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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim (US 20250048236).
Re claim 7:
Kim discloses a method for performing, by a base station, a random access (RA) procedure for layer 1 (L1)/layer 2 (L2)-triggered mobility (LTM), the method comprising (Para.[0973] In embodiments of the disclosure, LTM procedures (e.g., LTM execution, Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s)):
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a plurality of candidate cell configurations (Para.[0128] The gNB transmits an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE including the LTM candidate cell configurations of one or multiple candidate cells);
transmitting, to the UE, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for initiating the RA procedure for an LTM candidate cell, the PDCCH order indicating that an index of a preamble for the RA procedure is not “0” and comprising a first downlink control information (DCI) field indicating that a transmission of the preamble is an initial transmission or a re-transmission and a second DCI field indicating the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0956] The contents of the PDCCH order triggering/indicating the Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s) (i.e., a PRACH transmission on a LTM candidate cell) can be set out in details, e.g., how to use the bits in PDCCH DCI format to indicate the LTM candidate cell. The PDCCH order from the source cell contains the indication of candidate cell. The reserved bit(s) in Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 1_0 for PDCCH order can be used for indication of cell identity. Specifically, for a PRACH transmission by a UE triggered by a PDCCH order, the PRACH mask index field, if the value of the random access preamble index field is not zero, indicates the PRACH occasion for the PRACH transmission where the PRACH occasions are associated with the SS/PBCH block index indicated by the SS/PBCH block index field of the PDCCH order and, if any, a cell indicator field indicates a cell for the PRACH transmission. The PDCCH DCI format also includes a 1-bit field in PDCCH order explicitly indicating initial transmission or retransmission of PRACH); and
receiving, from the UE, the preamble based on a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource configured by a candidate cell configuration of the plurality of candidate cell configurations, wherein the candidate cell configuration is associated with the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0907] When the Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s) is triggered/indicated by PDCCH order (e.g., by an indication), UE performs Random Access procedure, i.e., UE transmits the preamble to PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) resource of the indicated LTM candidate cell(s) and complete the Random Access procedure).
Re claim 8:
Kim discloses the method of claim 7, wherein the second DCI field indicates the LTM candidate cell by indicating an index of the candidate cell configuration associated with the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0958] Option 1: In this option, the bits in PDCCH (i.e., in DCI format) indicates Cell identity or Configuration Identity configured for a LTM candidate cell in RRC configuration).
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20250048236) in view of Zhou (US 20260019906).
Re claim 1:
Kim discloses a method for performing, by a user equipment (UE), a random access (RA) procedure for layer 1 (L1)/layer 2 (L2)-triggered mobility (LTM), the method comprising (Para.[0973] In embodiments of the disclosure, LTM procedures (e.g., LTM execution, Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s)):
receiving, from a source cell, a plurality of candidate cell configurations (Para.[0128] The gNB transmits an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE including the LTM candidate cell configurations of one or multiple candidate cells);
receiving, from the source cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for initiating the RA procedure for an LTM candidate cell, the PDCCH order indicating that an index of a preamble for the RA procedure is not “0” and comprising a first downlink control information (DCI) field indicating that a transmission of the preamble is an initial transmission or a re-transmission and a second DCI field indicating the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0956] The contents of the PDCCH order triggering/indicating the Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s) (i.e., a PRACH transmission on a LTM candidate cell) can be set out in details, e.g., how to use the bits in PDCCH DCI format to indicate the LTM candidate cell. The PDCCH order from the source cell contains the indication of candidate cell. The reserved bit(s) in Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 1_0 for PDCCH order can be used for indication of cell identity. Specifically, for a PRACH transmission by a UE triggered by a PDCCH order, the PRACH mask index field, if the value of the random access preamble index field is not zero, indicates the PRACH occasion for the PRACH transmission where the PRACH occasions are associated with the SS/PBCH block index indicated by the SS/PBCH block index field of the PDCCH order and, if any, a cell indicator field indicates a cell for the PRACH transmission. The PDCCH DCI format also includes a 1-bit field in PDCCH order explicitly indicating initial transmission or retransmission of PRACH);
incrementing a power ramping counter by 1 in a case that the first DCI field indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the re-transmission (Para.[0928] If the Random Access procedure is initiated by the PDCCH order for an LTM candidate cell as preamble re-transmission, UE increments the second variable by 1. Based on this, UE can calculate the preamble received target power, and retransmit the preamble with the higher power than the first preamble);
setting, based on the incremented power ramping counter, a power parameter for the re-transmission of the preamble (Para.[0928] If the Random Access procedure is initiated by the PDCCH order for an LTM candidate cell as preamble re-transmission, UE increments the second variable by 1. Based on this, UE can calculate the preamble received target power, and retransmit the preamble with the higher power than the first preamble); and
re-transmitting, to the LTM candidate cell, the preamble based on the set power parameter and a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource configured by a candidate cell configuration of the plurality of candidate cell configurations, wherein the candidate cell configuration is associated with the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0907] When the Random Access procedure for TA acquisition of LTM candidate cell(s) is triggered/indicated by PDCCH order (e.g., by an indication), UE performs Random Access procedure, i.e., UE transmits the preamble to PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) resource of the indicated LTM candidate cell(s) and complete the Random Access procedure).
Kim does not explicitly disclose the PDCCH order further indicates a synchronization signal block (SSB) for the re-transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell, the SSB being the same as an SSB that was used in a previous transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell.
Zhou discloses the PDCCH order further indicates a synchronization signal block (SSB) for the re-transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell, the SSB being the same as an SSB that was used in a previous transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0445] The first field of the second PDCCH order may be set to a second value indicating that the preamble transmission is a retransmission towards Cell 1. The second PDCCH order may comprise a candidate cell configuration index indicating Cell 1, a preamble index for a second preamble (same as the preamble used for the initial transmission, or different from the preamble), a SSB index indicating a second SSB (same as the SSB used for the initial transmission, or different from the SSB) of Cell 1 for RACH occasion selection).
Kim and Zhou are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim to include a PDCCH order indicating the same SSB as taught by Zhou in order to improve TA estimation accuracy and the latency of the LTM procedure (Zhou Para.[0430,0433]).
Re claim 2:
Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the second DCI field indicates the LTM candidate cell by indicating an index of the candidate cell configuration associated with the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0958] Option 1: In this option, the bits in PDCCH (i.e., in DCI format) indicates Cell identity or Configuration Identity configured for a LTM candidate cell in RRC configuratio).
Re claim 3:
Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the first DCI field includes a bit to indicate that the transmission of the preamble is the initial transmission or the re-transmission, in a case that the bit is “0”, the bit indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the initial transmission, and in a case that the bit is “1”, the bit indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the re-transmission (Para.[0596] The PDCCH DCI format also includes a 1-bit field in PDCCH order explicitly indicating initial transmission or retransmission of PRACH).
As shown above, Kim discloses using one bit to indicate if the transmission is an initial transmission or a re-transmission. Kim does not explicitly state “0” indicates initial transmission and “1” indicates re-transmission; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one bit has the value of either “0” or “1”. Thus, if one bit is used to indicate either an initial transmission or a re-transmission, the values are either “0” indicates initial transmission and “1” indicates retransmission or “1” indicates initial transmission and “0” indicates retransmission. Using “0” for initial transmission and “1” for retransmission would therefore be a design choice and one of two possible combinations. Bala (WO 2024211401) is further evidence relied upon to show “0” for initial transmission and “1” for retransmission (Para.[0119] a WTRU may receive a PDCCH order with 1 -bit indication value 0 (e.g., an initial transmission of PRACH). Within T ms of the first order, for example, the WTRU may receive a PDCCH order (e.g., to the same target cell and/or with the same RS index) with 1 -bit indication value 1 (e.g., a retransmission of PRACH)).
Re claim 4: Claim 4 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1. Kim further discloses at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor, and storing one or more computer-executable instructions that (Fig. 8).
Re claim 5: Claim 5 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 6: Claim 6 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Re claim 10:
As discussed above, Kim meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Kim further discloses the method of claim 7, wherein: the first DCI field indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the re-transmission, (Para.[0596] The PDCCH DCI format also includes a 1-bit field in PDCCH order explicitly indicating initial transmission or retransmission of PRACH).
Kim does not explicitly disclose the PDCCH order further indicates a synchronization signal block (SSB) for the re-transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell, the SSB being the same as an SSB that was used in a previous transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell.
Zhou discloses the PDCCH order further indicates a synchronization signal block (SSB) for the re-transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell, the SSB being the same as an SSB that was used in a previous transmission of the preamble for the LTM candidate cell (Para.[0445] The first field of the second PDCCH order may be set to a second value indicating that the preamble transmission is a retransmission towards Cell 1. The second PDCCH order may comprise a candidate cell configuration index indicating Cell 1, a preamble index for a second preamble (same as the preamble used for the initial transmission, or different from the preamble), a SSB index indicating a second SSB (same as the SSB used for the initial transmission, or different from the SSB) of Cell 1 for RACH occasion selection).
Kim and Zhou are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim to include a PDCCH order indicating the same SSB as taught by Zhou in order to improve TA estimation accuracy and the latency of the LTM procedure (Zhou Para.[0430,0433]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20250048236).
Re claim 9:
Kim discloses the method of claim 7, wherein: the first DCI field includes a bit to indicate that the transmission of the preamble is the initial transmission or the re-transmission, in a case that the bit is “0”, the bit indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the initial transmission, and in a case that the bit is “1”, the bit indicates that the transmission of the preamble is the re-transmission (Para.[0596] The PDCCH DCI format also includes a 1-bit field in PDCCH order explicitly indicating initial transmission or retransmission of PRACH).
As shown above, Kim discloses using one bit to indicate if the transmission is an initial transmission or a re-transmission. Kim does not explicitly state “0” indicates initial transmission and “1” indicates re-transmission; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one bit has the value of either “0” or “1”. Thus, if one bit is used to indicate either an initial transmission or a re-transmission, the values are either “0” indicates initial transmission and “1” indicates retransmission or “1” indicates initial transmission and “0” indicates retransmission. Using “0” for initial transmission and “1” for retransmission would therefore be a design choice and one of two possible combinations. Bala (WO 2024211401) is further evidence relied upon to show “0” for initial transmission and “1” for retransmission (Para.[0119] a WTRU may receive a PDCCH order with 1 -bit indication value 0 (e.g., an initial transmission of PRACH). Within T ms of the first order, for example, the WTRU may receive a PDCCH order (e.g., to the same target cell and/or with the same RS index) with 1 -bit indication value 1 (e.g., a retransmission of PRACH)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prasad (US 20260075657) shows a random access procedure with LTM.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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