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 .
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.
DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to Application No. 18/697,113 filed on 29 March 2024. This application claims 371 priority to PCT/IB2022/059359 filed on 30 September 2022 and claims PROV 63/250,395 filed on 30 September 2021. Claims 1-15 are presented for examination.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 12 recites “wherein the processor is configured to adjust an NTA value in response to the apparatus detecting a change in the reception timing of a downlink transmission.” Examiner interprets the “NTA value” to be a part of uplink frame transmission takes place algorithm, (NTA+NTAoffset) x Tc, as disclosed in 3GPP TS 38.133 version 16.8.0 Release 16 and paragraph 0059 of Applicant’s specification.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US PGPUB 2022/0046661 A1 to Jeon et al.
Regarding Claim 1, Jeon discloses an apparatus (FIG. 1A, wireless devices 106), comprising: a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, the processor (0092 provides for wireless device) configured to: configure the apparatus with small data transmissions while in an inactive state (FIG. 1A, 0004, 0290, and 0301 provides for the wireless device is able to send small data transmissions in the inactive state); configure the apparatus with at least one configured grant uplink resource (FIG. 26 and 0290 provides for the wireless device transmits the message via an uplink grant resource); and maintain transmission timing alignment while the apparatus is in the inactive state based on reception of downlink signals or channels (0235-0239 provides for wireless device validating a timing alignment value based on DL RS measurements of a cell).
Regarding Claim 2, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein maintaining the transmission timing alignment comprises detecting a change of a received downlink transmission timing, determining an amount of change of time of the received downlink transmission timing, and adjusting a timing advance based on the determined amount of change of time (0235-0239 provides for wireless device validating a timing alignment value based on DL RS measurements of a cell).
Regarding Claim 3, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to configure the apparatus with an initial value for a timing alignment timer applicable for maintaining the timing alignment in the inactive state (0229 and 0278 provides for the wireless device resets the counter to an initial value).
Regarding Claim 4, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to reset a timing alignment timer for the apparatus to an initial value in response to receiving a timing advance command while in the inactive state (0229 and 0278 provides for the wireless device resets the counter to an initial value).
Regarding Claim 5, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the timing alignment timer that is used for determining timing alignment for data transmissions while the apparatus is in the inactive state is different from a second timing alignment timer that is used for determining timing alignment for data transmissions while the apparatus is in a connected state (0227-0229 and 0249 provides for the wireless device resets the counter to an initial value).
Regarding Claim 6, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to reset the second timing alignment timer that is used for determining timing alignment for data transmissions while the apparatus is in the connected state in response to receiving the timing advance command (0226 provides for wireless device resetting the counter).
Regarding Claim 7, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to gradually adjust uplink timing for the apparatus in response to detecting a timing alignment difference while in the inactive state (0228 provides for adjusting uplink timing for uplink synchronization).
Regarding Claim 8, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to autonomously adjust the uplink timing to correspond to a downlink timing reference for the apparatus while the apparatus is in the inactive state (0162 and 0228 provides for a time-alignment command that may be used by the wireless device to adjust the transmission timing of the wireless device) and a subset of radio bearers for the apparatus are configured as small data transmission bearers (0072 and 0208 provides for SDT in one or more states).
Regarding Claim 9, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to autonomously adjust the uplink timing in response to configuring the apparatus with configured grant small data transmission resources (0072 and 0208 provides for SDT in one or more states).
Regarding Claim 10, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the transmission timing alignment such that a timing error is within a timing error threshold (0152 provides for an error rate threshold).
Regarding Claim 11, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one timing alignment parameter for gradually adjusting the timing alignment while in the inactive state (0162 provides for the wireless device to adjust the transmission timing of the wireless device).
Regarding Claim 12, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust an NTA value in response to the apparatus detecting a change in the reception timing of a downlink transmission (0229 provides for validate a TA value based on one or more validation conditions).
Regarding Claim 13, Jeon discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein, in response to a same timing alignment timer being used for both connected and inactive states, the processor is configured to not reset the timer in response to the apparatus being released to the inactive state (0229 provides for re-start the time alignment timer based on a received command).
Regarding Claim 14, similar rejection where the apparatus of claim 1 teaches the method of claim 14.
Regarding Claim 15, Jeon discloses an apparatus (FIG. 24, base station 2401), comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor (FIG. 24, base station 2401), the processor configured to cause the apparatus to: transmit, to a user equipment ("UE"), a configuration for configuring the UE with small data transmissions while in an inactive state (0270 and 0305 provides for base station 2401 transmits, to wireless device 2402, configuration parameters 2403 for configuring the wireless device with small data while in a non-connected/inactive state); and transmit, to the UE, a configuration comprising an initial value of a timing alignment timer for maintaining timing alignment in the inactive state (FIG. 24 and 0270 and 0305 provides for the base station 2401 sending a BFI counter for configuring an initial value by the wireless device).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US PGPUB 2023/0189387 A1 to Jeon et al discloses a preconfigured resource control in the inactive state.
US PGPUB 2022/0159593 A1 to Jeon et al discloses validation of a preconfigured resource.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCHQUITA GOODWIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5477. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm EST.
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/SCHQUITA D GOODWIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2459