DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-7 have been examined and are pending.
Response to Amendment
2. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 8/03/2026, the Office acknowledges the current status of the claims: claims 1-6 have been amended, claim 7 is added new, and no new matter appears to be included.
3. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 8/03/2026, the objection to the title of the specification has been withdrawn. The new title has been entered.
4. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 8/03/2026, the rejections of claims 1-4 and 6 under 35 U.S.C. §101 have been withdrawn.
5. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 8/03/2026, the rejections of claims 1-4 and 6 under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) have been withdrawn.
6. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 8/03/2026, the objection of claim 2 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed 8/03/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner addresses each of the Applicant’s concerns in the following response.
A. Agiwal does not teach or disclose the newly-added feature “a receiver that receives, in one or more windows, a response to the physical random access channel” (Remarks, pages 9-10).
B. Examiner response to A
Examiner respectively disagrees. Agiwal discloses the feature in at least [0075-0076], [0081-0083], [0115-0116], [0125-0133], and [0157-0183]. Agiwal discloses in the cited portions a Random Access Response (RAR) is initiated with a window for the RAR based on reception of a PRACH.
C. Agiwal does not teach or disclose “a processor that determines a reference resource from a plurality of resources respectively used for the plurality of repetitions, and starts the one or more windows after the reference resource” (Remarks, pages 10-11).
D. Examiner response to C
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant defines a “reference resource” as having many different meanings in [0166] of the published application: “a reference resource, a reference beam, a resource corresponding to a reference beam, an indicated resource, an indicated beam, a selected resource, and a selected beam may be interchangeably interpreted.” In view of this, any beam that is selected or indicated may be used for the plurality of repetitions and therefore may start the one or more windows after receiving said repetition. In Agiwal, this feature is present at least in [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.
Examiner respectfully maintains the rejections in view of the newly-amended features.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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.
9. 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
10. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication 2017/0251460 A1 to Agiwal et al. (hereinafter “Agiwal”).
Regarding Claim 1, Agiwal discloses a terminal (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal) comprising:
a transmitter (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal comprising a transceiver, element 3600.) that transmits a plurality of repetitions of a physical random access channel by using a plurality of different beams (Agiwal: [0075] – per an operation, the user equipment transmits a PRACH on a plurality of transmit beams, and repeats the transmission on the plurality of transmit beams.);
a receiver that receives, in one or more windows, a response to the physical random access channel (Agiwal: [0075-0076], [0081-0083], [0115-0116], [0125-0133], and [0157-0183] - a Random Access Response (RAR) is initiated with a window for the RAR based on reception of a PRACH.); and
a processor (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal comprising a controller, element 3605.) that determines a reference resource from a plurality of resources respectively used for the plurality of repetitions, and starts the one or more windows after the reference resource (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.),
wherein the processor determines a reference beam corresponding to one of the plurality of different beams (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, the user equipment transmits a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) to a base station based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).), and based on reception of the response, a subsequent uplink beam, the reception using the reference beam (Agiwal: [0150-0151] - interpreted to correspond to receiving a random access response (RAR) message from a base station based on the PRACH during a RAR window, wherein the RAR comprises a (uplink) grant, and the UE transmits a MSG3 using the uplink transmission beam (grant).).
Regarding Claim 2, Agiwal discloses the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor determines the subsequent uplink beam based on at least one of a timing of the reception of the response (Agiwal: [0150-0151] – the base station sends a timing advance (TA) directive with the uplink grant, during a RAR window and as known in the art, the TA ensures uplink signals align within the base station's receiver window.) and a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used for the reception of the response (Interpreted as an alternative language limitation not required to be disclosed by the art of record. However, Agiwal discloses a RAR identification procedure in which a correct RAR is determined based on an RNTI in at least [0160-0173].).
Regarding Claim 3, Agiwal discloses the terminal according to claim 2, wherein the processor controls, in a window after each of the plurality of repetitions, monitoring of the response (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.).
Regarding Claim 4, Agiwal discloses the terminal according to claim 2, wherein the processor controls, in a window after last repetition out of the plurality of repetitions, monitoring of the response (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.).
Claim 5, directed to a method embodiment of claim 1, recites similar features as claim 1 and is therefore rejected upon the same grounds as claim 1. Please see above rejection of claim 1.
Regarding Claim 6, Agiwal discloses a base station (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0058], [0349-0350] – a base station), comprising:
a receiver (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0350] – transceiver, element 3700) that receives a plurality of repetitions of a physical random access channel by using a plurality of different beams (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, a base station receives a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) from a user equipment based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).); and
a processor (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0350] – controller, element 3705) that determines a reference resource from a plurality of resources respectively used for the plurality of repetitions, starts one or more windows after the reference resource (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.), and indicates, in the one or more windows, for reception of a response to the physical random access channel (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, the user equipment transmits a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) to a base station based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).), a reference beam corresponding to one of the plurality of different beams and that controls transmission of the response based on an uplink beam after the response (Agiwal: [0150-0151] - interpreted to correspond to receiving a random access response (RAR) message from a base station based on the PRACH during a RAR window, wherein the RAR comprises a (uplink) grant, and the UE transmits a MSG3 using the uplink transmission beam (grant).).
Regarding Claim 7, Agiwal discloses a system comprising a terminal and a base station, wherein:
the terminal (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal) comprises:
a transmitter (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal comprising a transceiver, element 3600.) that transmits a plurality of repetitions of a physical random access channel by using a plurality of different beams (Agiwal: [0075] – per an operation, the user equipment transmits a PRACH on a plurality of transmit beams, and repeats the transmission on the plurality of transmit beams.);
a receiver (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal comprising a transceiver, element 3600.) that receives, in one or more windows, a response to the physical random access channel (Agiwal: [0075-0076], [0081-0083], [0115-0116], [0125-0133], and [0157-0183] - a Random Access Response (RAR) is initiated with a window for the RAR based on reception of a PRACH.); and
a processor (Agiwal: Figure 36 with [0057], [0347-0348] – user equipment/terminal comprising a controller, element 3605.) that determines a reference resource from a plurality of resources respectively used for the plurality of repetitions, and starts the one or more windows after the reference resource (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.),
wherein the processor determines a reference beam corresponding to one of the plurality of different beams (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, the user equipment transmits a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) to a base station based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).), and, based on reception of the response, a subsequent uplink beam, the reception using the reference beam (Agiwal: [0150-0151] - interpreted to correspond to receiving a random access response (RAR) message from a base station based on the PRACH during a RAR window, wherein the RAR comprises a (uplink) grant, and the UE transmits a MSG3 using the uplink transmission beam (grant).), and
the base station (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0058], [0349-0350] – a base station) comprises:
a receiver (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0350] – transceiver, element 3700) that receives the plurality of repetitions of the physical random access channel (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, a base station receives a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) from a user equipment based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).); and
a processor (Agiwal: Figure 37 with [0350] – controller, element 3705) that determines the reference resource from the plurality of resources respectively used for the plurality of repetitions, starts one or more windows after the reference resource (Agiwal: [0073-0075] – the user equipment monitors RAR during a window after transmission of PRACH has been repeated on a transmit beam a number of times.), and indicates, in the one or more windows, for reception of a response to the physical random access channel (Agiwal: [0148-0149] – as a reference, the user equipment transmits a PRACH (in the uplink on a transmission beam) to a base station based on a best downlink receive beam (reference beam).), the reference beam corresponding to one of the plurality of different beams and that controls transmission of the response based on an uplink beam after the response (Agiwal: [0150-0151] - interpreted to correspond to receiving a random access response (RAR) message from a base station based on the PRACH during a RAR window, wherein the RAR comprises a (uplink) grant, and the UE transmits a MSG3 using the uplink transmission beam (grant).).
Conclusion
11. 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.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV whose telephone number is (571)270-7163. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, R, F 5:00 AM-5:00 PM, W 5:00 AM-3:00 PM (EDT).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BENJAMIN H. ELLIOTT IV
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 September 15, 2026
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