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 .
Claims 1-30 are pending.
IDS is considered.
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.
The factual inquiries 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(s) 1-10, 14, 19, 25, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fehrenbach et al. (US 2024/0015796) in view of Elkotby et al. (US 2022/0225402).
As to claim 1:
Fehrenbach discloses:
A network node for wireless communication, comprising:
a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory (¶0037, 0164, Fig. 10, claim 24, a network node with processor/memory and transceiver for wireless communication), configured to:
configure a set of classes associated with performing a four-step random access channel (RACH) procedure, (¶0066, 0084. See also ¶0059-0064,0144-0155, 0114, the network node categorizes UEs into types/categories, for example, eMBB/RedCap/IoT/power capability etc. See also ¶0054-0056 the base station acts in knowledge of the UE’s type)
and
perform the four-step RACH procedure based at least in part on an energy harvesting class of the set of energy harvesting classes. (See at least ¶0066-0070, 0084, 0090, 0093, 0057, 0031, the base station, based on the determines UE type from the RACH message, performs a RACH procedure, which can be a 4 step RACH. See ¶0031, 4- step RACH, “In a first step of the 4-step RACH procedure illustrated in FIG. 2(a), a random access preamble, Msg1, is transmitted by the UE to the base station or gNB. In a second step, the random access response, Msg2, is transmitted from the gNB to the UE. After sending the preamble, the UE monitors the PDCCH for a random access response, and responsive to receiving the RA response, the UE in step 3 sends uplink scheduling information, Msg3. Responsive to sending Msg3, in step 4 a contention resolution may be performed.”)
Except Fehrenbach does not explicitly mention the UE types/categories as “energy harvesting classes” which is based on to perform the 4-step RACH.
Elkotby, in a related field of endeavor, discloses energy-harvesting classes of UE (WTRUs/IoT devices) and network configuration keyed to EH capability. See at least ¶0088, 0096-0097 which discusses EH capability with harvest amount is quantified as capability parameter per ¶0097. In at least ¶0100-0108, the network/eNB maintains configurations associated with the EH capabilities. ¶0119-0121, 0135, the network side will then perform certain procedures dependent on the reported EH capabilities. Thus, Elkotby therefore discloses EH capabilities treated as configurable/reportable categories and certain procedure is triggered in accordance with a specific EH capability.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention to use the Elkotby’ s EH capability classifications in system of Fehrenbach’s type/class, namely, perform a 4-step RACH based on a UE classification, which includes EH capability. Fehrenbach already discloses a motive for categorizing the UE into a non-limiting type of classification for RACH procedure, i.e. the network must adapt the procedure before connected mode exchange, and power-supply capability is already such a type (¶0008, 0155). Elkotby’ s EH classification is also an analogous category of UE to be considered before RACH/connected mode. The combination would allow better decision making by the network to perform RACH by examining power constraint, i.e. avoiding situations of failing a procedure on a weak/drained UE.
As to claim 19:
Fehrenbach discloses:
A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory (¶0037, 0040, 0164, Fig. 10, a UE with processor/memory and transceiver for wireless communication), configured to:
receive a first indication of a set of classes associated with a network node; (See ¶0055-56, 0087, 0132, UE is to receive a signaling indicating the RACH preamble or the set of RACH preambles associated with supported types of UE , e.g., a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB)
transmit a second indication of an energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes, to the network node; (¶0040-0045, also ¶0055, 0092, sending a message indicative of the type/categories of the UE to the network)
and
perform a four-step random access channel (RACH) procedure based at least in part on the energy harvesting class. (See at least ¶ 0057, 0066-0070, 0084, 0090, 0093, 0057, 0031, the UE and the base station perform a RACH procedure, which can be a 4 step RACH. See ¶0031, 4- step RACH, “In a first step of the 4-step RACH procedure illustrated in FIG. 2(a), a random access preamble, Msg1, is transmitted by the UE to the base station or gNB. In a second step, the random access response, Msg2, is transmitted from the gNB to the UE. After sending the preamble, the UE monitors the PDCCH for a random access response, and responsive to receiving the RA response, the UE in step 3 sends uplink scheduling information, Msg3. Responsive to sending Msg3, in step 4 a contention resolution may be performed.”)
Except Fehrenbach does not explicitly mention the UE types/categories as “energy harvesting classes” which is based on to perform the 4-step RACH.
Elkotby, in a related field of endeavor, discloses energy-harvesting classes of UE (WTRUs/IoT devices) and network configuration keyed to EH capability. See at least ¶0088, 0096-0097 which discusses EH capability with harvest amount is quantified as capability parameter per ¶0097. In at least ¶0100-0108, the network/eNB maintains configurations associated with the EH capabilities. ¶0119-0121, 0135, the network side will then perform certain procedures dependent on the reported EH capabilities. Thus, Elkotby therefore discloses EH capabilities treated as configurable/reportable categories and certain procedure is triggered in accordance with a specific EH capability.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention to use the Elkotby’ s EH capability classifications in system of Fehrenbach’s type/class, namely, perform a 4-step RACH based on a UE classification, which includes EH capability. Fehrenbach already discloses a motive for categorizing the UE into a non-limiting type of classification for RACH procedure, i.e. the network must adapt the procedure before connected mode exchange, and power-supply capability is already such a type (¶0008, 0155). Elkotby’ s EH classification is also an analogous category of UE to be considered before RACH/connected mode. The combination would allow better decision making by the network to perform RACH by examining power constraint, i.e. avoiding situations of failing a procedure on a weak/drained UE.
As to claim 2:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
provide an indication of the set of energy harvesting classes; (See Fehrenbach , ¶0055-56, 0087, 0132, UE is to receive a signaling indicating the RACH preamble or the set of RACH preambles associated with supported types of UE , e.g., a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB. Note that, in view of Elkotby, the indicated class is an EH class)
and
receive an indication of the energy harvesting class, (See Fehrenbach ¶0040-0045, also ¶0055, 0092, sending a message indicative of the type/categories of the UE to the network Note that, in view of Elkotby, the indicated class is a EH class)
wherein the four-step RACH procedure is performed based at least in part on the energy harvesting class based at least in part on receiving the indication of the energy harvesting class. (Fehrenbach (in view of Elkotby, which discloses EH class), See at least ¶ 0057, 0066-0070, 0084, 0090, 0093, 0057, 0031, the UE and the base station perform a RACH procedure, which can be a 4 step RACH. See ¶0031, 4- step RACH, “In a first step of the 4-step RACH procedure illustrated in FIG. 2(a), a random access preamble, Msg1, is transmitted by the UE to the base station or gNB. In a second step, the random access response, Msg2, is transmitted from the gNB to the UE. After sending the preamble, the UE monitors the PDCCH for a random access response, and responsive to receiving the RA response, the UE in step 3 sends uplink scheduling information, Msg3. Responsive to sending Msg3, in step 4 a contention resolution may be performed.”)
As to claim 3:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors, to provide the indication of the set of energy harvesting classes, are configured to: advertise the set of energy harvesting classes in system information. (See Fehrenbach, ¶0056, classes supported by the network are advertised in a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB, or a broadcast message)
As to claim 4:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 3, wherein the system information includes an indication of a set of RACH parameters associated with each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes. (See at least Fehrenbach, ¶0056, 0087, 0138, type-specific preamble set and RACH resources sets from SIB/MIB. In view of Elkotby, the types being EH classes)
As to claim 5:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 4, wherein the set of RACH parameters associated with each energy harvesting class includes one or more of a PRACH preamble set or a set of PRACH occasions. (See Fehrenbach, ¶0055-0056, the RACH preamble from a set of RACH preambles associated with the type, See also ¶0052, 0130-0132, 0138)
As to claim 6:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting class is configured based at least in part on a first energy harvesting capability associated with a first group of user equipment (UEs), and another energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes, is configured based at least in part on a second energy harvesting capability associated with a second group of UEs. (Fehrenbach already discloses in at least ¶0008, 0056, 0059-0064, 0144, 0155 of a plurality of types (eMBB vs RedCap, IoT, and reduced power-supply capability etc. i.e. different groups of UEs, each with a type-specific RACH config. Per the incorporation with Elkotby which discloses the capabilities being different EH capabilities, thus arriving at different EH classes associated with corresponding specific RACH configurations.)
As to claim 7:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 6, wherein the first energy harvesting capability includes a first maximum duty cycle that a first UE included in the first group of UEs can support during the four-step RACH procedure, and the second energy harvesting capability includes a second maximum duty cycle that a second UE included in the second group of UEs can support during the four-step RACH procedure. (Elkotby, ¶0097, each EH device includes T which is the total time used for EH (i.e. maximum active cycle), η is defined as the device energy harvesting efficiency, β is the ratio between a bandwidth allocated by the network for EH and the supported EH bandwidth by the device, and a is the ratio between the time period where there is an active power transfer to the EH device and the total time used for EH. See also ¶0103-0104, schedule of N on-units every M unit over duration T. Note that the claimed term “maximum” is subjective and not clearly defined or has any reference)
As to claim 8:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes, is configured with different RACH resources. (Fehrenbach, ¶0087, 0138, different RACH resources sets for regular vs. low power type, in combination with Elkotby, ¶0100-0101, different RBs from EH capabilities)
As to claim 9:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes, is configured with different RACH parameters. (See Fehrenbach, varied parameters by type, ¶055, 0138, See also ¶0091, 0096-0097, ¶0056, type-specific preamble set and RACH resources sets)
As to claim 10:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: advertising access criteria associated with each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes. (Fehrenbach, ¶0089, certain RACH procedure may be only activated, when certain conditions occur, e.g. if the link budget (Maximum Coupling Loss (MCL), MIL=MCL+antennas gain components of gNB and UE, Maximum Path Loss (MPL)) is within a certain range. See also Elkotby, ¶0144, 0163, battery level threshold)
As to claim 14:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting class is configured with a quantity of slots after an end of a first message transmission of the four-step RACH procedure before a user equipment (UE) is to monitor for a transmission of a second message of the four-step RACH procedure. (Fehrenbach discloses 4-step RACH, i.e. 0057, Fig. 2, and varies RACH timing by type per ¶0074-0076. See ¶0122, 0137, deferring the start of Msg2 monitoring for a time until after a further preamble, i.e. the UE monitors the PDCCH for DCI scrambled with RA-RNTI only after sending the second RACH message. While Fehrenbach does not explicitly mention “slot”, however time unit in wireless frame is typically measured/scheduled in slot, therefore one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood the time deferred is a number of slots)
As to claim 25:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive a configuration indicating a quantity of slots; and monitor for a second message of the four-step RACH procedure during a time period, wherein a start of the time period occurs the quantity of slots after a transmission of a first message of the four-step RACH procedure. (Fehrenbach discloses 4-step RACH, i.e. 0057, Fig. 2, and varies RACH timing by type per ¶0074-0076. See ¶0122, 0137, deferring the start of Msg2 monitoring for a time until after a further preamble, i.e. the UE monitors the PDCCH for DCI scrambled with RA-RNTI only after sending the second RACH message. While Fehrenbach does not explicitly mention “slot”, however time unit in wireless frame is typically measured/scheduled in slot, therefore one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood the time deferred is a number of slots)
As to claim 26:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 25, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: harvest an amount of energy for receiving the second message during a time period corresponding to the quantity of slots. (Elkotby, ¶0097, each EH device perform energy harvesting during time T which is the total time used for EH (i.e. active cycle), η is defined as the device energy harvesting efficiency, β is the ratio between a bandwidth allocated by the network for EH and the supported EH bandwidth by the device, and a is the ratio between the time period where there is an active power transfer to the EH device and the total time used for EH. See also ¶0103-0104, schedule of N on-units every M unit over duration T)
Claim(s) 11-13, 20, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fehrenbach et al. (US 2024/0015796) in view of Elkotby et al. (US 2022/0225402) and in further view of Kadan et al. (US 2024/0276376).
As to claim 11:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 10, however is silent on the access criteria including one or more of an amount of energy that a user equipment (UE) is to have prior to performing the four-step RACH procedure, or a rate at which the UE harvests energy.
Kadan, in a related field of endeavor, discloses the network to advertise a minim energy requirement for UE to perform network access – See at least ¶0156.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention to have the network to advertise minimum energy requirement for UE to access a network in the system of Fehrenbach/Elkotby. This implementation advantageously promotes successful network access and ensures user’s experience is not impacted by the lack of awareness for battery level.
As to claim 12:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby and Kadan discloses all limitations of claim 11, wherein the amount of energy that the UE is to have prior to performing the four-step RACH procedure corresponds to a percentage of the amount of energy required for the UE to complete at least one RACH attempt. (See ¶0156 of Kadan, as the energy level can be either expressed only as a specific concrete number or expressed by percentage, either choice is within capability of one of ordinary skill in the art, in further view of the fact battery level is typically represented by as percentage in mobile devices in regular usage. Furthermore, as the network cannot possibly have information of battery type/capacity of all UEs in the network, the implementation of percentage threshold would be a universal adaptation. Furthermore, in ¶0156 of Kadan, the energy level is compared against a threshold level.
As to claim 13:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby and Kadan discloses all limitations of claim 12, wherein the access criteria indicate the percentage of the amount of energy required for the UE to complete at least one RACH attempt. (See Kadan, ¶0156, a minimum level of stored energy is configured by network node 16 and communicated to wireless devices 22, e.g., in system information broadcast, which is the minimum that the harvesting wireless devices 22 must have in order to be allowed to access the network. That is, wireless device 22 would only be allowed to initiate an uplink transmission or connection attempt if the stored energy is greater than this configured threshold)
As to claim 20:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: select the energy harvesting class, from the set of energy harvesting classes, (Fehrenbach, ¶0040-0045, also ¶0055, 0092, sending a message indicative of the type/categories of the UE to the network, i.e. EH class in view of Elkotby in the combination above) however is silent on doing so based at least in part on one or more of an amount of available energy or an energy harvesting rate.
Kadan, in a related field of endeavor, discloses the network to advertise a minim energy requirement for UE to perform network access, i.e. based on which the UE is to perform the selection to prepare for the network access – See at least ¶0156.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention to have the network to advertise minimum energy requirement for UE to access a network in the system of Fehrenbach/Elkotby. This implementation advantageously promotes successful network access and ensures user’s experience is not impacted by the lack of awareness for battery level.
As to claim 23:
Fehrenbach in view of Elkotby discloses all limitations of claim 19, and regarding: wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive access criteria for each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes; determine that an energy level associated with the UE satisfies the access criteria for the energy harvesting class; and select the energy harvesting class, from the set of energy harvesting classes, based at least in part on the energy level associated with the UE satisfying the access criteria for the energy harvesting class.
select the energy harvesting class, from the set of energy harvesting classes, (Fehrenbach, ¶0040-0045, also ¶0055, 0092, sending a message indicative of the type/categories of the UE to the network, i.e. EH class in view of Elkotby in the combination above) however is silent on receive access criteria for each energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes; determine that an energy level associated with the UE satisfies the access criteria for the energy harvesting class, and the selection of class is based at least in part on the energy level of the UE satisfying the criteria.
Kadan, in a related field of endeavor, discloses the network to advertise a minim energy requirement for UE to perform network access, i.e. based on which the UE is to perform the selection to prepare for the network access – See at least ¶0156, wherein the UE receives a transmission from the network requiring a minimum energy level to perform network access. The UE compares its energy level to the threshold and based on which to perform said access.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention to have the network to advertise minimum energy requirement for UE to access a network in the system of Fehrenbach/Elkotby. This implementation advantageously promotes successful network access and ensures user’s experience is not impacted by the lack of awareness for battery level.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-17, 21-22, 24, 27-30 is/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.
The references of record disclose all limitations of the base claims 1/14 as discussed above, however do not disclose: “the quantity of slots corresponds to an amount of time associated with the UE harvesting at least an amount of energy associated with the UE monitoring for the transmission of the second message during a time period”.
The references also do not disclose: “the one or more processors are further configured to: receive a configuration indicating a quantity of time periods for monitoring for a second message of the four-step RACH procedure and a duration between two consecutive time periods of the quantity of time periods; and monitor for the second message during a time period, of the quantity of time periods, wherein the time period is selected based at least in part on an energy level of the UE”, or “perform a measurement on a downlink signal; and transmit a first message of the four-step RACH procedure based at least in part on performing the measurement, wherein the first message is transmitted a quantity of slots after performing the measurement on the downlink signal, and wherein the UE harvests an amount of energy for transmitting the first message during a time period corresponding to the quantity of slots” (claim 24).
The prior arts also do not disclose “transmit an indication of another energy harvesting class, of the set of energy harvesting classes; and perform a RACH retransmission or another four-step RACH procedure based at least in part on the other energy harvesting class”. While retries of RACH are well known, however none discloses a different set of EH class is selected after a different one has been tried.
Claims 16-17 depend on claim 15 and thus are addressed by the same reasoning.
Claims 28-30 depend on claim 27 and are addressed by the same reasoning.
Claim 22 depends on claim 21 and is addressed by the same reasoning.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12,389,236 - Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may receive configuration information identifying locations of respective random access channel (RACH) resources for a plurality of beams associated with a non-terrestrial network, wherein the plurality of beams are associated with respective frequency regions. The UE may perform a RACH procedure with regard to the selected beam using a RACH resource associated with the selected beam. Numerous other aspects are provided.
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/QUAN M HUA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
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