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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on 05/20/2026 has been entered. Claims 1 and 5-6 have been amended. Claim 4 has been canceled in this amendment. No New Claim has been added in this amendment. Claims 1-6 are pending in this application, with claims 1 and 6 being independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) have been considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejection of Claims 1-3 and 5-6 under 35 U.S.C. §102 and 103 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by in view of TSAI et al. (US 2022/0086780 Al, hereinafter referred to as “Tsai”).
Regarding Claims 1 and 6, Tsai discloses a terminal (Tsai Fig.4) and a method comprising: perform communication with a base station (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0148] A base station) that is included in an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) via a non-terrestrial device (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0148] A NTN-Gateway) and a wireless relay device (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0148] A satellite); and apply both a first timing advance value and a second timing advance value to the communication (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0149] A UE uses required TA value by combining UE-specific and common TA for UL transmission), the first timing advance value corresponding to a section from the non-terrestrial device to the wireless relay device in a link from the non-terrestrial device to the terminal itself (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0149] The common TA (i.e. first TA) for a link between the gateway and the satellite), and the second timing advance value corresponding to a section from the wireless relay device to the terminal itself in the link from the non-terrestrial device to the terminal itself (Tsai Fig.4 Para[0149] The UE-specific TA (i.e. second TA) for a link between the satellite and the UE).
Specifically for claim 1, Tsai discloses the terminal device that includes a processor (Tsai Para[0277] processor (i.e. control unit)) and a receiver (Tsai Para[0273] A receiver).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of HEYN et al. (US 2020/0196263 Al, hereinafter referred to as “Heyn”).
Regarding claim 2, Tsai discloses the terminal and the method as explained above for Claim 1. Tsai does not explicitly disclose wherein the control unit does not apply the first timing advance value to the communication, applies the second timing advance value to the communication, and does not apply a third timing advance value corresponding to a link from the base station to the non-terrestrial device to the communication.
However, Heyn from the same field of invention discloses further discloses wherein the control unit does not apply the first timing advance value to the communication, applies the second timing advance value to the communication, and does not apply a third timing advance value corresponding to a link from the base station to the non-terrestrial device to the communication (Heyn Fig.7,8 Para[0192,0196] The UE applies the timing advance value provided by the relay).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Tsai to have the feature of “wherein the control unit does not apply the first timing advance value to the communication, applies the second timing advance value to the communication, and does not apply a third timing advance value corresponding to a link from the base station to the non-terrestrial device to the communication” as taught by Heyn. The motivation would have been to reduce signaling overhead regarding timing advance (Heyn Para[0017]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of ATUNGSIRI et al. (US 2023/0300768 Al, hereinafter referred to as “Atungsiri”).
Regarding claim 3, Tsai discloses the terminal and the method as explained above for Claim 1. Tsai does not explicitly disclose receive information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the second timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the wireless relay device and information related to a position of the terminal itself.
However, Atungsiri from the same field of invention discloses receive information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the second timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the wireless relay device and information related to a position of the terminal itself (Atungsiri Fig.3a Para[0060-67,0071] The UE calculates differential TA using its position and NT-RN ephemeris received).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Tsai to have the feature of “receive information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the second timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the wireless relay device and information related to a position of the terminal itself” as taught by Atungsiri. The motivation would have been to maintain uplink timing advance in NTN to reduce delay and interference (Atungsiri Para[0006]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of Hosseinian et al. (US 2023/0403667 Al, hereinafter referred to as “Hosseinian”).
Regarding claim 5, Tsai discloses the terminal and the method as explained above for Claim 1. Tsai does not explicitly disclose a reception unit configured to receive information related to a position of the non-terrestrial device and information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the first timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the non-terrestrial device and the information related to the position of the wireless relay device from the base station.
However, Hosseinian from the same field of invention discloses a reception unit configured to receive information related to a position of the non-terrestrial device and information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the first timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the non-terrestrial device and the information related to the position of the wireless relay device from the base station (Hosseinian Fig.5,8,12 Para[089-93] The UE receives reference point geo data and satellite ephemeris data. The UE calculates timing advance using the location data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Tsai to have the feature of “a reception unit configured to receive information related to a position of the non-terrestrial device and information related to a position of the wireless relay device from the base station, and wherein the control unit calculates the first timing advance value based on the information related to the position of the non-terrestrial device and the information related to the position of the wireless relay device from the base station” as taught by Hosseinian. The motivation would have been to manage uplink timing advance and offset value (Hosseinian Para[0002]).
Although specific columns, figures, reference numerals, lines of the reference(s), etc. have been referred to, Applicant should consider the entire applied prior art reference(s).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sudesh M. Patidar whose telephone number is (571)272-2768. The examiner can normally be reached M-F:: 10AM-6:30PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached at (571) 270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Sudesh M. Patidar/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
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