CTNF 18/793,578 CTNF 79873 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 § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 7, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claims 7, 14, and 20 for example see claim 7, line 5, the claim recites the term Ngap. The claim does not set forth the definition of N nor “gap” and meaning of the claim term is unclear from the context of the claim. Further clarification and correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 – 07-12-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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2025/0031163 A1), hereinafter referred to as D1 . Regarding claims 1, 8, and 15, D1 discloses a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving synchronization signal block and system information, which comprises: a processor configured to: determine a first set of parameters for a first set of synchronization signals and physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) blocks, wherein the first set of parameters includes a first cell identity (ID) and a first frequency location (Referring to Figures 5-8, parameters for SS/PBCH blocks comprising parameters for cell ID and frequency. See paragraphs 0098-0102.) ; and determine a second set of parameters for a second set of SS/PBCH blocks, wherein the second set of parameters includes a second cell ID and a second frequency location and wherein (Referring to Figure 15, the claim is interpreted as the parameters for the small cell transmission procedure of an aperiodic on-demand SSB of the small cell, which comprises parameters for SS/PBCH blocks comprising cell ID and frequence location for the small cell. See paragraphs 0171 and 0180-0193.) : the first set of SS/PBCH blocks is periodic (Referring to Figures 5-8, periodic SS/PBCH block transmission. See paragraphs 0098-0102.), the second set of SS/PBCH blocks is on-demand and indicated to be transmitted by a base station (BS) (Referring to Figure 15, aperiodic on-demand SSB of the small cell base station. See paragraphs 0171 and 0180-0193), the first cell ID is different from the second cell ID (Referring to Figures 5-8 and 15, macro base station (first cell ID) different from the small cell (second cell ID). See paragraph 0098, 0171, and 0180-0193.) and the first frequency location is different from the second frequency location (Referring to Figures 5-8 and 15, the frequency location of the macro base station and small cell are different. See paragraphs 0098-0102, 0171, and 0180-0193.) ; and a transceiver operably coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to: receive a first SS/PBCH block from the first set of SS/PBCH blocks (Referring to Figures 5-8, receiving SS/PBCH blocks. See paragraphs 0098-0102.) ; and receive a second SS/PBCH block from the second set of SS/PBCH blocks (Referring to Figure 15, receiving SSBs (SS/PBCH) related to the small cell (SS/PBCH block from the second set of SS/PBCH blocks). See paragraphs 0171 and 0180-0193.) Regarding claims 2, 9, and 16, D1 discloses wherein the second frequency location does not correspond to a synchronization raster entry (Referring to Figure 15, on-demand SSBs may be transmitted at frequency positions other than the SSB synchronization raster. The on-demand SSBs received at frequency positions other than the SSB synchronization raster may be non-cell defining SSBs. See paragraphs 0195-0197.) Regarding claims 3, 10, and 17, D1 discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that resources of the first SS/PBCH block are 4 orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a time domain and 20 resource blocks (RBs) in a frequency domain (Referring to Figures 5-8, the SS/PBCH block may be referred also to as an ‘SS block (SSB)’. One SS/PBCH block may be transmitted using N consecutive OFDM symbols. Here, N may be an integer equal to or greater than 4. See paragraph 0098. The slot may be composed of a plurality of OFDM symbols in the time domain, and may be composed of a plurality of resource blocks (RBs), configurable to comprise 20 RBs, in the frequency domain. The RB may be composed of a plurality of subcarriers in the frequency domain. See paragraph 0076.) ; determine that resources of the second SS/PBCH block are 4 OFDM symbols in the time domain (Referring to Figures 5-8, the SS/PBCH block may be referred also to as an ‘SS block (SSB)’. One SS/PBCH block may be transmitted using N consecutive OFDM symbols. Here, N may be an integer equal to or greater than 4. See paragraph 0098.) and 20 RBs in the frequency domain (Referring to Figure 15, For example, the subchannel may be composed of a plurality of symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols) in the time domain, and may be composed of a plurality of resource blocks (RBs), configurable to comprise 20 RBs, in the frequency domain. See paragraph 0142. ; and determine that the resources of the first SS/PBCH block and the resources of the second SS/PBCH block do not overlap (Referring to Figures 5-8 and 15, configurable so the resources do not overlap as the macro base station and small base station operate at different frequencies. See paragraphs 0164-0167 and 0171.) Regarding claims 4, 11, and 18, D1 discloses determine a first time domain pattern for the first set of SS/PBCH blocks; and determine a second time domain pattern for the second set of SS/PBCH blocks, wherein: the first time domain pattern and the second time domain pattern indicate transmitted SS/PBCH blocks in a burst, and the second time domain pattern is same as or a subset of the first time domain pattern (Referring to Figures 5-8 and 15, the small cell may receive the terminal-related information from the macro base station and configure an environment related to SSB transmission based on the terminal-related information. The macro base station and/or small cell may set the number of SSB transmission periods (e.g., the number of SSB burst sets) (first and second time domain pattern, same as or subset of the first time domain pattern) in which beam sweeping is performed based on the information 1-A. The macro base station and/or small cell may configure a periodicity of the SSB transmission periods based on the information 1-B. The macro base station and/or small cell may complete configuration of the environment for SSB transmission based on the terminal-related information (e.g., UE capability information) and may transmit the following information (e.g., one or more pieces of information belonging to an information set 2 below) to the terminal. The terminal may receive one or more pieces of information belonging to the information set 2 from the macro base station and/or small cell. The information set 2 may include at least one of information 2-A, information 2-B, information 2-C, information 2-D, information 2-E, information 2-F, information 2-G, information 2-H, or information 2-I. The information set 2 may include information other than the information 2-A to information 2-I. The information set 2 may be SSB transmission configuration information (e.g., on-demand SSB transmission configuration information). The information set 2 may be SSB transmission configuration information (e.g., on-demand SSB transmission configuration information) for SCell activation. The information set 2 may be information on small cell(s). Regarding claims 6 and 13, D1 discloses wherein the processor is further configured to determine not to monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidate when at least one resource element (RE) for the PDCCH candidate overlaps with at least one RE of a SS/PBCH block in the second set of SS/PBCH blocks (Note, the prior art is silent to monitoring the PDCCH under such a condition; therefore, the claim limitation is taught as the claim recites “not to monitor . . . .”) Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 5, 12, and 19 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. 07-43-02 AIA Claim s 7, 14, and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Abedini et al. (US 2024/0284362 A1) - a base station configures one or more cells of a plurality of cells with one or more modified SSBs associated with an ES mode. The base station transmits an indication of the one or more cells associated with a transmission of the one or more modified SSBs, the transmission of the one or more modified SSBs corresponding to an ES mode at the one or more cells, the one or more cells being associated with the base station or at least one other base station. Ko et al. (US 2022/0086904 A1) - acquiring information relating to a time when an index of the SS/PBCH block and the SS/PBCH block are received, wherein the number of indices of the SS/PBCH block is smaller than or equal to the number of indices of the DMRS sequence, and the indices of the SS/PBCH block are cyclically mapped to the indices of the DMRS sequence. Fakoorian et al. (US 20210368460 A1) - the SL-SS has an SL-SS pattern with a reduced number of physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH) symbols, which may be zero PSBCH symbols. The method also includes receiving transmission in accordance with the SL-SS. The SL-SS may be transmitted at a time and/or frequency different from a legacy SL-SS. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONALD L MILLS whose telephone number is (571)272-3094. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9-5 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at 571-272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. DONALD L. MILLS Primary Examiner Art Unit 2462 /Donald L Mills/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 2 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 3 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 4 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 5 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 6 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 7 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 8 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/793,578 Page 9 Art Unit: 2462
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