CTNF 18/724,384 CTNF 80838 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-17 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by MolavianJazi et al US 20210058971 ( hereinafter MolavianJazi ) . Regarding claim 1 , MolavianJazi discloses a transmission method for a physical random access channel (PRACH), applied to a terminal device (UE 116, see figs. 1 and 3, [0041]) and comprising: determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH (operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0253], [0257]); and executing PRACH transmission according to the number of repetitions (operation 2020, 2120, see figs. 20 and 21, [0254], [0258]). Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH comprises: determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH according to a protocol provision (see figs. 20 and 21, [0253]-[0255]). Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 1, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH comprises: receiving indication information from a network-side device (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]); and determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH according to the indication information (operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0253], [0257]). Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 3, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH according to the indication information comprises: determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH as a preset value, wherein the indication information indicates that the number of repetitions of the PRACH is the preset value (see figs. 20 and 21, [0253]-[0255]). Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 3, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH according to the indication information comprises: determining a candidate value set (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]); and selecting, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions from the candidate value set (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]). Regarding claim 6 as applied to claim 3, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining the number of repetitions of the PRACH according to the indication information comprises: obtaining a random access configuration table comprising information of number of repetitions (PRACH index, see [0090]-[0091]); and obtaining, according to an index value indicated by the indication information, the number of repetitions from the random access configuration table (see [0090]-[0091]). Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 3, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the indication information is carried by a master information block (MIB) of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), a system information block (SIB1), or an additional payload of the PBCH (see [0085], [0216], [0253]). Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 7, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the indication information is carried in an existing bit field of the MIB or the SIB1, or carried in an extended bit field of the MIB or the SIB1 (see [0085], [0216], [0253]). Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 1, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH comprises: obtaining synchronous signal block (SSB) information selected by the terminal device, wherein each piece of SSB information corresponds to information of number of repetitions (see [0085]-[0087]); and obtaining information of number of repetitions corresponding to the selected SSB information as the number of repetitions of the PRACH (see [0085]-[0088]). Regarding claim 10 as applied to claim 1, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH comprises: obtaining a preamble of the terminal device, wherein each of preambles corresponds to information of number of repetitions (see [0085]-[0087]); and obtaining information of number of repetitions corresponding to the preamble as the number of repetitions of the PRACH (see [0085]-[0088]). Regarding claim 11 as applied to claim 1, MolavianJazi further discloses wherein the determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH comprises: obtaining a random access occasion (RO) of the terminal device; wherein each of ROs corresponds to information of number of repetitions (see [0088]-[0089], [0096]); and obtaining information of number of repetitions corresponding to the RO as the number of repetitions of the PRACH (see [0088]-[0089], [0096]). Regarding claim 12 , MolavianJazi et al discloses a transmission method for a physical random access channel (PRACH), applied to a network-side device (BS, see figs. 1 and 2, [0040]) and comprising: instructing a number of repetitions of the PRACH to a terminal device (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]); and receiving data of PRACH transmission executed by the terminal device (UE 116, see figs. 1 and 3, [0041]) according to the number of repetitions (operation 2020, 2120, see figs. 20 and 21, [0254], [0258]). Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 12, MolavianJazi et al further discloses wherein the instructing a number of repetitions of the PRACH to a terminal device comprises: sending indication information to the terminal device, so to indicate, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions of the PRACH for the terminal device (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]). Regarding claim 14 as applied to claim 13, MolavianJazi et al further discloses wherein the sending indication information to the terminal device, so to indicate, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions of the PRACH for the terminal device comprises: sending the indication information to the terminal device, so to indicate, according to a preset value indicated by the indication information, that the number of repetitions of the PRACH is the preset value (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]). Regarding claim 15 as applied to claim 13, MolavianJazi et al further discloses wherein the sending indication information to the terminal device, so to indicate, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions of the PRACH for the terminal device comprises: sending the indication information to the terminal device, so to enable selecting, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions from a candidate value set (BS configures/sends UE with number of PRACH repetitions, operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0147], [0220], [0253], [0257]). Regarding claim 16 as applied to claim 13, MolavianJazi et al further discloses wherein the sending indication information to the terminal device, so to indicate, according to the indication information, the number of repetitions of the PRACH for the terminal device comprises: sending the indication information indicating an index value to the terminal device, so to enable obtaining, according to the index value, the number of repetitions from a random access configuration table (PRACH index, see [0090]-[0091]). Regarding claim 17 as applied to claim 13, MolavianJazi et al further discloses wherein the indication information is carried by a master information block (MIB) of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), a system information block (SIB1), or an additional payload of the PBCH; wherein the indication information is carried in an existing bit field of the MIB or the SIB1, or carried in an extended bit field of the MIB or the SIB1 (see [0085], [0216], [0253]). Regarding claim 21 , MolavianJazi et al discloses a communication apparatus (UE 116, see figs. 1 and 3, [0041]), comprising a processor and a memory (340, 360, see fig. 3, [0053]), wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the apparatus to execute a transmission method for a physical random access channel (PRACH); wherein the method comprises: determining a number of repetitions of the PRACH (operation 2010, 2110, see figs. 20 and 21, [0253], [0257]); and executing PRACH transmission according to the number of repetitions (operation 2020, 2120, see figs. 20 and 21, [0254], [0258]). Regarding claim 22 , MolavianJazi discloses a communication apparatus (BS, see figs. 1 and 2, [0040]), comprising: a processor and a memory (225, 230, see fig. 2, [0045]); wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the apparatus to execute the method of claim 12 (see rejection of claim 12 above). Regarding claim 23 , MolavianJazi discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, configured to store instructions (340, 360, see fig. 3, [0010], [0053]), wherein when the instructions are executed, the method of claim 1 is implemented (see rejection of claim 1 above) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Xiong et al 12,160,906 discloses a UE configured to receive, from a base station (BS), a synchronization signal and physical broadcasting channel (PBCH) block (SSB), receive, from the BS, information configuring a number of a plurality of physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions in a set, identify that the plurality of PRACH occasions are associated with a same index of the SSB, and transmit, to the BS, a PRACH with preamble repetitions on the plurality of PRACH occasions. Ma et al US 20240121830, discloses transmitting to at least a UE, an indication of a configuration. Park US 20210392699 and Cozzo et al US 20210360660, both disclose a base station indicating the number of PRACH repetitions through high layer signaling such as an RRC message, or downlink control information. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLUMIDE T AJIBADE AKONAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6496. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /OLUMIDE AJIBADE AKONAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 2 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 3 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 4 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 5 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 6 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 7 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 8 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 9 Art Unit: 3648 Application/Control Number: 18/724,384 Page 10 Art Unit: 3648
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