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 .
Response to Amendment
Receipt is acknowledge of the amendment filed 6/10/2026. Claims 1-20 have been canceled. Claims 21, 25, 27 and 29-31 have been amended. Claims 41-46 have been added. Claims 21-46 are pending and an action on the merits is as follows.
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.
Claim(s) 21-46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by SHIBAKE et al. US 2026/0206059 (hereinafter SHIBA).
Regarding claim 21, SHIBA teaches one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions, stored thereon, that when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), configure the UE to:
[SHIBA, Fig. 26, ¶510-¶516 (Terminal, interpreted as the claimed user equipment (UE), comprising memory 1002, storing programs (code), that are executed by a processor 1001).]
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transmit a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission with multiple preamble repetitions,
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 1B, ¶131 (The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble)]
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the multiple preamble repetitions comprising a repetition of a PRACH preamble transmitted in a PRACH occasion of a set of PRACH occasions,
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A, ¶131 (The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble).]
determine a random access response (RAR) window associated with the multiple preamble repetitions, wherein the RAR window starts after a last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions; and
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A, Fig. 1A requires that the terminal start the RAR window, associated with the PRACH repetition by n times in each of the n ROs of the RO group, occurs after the last RO of the RO group.)
monitor for a RAR during the RAR window.
[GU, Figs. 1A-1B, ¶82 (Monitoring of the RA Response (RAR) during the RAR window.), This is considered in view of the additional disclosure of SHIBA, ¶126]
Regarding claim 29, SHIBA teaches an apparatus to be implemented in a user equipment (UE),
[SHIBA, Fig. 26, ¶510-¶516 (Terminal, interpreted as the claimed user equipment (UE)]
the apparatus comprising:
a memory to store configuration information for a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission with multiple preamble repetitions; and
[SHIBA, Fig. 26, ¶131 and ¶510-¶516 (Terminal, interpreted as the claimed user equipment (UE), comprising memory 1002, storing programs (code), that are executed by a processor 1001) to configured instruction for Fig. 1A and Fig. 4A which depicts PRACH transmissions with multiple preamble repetitions.]
processor circuitry coupled to the memory, [SHIBA, Fig. 26 (Processor 1001 coupled to memory 1002 via bus 1007.)]
the processor circuitry to:
configure the UE to transmit multiple preamble repetitions comprising a repetition of a PRACH preamble transmitted in a PRACH occasion of a set of PRACH occasions;
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 1B, ¶131 (The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble)]
determine a symbol index, a slot index, and a frequency resource index for calculating a random access - radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) in accordance with a last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions;
[SHIBA, ¶97-¶98 (symbol index (s_id), slot index (t_id) and frequency resource index (f_id) for calculating RA-RNTI associated with the PRACH occasion in which the RA preamble is transmitted), ¶85 & ¶87 (RAR is in accordance with the last RO of the preamble (RA preamble) repetitions in the ROs)]
calculate the RA-RNTI based on the symbol index, the slot index, and the frequency resource index; and
[SHIBA, ¶97-¶98 (symbol index (s_id), slot index (t_id) and frequency resource index (f_id) for calculating RA-RNTI associated with the PRACH occasion in which the RA preamble is transmitted)]
monitor for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled with the RA-RNTI, wherein the PDCCH is to schedule a random access response (RAR) for the multiple preamble repetitions of the PRACH transmission. [SHIBA, ¶126 (RAR Reception includes detecting/monitoring for the PDCCH with a CRC scrambled by a RA-RNTI and [SHIBA, Figs. 1A and 4A, ¶56, also note ¶131] Reception of Msg 2 (PDCCH, PDSCH including a random access response (RAR)), while SHIBA, ¶165 teaches “a response to a PRACH, an RAR, Msg2, MsgB, Msg4, a base station response to BFR, and DCI for scheduling a response may be interchangeably interpreted...”, wherein Figs. 1A, 4A and ¶131 of SHIBA discloses that the RAR is for the multiple preamble repetitions of the PRACH transmission.]
Regarding claim 35, SHIBA teaches one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions, stored thereon, that when executed by one or more processors of a next generation Node B (gNB), configure the gNB to:
[SHIBA, Fig. 26, Processor 1001, Memory 1002, program code stored in memory, ¶510-¶516, ¶555 (base station, gNodeB),]
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receive, from a user equipment (UE), a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission with multiple preamble repetitions, the multiple preamble repetitions comprising a repetition of a PRACH preamble transmitted in a PRACH occasion physical random access channels (PRACHs) in respective PRACH occasions of a set of PRACH occasions;
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 1B, ¶131, ¶470-¶741 (The BS performs reception of the UE repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble)]
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determine a random access response (RAR) window that starts after a last of the multiple preamble repetitions PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions; and
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 1B, ¶61, ¶131, ¶470-¶741 (The BS performs sending of the RAR in an RAR window to the UE, wherein the RAR window starts following the UE repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble)]
encode a RAR for transmission in the RAR window, wherein the RAR corresponds to the multiple PRACHs.
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 1B, ¶61, ¶131, ¶470-¶741 (The BS performs sending of the RAR in an RAR window to the UE following the UE repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. - ¶56 transmission of Msg. 1 is referred to as any of PRACH, random access preamble, or preamble; Wherein the sending with respect to the RAR in an RAR window is interpreted as the claimed encoding and it is further noted that ¶126-¶127 and ¶56 the detection of the BS’s RAR transmission in the RAR window comprises the DCI format 1_0 with a CRC scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI to receive the scheduled RAR on PDSCH which is further evidence of the encoding at the BS which is similar to the disclosure of instant applications’ (IA’s) specification in ¶156 of the PG Pub of the IA.)]
Regarding claim 22, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 21, wherein the RAR window starts at a first symbol of an earliest control resource set (CORESET) on which the UE is configured to receive a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) that is at least one symbol after a last symbol of the last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions. [SHIBA, ¶126, also note SHIBA, ¶82 and Fig. 1A]
Regarding claim 23, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, wherein the UE is configured to receive the PDCCH on the CORESET for a Type 1-PDCCH common search space (CSS) set.
[SHIBA, ¶126, also note SHIBA, ¶82]
Regarding claim 24, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein a symbol duration of the RAR window corresponds to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) for the Type 1-PDCCH CSS set. [SHIBA, ¶126]
Regarding claim 25, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, wherein the last PRACH occasion is used to determine the start of the RAR window regardless of whether a corresponding PRACH transmission is canceled or dropped. ([SHIBA, Fig. 1B] Based on the Fig. 3A and ¶37-¶39 of the PG Pub of the Instant Application, which recites “The first PRACH occasion may correspond to the first PRACH occasions determined for multiple PRACH transmissions, regardless of whether the first PRACH transmission in multiple PRACH transmissions is canceled or dropped.” – This is similar to the disclosure of SHIBA, Fig. 1B, (“… One RAR window is started after each RO.” This requires that a first of the RO/PRACH occasions be completed prior to starting the RAR window. Therefore, there will always be a RAR window following the first RO/PRACH occasion of the of the group of ROs/PRACH occasions as it is not impacted by whether a corresponding or any following PRACH transmission is canceled or dropped. This occurs similarly to the claimed “regardless of whether the first PRACH transmission in the multiple PRACH transmissions is canceled or dropped”)].)
Regarding claim 26, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, wherein the last PRACH occasion corresponds to a latest PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions in which the corresponding PRACH is actually transmitted. ([SHIBA, Fig. 1A, ¶131] The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1/PRACH on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources (shown as a RO group in Fig. 1A, having an RO group size of n), and one RAR window is started after the one RO group.)
Regarding claim 27, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the UE to:
determine a symbol index, a slot index, and a frequency resource index for calculating a random access - radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) associated with the RAR in accordance with a last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions; and
[SHIBA, ¶97-¶98 (symbol index (s_id), slot index (t_id) and frequency resource index (f_id) for calculating RA-RNTI), ¶85 & ¶87 (RAR is in accordance with the last RO of the preamble repetitions in the ROs)]
calculate the RA-RNTI based on the symbol index, the slot index, and the frequency resource index.
([SHIBA, ¶97-¶98] Calculation of RA-RNTI based on symbol index (s_id), the slot index (t_id), and the frequency resource index (f_id)).)
Regarding claim 28, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 27, wherein to monitor for the RAR includes to monitor for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by the calculated RA-RNTI.
[SHIBA, ¶126 (RAR Reception includes detecting/monitoring for the PDCCH with a CRC scrambled by a RA-RNTI (encoded) sent to the UE by the base station) ¶97-¶98 (Calculation of RA-RNTI)].
Regarding claim 41, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, wherein to monitor for a RAR in the RAR window, the one or more processors configure the UE to:
detect during the RAR window, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by a corresponding RA-RNTI, wherein a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled carrying the RAR.
([SHIBA, ¶126 (RAR Reception includes detecting/monitoring for the PDCCH with a CRC scrambled by a RA-RNTI and [SHIBA, Figs. 1A and 4A, ¶56, also note ¶131] Reception of Msg 2 (PDCCH, PDSCH including a random access response (RAR))]
Regarding claim 42, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors further configure the UE to transmit the multiple preamble repetitions of the PRACH transmission prior to the RAR window.
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 4A, ¶131 (The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. Subsequently, the UE waits for detection of Msg2 in a configured type 1 PDCCH occasion. In the present disclosure, preamble repetition transmission in n ROs resources is sometimes referred to as an RO group… One RAR window is started after one RO group)]
Regarding claim 43, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 22, where the UE is configured to transmit each repetition of the PRACH preamble in a PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasion prior to the RAR window.
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 4A, ¶131 (The UE performs repetition transmission of Msg1 on n random access occasions (ROs)/RO resources. Subsequently, the UE waits for detection of Msg2 in a configured type 1 PDCCH occasion. In the present disclosure, preamble repetition transmission in n ROs resources is sometimes referred to as an RO group… One RAR window is started after one RO group)]
Regarding claim 30, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 29, wherein the last PRACH occasion is a latest PRACH occasion in the set of PRACH occasions regardless of whether the PRACH transmission is canceled or dropped.
([SHIBA Figs. 1A-1B] SHIBA depicts an PRACH occasion group (RO group ) wherein the final PRACH occasion/RO in the group is always considered the latest PRACH occasion/RO in the PRACH occasion/RO group ordering where it has a PRACH/preamble/MSG1 transmission assigned, canceled, dropped or not [SHIBA, Fig. 1B] Additionally, it may also be considered that based on the Fig. 3A and ¶37-¶39 of the PG Pub of the Instant Application, which recites “The first PRACH occasion may correspond to the first PRACH occasions determined for multiple PRACH transmissions, regardless of whether the first PRACH transmission in multiple PRACH transmissions is canceled or dropped.” – This is similar to the disclosure of SHIBA, Fig. 1B, (“… One RAR window is started after each RO.” This requires that a first of the RO/PRACH occasions be completed prior to starting the RAR window. Therefore, there will always be a RAR window following the first RO/PRACH occasion of the of the group of ROs/PRACH occasions as it is not impacted by whether a corresponding or any following PRACH transmission is canceled or dropped. This occurs similarly to the claimed “regardless of whether the first PRACH transmission in the multiple PRACH transmissions is canceled or dropped”)].)
Regarding claim 31, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 29, wherein the last PRACH occasion is a latest PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions in which the PRACH is actually transmitted. (See the rejection of claim 26, Similar rationale is applied to the reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 32, SHIBA teaches the apparatus claim 31, wherein the processor circuitry is further to:
determine a RAR window associated with the multiple PRACHs, wherein the RAR window starts after the set of PRACH occasions, wherein to monitor for the PDCCH is to monitor for the RAR in the RAR window.
[SHIBA, Fig. 1A and 4A, ¶56 (reception of Msg 2 (PDCCH, PDSCH including a RAR)), ¶88 (monitor PDCCH transmission for RAR specified by the RA-RNTI), ¶131 (the RAR window is determined to be associated with the multiple PRACH transmissions as it designed to occur after the last RO of the RO group which comprises n PRACH transmission repetitions for the n ROs of RO group. Wherein to monitor for the PDCCH is to monitor for the RAR in the RAR window.)]
Regarding claim 33, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 32, wherein the RAR window starts at a first symbol of an earliest control resource set (CORESET) on which the UE is configured to receive a PDCCH, for a Type 1-PDCCH common search space (CSS) set, that is at least one symbol after a last symbol of a last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claims 22 and 23. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 34, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 33, wherein a symbol duration of the RAR window corresponds to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) for the Type 1-PDCCH CSS set. (See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 24. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 44, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 32, wherein to monitor for a RAR in the RAR window, the processor circuitry further configures the UE to:
detect during the RAR window, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by a corresponding RA-RNTI, wherein a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled carrying the RAR.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 41. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 45, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor circuitry further configures the UE to transmit the multiple preamble repetitions of the PRACH transmission prior to the RAR window.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 42. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 46, SHIBA teaches the apparatus of claim 32, where the UE is configured to transmit each repetition of the PRACH preamble in a PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasion prior to the RAR window.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 43. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 36, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 35, wherein the RAR window starts at a first symbol of an earliest control resource set (CORESET) on which the UE is configured to receive a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), for a Type 1-PDCCH common search space (CSS) set, that is at least one symbol after a last symbol of the last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claims 22 and 23 combined and also claim 33. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 37, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 36, wherein a symbol duration of the RAR corresponds to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) for the Type 1-PDCCH CSS set.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claims 24 and also claim 34. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 38, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 35, wherein the last PRACH occasion is used to determine the start of the RAR window regardless of whether the corresponding PRACH transmission is canceled or dropped; or wherein the last PRACH occasion corresponds to a latest PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions in which the corresponding PRACH is actually transmitted.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claims 25 and 26 combined and also claim 30 and 31 combined. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 39, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 38, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the gNB to:
determine a symbol index, a slot index, or a frequency resource index for calculating a random access (RA) - radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) associated with the RAR in accordance with a last PRACH occasion of the set of PRACH occasions; and
calculate the RA-RNTI based on the symbol index, the slot index, or the frequency resource index.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 27 and also claim 29 combined. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Regarding claim 40, SHIBA teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 39, wherein to encode the RAR includes to encode the RAR with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by the calculated RA-RNTI.
(See the rationale applied to the rejection of claim 28. Similar rationale is applied to reject the instant claim.)
Conclusion
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/LONNIE V SWEET/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467
