new claim 29 is patentable “for at least the reasons given above with respect to claim 1 and for their additional distinguishing features recited therein” (Remarks, page 15, paragraph 1), no additional distinguishing feature of any dependent claim is identified or argued. Because the arguments directed to the independent claims are answered above, the arguments directed to the dependent claims and to new claim 29 are not persuasive. Each pending claim is separately addressed in the rejections below.
For at least these reasons, the rejections are restated below on new grounds. The new grounds of rejection are necessitated by Applicant’s amendment: the limitation “receive, from a network node, an indication of a quantity of panels at the network node usable concurrently for communication in a PRACH procedure” of claims 1 and 15, and the corresponding limitation of claims 8 and 22, were not present in the claims as previously presented, and Li (EP 2 839 711 B1) is applied for the first time to reach them. New claim 29 is likewise newly presented. Accordingly, this action is properly made final. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Narasimha (US 2018/0368189 A1) in view of Li (EP 2 839 711 B1).
Regarding claim 1, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses: A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to cause the UE to, a user equipment built from a processor, a memory and a transceiver, the described functionality being provided by that processor executing instructions stored on that memory: (Narasimha, para [0061] “The UE 110 may have a processor, a memory (which may or may not be non-transitory), a transceiver, and an antenna (not shown).” . . . some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by the UE may be provided by the UE processor executing instructions stored on the memory”)
Furthermore, Narasimha discloses: receive a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource allocation, of a set of PRACH resources, associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), of a set of SSBs, because Narasimha teaches that the base station associates the synchronization signal blocks with random access resources and configures the random access occasions accordingly, each such resource comprising a plurality of physical random access channel resources on which the user equipment may transmit: (Narasimha, para [0091] “a base station forms an association between synchronization signal (SS) blocks and random access resources and/or preambles. The base station can configure multiple RACH occasions.”; Narasimha, para [0094] “each random access resource block includes multiple physical random access channel resources. A UE may transmit a PRACH signal on one or more PRACH resources 310 corresponding to a particular random access resource 302-308 for an SS block”)
Moreover, Narasimha discloses: transmit, to the network node, a communication using an SSB beam associated with the SSB in a PRACH resource of the set of PRACH resources that are configured in accordance with the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, because Narasimha teaches that the user equipment sends its random access preamble on the physical random access channel resources that follow the synchronization signal block it prefers, and that the number of those resources is itself set by the number of panels the base station monitors with at the same time: (Narasimha, para [0113] “The UE transmits a RACH preamble in one or more of the PRACH resources 310 following the preferred SS block. The UE uses different transmit beams to transmit a RACH preamble on different PRACH resources.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”)
Although Narasimha teaches that the base station monitors for random access signals with a different panel for each beam direction and that the number of panels so used at the same time fixes the number of physical random access channel occasions within a random-access occasion: (Narasimha, para [0115]), Narasimha does not explicitly disclose that the user equipment receives from the network node an indication of that quantity of panels.
However, Narasimha in view of Li discloses receive, from a network node, an indication of a quantity of panels at the network node usable concurrently for communication in a PRACH procedure because Li teaches that the base station itself informs the mobile stations of the receive beam forming it will use, and tabulates the number of receive beams the base station forms as the first item of the information so sent (Li, para [0085], “FIGURE 7 includes a plurality of mobile stations 701, 702 in communication with a base station 703. Base station 703 informs mobile stations 701, 702 about BS RX beam forming. As shown in FIGURE 7, S indicates the number of TX RF chains, N indicates the total number of beams at each mobile station, and M indicates the number of repetitions. P indicates the number of RX beams that are formed by steering, and R indicates the number of rounds of steering the RX beams. In FIGURE 7, P=4 and R=3.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to signal to the user equipment, in the manner Li describes, the quantity of panels that the base station of Narasimha uses at the same time to monitor for random access signals. Narasimha has the user equipment transmit its preambles across the physical random access channel occasions of a random access occasion, and makes the number of those occasions equal to the number of panels the base station monitors with simultaneously, so the user equipment must be given that number before it can transmit. Li addresses the same need in the same random access setting, and teaches the base station to broadcast its receive configuration, including the number of its receive beams, in system information. Applying that broadcast to the panel-determined occasion structure of Narasimha is the use of a known technique to improve a comparable system in the same way, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 2, which depends on claim 1, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein a frequency division multiplexing or spatial division multiplexing configuration, of the set of PRACH resources, is based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses that the random access occasions may be arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed manner, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each of them being set by the number of panels the base station monitors with at the same time (Narasimha, para [0116] “the RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) are arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed (FDM) manner”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 3, which depends on claim 1, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs using frequency division multiplexing based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses a one-to-one assignment of random access occasions to synchronization signal blocks that may be provided in the frequency domain, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each of them again being set by the number of simultaneously monitored panels (Narasimha, para [0091] “the association between SS blocks and RACH occasions can be a one-to-one mapping such that each SS block maps to a single RACH occasion”; Narasimha, para [0116] “Different SS blocks (SS blocks#1-SS blocks#5) may correspond to RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) with different frequency offsets.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 6, which depends on claim 1, (Original) Narasimha discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: receive an indication of an allocation of the set of SSBs over a set of resources; and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the UE to transmit the communication using the SSB beam, are configured to cause the UE to: transmit the communication using the SSB beam based on the allocation of the set of SSBs over the set of resources, as Narasimha further discloses that the preamble ranges mapped to the synchronization signal blocks are signaled to the user equipment and that the user equipment then selects its preamble from the range belonging to the block it prefers and transmits it on the corresponding beams (Narasimha, para [0149] “The UE may receive the range information from the SS block itself, or from a system information message sent independently of the SS block.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “The UE selects a RACH preamble from the corresponding range of the preferred SS block. The UE transmits the RACH preamble in each PRACH signal transmitted on the different transmit beams.”).
Regarding claim 7, which depends on claim 1, (Original) Narasimha discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: receive an indication of a partial overlap of resources across a plurality of SSBs of the set of SSBs; and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the UE to transmit the communication using the SSB beam, are configured to cause the UE to: transmit the communication using the SSB beam in accordance with the partial overlap of resources across the plurality of SSBs, as Narasimha further discloses an arrangement in which a whole group of synchronization signal blocks shares one random access occasion, the preamble space of that shared occasion being divided into a distinct range for each block of the group, of which the user equipment is informed and within which it then transmits (Narasimha, para [0127] “a random access channel resource (e.g., RACH occasion) is placed between groups of SS blocks. Each RACH access resource includes multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) resources.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “In order to identify the preferred SS block, the RACH preambles are divided into ranges. A distinct range of preambles is associated with each SS block.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”).
Regarding claim 8, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses: A network node for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to cause the network node to, because Narasimha teaches a wireless communication access device implementing a base station and built from a processor, a transmitter, a receiver, antennas and a memory: (Narasimha, para [0180] “the wireless communication access device 950 includes at least one process 958, at least one transmitter 952, at least one receiver 954, one or more antennas 960, and at least one memory 956”; Narasimha, para [0180] “The processor 958 implements various processing operations of the wireless communication access device 950, such as signal coding, data processing, power control, input/output processing”)
Furthermore, Narasimha discloses: transmit a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource allocation, associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), of a set of SSBs, because Narasimha teaches that the base station forms the association between the synchronization signal blocks and the random access resources and conveys the resulting mapping to the user equipment in a system information message: (Narasimha, para [0091] “a base station forms an association between synchronization signal (SS) blocks and random access resources and/or preambles. The base station can configure multiple RACH occasions.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”)
Moreover, Narasimha discloses: and identifying a set of PRACH resources, each random access resource so associated is itself composed of a plurality of identified physical random access channel resources on which a preamble may be sent: (Narasimha, para [0094] “each random access resource block includes multiple physical random access channel resources. A UE may transmit a PRACH signal on one or more PRACH resources 310 corresponding to a particular random access resource 302-308 for an SS block”)
In addition, Narasimha discloses: receive a communication using an SSB beam associated with the SSB in a PRACH resource of the set of PRACH resources that are configured in accordance with the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, because Narasimha teaches that the base station receives the random access signals on the occasion corresponding to the group of synchronization signal blocks and identifies the preferred block from the occasion on which the signal arrived, the number of occasions being set by the number of panels it monitors with at the same time: (Narasimha, para [0136] “the base station receives one or more PRACH signals of the random access resource corresponding to the group of SS blocks. At step 586, the base station identifies the preferred SS block determined by the UE in response to the group of SS blocks.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”)
Although Narasimha teaches that the base station may avoid sweeping its receive beams by monitoring for random access signals with several panels at once, and sets the number of physical random access channel occasions accordingly: (Narasimha, para [0115]), Narasimha does not explicitly disclose that the resource allocation it transmits identifies that quantity of panels.
Nonetheless, Narasimha in view of Li discloses identifying a quantity of panels at the network node usable concurrently for communication in a PRACH procedure because Li teaches that the base station itself informs the mobile stations of the receive beam forming it will use for the random access signal, and Li tabulates the number of receive beams the base station forms as the first item of the information so sent (Li, para [0085], “Base station 703 informs mobile stations 701, 702 about BS RX beam forming.”; Li, para [0085], “P indicates the number of RX beams that are formed by steering, and R indicates the number of rounds of steering the RX beams”; Li, para [0079], “Number of BS RX beams that are formed by steering (P)”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the base station of Narasimha identify, in the random access configuration it transmits, the quantity of panels with which it monitors simultaneously, as Li teaches a base station to do for its receive beams. The quantity is already the parameter that fixes the occasion structure in Narasimha, and Li teaches that the receiving node is the party that holds and publishes that parameter, so identifying it in the same configuration message is a predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 9, which depends on claim 8, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein a frequency division multiplexing or spatial division multiplexing configuration, of the set of PRACH resources, is based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses that the random access occasions may be arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed manner, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each of them being set by the number of panels monitored with at the same time (Narasimha, para [0116] “the RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) are arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed (FDM) manner”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 10, which depends on claim 8, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs using frequency division multiplexing based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses that the base station assigns the random access occasions to the synchronization signal blocks one for one and may distinguish them by frequency offset, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each being set by the simultaneously monitored panels (Narasimha, para [0091] “the association between SS blocks and RACH occasions can be a one-to-one mapping such that each SS block maps to a single RACH occasion”; Narasimha, para [0116] “Different SS blocks (SS blocks#1-SS blocks#5) may correspond to RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) with different frequency offsets.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 13, which depends on claim 8, (Original) Narasimha discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to: transmit an indication of an allocation of the set of SSBs over a set of resources; and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the network node to receive the communication using the SSB beam, are configured to cause the network node to: receive the communication using the SSB beam based on the allocation of the set of SSBs over the set of resources, as Narasimha further discloses that the base station signals the preamble ranges mapped to the synchronization signal blocks and then identifies the preferred block from the occasion and preamble on which the random access signal arrived (Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”; Narasimha, para [0136] “The base station identifies the preferred SS block based on the RACH occasion on which the PRACH signal was received, and the RACH preamble included in the RACH occasion.”).
Regarding claim 14, which depends on claim 8, (Original) Narasimha discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to: transmit an indication of a partial overlap of resources across a plurality of SSBs of the set of SSBs; and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the network node to receive the communication using the SSB beam, are configured to cause the network node to: receive the communication using the SSB beam in accordance with the partial overlap of resources across the plurality of SSBs, as Narasimha further discloses that a group of synchronization signal blocks may share a single random access occasion whose preamble space the base station divides into a distinct range for each block and transmits in a system information message, the base station then resolving the preferred block from the occasion and the preamble within it (Narasimha, para [0127] “a random access channel resource (e.g., RACH occasion) is placed between groups of SS blocks. Each RACH access resource includes multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) resources.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “In order to identify the preferred SS block, the RACH preambles are divided into ranges. A distinct range of preambles is associated with each SS block.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”; Narasimha, para [0136] “The base station identifies the preferred SS block based on the RACH occasion on which the PRACH signal was received, and the RACH preamble included in the RACH occasion.”).
Regarding claim 15, (Currently Amended) the claim recites: A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource allocation, of a set of PRACH resources, associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), of a set of SSBs; receiving, from a network node, an indication of a quantity of panels at the network node usable concurrently for communication in a PRACH procedure; and transmitting, to the network node, a communication using an SSB beam associated with the SSB in a PRACH resource of the set of PRACH resources that are configured in accordance with the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure. Claim 15 is analogous to claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 16, which depends on claim 15, (Currently Amended) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, wherein a frequency division multiplexing or spatial division multiplexing configuration, of the set of PRACH resources, is based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure. Claim 16 is analogous to claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 17, which depends on claim 15, (Currently Amended) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, wherein a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs using frequency division multiplexing based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure. Claim 17 is analogous to claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 20, which depends on claim 15, (Original) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving an indication of an allocation of the set of SSBs over a set of resources; and wherein transmitting the communication using the SSB beam comprises: transmitting the communication using the SSB beam based on the allocation of the set of SSBs over the set of resources. Claim 20 is analogous to claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 21, which depends on claim 15, (Original) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving an indication of a partial overlap of resources across a plurality of SSBs of the set of SSBs; and wherein transmitting the communication using the SSB beam comprises: transmitting the communication using the SSB beam in accordance with the partial overlap of resources across the plurality of SSBs. Claim 21 is analogous to claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 22, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses: A method of wireless communication performed by a network node, comprising: transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource allocation, associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), of a set of SSBs, because Narasimha teaches that the base station forms the association between the synchronization signal blocks and the random access resources and conveys the resulting mapping to the user equipment in a system information message: (Narasimha, para [0091] “a base station forms an association between synchronization signal (SS) blocks and random access resources and/or preambles. The base station can configure multiple RACH occasions.”; Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”)
Furthermore, Narasimha discloses: and identifying a set of PRACH resources, because Narasimha teaches that each random access resource so associated is itself composed of a plurality of identified physical random access channel resources on which a preamble may be sent: (Narasimha, para [0094] “each random access resource block includes multiple physical random access channel resources. A UE may transmit a PRACH signal on one or more PRACH resources 310 corresponding to a particular random access resource 302-308 for an SS block”)
Moreover, Narasimha discloses: receiving a communication using an SSB beam associated with the SSB in a PRACH resource of the set of PRACH resources that are configured in accordance with the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, because Narasimha teaches that the base station receives the random access signals on the occasion corresponding to the group of synchronization signal blocks and identifies the preferred block from that occasion, the number of occasions being set by the number of panels it monitors with at the same time: (Narasimha, para [0136] “the base station receives one or more PRACH signals of the random access resource corresponding to the group of SS blocks. At step 586, the base station identifies the preferred SS block determined by the UE in response to the group of SS blocks.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”)
Although Narasimha teaches that the base station monitors for random access signals with several panels at once and sets the number of physical random access channel occasions accordingly: (Narasimha, para [0115]), Narasimha does not explicitly disclose that the resource allocation it transmits identifies that quantity of panels.
Conversely, Narasimha in view of Li discloses identifying a quantity of panels of the network node usable concurrently for communication in a PRACH procedure because Li teaches that the base station itself informs the mobile stations of the receive beam forming it will use for the random access signal, and Li tabulates the number of receive beams the base station forms as the first item of the information so sent (Li, para [0085], “Base station 703 informs mobile stations 701, 702 about BS RX beam forming.”; Li, para [0085], “P indicates the number of RX beams that are formed by steering, and R indicates the number of rounds of steering the RX beams”; Li, para [0079], “Number of BS RX beams that are formed by steering (P)”).
For these reasons, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the base station of Narasimha to identify, in the random access configuration it transmits, the quantity of panels with which it monitors simultaneously, as Li teaches a base station to do for its receive beams. That quantity is already the network-side parameter that fixes the occasion structure in Narasimha, and Li teaches that the receiving node is the party that holds and publishes it, so identifying it in the same configuration message is a predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 23, which depends on claim 22, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The method of claim 22, wherein a frequency division multiplexing or spatial division multiplexing configuration, of the set of PRACH resources, is based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses that the random access occasions may be arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed manner, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each of them being set by the number of panels monitored with at the same time (Narasimha, para [0116] “the RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) are arranged in a frequency-division multiplexed (FDM) manner”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 24, which depends on claim 22, (Currently Amended) Narasimha discloses The method of claim 22, wherein a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs using frequency division multiplexing based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, as Narasimha further discloses that the base station assigns the random access occasions to the synchronization signal blocks one for one and may distinguish them by frequency offset, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each being set by the simultaneously monitored panels (Narasimha, para [0091] “the association between SS blocks and RACH occasions can be a one-to-one mapping such that each SS block maps to a single RACH occasion”; Narasimha, para [0116] “Different SS blocks (SS blocks#1-SS blocks#5) may correspond to RACH occasions (RACH occasion 1-5) with different frequency offsets.”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”).
Regarding claim 27, which depends on claim 22, (Original) Narasimha discloses The method of claim 22, further comprising: transmitting an indication of an allocation of the set of SSBs over a set of resources; and wherein receiving the communication using the SSB beam comprises: receiving the communication using the SSB beam based on the allocation of the set of SSBs over the set of resources, as Narasimha further discloses that the base station signals the preamble ranges mapped to the synchronization signal blocks and then identifies the preferred block from the occasion and preamble on which the random access signal arrived (Narasimha, para [0132] “the information about the ranges can be transmitted in a system information message sent independently of the SS block”; Narasimha, para [0136] “The base station identifies the preferred SS block based on the RACH occasion on which the PRACH signal was received, and the RACH preamble included in the RACH occasion.”).
Regarding claim 29, which depends on claim 1, (New) Narasimha discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: determine, based at least in part on the quantity of panels at the network node usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure, a mapping of the set of SSBs to a set of random access channel occasions, wherein the communication is transmitted in a random access channel occasion, of the set of random access channel occasions, in accordance with the mapping, as Narasimha further discloses a one-to-one association of the synchronization signal blocks to the random access occasions, from which the user equipment derives which occasion corresponds to the block it prefers, the number of physical random access channel occasions within each such occasion being set by the number of panels monitored with at the same time, and the user equipment then transmitting its preamble in that occasion (Narasimha, para [0091] “the association between SS blocks and RACH occasions can be a one-to-one mapping such that each SS block maps to a single RACH occasion”; Narasimha, para [0115] “the number of panels used for simultaneous PRACH signal monitoring determines the number of PRACH occasions 502 in a RACH occasion”; Narasimha, para [0113] “The UE transmits a RACH preamble in one or more of the PRACH resources 310 following the preferred SS block.”).
Claims 4, 11, 18 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Narasimha (US 2018/0368189 A1) in view of Li (EP 2 839 711 B1) and further in view of Ali (US 2023/0032007 A1).
Regarding claim 4, which depends on claim 1, (Currently Amended) even though Narasimha in view of Li teaches the association of the random access occasions with the synchronization signal blocks and the signalling of the base station’s receive configuration to the user equipment: (Narasimha, para [0091]; Li, para [0077]), Narasimha in view of Li does not explicitly disclose that a set of root sequences is assigned to those blocks on the basis of the quantity of panels.
Conversely, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein a set of roots of a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Ali teaches a plurality of configured root sequence indices from which the set actually used for preamble generation is chosen according to a count of available panels together with the synchronization signal blocks detected, the count Ali names being the user equipment’s own (Ali, para [0104], “Based on the UE capability in terms of number of available panels, the power condition, and/or the detected SSBs, the UE 205 may select all or subset of the configured rootSequences or RACH configuration indices for PRACH preambles generation.”).
For these reasons, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to assign the root sequences of the random access occasions of Narasimha in view of Li across the synchronization signal blocks according to the quantity of panels, as Ali teaches. Ali teaches the technique of choosing among a configured set of root sequences by a panel count, so that preambles associated with different panels remain separable; the count Ali happens to use is the user equipment’s own. In Narasimha it is the base station’s concurrently monitored panel count that already fixes how many physical random access channel occasions each random access occasion holds, so that is the count a person of ordinary skill would apply Ali’s technique to. Extending the panel-driven parameter from the occasion structure to the root sequences carried within it is the application of a known technique to a known system ready for the improvement, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Accordingly, Narasimha and Li are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 11, which depends on claim 8, (Currently Amended) even though Narasimha in view of Li teaches the base station’s association of the random access occasions with the synchronization signal blocks and its publication of its own receive configuration: (Narasimha, para [0091]; Li, para [0077]), Narasimha in view of Li does not explicitly disclose that a set of root sequences is assigned to those blocks on the basis of the quantity of panels.
Nevertheless, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein a set of roots of a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Ali teaches a plurality of configured root sequence indices from which the set actually used for preamble generation is chosen according to a count of available panels together with the synchronization signal blocks detected, the count Ali names being the user equipment’s own (Ali, para [0104], “Based on the UE capability in terms of number of available panels, the power condition, and/or the detected SSBs, the UE 205 may select all or subset of the configured rootSequences or RACH configuration indices for PRACH preambles generation.”).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the base station of Narasimha in view of Li to configure the root sequences of its random access occasions across the synchronization signal blocks according to the quantity of panels, as Ali teaches a network node to do. The quantity is already the network-side parameter that fixes the occasion structure in Narasimha, and Ali teaches selecting among configured root sequences by a panel count, albeit the user equipment’s own. Applying that selection technique to the panel count the network node itself holds and publishes is the predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Thus, Narasimha and Li are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 8 above.
Regarding claim 18, which depends on claim 15, (Currently Amended) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, wherein a set of roots of a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure. Claim 18 is analogous to claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 25, which depends on claim 22, (Currently Amended) in spite of the fact that Narasimha in view of Li teaches the base station’s association of the random access occasions with the synchronization signal blocks and its publication of its own receive configuration: (Narasimha, para [0091]; Li, para [0085]), Narasimha in view of Li does not explicitly disclose that a set of root sequences is assigned to those blocks on the basis of the quantity of panels.
Nonetheless, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali discloses The method of claim 22, wherein a set of roots of a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Ali teaches a plurality of configured root sequence indices from which the set actually used for preamble generation is chosen according to a count of available panels together with the synchronization signal blocks detected, the count Ali names being the user equipment’s own (Ali, para [0104], “Based on the UE capability in terms of number of available panels, the power condition, and/or the detected SSBs, the UE 205 may select all or subset of the configured rootSequences or RACH configuration indices for PRACH preambles generation.”).
For these reasons, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the network node of Narasimha in view of Li to configure the root sequences of its random access occasions across the synchronization signal blocks according to the quantity of panels, as Ali teaches a network node to do. That quantity is already the network-side parameter that fixes the occasion structure in Narasimha, and Ali teaches selecting among configured root sequences by a panel count, albeit the user equipment’s own. Applying that selection technique to the panel count the network node itself holds and publishes is the predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Consequently, Narasimha and Li are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 22 above.
Claims 5, 12, 19 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Narasimha (US 2018/0368189 A1) in view of Li (EP 2 839 711 B1) and further in view of Ali (US 2023/0032007 A1) and further in view of Lei (WO 2020/163164 A1).
Regarding claim 5, which depends on claim 1, (Currently Amended) in spite of the fact that Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali teaches the panel-determined random access occasion structure, the signalling of the base station’s receive configuration, and the assignment of a set of root sequences according to the number of panels: (Narasimha, para [0115]; Li, para [0077]; Ali, para [0104]), Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali does not explicitly disclose the assignment of a set of cyclic shifts for those root sequences.
Nevertheless, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali and further in view of Lei discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein a set of cyclic shifts for a set of roots in a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Lei teaches that a plurality of different cyclic shifts is applied to one and the same root sequence to yield a set of preamble sequences that remain mutually orthogonal (Lei, para [0091], “Various cyclic shifts may be applied to the same root sequence to generate a plurality of preamble sequences in the same zero-correlation zone”).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to subdivide each of the panel-assigned root sequences of Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali by the cyclic shifts Lei describes. The combination already distinguishes the random access opportunities of the several synchronization signal blocks at the level of the root sequence, and Lei supplies the next level of the same known hierarchy, so that a greater number of separable preambles is available within each panel-associated occasion while orthogonality among the preambles built from one root sequence is preserved. This is the use of a known technique to improve a comparable system in the same way, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Consequently, Narasimha, Li and Ali are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 1 and 4 above.
Regarding claim 12, which depends on claim 8, (Currently Amended) in spite of the fact that Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali teaches the panel-determined occasion structure, the base station’s publication of its receive configuration, and the network node’s configuration of a set of root sequences according to the number of panels: (Narasimha, para [0115]; Li, para [0077]; Ali, para [0104]), Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali does not explicitly disclose the assignment of a set of cyclic shifts for those root sequences.
Yet, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali and further in view of Lei discloses The network node of claim 8, wherein a set of cyclic shifts for a set of roots in a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Lei teaches that the base station specifies, alongside the root sequence it communicates in system information, the spacing of the cyclic shifts to be applied to that root sequence (Lei, para [0092], “To ensure that the cyclic shifts that the UE applies to the root sequence are spaced far enough apart to maintain orthogonality and zero correlation, the BS may also specify a cyclic shift step size”).
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the network node of Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali to specify the cyclic shifts for its panel-assigned root sequences as Lei describes. The network node already publishes the root sequence configuration in system information, and Lei teaches the same node to publish the cyclic shift parameters in the same message so that the preambles generated from one root sequence stay separable, which is the predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Thus, Narasimha, Li and Ali are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 8 and 11 above.
Regarding claim 19, which depends on claim 15, (Currently Amended) the claim recites: The method of claim 15, wherein a set of cyclic shifts for a set of roots in a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure. Claim 19 is analogous to claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 26, which depends on claim 22, (Currently Amended) although Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali teaches the panel-determined occasion structure, the base station’s publication of its receive configuration, and the network node’s configuration of a set of root sequences according to the number of panels: (Narasimha, para [0115]; Li, para [0085]; Ali, para [0104]), Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali does not explicitly disclose the assignment of a set of cyclic shifts for those root sequences.
However, Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali and further in view of Lei discloses The method of claim 22, wherein a set of cyclic shifts for a set of roots in a set of random access channel occasions is assigned to the set of SSBs based on the quantity of panels usable concurrently for communication in the PRACH procedure because Lei teaches that the base station specifies, alongside the root sequence it communicates in system information, the spacing of the cyclic shifts to be applied to that root sequence (Lei, para [0092], “To ensure that the cyclic shifts that the UE applies to the root sequence are spaced far enough apart to maintain orthogonality and zero correlation, the BS may also specify a cyclic shift step size”).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the network node of Narasimha in view of Li and further in view of Ali to specify the cyclic shifts for its panel-assigned root sequences as Lei describes. The network node already publishes the root sequence configuration in system information, and Lei teaches the same node to publish the cyclic shift parameters in the same message so that the preambles generated from one root sequence stay separable, which is the predictable use of a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Thus, Narasimha, Li and Ali are combined for the reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 22 and 25 above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/CHONGSUH PARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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