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 statements (IDS) submitted on 12th March 2024 and 26th June 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 24, 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura et al (US 2024/0284193 A1).
Claim 1 (similarly Claim 24). Matsumura shows an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (figs. 2A and 2B / 47 and 48: UE), comprising: a memory (fig. 48: memory); and at least one processor coupled to the memory (fig. 48: processor) and configured to, based at least in part on information stored in the memory: monitor a first synchronization (sync) raster and a second sync raster for a set of beams including a second set of beams being simultaneously received and associated with the second sync raster ([0124]: when each first SSB is transmitted by using a first beam, each second SSB is transmitted by using a second beam, and the second beam is narrower than the first beam, the number of second SSBs may be larger than the number of first SSBs; [0145]: the frequency information of the second SSB may include a frequency (synchronization raster, sync raster) at which the UE searches for a PSS/SSS at the time of initial access wherein the frequency information of the second SSBs may be defined in a specification for each frequency range (each of FR1, FR2, and the like)), the first sync raster being associated with a first set of beams from a base station ([0112]: the beams used for transmission of the second SSBs may be thinner than the beams used for transmission of the first SSBs; [0236]: when a UE uses wide beams (beams of first SSBs) and narrow beams (narrower beams than the beams of the first SSBs), correspondences between the beam ID of a wide beam and the beam ID of a narrow beam may be defined in a specification, may be notified/configured by broadcast/SIB/higher layer signaling or the like, or may be reported by the UE; [0378]: FR1 may be a frequency band of 6 GHz or less (sub-6 GHz), and FR2 may be a frequency band which is higher than 24 GHz (above-24 GHz)… definitions and so on of FR1 and FR2 are by no means limited to these, and for example, FR1 may correspond to a frequency band which is higher than FR2) and the second sync raster being associated with the second set of beams reflected at a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) ([0089]: it is considered to use existing FR2 to expand the area and use a frequency band higher than that for existing FR2 wherein to enable these, improvement of beam management in addition to multi-TRP, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), and the like is preferable; [0112]: the beams used for transmission of the second SSBs may be thinner than the beams used for transmission of the first SSBs; [0236]: when a UE uses wide beams (beams of first SSBs) and narrow beams (narrower beams than the beams of the first SSBs), correspondences between the beam ID of a wide beam and the beam ID of a narrow beam may be defined in a specification, may be notified/configured by broadcast/SIB/higher layer signaling or the like, or may be reported by the UE); select a first beam of the set of beams, the first beam being a most suitable beam among the set of beams ([0264]: the UE may select, based on reception/measurement/detection of an SSB with such a wide beam as that with SSB index #1); and transmit, to the base station, a response to the first beam indicating the first beam and a selected sync raster associated with the first beam ([0264]: a PRACH occasion corresponding to the SSB and transmit a PRACH in the selected PRACH occasion).
Claim 2 (similarly claim 25). Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the first set of beams and the second set of beams includes a plurality of synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) (fig. 9 and [0168]: the first SSB (wide beam) with first SSB index #1-1 and the second SSBs (narrow beams) with second SSB indices #2-1 to #2-4 are transmitted).
Claim 3 (similarly claim 26). Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response is transmitted via the first beam in a time-domain ([0291]: the beams for PBCHs (narrow beams, SSB indices #1-1 to #1-4) may be determined by a rule using the time-domain resource of an SSB) and the selected sync raster in a frequency-domain ([0482]: a resource block (RB) is the unit of resource allocation in the time domain and the frequency domain, and may include one or a plurality of consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain).
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Claim 8. Matsumura shows an apparatus for wireless communication at a base station (figs. 2A and 2B / 46 and 48: base station), comprising: a memory (fig. 48: memory); and at least one processor coupled to the memory (fig. 48: processor) and configured to, based at least in part on information stored in the memory: transmit, to a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), a configuration of a second synchronization (sync) raster for the RIS to reflect a first beam into a second set of beams ([0124]: when each first SSB is transmitted by using a first beam, each second SSB is transmitted by using a second beam, and the second beam is narrower than the first beam, the number of second SSBs may be larger than the number of first SSBs; [0145]: the frequency information of the second SSB may include a frequency (synchronization raster, sync raster) at which the UE searches for a PSS/SSS at the time of initial access wherein the frequency information of the second SSBs may be defined in a specification for each frequency range (each of FR1, FR2, and the like) – the RIS configuration is defined in a specification), the second set of beams being associated with the second sync raster ([0089]: it is considered to use existing FR2 to expand the area and use a frequency band higher than that for existing FR2 wherein to enable these, improvement of beam management in addition to multi-TRP, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), and the like is preferable; [0112]: the beams used for transmission of the second SSBs may be thinner than the beams used for transmission of the first SSBs; [0145]: the frequency information of the second SSB may include a frequency (synchronization raster, sync raster) at which the UE searches for a PSS/SSS at the time of initial access wherein the frequency information of the second SSBs may be defined in a specification for each frequency range (each of FR1, FR2, and the like); [0236]: when a UE uses wide beams (beams of first SSBs) and narrow beams (narrower beams than the beams of the first SSBs), correspondences between the beam ID of a wide beam and the beam ID of a narrow beam may be defined in a specification, may be notified/configured by broadcast/SIB/higher layer signaling or the like, or may be reported by the UE); and transmit a first set of beams including the first beam, the first set of beams being associated with a first sync raster ([0112]: the beams used for transmission of the second SSBs may be thinner than the beams used for transmission of the first SSBs; [0236]: when a UE uses wide beams (beams of first SSBs) and narrow beams (narrower beams than the beams of the first SSBs), correspondences between the beam ID of a wide beam and the beam ID of a narrow beam may be defined in a specification, may be notified/configured by broadcast/SIB/higher layer signaling or the like, or may be reported by the UE; [0378]: FR1 may be a frequency band of 6 GHz or less (sub-6 GHz), and FR2 may be a frequency band which is higher than 24 GHz (above-24 GHz)… definitions and so on of FR1 and FR2 are by no means limited to these, and for example, FR1 may correspond to a frequency band which is higher than FR2), each beam of the first set of beams being transmitted in different directions (fig. 26: each of the SSB index #1 beams are transmitted in different directions; [0253]: when the beam with SSB index #1 includes the beams with SSB indices #1-1 to #1-4, it may be assumed that the UE can receive narrow beams as those with SSB indices #1-1 to #1-4 even in a case of using (assuming) a wide beam as that with SSB index #1).
Claim 9. Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first set of beams and the second set of beams include a plurality of synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) (fig. 9 and [0168]: the first SSB (wide beam) with first SSB index #1-1 and the second SSBs (narrow beams) with second SSB indices #2-1 to #2-4 are transmitted).
Claim 11. Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from a user equipment (UE) via the RIS, a response to a selected beam (figs. 12A and 12B), the response indicating the selected beam and a selected sync raster associated with the selected beam ([0187]: the base station may select a second SSB corresponding to the detected dedicated PRACH occasion and transmit only the selected second SSB).
Claim 12. Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 11, wherein the response is received from the UE via the RIS using the first beam ([0089]: it is considered to use existing FR2 to expand the area and use a frequency band higher than that for existing FR2 wherein to enable these, improvement of beam management in addition to multi-TRP, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)).
Claim 14. Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (fig. 48: memory coupled to processor via bus).
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Claims 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoshioka et al (US 2025/0254017 A1).
Claim 15. Yoshioka shows an apparatus for wireless communication at a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) (figs. 1, 4, 5 and 7: relay “RIS” device 30; [0047]), comprising: a memory ([0148]: memory); and at least one processor coupled to the memory ([0147]: processor) and configured to, based at least in part on information stored in the memory: receive, from a base station, a first beam among a first set of beams associated with a first synchronization (sync) raster ([0074]: the control unit may change the state of relaying based on control information received from the base station 10 or the terminal 20 via the communication unit, or change the state of relaying based on the condition of radio wave reception from the base station 10 or the terminal 20 via the communication unit… the control unit may select an appropriate receiving beam and transmitting beam (or their angles) based on control information such as SSB); and reflect the first beam into a second set of beams associated with a second sync raster, the second set of beams being reflected simultaneously ([0095]: an RIS reflects or transmits a beam transmitted from the base station 10 or the terminal 20, in a predetermined direction, and delivers the beam to the terminal 20 or the base station 10; [0137]: when communication is carried out between an RIS and UEs and the RIS supports simultaneous relaying of DL and UL to the same UE or in the same direction (predetermined DL/UL beam set with correspondence); [0168] – [0169]: when the duplex scheme is cross-division duplex (XDD), the control unit may relay a radio signal of a first frequency when relaying the downlink radio signals, and relay a radio signal of a second frequency when relaying the uplink radio signals… the first frequency and the second frequency may be different, and the downlink radio signals and the uplink radio signals may be relayed simultaneously).
Claim 16. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first set of beams and the second set of beams include a plurality of synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) ([0074]: the control unit may select an appropriate receiving beam and transmitting beam (or their angles) based on control information such as SSB).
Claim 17. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the base station, a configuration of the second sync raster (fig. 9 and [0070]: XDD configurations received from a base station).
Claim 19. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from a user equipment (UE), a response to a selected beam, the response indicating the selected beam and a selected sync raster associated with the selected beam ([0106]: a function related to beam control (for example, a function related to TCI-state control, QCL control, selection and application of beams, selection and application of spatial filters/precoding weights, etc.)); and reflect the response associated with the selected beam to the base station ([0107]: the power of a signal may be changed differently per reflecting element included in the RIS, or changed in common by multiple reflecting elements).
Claim 20. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the response is received from the UE with the selected beam in a time-domain and the selected sync raster in a frequency-domain ([0117]: when XDD is applied to multiple CCs, this may mean that, in a time-domain resource where DL is available in one CC, UL is available in another CC wherein these multiple CCs may be in the same band wherein FD is a duplex scheme in which the base station 10 and/or the terminal 20 transmit and receive signals simultaneously by using the same frequency-domain resources and the same time-domain resources).
Claim 21. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the response is reflected to the base station by the RIS ([0054]: the wireless relay device 30 may have a function to reflect signals transmitted from the base station 10 or the terminal 20 wherein this reflection function may be a function related to phase shifting or a function related to beam control).
Claim 23. Yoshioka shows the apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (fig. 4: control unit (processor) coupled to communication unit (transceiver)).
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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.
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.
Claims 5, 7, 13, 28 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al in view of Zhang et al (US 2023/0337158 A1).
Claim 5 (similarly claim 28). Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 1; Matsumura does not expressly describe wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the base station, a configuration of the first sync raster associated with the first set of beams and the second sync raster associated with the second set of beams reflected at the RIS.Zhang teaches feature of: receiving, from a base station, a configuration of a first sync raster associated with a first set of beams and the second sync raster associated with a second set of beams reflected at an RIS ([0113]: the wireless communications system may use an RIS to reflect directional beams transmitted by a base station such that the bae station may serve one or more UEs experiencing an obstructed path or channel… a base station may transmit one or more SSBs on different synchronization raster grids for the different types of UEs).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of date of the claimed invention to implement the configuration feature as taught by Zhang in the apparatus of Matsumura to facilitate mapping a sequence of symbols associated with a secondary synchronization signal onto one or more resource elements.
Claim 7 (similarly claim 30). Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 1; Matsumura does not expressly describe wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the base station, an indication to monitor the second sync raster, wherein the second sync raster is monitored for the second set of beams based on receiving the indication to monitor the second sync raster.Zhang teaches feature of: receive, from a base station, an indication to monitor a second sync raster ([0038]: receiving, from a base station, an indication of one of the first type of synchronization signal block or the second type of synchronization signal block, where monitoring the one or more resource elements may be based on receiving the indication), wherein the second sync raster is monitored for a second set of beams based on receiving the indication to monitor the second sync raster ([0189]: the raster indication receiver may receive, from a base station, an indication of one of the first synchronization raster grid or the second synchronization raster grid that the UE is to use for receiving the one or more SSBs, where monitoring the one or more resource elements is based on receiving the indication).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of date of the claimed invention to implement the configuration feature as taught by Zhang in the apparatus of Matsumura to facilitate mapping a sequence of symbols associated with a secondary synchronization signal onto one or more resource elements.
Claim 13. Matsumura shows the apparatus of claim 8; Matsumura does not expressly describe wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), an indication to monitor the second sync raster, wherein the second sync raster is monitored for the second set of beams based on receiving the indication to monitor the second sync raster.Zhang teaches feature of: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), an indication to monitor a second sync raster ([0038]: receiving, from a base station, an indication of one of the first type of synchronization signal block or the second type of synchronization signal block, where monitoring the one or more resource elements may be based on receiving the indication), wherein the second sync raster is monitored for a second set of beams based on receiving the indication to monitor the second sync raster ([0189]: the raster indication receiver may receive, from a base station, an indication of one of the first synchronization raster grid or the second synchronization raster grid that the UE is to use for receiving the one or more SSBs, where monitoring the one or more resource elements is based on receiving the indication).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of date of the claimed invention to implement the configuration feature as taught by Zhang in the apparatus of Matsumura to facilitate mapping a sequence of symbols associated with a secondary synchronization signal onto one or more resource elements.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6, 10, 18, 22, 27 and 29 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.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
1. Zheng et al, US 2021/0345335 A1: a terminal device, comprising a transceiver, configured to receive a first synchronization signal from a network device, wherein the first synchronization signal and a second synchronization signal overlap in time domain, and within a time domain resource in which the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal overlap, there is an intersection set between a frequency domain resource corresponding to the first synchronization signal and a frequency domain resource corresponding to the second synchronization signal; and a processor, configured to perform synchronization with the network device based on the first synchronization signal, wherein the second synchronization signal is corresponding to the network device.
2. Kim et al, US 2021/0242975 A1: a terminal for controlling a sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback operation, the terminal comprising a receiver receiving groupcast sidelink data from a transmitting terminal through a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH); a controller determining whether or not to transmit HARQ feedback information of the groupcast sidelink data in accordance with position information of the transmitting terminal; and a transmitter transmitting the HARQ feedback information when it is determined to transmit the HARQ feedback information. 3. Park et al, US 2021/0051658 A1: a communication method and system for converging a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system or a 6th-Generation (6G) communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system. 4. Kim et al, US 2020/0146041 A1: a method for a user equipment to receive system information in a wireless communication system, wherein the method is characterized in detecting a first synchronization signal block configured with a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) and a Physical Broadcasting Channel (PBCH) at a specific frequency position, determining a presence or non-presence of system information corresponding to the first synchronization signal block within a first synchronization raster corresponding to a specific frequency position based on a system information indicator included in the PBCH, and if the system information corresponding to the first synchronization signal block is determined as not existing, determining a second synchronization raster having system information exist therein based on the system information indicator.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Xavier Szewai Wong whose telephone number is 571.270.1780. The examiner can normally be reached on 11:30 am - 8:30 pm Mon to Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on 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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/XAVIER S WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415 24th March 2026
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