DETAILED ACTION
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 50-57 and 59-69 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fu (USPN 12,262,267).
Regarding claim 50, Fu teaches a method performed by a network node in a communication network, comprising: determining a first configuration for a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time, wherein SSB refers to a combination of synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel [Col. 5, lines 50-64, SMTC measurement is done which is measuring combination of synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel]; determining a second configuration for indicating an additional timing offset window to be applied to the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50 – Col. 6, line 2, additional offset window is used for SMTC/SSB measurement]; and transmitting the first configuration and the second configuration to a wireless device, for indicating that the wireless device performs a SSB measurement, based at least on the first configuration and the second configuration [Fig. 2 and Col. 7, lines 10-45, first and second configurations are used by the wireless device for SSB measurement].
Regarding claims 51, 61 and 68, Fu teaches the first configuration comprises: a periodicity, and a duration of the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50-64 and Col. 7, lines 10-45]; and the second configuration comprises: a timing offset window related to the duration of the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50-64 and Col. 7, lines 10-45].
Regarding claims 52, 62 and 69, Fu teaches the duration of the SSB measurement time is extended by the timing offset window, to start earlier compared to the first configuration; and/or the duration of the SSB measurement time is extended by the timing offset window, to end later compared to the first configuration [Col. 5, lines 50-64].
Regarding claims 53 and 63, Fu teaches the duration of the SSB measurement time is shifted by the timing offset window, to start earlier compared to the first configuration; or the duration of the SSB measurement time is shifted by the timing offset window, to end later compared to the first configuration [Col. 5, lines 50-64].
Regarding claims 54 and 64, Fu teaches the timing offset window is constant; or the timing offset window is periodically changeable with an update rate [Col. 5, lines 50-64].
Regarding claims 55 and 65, Fu teaches the second configuration is enabled or disabled, based at least on an indication from the network node, and/or a report from the wireless device, and/or a predefined rule [Col. 5, lines 50 – Col. 6, line 2].
Regarding claim 56, Fu teaches the first configuration and the second configuration are provided from a satellite to the wireless device [Col. 8, lines 12-43]; and the second configuration is determined, based at least on a location of the wireless device, an ephemeris data and/or feeder link delay of the satellite [Col. 8, lines 12-43].
Regarding claim 57, Fu teaches the second configuration is enabled or disabled for the wireless device, based on a change of at least one of following: a validity or invalidity of the ephemeris data, a validity or invalidity of the location of the wireless device, a type of the satellite, a location of at least one neighbor satellite, or a time to be covered by at least one neighbor satellite; or wherein the second configuration is enabled or disabled for the wireless device, based on at least one of the following: a capacity of the wireless device; or the first configuration [Col. 8, lines 32-43].
Regarding claim 59, Fu teaches a satellite or a base station relayed by the satellite [Fig. 1, 120].
Regarding claim 60, Fu teaches a method performed by a wireless device, comprising: receiving a first configuration and a second configuration from a network node in a communication network, wherein the first configuration is for a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time, and the second configuration is for indicating an additional timing offset window to be applied to the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50 – Col. 6, line 2]; and performing an SSB measurement based at least on the first configuration and the second configuration [Fig. 2 and Col. 7, lines 10-45].
Regarding claim 66, Fu teaches a network node in a communication network, the network node comprising: a processor [Fig. 10, 1001]; and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the apparatus for the network node is configured to: determine a first configuration for a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time; wherein SSB refers to a combination of synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel [Col. 5, lines 50-64, SMTC measurement is done which is measuring combination of synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel]; determine a second configuration for indicating an additional timing offset window to be applied to the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50 – Col. 6, line 2, additional offset window is used for SMTC/SSB measurement]; and transmit the first configuration and the second configuration to a wireless device, for indicating that the wireless device performs a SSB measurement, based at least on the first configuration and the second configuration [Fig. 2 and Col. 7, lines 10-45, first and second configurations are used by the wireless device for SSB measurement].
Regarding claim 67, Fu teaches a wireless device comprising: a processor [Fig. 10, 1001]; and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the apparatus for the wireless device is configured to: receive a first configuration and a second configuration from a network node in a communication network, wherein the first configuration is for a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time, and the second configuration is for indicating an additional timing offset window to be applied to the SSB measurement time [Col. 5, lines 50 – Col. 6, line 2]; and perform a SSB measurement, based at least on the first configuration and the second configuration [Fig. 2 and Col. 7, lines 10-45].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 58 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al. (USPN 12,598,570) teaches determining whether to perform offset correction using a first target SSB to generate a determination result in response to a change in a selected receive beam from a first receive beam to a second receive beam in an SSB period. The first target SSB is received using the second receive beam. The offset correction on the second reception beam is carried out using at first neighbor SSB based on the determination result. The first neighbor SSB is received by the first reception beam.
Wang et al. (US-PGPUB 2024/0306212) teaches acquiring the first SSB by the terminal device. A random-access preamble that corresponds to the first SSB is sent by the terminal device, where the random-access preamble is carried at a first-time domain position. The first-time domain location is associated with the timing offset value. The timing offset value is determined according to a round-trip delay between the first location in the area covered by a network device and the network device.
Cui et al. (US-PGPUB 2024/0179758) teaches receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) comprising an order triggering a transmission of a contention free random access (CFRA) preamble and an indication of a synchronization signal block (SSB) from a base station. A timing offset value is determined for a random-access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) for the transmission of the CFRA preamble relative to the SSB. The SSB is received, and an arrival time of the signal block is determined.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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