DETAILED ACTION
In response to communications filed 10/22/2024.
Claims 13, 15 and 16 are canceled.
Claims 1-12 and 14 are pending for examination.
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 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 1-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhu (US 2025/0193819 A1) hereinafter “Zhu.”
Regarding Claim 1, Zhu teaches A method performed by a user equipment (UE) (Zhu: paragraph 0022 & Figs. 1-2, terminal or user equipment (UE)) in a wireless communication system (Zhu: paragraph 0021 & Fig. 1, wireless communication system), the method comprising:
receiving first configuration information (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, receive first information) related to a non-terrestrial network (NTN) (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, satellite ephemeris) and second configuration information related to at least one timing advance (TA) update period (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, common TA parameters) from a base station (Zhu: paragraph 0038 & Fig. 2, access network device or base station);
updating at least one of a common TA or a UE-specific TA (Zhu: paragraphs 0034, 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines a transmission delay or common TA) at a time corresponding to the at least one TA update period (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters) based on the first configuration information (Zhu: paragraphs 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines the common TA based on received ephemeris information and common TA parameters); and
performing a first uplink repeat transmission scheduled to be transmitted (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs the uplink transmission) after a time of updating at least one of the common TA or the UE-specific TA based on the updated at least one of the common TA or the UE-specific TA (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs uplink transmission based on the configured uplink channel resource (i.e. determined transmission delay and/or frequency offset) thus continuing and/or repeating the transmission based on the maintained common TA or transmission delay).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the at least one TA update period includes a common TA update period(Zhu: paragraphs 0034, 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines a transmission delay or common TA) and a UE-specific TA update period (Zhu: paragraph 0040, determine the transmission delay and/or offset between the satellite and the UE based on the location and speed information of the satellite, a location of the UE), and
based on the first configuration information:
the common TA is updated at a time corresponding to the common TA update cycle (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters), and
the UE-specific TA is updated at a time corresponding to the UE-specific TA cycle (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the common TA and UE-specific TA are updated based on the first configuration information at a time corresponding to a single TA update period (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the first configuration information includes i) ephemeris information related to a serving satellite (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, satellite ephemeris), ii) common TA parameters (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, common TA parameters), and iii) information related to a validity duration for at least one of the ephemeris information or the common TA parameters (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the first uplink repeat transmission is scheduled by the base station to be completed before a timer configured by information related to the valid duration expires (Zhu: paragraph 0168, receive an update of the satellite ephemeris and/or the common TA parameter(s) within a validity timer of the satellite ephemeris and/or a validity timer of the common TA parameter(s)).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches an entire uplink repeat transmission scheduled by the base station includes the first uplink repeat transmission (Zhu: paragraph 0083, transmission based on determined transmission delay and/or offset) and second uplink repeat transmission (Zhu: paragraph 0083, updated satellite ephemeris and/or common TA parameters), and
based on the second uplink repeat transmission being scheduled by the base station to be performed after a timer configured by information related to the valid duration expiring, the second uplink repeat transmission is dropped or performed based on at least one of the updated common TA or UE-specific TA (Zhu: paragraph 0168, The UE may receive an update of the satellite ephemeris and/or the common TA parameter(s) within a validity timer of the satellite ephemeris and/or a validity timer of the common TA parameter(s)).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches an operation of updating at least one of the common TA or the UE-specific TA at a boundary of the valid duration is configured as a first event (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters) for performing at least one of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) demodulation (DM) reference signal (RS) bundling or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) DM-RS bundling (Zhu: paragraph 0080, configuration of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH)).
Regarding Claim 8, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches an operation in which at least one of the common TA or UE-specific TA is updated within the valid duration is configured as a second event (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters) for performing at least one of PUCCH DM-RS bundling or PUSCH DM-RS bundling (Zhu: paragraph 0080, configuration of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH)).
Regarding Claim 9, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches at least one of the updated common TA or UE-specific TA is maintained until the performance of the first uplink repeat transmission is completed (Zhu: paragraph 0084-0085, UE compensates for the uplink transmission based on the satellite ephemeris and/or the common TA within the valid time).
Regarding Claim 10, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the uplink repeated transmission includes at least one of a physical random access channel (PRACH) repeated transmission, a PUCCH repeated transmission, or a PUSCH repeated transmission (Zhu: paragraph 0080, PUCCH transmission).
Regarding Claim 11, Zhu teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches the wireless communication system is a non-terrestrial network (NTN) system (Zhu: paragraph 0020 & Fig. 1, non-terrestrial network).
Regarding Claim 12, Zhu teaches A user equipment (UE) (Zhu: paragraph 0022 & Figs. 1-2, terminal or user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0230 & Fig. 7) in a wireless communication system (Zhu: paragraph 0021 & Fig. 1, wireless communication system), the UE comprising:
at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraph 0230 & Fig. 7, communication component); and
at least one processor connected to the at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraph 0230 & Fig. 7, processing component coupled to communication component),
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
receive first configuration information (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, receive first information) related to a non-terrestrial network (NTN) (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, satellite ephemeris) and second configuration information related to at least one timing advance (TA) update period (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, common TA parameters) from a base station through the at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraph 0038 & Fig. 2, access network device or base station);
update at least one of a common TA or a UE-specific TA (Zhu: paragraphs 0034, 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines a transmission delay or common TA) at a time corresponding to the at least one TA update period (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters) based on the first configuration information (Zhu: paragraphs 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines the common TA based on received ephemeris information and common TA parameters); and
perform a first uplink repeat transmission scheduled to be transmitted (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs the uplink transmission) after a time of updating at least one of the common TA or the UE-specific TA based on the updated at least one of the common TA or the UE-specific TA (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs uplink transmission based on the configured uplink channel resource (i.e. determined transmission delay and/or frequency offset)).
Regarding Claim 14, Zhu teaches A base station operating in a wireless communication system (Zhu: paragraph 0038 & Fig. 2, access network device or base station), the base station comprising:
at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraphs 0191, 0215 & Figs. 5-6, sending and receiving module; and
at least one processor connected to the at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraph 0228 & Figs 5-6, processor coupled to sending and receiving module),
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
transmit first configuration information (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, transmit first information) related to a non-terrestrial network (NTN (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, satellite ephemeris) and second configuration information related to at least one timing advance (TA) update period (Zhu: paragraph 0037 & Fig. 2, common TA parameters) to a user equipment (UE) through the at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraph 0022 & Figs. 1-2, terminal or user equipment (UE));
transmit information for scheduling uplink repeat transmission to the UE through the at least one transceiver (XXX, paragraphs 0077-0080 , uplink channel configuration for the predetermined cell (serving cell)); and
receive a first uplink repeat transmission (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs the uplink transmission) based on at least one of a common TA or a UE-specific TA updated (Zhu: paragraphs 0034, 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines a transmission delay or common TA at a time corresponding to the at least one TA update period (Zhu: paragraphs 0084-0085, valid time of the satellite ephemeris and/or the one or more common TA parameters) through the first configuration information from the UE through the at least one transceiver (Zhu: paragraphs 0037 & Fig. 2, UE determines the common TA based on received ephemeris information and common TA parameters),
wherein the first uplink repeat transmission is scheduled to be transmitted after at least one of the common TA or UE-specific TA is updated (Zhu: paragraphs 0078-0080, UE performs uplink transmission based on the configured uplink channel resource (i.e. determined transmission delay and/or frequency offset)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sun et al. (US 2025/0031210 A1) teaches transmitting, to a second device, a first group of transmission repetitions based on first uplink synchronization information (abstract).
Kelnner et al. (US 2025/0158701 A1) teaches non-terrestrial network epoch time indication considering system frame cycles (abstract).
Zhang et al. (US 2024/0155536 A1) teaches an apparatus and system for setting an uplink timing advance (TA) for a non-terrestrial network (NTN) user equipment (UE).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAJEEB ANSARI whose telephone number is (571)270-5446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am to 2pm.
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/NAJEEB ANSARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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