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 § 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.
Claims 1-4, 14 and 16-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (WO 2023/141924 A1) in view of SHIN et al. (US 2026/0059576 A1).
Regarding claim 1, LI discloses a network entity (Fig. 5; paragraph [0075] describe a wireless network (100) that includes a base station (110) and a UE (120)), comprising: a processing system configured to: transmit, during a random access procedure, a first indication of a first synchronization signal block (SSB) index, wherein the first SSB index indicates first spatial direction information for downlink (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure transmitting a msgA preamble that includes a plurality of SSB indices associated with a downlink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
LI does not disclose “… and transmit, during the random access procedure, a second indication of a second SSB index, wherein the second SSB index indicates second spatial direction information for uplink.”
SHIN teaches transmitting, during a random access procedure, a second indication of a second SSB index, wherein the second SSB index indicates second spatial direction information for uplink (paragraphs [0008]; [0208]-[0220] describe a method of a UE in a wireless communication system during initial access, transmitting a RACH preamble corresponding to an SSB index for an uplink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 19, the claim includes features identical to the subject matter mentioned in the rejection to claim 1 above. Claim 19 is a mere reformulation of claim 1 to define the corresponding base station, and the rejection to claim 1 is applied hereto.
Regarding claim 2 and 20, LI discloses to transmit the first indication of the first SSB index, the processing system is configured to: transmit a first random access message during a random access channel occasion that is associated with the first SSB index (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure transmitting a msgA preamble that includes a plurality of SSB indices associated with a downlink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
LI does not disclose “…and wherein, to transmit the second indication of the second SSB index, the processing system is configured to: transmit a second random access message that includes the second indication of the second SSB index.”
SHIN teaches to transmit a second indication of the second SSB index, the processing system is configured to: transmit a second random access message that includes the second indication of the second SSB index (paragraphs [0008]; [0208]-[0220] describe a method of a UE in a wireless communication system during initial access, transmitting a RACH preamble corresponding to an SSB index for an uplink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 3 and 21, LI discloses the processing system is configured to receive, during the random access procedure, an indication to apply the first spatial direction information for the downlink (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe the UE receiving a msgB in the two-step RACH procedure, identifying a preferred downlink beam to use that is associated with the SSB index based in msgA).
LI does not disclose “…and to apply the second spatial direction information for the uplink.”
SHIN teaches receiving, during a random access procedure, an indication to apply the second spatial direction information for the uplink (paragraphs [0220]-[0229] describe the UE receiving a RAR from the base station that includes the best uplink beam direction to use based on the sent SSB index).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 4 and 22, LI discloses to transmit the first indication of the first SSB index, the processing system is configured to: transmit a first random access message (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure transmitting a msgA preamble that includes a plurality of SSB indices associated with a downlink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
LI does not disclose “…that includes the second indication of the second SSB index, and wherein the first random access message includes the second indication of the second SSB index.”
SHIN teaches a random access message that includes the second indication of the second SSB index (paragraphs [0008]; [0208]-[0220] describe a method of a UE in a wireless communication system during initial access, transmitting a RACH preamble corresponding to an SSB index for an uplink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 14, LI discloses to transmit the first indication of the first SSB index, the processing system is configured to: transmit a first random access message using random access resources that are associated with the first SSB index (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure transmitting a msgA preamble that includes a plurality of SSB indices associated with a downlink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)) and wherein a payload of the first random access message (Fig. 4; paragraphs [0064]-[0068] describe a msgA RAM payload that would include some or all contents of message 3).
LI does not disclose “…includes the second indication of the second SSB index.”
SHIN teaches a second indication of the second SSB index in a random access message (paragraphs [0008]; [0208]-[0220] describe a method of a UE in a wireless communication system during initial access, transmitting a RACH preamble corresponding to an SSB index for an uplink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 16, LI discloses the processing system is configured to communicate, based on at least one of the first spatial direction information or the second spatial direction information, one or more signals (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe the UE receives (equivalent to claimed “communicate”) a msgB (equivalent to claimed “signal”) including a beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”) indication).
Regarding claim 17, LI discloses the network entity of claim 16.
LI does not disclose “…to communicate the one or more signals, the processing system is configured to transmit a signal, of the one or more signals, based at least in part on the second spatial direction information.
SHIN teaches to communicate one or more signals, a processing system is configured to transmit a signal, of the one or more signals, based at least in part on a second spatial direction information (paragraph [0229] describes the UE is configured to select one RAR and transmit (equivalent to claimed “communicate”) a msg3 (equivalent to claimed “signal”) according to the selected RAR, specifically, among the ssb indices mapped to the RO corresponding to the RAR).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of LI with the teachings of SHIN in order to support a system that utilizes uplink and downlink decoupling.
Regarding claim 18, LI discloses to communicate the one or more signals, the processing system is configured to receive a signal, of the one or more signals, based at least in part on the first spatial direction information (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe the UE receives (equivalent to claimed “communicate”) a msgB (equivalent to claimed “signal”) including a beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”) indication).
Claim 7-13, 23-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI in view of SHIN and TAHERZADER BOROUJENI et al. (US 2022/0070940 A1).
Regarding claim 7 and 23, LI modified by SHIN discloses the network entity of claim 1 (refer to claim 1 rejection above).
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose, “…the processing system is configured to: receive configuration information associated with a first channel state information (CSI) reference signal (CSI-RS) set and a second CSI-RS set; transmit a third indication of one or more first CSI-RS indices from the first CSI-RS set, wherein the one or more first CSI-RS indices indicate third spatial direction information for the downlink; and transmit a fourth indication of one or more second CSI-RS indices from the second CSI-RS set, wherein the one or more second CSI-RS indices indicate fourth spatial direction information for the uplink.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a processing system configured to: receive configuration information associated with a first channel state information (CSI) reference signal (CSI-RS) set and a second CSI-RS set; transmit a third indication of one or more first CSI-RS indices from the first CSI-RS set, wherein the one or more first CSI-RS indices indicate third spatial direction information for the downlink; and transmit a fourth indication of one or more second CSI-RS indices from the second CSI-RS set, wherein the one or more second CSI-RS indices indicate fourth spatial direction information for the uplink (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a UE receiving CSI-RS—corresponding to uplink and downlink spatial directions—on a plurality of CSI-RS beams, measuring and selecting the best CSI-RS—based on RSRP, SINR, etc.—and transmitting a message 3 PUSCH depending on the selected refined CSI-RS beam).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 8, LI modified by SHIN disclose “…the first spatial direction information…” and “…the second spatial direction.” (refer to claim 1 rejection above).
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose “…the first CSI-RS set is based on the first spatial direction information, and wherein the second CSI-RS set is based on the second spatial direction information.”.
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a first CSI-RS set (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136]) and a second CSI-RS set (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136]) based on first and second spatial direction information.
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 9 and 24, LI discloses the processing system is configured to transmit, during the random access procedure, a random access message during a random access channel occasion that is associated with a third SSB index, wherein the third SSB index indicates fifth spatial direction information for the downlink (paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure transmitting a msgA preamble that includes a plurality of SSB indices associated with a downlink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose “…the first CSI-RS set and the second CSI-RS set are a single CSI-RS set, and wherein the single CSI-RS set is based on the fifth spatial direction information.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a first CSI-RS set and a second CSI-RS set are a single CSI-RS set, and wherein the single CSI-RS set is based on fifth spatial direction information (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a single CSI-RS transmit beam based on downlink).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 10 and 25, LI modified by SHIN disclose the network entity of claim 7
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose “…first CSI-RS set is associated with beam refinement for the downlink, and wherein the second CSI-RS set is associated with beam refinement for the uplink.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a first CSI-RS set is associated with beam refinement for downlink, and wherein a second CSI-RS set is associated with beam refinement for uplink (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a beam refinement procedure using the CSI-RS information on downlink and uplink).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 11, LI modified by SHIN disclose the network entity of claim 7.
LI modified by SHIN does not discloses “…the processing system is configured to: measure one or more first CSI-RSs, from the first CSI-RS set, to obtain first measurement information, wherein the one or more first CSI-RS indices are selected based on the first measurement information; and measure one or more second CSI-RSs, from the second CSI-RS set, to obtain second measurement information, wherein the one or more second CSI-RS indices are selected based on the second measurement information.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a processing system is configured to: measure one or more first CSI-RSs, from the first CSI-RS set, to obtain first measurement information, wherein the one or more first CSI-RS indices are selected based on the first measurement information; and measure one or more second CSI-RSs, from the second CSI-RS set, to obtain second measurement information, wherein the one or more second CSI-RS indices are selected based on the second measurement information (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a UE receiving CSI-RS—corresponding to uplink and downlink spatial directions—on a plurality of CSI-RS beams, measuring and selecting the best CSI-RS—based on RSRP, SINR, etc.—and transmitting a message 3 PUSCH depending on the selected refined CSI-RS beam).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 12, LI modified by SHIN disclose “…the first spatial direction information indicates a first beam for the downlink, wherein the third spatial direction information indicates a second beam for the downlink…” and “…the second spatial direction information indicates a third beam for the uplink, wherein the fourth spatial direction information indicates a fourth beam for the uplink…” (refer to claim 1 and 7 rejection above).
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose “…wherein the second beam is refined from the first beam…” and “…wherein the fourth beam is refined from the third beam.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a second beam is refined from a first beam (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a UE receiving CSI-RS—corresponding to uplink and downlink spatial directions—on a plurality of CSI-RS beams, measuring and selecting the best CSI-RS—based on RSRP, SINR, etc.—and transmitting a message 3 PUSCH depending on the selected refined CSI-RS beam); and a fourth beam is refined from a third beam (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe a UE receiving CSI-RS—corresponding to uplink and downlink spatial directions—on a plurality of CSI-RS beams, measuring and selecting the best CSI-RS—based on RSRP, SINR, etc.—and transmitting a message 3 PUSCH depending on the selected refined CSI-RS beam).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Regarding claim 13, LI modified by SHIN disclose the network entity of claim 7.
LI modified SHIN does not disclose “…the third indication of the one or more first CSI-RS indices and the fourth indication of the one or more second CSI-RS indices are included in a random access message associated with the random access procedure.”
TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI teaches a third indication of one or more first CSI-RS indices and a fourth indication of one or more second CSI-RS indices are included in a random access message associated with a random access procedure (Fig. 5; Fig. 8; Fig. 10; paragraphs [0089]-[0098]; [0109]-[0111]; [0135]-[0136] describe performing the beam refinement procedure during a RACH procedure).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI as it provides beam-refinement during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by TAHERZADER BOROUJIENI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to enhance coverage during a random access procedure.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI in view of SHIN and WEI (US 2021/0144769 A1).
Regarding claim 15, LI modified by SHIN discloses the network entity of claim 14/1 (refer to claim 1 and 14 rejections above) wherein the random access procedure is a two-step random access procedure (LI: paragraphs [0005]-[0008]; [0075]-[0086] describe a UE during a two-step RACH procedure)…transmit, during the four-step random access procedure, a second random access message that includes the second indication of the second SSB index (SHIN: paragraphs [0008]; [0208]-[0220] describe a method of a UE in a wireless communication system during initial access, transmitting a RACH preamble corresponding to an SSB index for an uplink beam (equivalent to claimed “spatial direction information”)).
LI modified by SHIN does not disclose, “…the processing system is configured to: receive an indication to fallback to a four-step random access procedure…”
WEI teaches a processing system configured to receive an indication to fall back to a four-step random access procedure (Fig. 1D; paragraph [0077] describes a UE receiving an indication in msgB during a two-step random access procedure to switch to a four step random access procedure).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of LI modified by SHIN would have been motivated to use the teachings of WEI as it provides a fallback procedure during a random access procedure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method as taught by WEI in the system of LI in view of SHIN in order to prevent dropped connections during an initial access procedure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5 and 6 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAWAD J NASSER whose telephone number is (571)272-0874. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. ET..
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/Jawad J Nasser/Examiner, Art Unit 2461
/HUY D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461
