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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of papers, which have been placed of record in the file.
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on August 29, 2024 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
on line 12 of claim 1, replace “PDCCH” with --Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)--;
on line 2 of claim 2, replace “DM-RS” with --Demodulation Reference Signal (DM-RS)--;
on line 1 of claim 3, replace “DCI” with --Downlink Control Information (DCI)--;
on line 2 of claim 3, replace “a RA-RNTI (i.e., Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier)” with --a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI)--;
on line 2 of claim 4, replace “CSS” with --Common search space (CSS)--;
on line 2-3 of claim 4, replace “the sentence “at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool” includes” with --wherein the at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool includes--;
on line 2 of claim 6, replace “PCell” with --Primary Cell (PCell)-- and “PSCell” with --Primary Secondary Cell Group Cell (PSCell)--;
on line 1 of claim 9, replace “TRP” with --Transmit/Receive Point (TRP)--;
on line 2 of claim 9, replace “DU” with --Distributed Units (DU)--;
on line 4 of claim 9, replace “CU” with --Centralized Unit (CU)--;
on line 2 of claim 13, replace “CORESET” with --Control resource set (CORESET)--;
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claims 1-11, 13-15, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cirik et al. (hereinafter Cirik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2026/0239366 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Cirik teaches and discloses a first node (wireless device/UE, figures 13B and 15A) for wireless communications, comprising:
a first transmitter (transmitter/antenna, figure 15A; [0182]), transmitting a first signal, the first signal including at least a random access preamble ([0146]; [0159]; teaches the wireless device transmits a first signal (Msg 1) including a random access preamble); and
a first receiver (receiver/antenna, figure 15A; [0184]), monitoring a first signaling in a first time window, the first signaling being used to schedule a random access response for the first signal, an end time in time domain of the first signal being used to determine a start of the first time window ([0146]; [0160]; teaches the wireless device monitors for a random access response (Msg 2) during a time window);
wherein the first signal is associated with a first resource set, the first resource set belonging to a first resource pool, the first resource pool including multiple resource sets, any two resource sets included in the first resource pool being associated with a same serving cell; at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool ([0159]; [0229]; [0230]; [0237]; teaches the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET);
the first signal is a Message1 (Msg1) in a first random access procedure ([0146]; [0159]; teaches the wireless device transmits a first signal (Msg 1) including a random access preamble); the random access preamble in the first signal is explicitly indicated by a PDCCH order ([0426]; teaches a random access preamble is indicated by a PDCCH order); and the first random access procedure is a Contention-Free Random Access (CFRA) ([0158]; [0426]; teaches a random access procedure is a CFRA).
Regarding claim 2, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the spatial parameter includes: antenna port quasi co-location properties, the antenna port quasi co-location properties being DM-RS antenna port quasi co-location properties; or, the spatial parameter includes: at least one of a large-scale parameter channel, or a correlation matrix, or a transmitting beam, or a receiving beam or a transmitting/receiving beam pair ([0135]; [0144]; [0247]; teaches the spatial parameters includes QCL parameters and large scale properties and beam pair links).
Regarding claim 3, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the first signaling is in a format of DCI format 1_0, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) of the first signaling is scrambled by a RA-RNTI (i.e., Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier) ([0168]; [0169]; [0170]; teaches the first signal is in a DCI format 1_0, and a CRC is scrambled by a RA-RNTI).
Regarding claim 4, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is associated with a Type1-PDCCH CSS set; the sentence “at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool” includes: at least one of the index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or the index of the first resource pool being used, as configured or as indicated, to determine that at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is associated with the Type1-PDCCH CSS set ([0153]; “…The one or more symbols may be determined based on a numerology. The PDCCH may be mapped in a common search space (e.g., a Type1-PDCCH common search space) configured by an RRC message…”; [0160]; [0174]; teaches the spatial parameter is associated with a Type-1-PDCCH CSS set including an index of the CORESET).
Regarding claim 5, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the first resource pool includes the first resource set and a second resource set, the first resource set being associated with a first cell, and the second resource set being associated with a second cell, the second cell being associated with the first cell ([0230]; [0231]; [0235]; teaches a first and second CORESET pool associated with respective cell); the first cell is configured with a ServCellIndex, and the second cell is associated with the ServCellIndex of the first cell; a Physical Cell Identity (PCI) of the first cell is different from a PCI of the second cell ([0200]; “…The one or more cells may comprise a non-serving cell (e.g., a second cell, non-serving cell 1712, etc.). The second cell may be associated with a second PCI that is different from the PCI of the serving cell…”; [0242]; “…The PCI of the cell and the second PCI of the second cell may be different (e.g., inter-cell, inter-TRP operation/mode). A PCI indicated by a higher layer (or RRC) parameter (e.g., physCellId) may be different from a cell index/identity/identifier indicated by a higher layer (or RRC) parameter (e.g., servCellId or servCellIndex)…”; teaches the cells configured and associated with servCellIndex and a different PCI for the respective cell).
Regarding claim 6, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the index of the first resource pool is used to indicate a PCell, or, the index of the first resource pool is used to indicate a PSCell ([0099]; [0102]; teaches first CORESET associated with a PCell).
Regarding claim 7, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in comprising: the first receiver, receiving a second signaling (DCI; [0208]), the second signaling being used to trigger the first signal; wherein the second signaling is used to determine that the first signal is associated with the first resource set ([0208]; [0235]; [0236]; teaches receiving a DCI being triggered by the first signal associated with the first CORESET).
Regarding claim 8, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the first signal is transmitted by a first sub-node (first TRP); the first signaling is received by the first sub-node; and the second signaling is transmitted by a second sub-node (second TRP); the first sub-node belongs to a first cell while the second sub-node belongs to a second cell; the first resource pool includes the first resource set and the second resource set, the first resource set being associated with the first cell, the second resource set being associated with the second cell, the second cell being associated with the first cell ([0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0236]; [0237]; teaches a first and second CORESET pool associated with respective cell); the first cell is configured with a ServCellIndex, and the second cell is associated with the ServCellIndex of the first cell; a PCI of the first cell is different from a PCI of the second cell ([0200]; “…The one or more cells may comprise a non-serving cell (e.g., a second cell, non-serving cell 1712, etc.). The second cell may be associated with a second PCI that is different from the PCI of the serving cell…”; [0242]; “…The PCI of the cell and the second PCI of the second cell may be different (e.g., inter-cell, inter-TRP operation/mode). A PCI indicated by a higher layer (or RRC) parameter (e.g., physCellId) may be different from a cell index/identity/identifier indicated by a higher layer (or RRC) parameter (e.g., servCellId or servCellIndex)…”; teaches the cells configured and associated with servCellIndex and a different PCI for the respective cell).
Regarding claim 9, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the first sub-node is a TRP (TRP; [0235]; [0236]; [0237]), and the second sub-node is a TRP (TRP; [0235]; [0236]; [0237]); the first sub-node and the second sub-node belong to a same DU, or, the first sub-node and the second sub-node belong to two different DUs and the DU to which the first sub-node belongs and the DU to which the second sub-node belongs belong to a same CU, or, the first sub-node and the second sub-node belong to two different DUs and the DU to which the first sub-node belongs and the DU to which the second sub-node belongs belong to two different CUs ([0199]; teaches the TRP belong to the same DU).
Regarding claim 10, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the second signaling (DCI; [0208]) indicates at least one of the index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or the index of the first resource pool ([0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0236]; [0237]; teaches DCI indicates the CORESET pool index of the CORESET).
Regarding claim 11, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the index of the first resource pool is an index of a cell used for receiving the second signaling ([0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0236]; [0237]; teaches the index of the first CORESET is an CORESET pool index for receiving the DCI).
Regarding claim 13, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the index of the first resource pool is an index of at least one CORESET to which the second signaling belongs ([0229]; [0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0237]; teaches the index of resource pool includes an index of at least one CORESET).
Regarding claim 14, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the at least one CORESET includes: one CORESET pool ([0229]; [0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0237]; teaches the CORESET includes a CORESET pool).
Regarding claim 15, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in that the second signaling implicitly indicates the index of the first resource set in the first resource pool; the at least one CORESET to which the second signaling belongs is indexed by a coresetPoolIndex; and the at least one CORESET to which the second signaling belongs is associated with the second cell ([0229]; [0230]; [0231]; [0235]; [0237]; teaches the signaling indicates the first CORESET in the resource pool by a CORESETPoolIndex).
Regarding claim 19, Cirik teaches and discloses a second node (base station, figures 13B and 15A) for wireless communications, comprising:
a second receiver (receiver/antenna, figure 15A; [0184]), receiving a first signal, the first signal including at least a random access preamble ([0146]; [0159]; teaches the base station receives from the wireless device a first signal (Msg 1) including a random access preamble); and
a second transmitter (transmitter/antenna, figure 15A; [0183]), transmitting a first signaling, the first signaling being used to schedule a random access response for the first signal; wherein the first signaling is monitored in a first time window, and an end time in time domain of the first signal is used to determine a start of the first time window ([0146]; [0160]; teaches the base station transmits to the wireless device a random access response and the signal is monitored for a random access response (Msg 2) during a time window);
the first signal is associated with a first resource set, the first resource set belonging to a first resource pool, the first resource pool including multiple resource sets, any two resource sets included in the first resource pool being associated with a same serving cell; at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool ([0159]; [0229]; [0230]; [0237]; teaches the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET).
Regarding claim 20, Cirik teaches and discloses a method in a first node for wireless communications, comprising:
transmitting a first signal, the first signal including at least a random access preamble ([0146]; [0159]; teaches the wireless device transmits a first signal (Msg 1) including a random access preamble); and
monitoring a first signaling in a first time window, the first signaling being used to schedule a random access response for the first signal, an end time in time domain of the first signal being used to determine a start of the first time window ([0146]; [0160]; teaches the wireless device monitors for a random access response (Msg 2) during a time window);
wherein the first signal is associated with a first resource set, the first resource set belonging to a first resource pool, the first resource pool including multiple resource sets, any two resource sets included in the first resource pool being associated with a same serving cell; at least one spatial parameter of the first signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool ([0159]; [0229]; [0230]; [0237]; teaches the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET).
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 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 of this title, 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirik et al. (hereinafter Cirik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2026/0239366 A1) in view of Babaei (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2026/0255342 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Cirik discloses the second signaling includes a DCI format 1_0, but may not explicitly disclose the second signaling includes a Identifier for DCI formats field, the Identifier for DCI formats field being set to 1; the second signaling includes a Frequency domain resource assignment field, the Frequency domain resource assignment field being set to all ones; and the second signaling includes a Random Access Preamble index field, the Random Access Preamble index field not being set to all zeros.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Babaei teaches and suggests the second signaling includes a Identifier for DCI formats field, the Identifier for DCI formats field being set to 1; the second signaling includes a Frequency domain resource assignment field, the Frequency domain resource assignment field being set to all ones; and the second signaling includes a Random Access Preamble index field, the Random Access Preamble index field not being set to all zeros ([0145]; [0190]; [0191]; teaches the DCI includes a DCI format field, frequency domain resource assignment field and RA preamble index field).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the DCI includes a DCI format field, frequency domain resource assignment field and RA preamble index field as taught by Babaei with the method for the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET as disclosed by Cirik for the purpose of providing DCI configuration parameters for scheduling multi-cell, as suggested by Babaei.
Claims 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirik et al. (hereinafter Cirik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2026/0239366 A1) in view of DA SILVA et al. (hereinafter Da Silva) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0023045 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Cirik further teaches and discloses characterized in comprising: the first receiver, receiving a third signaling (DCI), the third signaling indicating a first amount of timing advance ([0165]), but may not explicitly disclose wherein the third signaling includes the random access response for the first signal; the first signaling is used to schedule the third signaling; the third signaling includes a Timing Advance Command field, the Timing Advance Command field indicating the first amount of timing advance.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Da Silva teaches and suggests wherein the third signaling includes the random access response for the first signal; the first signaling is used to schedule the third signaling; the third signaling includes a Timing Advance Command field, the Timing Advance Command field indicating the first amount of timing advance ([0034]; [0037]; [0038]; [0237]; [0238]; teaches signaling including timing advance (TA) command).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate signaling including timing advance (TA) command as taught by Da Silva with the method for the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET as disclosed by Cirik for the purpose of managing TA in multi-TRP configuration, as suggested by Da Silva.
Regarding claim 17, Cirik, as modified by Da Silva, further teaches and discloses characterized in that at least one spatial parameter of the third signaling is related to at least one of an index of the first resource set in the first resource pool or an index of the first resource pool; the spatial parameter includes: antenna port quasi co-location properties, the antenna port quasi co-location properties being DM-RS antenna port quasi co-location properties; the antenna port quasi co-location properties of the third signaling and the antenna port quasi co-location properties of the first signaling are identical ([0135]; [0144]; [0247]; teaches the spatial parameters includes QCL parameters).
Regarding claim 18, Cirik discloses DCI including timing advance parameters, but may not explicitly disclose the first receiver, starting or restarting a first timer as a response to the first amount of timing advance being receive; wherein the first resource set is associated with the first timer; only the first resource set in the first resource pool is associated with the first timer; if the first timer is running, the first node considers that an uplink transmission associated with the first resource set is synchronized; if the first timer is not running, the first node considers that an uplink transmission associated with the first resource set is non-synchronized.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Da Silva teaches and suggests the first receiver, starting or restarting a first timer as a response to the first amount of timing advance being receive; wherein the first resource set is associated with the first timer; only the first resource set in the first resource pool is associated with the first timer; if the first timer is running, the first node considers that an uplink transmission associated with the first resource set is synchronized; if the first timer is not running, the first node considers that an uplink transmission associated with the first resource set is non-synchronized ([0038]; [0231]; [0237]; [0238]; [0239]; teaches signaling including timing advance (TA) command and a timer associated with a first CORESET).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate signaling including timing advance (TA) command and a timer associated with a first CORESET as taught by Da Silva with the method for the first signal is associated with a first resource set/CORESET which belongs to a first resource pool associated with the serving cell and a spatial parameter related to an index of the first resource set/CORESET as disclosed by Cirik, as modified by Da Silva, for the purpose of managing TA in multi-TRP configuration, as suggested by Da Silva.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
September 3, 2026
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