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 .
This office action is a response to an application filed on 02/13/2026 in which claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 02/12/2026 has been considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks filed on 02/13/2026 with respect to amended independent claim 1 have been fully considered. Based on the amendments to the claims, further consideration and search were performed resulting in a new ground(s) of rejection presented below. Based on the amendments to the claims, the Double Patenting rejections previously set in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on 11/13/2025 are withdrawn. The claims have not overcome the claim rejections as shown below.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Regarding independent claim 1, Applicant argues that Islam still does not teach “selecting a preamble and a resource based on the selected preamble…wherein the resource is selected from a set of resources, each resource of the set of resource is associated with a respective beam, and the resource is selected based on the resource being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signal” because in Islam the resource is not selected based on the selected preamble.
Based on the amendments, further search was conducted and the prior art Seo et al. (US 2017/0055234), hereinafter “Seo” was found to disclose the amended feature of “selecting…a resource based on the selected preamble”.
The prior art of Agiwal recites in [0210] “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”. Agiwal discloses PRACH resources, which is similar to “a set of resources”, and the resources correspond to the DL TX beams, which is similar to “each resource of the set of resource is associated with a respective beam”. Agiwal further discloses the UE selecting PRACH resource corresponding to the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block, which corresponds to “ the resource is selected based on the resource being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signal”.
The combination of Agiwal, Islam and Seo discloses the claimed invention. Therefore, the amended independent claim 1 is rendered unpatentable. Independent claim 8 recites similar distinguishing features as claim 1, thus is also rendered unpatentable. As a result the features of the claims are shown by the cited references as set forth below.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19 and 20 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.
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.
Claims 1-11, 14, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal et al. (US 2017/0367069) (provided in the IDS), hereinafter “Agiwal” in view of Islam et al. (US 2018/0049245), hereinafter “Islam” and further in view of Seo et al. (US 2017/0055234), hereinafter “Seo”.
As to claim 1, Agiwal teaches a method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
receiving, by the WTRU from a base station (BS), synchronization signals transmitted on a plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 21, [0201]-[0202], Fig. 22, [0207], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams);
determining a beam corresponding to a synchronization signal by comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], [0074], the signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE); and
selecting a preamble and a resource (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”);
wherein the preamble is selected from a predetermined set of preambles (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”), each preamble of the set of preambles corresponding to a respective beam (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling), and the preamble is selected based on the preamble being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signals (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”);
wherein the resource is selected from a set of resources (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”), each resource of the set of resource is associated with a respective beam (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling), and the resource is selected based on the resource being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signal (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”); and
transmitting the preamble on the resource based on a received energy level of the determined beam (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], [0220]-[0221], [0224], the UE transmits the beam information using a random access procedure, which includes a PRACH preamble transmitted via PRACH resources that corresponds to the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block. The signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE).
Agiwal teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. As discussed above, Agiwal discloses that the best DL TX beam is determined based on the signals received by the UE and the signal with the strongest signal quality (Agiwal, [0074]), which has support on foreign application IN 201641021194 (page 6 ln 3-5). However it is disclosed by Agiwal, the foreign application does not have support for the following underlined features: regarding claim 1, determining a beam corresponding to a synchronization signal by comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams against a first threshold; and
selecting a resource based on the selected preamble;
transmitting the preamble on the resource based on a received energy level of the determined beam being above the first threshold.
However, Islam teaches determining a beam corresponding to a synchronization signal by comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams against a first threshold (Islam, Fig. 2, step 215, [0081], the UE identifies a selected beam of the DL synchronization beams to use for communications from the base station to the UE. The UE identifies a transmit power conditions of the DL synchronization signal on the DL synchronization beams, such as a transmit power above a threshold level); and
transmitting the preamble on the resource (Islam, Fig. 2, [0083] “At 225, UE 115-a may transmit a RACH message to base station 105-a. The RACH message may be transmitted on the selected RACH resource and/or RACH waveform”) based on a received energy level of the determined beam being above the first threshold (Islam, Fig. 2, [0081], “UE 115-a may identify the selected DL beam by identifying a transmit power condition of the DL synchronization signal on the DL synchronization beams, (e.g., a transmit power above a threshold level)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal to have the features, as taught by Islam in order to provide an improvement that supports RACH conveyance of DL beam information for various DL-UL correspondence states (Islam, [0006]).
Agiwal and Islam teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal and Islam do not explicitly teach the following underlined feature: regarding claim 1, selecting a resource based on the selected preamble.
However, Seo teaches selecting a resource based on the selected preamble (Seo, [0122], “the UE may transmit the random access preamble by selecting physical RACH (PRACH) resources capable of carrying the random access preamble”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal and Islam to have the features, as taught by Seo in order to transmit an adjustment value for time alignment through TAC and random access response (Seo, [0112]).
As to claim 2, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
determining, from the synchronization signals, control information of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams. The UE determines which beam information to include based on the determination of the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block, where the beam information includes the TX beam index, such as 1, 5, 8, 9, etc.);
configuring the WTRU to operate and communicate in a wireless environment in accordance with the determined control information (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE communicates with the gNB in accordance with the determined suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block); and
transmitting a report to the BS, the report indicating that the WTRU has completed synchronization to the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 23, [0215]-[0217], the UE reports to the gNB beam information indicating the suitable or best DL beam(s) or SS block ID(s) of best/suitable SS blocks. This is information is used by the gNB to determine whether there is an UE in the coverage of the gNB DL Tx beam).
As to claim 3, Agiwal teaches wherein the synchronization signals include a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB, with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams).
As to claim 4, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
receiving, by the WTRU from the BS, a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) signal, wherein the PBCH signal is received on a subset of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB, with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams).
As to claim 5, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
receiving, by the WTRU from the BS, a paging message, wherein the paging message is transmitted on beams which are a subset of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE receives paging form the gNB using the determined suitable or best DL TX beams or SS blocks).
As to claim 6, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
determining a best beam of the at least one of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], [0074], the signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE).
As to claim 7, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
transmitting, to the BS, an indication of the determined best beam (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], [0224], the UE transmits to the gNB the beam information, which indicates the suitable or best DL TX beam).
As to claim 8, Agiwal teaches a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
a receiver configured to receive, from a base station (BS), synchronization signals transmitted on a plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 21, [0201]-[0202], Fig. 22, [0207], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams. Fig. 28, the UE includes a transceiver);
circuitry configured to determine a beam corresponding to a synchronization signal by comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], [0074], the signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE. Fig. 28, the UE includes a controller and memory); and
circuitry configured to select a preamble and a resource (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”. Fig. 28, the UE includes a controller and memory);
wherein the preamble is selected from a predetermined set of preambles (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”), each preamble of the set of preambles corresponding to a respective beam (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling), and the preamble is selected based on the preamble being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signals (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”);
wherein the resource is selected from a set of resources (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”), each resource of the set of resource is associated with a respective beam (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling), and the resource is selected based on the resource being associated with the determined beam corresponding to the synchronization signal (Agiwal, [0210], “PRACH resources (time and/or frequency) and/or PRACH preambles corresponding to one or more DL TX beam(s) or SS blocks can be signaled by network in broadcast or dedicated signaling. In order to indicate a suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block UE transmits MSG 1 or PRACH preamble using selected PRACH resource and/or PRACH preamble corresponding to suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block”); and
circuitry configured to transmit the preamble on the resource based on a received energy level of the determined beam (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], [0220]-[0221], [0224], the UE transmits the beam information using a random access procedure, which includes a PRACH preamble transmitted via PRACH resources that corresponds to the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block. The signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE. Fig. 28, the UE includes a transceiver).
Agiwal teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. As discussed above, Agiwal discloses that the best DL TX beam is determined based on the signals received by the UE and the signal with the strongest signal quality (Agiwal, [0074]), which has support on foreign application IN 201641021194 (page 6 ln 3-5). However it is disclosed by Agiwal, the foreign application does not have support for the following underlined features: regarding claim 8, comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams against a first threshold; and
select a resource based on the selected preamble; and
transmit the preamble on the resource based on a received energy level of the determined beam being above the first threshold.
However, Islam teaches comparing a received energy of each beam of the plurality of beams against a first threshold (Islam, Fig. 2, step 215, [0081], the UE identifies a selected beam of the DL synchronization beams to use for communications from the base station to the UE. The UE identifies a transmit power conditions of the DL synchronization signal on the DL synchronization beams, such as a transmit power above a threshold level); and
transmit the preamble on the resource (Islam, Fig. 2, [0083] “At 225, UE 115-a may transmit a RACH message to base station 105-a. The RACH message may be transmitted on the selected RACH resource and/or RACH waveform”) based on a received energy level of the determined beam being above the first threshold (Islam, Fig. 2, [0081], “UE 115-a may identify the selected DL beam by identifying a transmit power condition of the DL synchronization signal on the DL synchronization beams, (e.g., a transmit power above a threshold level)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal to have the features, as taught by Islam in order to provide an improvement that supports RACH conveyance of DL beam information for various DL-UL correspondence states (Islam, [0006]).
Agiwal and Islam teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal and Islam do not explicitly teach the following underlined feature: regarding claim 8, select a resource based on the selected preamble.
However, Seo teaches select a resource based on the selected preamble (Seo, [0122], “the UE may transmit the random access preamble by selecting physical RACH (PRACH) resources capable of carrying the random access preamble”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal and Islam to have the features, as taught by Seo in order to transmit an adjustment value for time alignment through TAC and random access response (Seo, [0112]).
As to claim 9, Agiwal teaches wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a best beam of the at least one of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], [0074], the signal received by the UE with the strongest signal quality is determined as the best DL TX beam from the DL TX beams received by the UE).
As to claim 10, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit an indication of the best beam to the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], [0224], the UE transmits to the gNB the beam information, which indicates the suitable or best DL TX beam).
As to claim 11, Agiwal teaches further comprising circuitry configured to determine control information based on one or more beams of the at least one of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams. The UE determines which beam information to include based on the determination of the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block, where the beam information includes the TX beam index, such as 1, 5, 8, 9, etc.).
As to claim 14, Agiwal teaches wherein the synchronization signals include a PBCH signal (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB, with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams).
As to claim 17, Agiwal teaches wherein the synchronization signals include a PBCH signal (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0217], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB, with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams).
As to claim 18, Agiwal teaches further comprising:
circuitry configured to determine, from the synchronization signals, control information of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams. The UE determines which beam information to include based on the determination of the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block, where the beam information includes the TX beam index, such as 1, 5, 8, 9, etc. Fig. 28, the UE includes a controller and memory);
circuitry configured to configure the WTRU to operate and communicate in a wireless environment in accordance with the determined control information (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE communicates with the gNB in accordance with the determined suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block. Fig. 28, the UE includes a controller and memory); and
circuitry configured to transmit a report to the BS, the report indicating that the WTRU has completed synchronization to the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 23, [0215]-[0217], the UE reports to the gNB beam information indicating the suitable or best DL beam(s) or SS block ID(s) of best/suitable SS blocks. This is information is used by the gNB to determine whether there is an UE in the coverage of the gNB DL Tx beam. Fig. 28, the UE includes a transceiver).
Claims 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal et al. (US 2017/0367069) (provided in the IDS), hereinafter “Agiwal” in view of Islam et al. (US 2018/0049245), hereinafter “Islam” and further in view of Seo et al. (US 2017/0055234), hereinafter “Seo” and further in view of Wang et al. (US 2019/0182782) (provided in the IDS), hereinafter “Wang”.
As to claim 12, Agiwal teaches further comprising determining control information based on one or more beams of the at least one of the plurality of beams of the BS (Agiwal, Fig. 20, [0197]-[0200], Fig. 22, [0201]-[0212], Fig. 23, [0213]-[0218], the UE receives paging indications from a gNB (base station, BS, eNB, etc.), with signals such as PSS/SSS/PBCH/BRS, etc., using DL TX beams. The UE determines which beam information to include based on the determination of the suitable or best DL TX beam or SS block, where the beam information includes the TX beam index, such as 1, 5, 8, 9, etc.).
Agiwal, Islam and Seo teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal, Islam and Seo do not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 12, wherein the control information includes beam sweep timing information.
However, Wang teaches wherein the control information includes beam sweep timing information (Wang, Fig. 8, [0085]-[0089], the base station transmits a plurality of physical broadcast channels and synchronization signals to the UE at a plurality of time units within a time interval, where each physical broadcast channel carries timing information. The UE obtains the timing information of the base station. The time units and interval are used for beam sweeping procedure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal, Islam and Seo to have the features, as taught by Wang in order for the timing information of the time interval to be obtained with a simple structure and operation (Wang, abstract, [0028]).
Agiwal, Islam and Seo teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal, Islam and Seo do not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 15, wherein the control information includes beam sweep timing information.
As to claim 15, Wang teaches wherein the control information includes beam sweep timing information (Wang, Fig. 8, [0085]-[0089], the base station transmits a plurality of physical broadcast channels and synchronization signals to the UE at a plurality of time units within a time interval, where each physical broadcast channel carries timing information. The UE obtains the timing information of the base station. The time units and interval are used for beam sweeping procedure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal, Islam and Seo to have the features, as taught by Wang in order for the timing information of the time interval to be obtained with a simple structure and operation (Wang, abstract, [0028]).
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal et al. (US 2017/0367069) (provided in the IDS), hereinafter “Agiwal” in view of Islam et al. (US 2018/0049245), hereinafter “Islam” and further in view of Seo et al. (US 2017/0055234), hereinafter “Seo” and further in view of Islam et al. (US 2017/0353255) (provided in the IDS), hereinafter “Islam ‘255”.
Agiwal, Islam and Seo teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal, Islam and Seo do not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 13, wherein the comparing is performed based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
As to claim 13, Islam ‘255 teaches wherein the comparing is performed based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (Islam ‘255, Fig. 10, [0102], the UE determines the best synchronization signal based on the signal-to-noise ratio of the signals received).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal, Islam and Seo to have the features, as taught by Islam ‘255 in order to determine the optimal result during the selection of antenna arrays and beams (Islam ‘255, [0102]).
Agiwal, Islam and Seo teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Agiwal, Islam and Seo do not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 16, wherein the comparison comparing is performed based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
As to claim 16, Islam ‘255 teaches wherein the comparison comparing is performed based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (Islam ‘255, Fig. 10, [0102], the UE determines the best synchronization signal based on the signal-to-noise ratio of the signals received).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Agiwal, Islam and Seo to have the features, as taught by Islam ‘255 in order to determine the optimal result during the selection of antenna arrays and beams (Islam ‘255, [0102]).
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 RICARDO H CASTANEYRA whose telephone number is (571)272-2486. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am - 5:30pm.
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/RICARDO H CASTANEYRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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