US 8411557

US Patent 8411557: Summary

Title: Mobile station apparatus and random access method

Assignee:

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corp

Inventors: Daichi Imamura, Sadaki Futagi, Atsushi Matsumoto, Takashi Iwai, Tomofumi Takata

Filing Date: December 21, 2011

Issue Date: April 2, 2013

Abstract:
The patent describes a mobile station apparatus that includes a receiving unit, a selecting unit, and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit gets control information. The selecting unit randomly chooses a sequence from a set of sequences. These sequences are organized into groups, with each group linked to different data amounts or reception qualities. The grouping is done by arranging sequences from the same base sequence with different cyclic shifts in increasing order of shifts, and then partitioning them. The way these sequences are partitioned and the number of sequences in each group vary based on the received control information. The transmitting unit then sends the selected sequence.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Mobile station apparatus):
  This claim describes a mobile device (like a cell phone) that has three main parts:

  1. A receiver that takes in control information.
  2. A selector that randomly picks a specific signal (called a "sequence"). This signal is chosen from a larger collection of signals. This collection is organized into different categories (groups), where each category is linked to a specific data size or how well the signal is being received (reception quality). The way these signals are arranged for grouping is specific: signals that come from the same original basic signal (base sequence) and have been slightly altered (cyclic shifts) are placed in order. The method of dividing these signals into groups, including where the divisions occur and how many signals are in each group, is determined by the control information received by the device.
  3. A transmitter that sends the chosen signal.

• Independent Claim 10 (Random access method):
  This claim describes a method for a mobile device to initiate communication with a network (random access). The method involves these steps:

  1. Receiving control information.
  2. Grouping a predefined set of signals (sequences) into multiple categories (groups). Each group is associated with a different amount of data or reception quality. This grouping is performed by arranging the sequences (which are generated from several basic signals, or "base sequences," and have different cyclic shifts) in an increasing order of their cyclic shifts, and then dividing them.
  3. Randomly selecting one of these grouped sequences.
     Crucially, how the signals are divided into groups (the "partitioning position") and the number of signals within each group change based on the received control information.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
The provided patent information does not explicitly list any CAFC dockets initiated or specifically active in 2026. However, it does indicate several cases filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in 2021 and 2022 (e.g., cases 22-1925, 22-1904, 21-1043, 21-1044). No further information regarding their status specifically in 2026 is provided in the document.

Known litigation involving US patent 8411557 includes:

1. Case Name: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, et al. v. [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.)

   • Plaintiff(s): Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, Optis Cellular Technology, LLC, PanOptis Patent Management, LLC, Unwired Planet International, Ltd., and Unwired Planet, LLC (collectively, "Optis")
   • Defendant(s): Apple Inc.
   • Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (initially), and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (on appeal)
   • Case Number: 2:19-cv-00066-JRG (District Court); 22-1904, 22-1925 (Federal Circuit)
   • Filing Date: Optis filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in 2019. The appeal to the Federal Circuit (Case No. 22-1925) was filed on June 23, 2022.
   • Outcome/Current Status: This case has undergone multiple significant developments:
     • Initial District Court Trial (2020): A jury in the Eastern District of Texas found Apple infringed the asserted patents, including 8411557, and awarded Optis $506 million in damages.
     • New Damages Trial Ordered (April 2021): The District Court granted a new trial on damages, finding that the initial jury's royalty award might not have been consistent with Optis's obligation to license the patents on Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms.
     • Second District Court Trial (2021): A second jury awarded Optis $300 million in lump-sum damages for past and future sales.
     • Federal Circuit Appeal (Decided June 16, 2025): The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Case No. 22-1925) vacated both the infringement and the second damages judgments. The Federal Circuit remanded the case back to the Eastern District of Texas for a new trial on infringement and damages. This decision was partly due to the Federal Circuit finding that the jury verdict form, which asked about infringement of "any of" the five asserted patents (including 8411557), violated Apple's right to a unanimous jury verdict on each legal claim. Apple's cross-appeal was dismissed.
     • Current Status (as of April 26, 2026): The case is currently remanded for a new trial on infringement and damages in the Eastern District of Texas.

2. Case Name: IPR2020-00466 (Inter Partes Review challenging US8411557)

   • Plaintiff(s) / Petitioner: Apple Inc.
   • Defendant(s) / Patent Owner: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC
   • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
   • Case Number: IPR2020-00466
   • Filing Date: February 28, 2020
   • Outcome/Current Status: The institution petition for this Inter Partes Review was denied on September 15, 2020, thereby affirming the validity of US8411557.

Proceedings overview

One AIA trial proceeding has been filed against US8411557. This proceeding resulted in a denial of institution on procedural grounds. The bottom-line defensive posture for a defendant is that the patent's claims remain untested at the PTAB, but a prior attempt to invalidate claims 1-10 through IPR was unsuccessful due to discretionary denial by the Board.

IPR2020-00466 — [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.) v. Optis Wireless Technology, LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: The petition was filed in February 2020.
• Status: Not Instituted - Procedural. The PTAB denied institution of the inter partes review.
• Judge panel: Administrative Patent Judges Lynne E. Pettigrew, Barbara A. Parvis, and John P. Pinkerton. The decision was authored by APJ Parvis.
• Petition grounds: Apple Inc. challenged claims 1–10 of U.S. Patent No. 8,411,557 B2 on grounds of obviousness, citing prior art references such as Harris and Tan, and Sutivong and Tan.
• Institution decision: Denied institution on September 15, 2020. The Board exercised its discretion under 35 U.S.C. § 314(a) to deny institution, citing the advanced stage of a parallel district court litigation in the Eastern District of Texas, in accordance with the Fintiv factors. The PTAB noted a thirteen-month gap between the district court jury verdict date and the projected due date for a final written decision, which strongly favored discretionary denial.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not applicable, as institution was denied.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable.
• Appeal: Apple appealed the denial of institution to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The related CAFC case number for this IPR is 2021-1044. This IPR was part of a larger challenge by Apple to the Fintiv rule, which eventually reached the Supreme Court, affirming that PTAB institution decisions are generally unappealable. More recently, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Northern District of California's rejection of an Administrative Procedure Act challenge to the USPTO Director's NHK-Fintiv instructions in February 2026.
• Defensive value: Claims 1-10 were challenged in this IPR, but institution was denied on procedural grounds without reaching the merits of patentability. This means that a defendant is not estopped from challenging these claims on the same grounds, provided they are not in privity with Apple Inc. and can overcome potential discretionary denials related to parallel litigation. The claims themselves have not been determined to be unpatentable by the PTAB.

Strategic summary

Only one PTAB proceeding, IPR2020-00466, has been filed against US8411557. This IPR challenged claims 1-10 but was denied institution based on the PTAB's discretionary authority under 35 U.S.C. § 314(a), specifically applying the Fintiv factors due to ongoing parallel district court litigation. As such, no claims of US8411557 have been canceled or found unpatentable by the PTAB. All claims (1-10) remain untested on their merits at the PTAB.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, since institution was denied on procedural grounds rather than a merits-based decision, a petitioner in the same position as Apple (or in privity with them) would likely be barred from re-raising the exact grounds that were denied institution. However, a different defendant, not in privity with Apple, would not be subject to res judicata or IPR estoppel under § 315(e)(2) concerning these claims because no final written decision was issued. They would still need to contend with the potential for discretionary denial under Fintiv if their IPR petition is filed while parallel district court litigation is at an advanced stage.

The proceeding signals a pattern where the patent owner, Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, successfully leveraged the Fintiv rule to prevent institution of an IPR challenging its patent. Apple Inc. aggressively pursued challenges to this discretionary denial rule up to the Supreme Court. The involvement of Optis Wireless Technology, LLC as the Patent Owner and Apple Inc. as the Petitioner, combined with the Fintiv denial and subsequent appeals, indicates that this patent has been actively asserted and defended against validity challenges in both district court and administrative proceedings.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant currently facing assertion of US8411557, it is important to understand that claims 1-10 were challenged in IPR2020-00466, but institution was denied on procedural grounds. This means the claims were not adjudicated on their merits by the PTAB.

• Carefully review the institution decision for IPR2020-00466, available at the USPTO PTAB E2E system (though a direct link to the specific paper is not provided in the search results, the content of Paper 13 is mentioned). The primary takeaway is that the PTAB declined to institute based on the Fintiv factors, balancing efficiency with parallel litigation.
• If considering filing a new IPR, evaluate the current stage of any parallel district court litigation. The PTAB has consistently applied its discretionary denial framework in such scenarios. The strategy would need to explicitly address the Fintiv factors to maximize the chances of institution.
• Analyze the prior art raised in IPR2020-00466 to understand what arguments Apple attempted to make and assess whether new and stronger art or arguments could be presented. Since the merits were not decided, the underlying art may still be viable for a different petitioner not bound by privity.

Inventors

• Daichi Imamura (Employer: Panasonic Corp)
• Sadaki Futagi (Employer: Panasonic Corp)
• Atsushi Matsumoto (Employer: Panasonic Corp)
• Takashi Iwai (Employer: Panasonic Corp)
• Tomofumi Takata (Employer: Panasonic Corp)

(Employer at time of filing is assumed to be Panasonic Corp, the original assignee, as is typical for inventor assignments to their employer. There are no unusual patterns indicating inventors departing within 12 months of filing).

Original assignee

Panasonic Corp. is a multinational electronics corporation that has historically shipped and continues to ship a vast range of products, including those embodying wireless communication technologies relevant to the patent's claims (e.g., mobile phones, smart devices, infrastructure components). Its primary line of business is diversified electronics manufacturing. Panasonic Corporation is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2014-01-16 (executed) / recorded 2014-01-24 — Reel 032180/0115
  • Conveyance: LIEN
  • Assignor: OPTIS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
  • Assignee: HIGHBRIDGE PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: R. Edward Perkins, PERKINS IP LAW GROUP PLLC, 12600 Northborough Dr, Suite 230, Houston, TX 77067. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization – Optis Wireless Technology granted a lien on the patent to Highbridge Principal Strategies.
• 2014-01-16 (executed) / recorded 2014-02-23 — Reel 032326/0707
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Assignee: OPTIS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
  • Correspondent: R. Edward Perkins, PERKINS IP LAW GROUP PLLC, 12600 Northborough Dr, Suite 230, Houston, TX 77067. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer-to-asserter – Panasonic transferred the patent to Optis Wireless Technology, LLC.
• 2014-01-16 (executed) / recorded 2014-03-12 — Reel 032437/0638
  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: OPTIS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
  • Assignee: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
  • Correspondent: R. Edward Perkins, PERKINS IP LAW GROUP PLLC, 12600 Northborough Dr, Suite 230, Houston, TX 77067. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization – Optis Wireless Technology granted a security interest on the patent to Wilmington Trust.
• 2016-07-11 (executed) / recorded 2016-07-15 — Reel 039361/0001
  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
  • Assignee: OPTIS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
  • Correspondent: R. Edward Perkins, PERKINS IP LAW GROUP PLLC, 12600 Northborough Dr, Suite 230, Houston, TX 77067. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization release – HPS Investment Partners (successor to Highbridge Principal Strategies) released its lien/security interest on the patent.
• 2008-08-29 to 2008-09-02 (executed) / recorded 2017-11-07 — Reel 044048/0900
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: IMAMURA, DAICHI; FUTAGI, SADAKI; MATSUMOTO, ATSUSHI; IWAI, TAKASHI; TAKATA, TOMOFUMI (Inventors)
  • Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Kenneth L. King, King & Spalding LLP, 1180 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309-3521
  • Context: Internal record-keeping – Confirmatory assignment from inventors to the original assignee, Panasonic, typically executed to perfect title.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8411557
    2013 : Patent issued
    2014 : Optis grants lien to Highbridge
         : Assigned to Optis Wireless Tech
         : Optis grants security to Wilmington
    2016 : Highbridge releases lien
    2017 : Inventors assign to Panasonic

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, the current assignee, is identified as a "patent assertion entity" that "makes no products" and whose "sole business is to sue companies" for "excessive payouts". The transfer from Panasonic Corp to Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Reel 032326/0707, recorded 2014-02-23) is a transfer to a licensing-only entity.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. Optis Wireless Technology, LLC is explicitly identified as a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) by Unified Patents and RPX, and as a "patent assertion entity" in articles detailing its litigation.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. R. Edward Perkins of PERKINS IP LAW GROUP PLLC appears as the correspondent for four distinct entries involving Optis Wireless Technology, LLC: Reel 032180/0115 (2014-01-24), Reel 032326/0707 (2014-02-23), Reel 032437/0638 (2014-03-12), and Reel 039361/0001 (2016-07-15).
4. Cascading transfers — Present. Three critical events (a lien, the assignment, and a security interest) all share an execution date of 2014-01-16 and were recorded within a two-month period (2014-01-24, 2014-02-23, 2014-03-12) involving Optis Wireless Technology, LLC as either assignor or assignee, with the same correspondent. This indicates rapid establishment of financial and ownership structures around the patent shortly after its acquisition.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The patent was assigned to Optis Wireless Technology, LLC on 2014-02-23 (Reel 032326/0707). Optis Wireless Technology, LLC and Panoptis Patent Management, LLC (an associated entity) filed their first suit asserting this and other patents against ZTE in 2014, making the transfer date proximate to the commencement of litigation. The patent was also later asserted against Apple starting in 2019.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication of Panasonic Corp having undergone bankruptcy proceedings related to this patent transfer.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While Optis is asserting patents previously owned by Panasonic, there is no direct evidence from the assignment records or public search results to suggest that Panasonic is involved in, benefits from, or directs Optis's litigation against specific competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is currently owned by Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, a known NPE, and is actively being asserted in litigation.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence
This verdict is strongly supported by multiple factors. The current assignee, Optis Wireless Technology, LLC, is identified as a patent assertion entity that does not make products and engages in extensive litigation. The patent was transferred to Optis from Panasonic (Reel 032326/0707, recorded 2014-02-23), followed by multiple security agreements and a release orchestrated by a repeat correspondent (R. Edward Perkins). This transfer preceded the assertion of the patent in litigation, fitting the pattern of a pre-litigation transfer to a known NPE.

For verification, refer to the USPTO Assignment Center search page for US8411557: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

U.S. Patent 8,411,557, titled "Mobile station apparatus and random access method," was filed on December 21, 2011, and granted on April 2, 2013. The original assignee was Panasonic Corp, and the current assignee is Optis Wireless Technology LLC.

The patent describes a mobile station apparatus that efficiently reports control information in the Random Access Channel (RACH). It achieves this by using a selecting unit to choose a code sequence from a plurality of sequences, where these sequences are grouped and associated with different amounts of data or reception qualities. The grouping is based on sequences generated from the same base sequence having different cyclic shifts, arranged in increasing order. The position at which the sequences are partitioned into groups, and the number of sequences in each group, can vary based on the control information.

Here's an analysis of potentially relevant prior art cited within US8411557B2:

Prior Art Analysis

1. WO2001005050A1: Channel assignment apparatus and method for common packet channel in a WCDMA mobile communication system

• Full Citation: WO2001005050A1 ([[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.))
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: July 7, 1999. Publication date: January 18, 2001.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a channel assignment apparatus and method for a common packet channel in a WCDMA mobile communication system. It focuses on efficiently assigning common packet channels using signature sequences.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This document broadly relates to using sequences for channel assignment in a mobile communication system, which could potentially anticipate aspects of claims 1 and 10 concerning the general concept of transmitting selected sequences in a random access channel for communication. However, it may not detail the specific grouping and variable allocation based on control information as claimed in US8411557B2.

2. US20020041578A1: Method for selecting RACH in a CDMA mobile communication system

• Full Citation: US20020041578A1 (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: June 2, 2000. Publication date: April 11, 2002.
• Brief Description: This reference discusses a method for selecting a Random Access Channel (RACH) in a CDMA mobile communication system. It likely deals with how mobile stations access the network, which often involves transmitting preambles or signatures.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This patent could potentially anticipate claims 1 and 10 of US8411557B2 in the general context of RACH selection and transmission of sequences. However, it might not explicitly disclose the specific details of grouping sequences based on derived code sequences with cyclic shifts, or the dynamic variation of group sizes based on control information (e.g., amount of data or reception quality) as defined in US8411557B2.

3. US6519462B1: Method and apparatus for multi-user resource management in wireless communication systems

• Full Citation: US6519462B1 (Lucent Technologies Inc.)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: May 11, 2000. Publication date: February 11, 2003.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for multi-user resource management in wireless communication systems. Resource management often involves allocating codes or sequences for different users to access a shared channel.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference might broadly anticipate claims 1 and 10 related to the concept of resource management and allocation of sequences for multiple users in a wireless communication system. However, it may lack the specific details of associating groups of sequences with control information like "amounts of data or reception qualities" and varying the number of sequences within these groups as taught by US8411557B2.

4. WO2006019710A1: Efficient signaling over access channel

• Full Citation: WO2006019710A1 (Qualcomm Incorporated)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: July 21, 2004. Publication date: February 23, 2006.
• Brief Description: This document focuses on efficient signaling over an access channel. Efficient signaling in this context could involve optimizing the use of signatures or preambles for various access purposes.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This could potentially anticipate aspects of claims 1 and 10 concerning efficient signaling via the random access channel using sequences. The key distinguishing features of US8411557B2, such as the specific grouping based on cyclic shifts and dynamic group sizing linked to control information, would need to be carefully compared against the details of this reference.

5. US20070165567A1: Preamble sequencing for random access channel in a communication system

• Full Citation: US20070165567A1 (Motorola, Inc.)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: January 17, 2006. Publication date: July 19, 2007.
• Brief Description: This reference describes preamble sequencing for a random access channel in a communication system. Preamble sequences are used by mobile stations to initiate communication and convey basic information.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This document directly addresses preamble sequencing for RACH, making it highly relevant to claims 1, 2, and 10. The extent to which it discloses the specific grouping of sequences, their association with different amounts of data or reception qualities, and the dynamic adjustment of group sizes as specified in US8411557B2 would determine its anticipatory effect.

6. US20080192678A1: Random access structure for optimal cell coverage

• Full Citation: US20080192678A1 (Texas Instruments Incorporated)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: October 24, 2006. Publication date: August 14, 2008.
• Brief Description: This patent application relates to a random access structure designed for optimal cell coverage. This implies considerations for varying propagation delays and channel conditions across a cell.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This could potentially anticipate claims 1, 2, and 10, particularly regarding the use of random access sequences and their properties. The cyclic shift aspect of CAZAC/GCL sequences mentioned in US8411557B2 is relevant to managing propagation delays, and if this document describes similar methods for optimizing RACH based on channel conditions, it could be a strong prior art reference.

7. US20090003308A1: Methods and apparatus for generating synchronization/pilot sequences for embedding in wireless signals

• Full Citation: US20090003308A1 (General Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc.)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: April 13, 2007. Publication date: January 1, 2009.
• Brief Description: This reference focuses on generating synchronization and pilot sequences for wireless signals. These sequences are fundamental for channel estimation and timing synchronization in wireless communication.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This might broadly anticipate aspects of claim 1 and 10 regarding the generation and use of sequences in wireless communication. However, it's less likely to directly anticipate the specific mechanism of associating groups of sequences with control information like data amounts or reception qualities for RACH reporting.

8. US20100278114A1: Method for transmitting and receiving signals based on segmented access scheme and method for allocating sequence for the same

• Full Citation: US20100278114A1 (Yeong Hyeon Kwon)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: September 11, 2006. Publication date: November 4, 2010.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method for transmitting and receiving signals using a segmented access scheme and a corresponding method for allocating sequences.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This could be relevant to claims 1 and 10, particularly the aspect of allocating sequences for an access scheme. If the "segmented access scheme" involves grouping sequences in a manner that implicitly or explicitly conveys information or adapts to varying conditions, it could be a strong anticipatory reference.

9. US20110007825A1: Method for generation of cyclic shift amount set and method for generation of random access preamble

• Full Citation: US20110007825A1 (Zte Corporation)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: January 17, 2008. Publication date: January 13, 2011.
• Brief Description: This reference discloses a method for generating a cyclic shift amount set and a method for generating a random access preamble. This is highly pertinent to the technical details of sequence generation and cyclic shifts used in RACH.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This document is highly relevant to claims 1 and 10, especially the phrase "sequences generated from the same base sequence and having different cyclic shifts are arranged in an increasing order of the cyclic shifts." It directly addresses the generation of cyclic shifts for RACH preambles. The key would be whether it further discloses the grouping of these sequences and associating them with "different amounts of data or reception qualities" where the number of sequences in each group varies.

10. US20110235529A1: Method and arrangement in a communication network system

• Full Citation: US20110235529A1 (Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ))
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: December 5, 2008. Publication date: September 29, 2011.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a method and arrangement in a communication network system. The abstract for US20110235529A1 broadly describes methods and arrangements related to communication network systems, which may involve various aspects of resource allocation or signaling.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: Without more specific details about the "method and arrangement" from the abstract or full text, it's difficult to pinpoint exact claims. However, it generally relates to communication network systems, potentially touching upon aspects of claims 1 and 10 if it describes methods for allocating or selecting communication resources.

11. US20110310940A1: Random access channel for OFDMA-MIMO system

• Full Citation: US20110310940A1 (Interdigital Technology Corporation)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: May 9, 2006. Publication date: December 22, 2011.
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on a random access channel for an OFDMA-MIMO (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access - Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) system. This indicates a more advanced wireless communication context.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This is highly relevant to claims 1, 2, and 10 as it specifically addresses RACH in an OFDMA-MIMO system. The specific mechanisms for utilizing the RACH, including preamble selection and information conveyance, would need to be examined to determine if it anticipates the unique grouping and variable allocation features of US8411557B2.

12. US20120079330A1: Test device and test method for resistive random access memory and resistive random access memory device

• Full Citation: US20120079330A1 (Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba)
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: July 23, 2009. Publication date: March 29, 2012.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a test device and method for resistive random access memory (RRAM) and the RRAM device itself.
• Potential Anticipated Claims: This document is not relevant to US8411557B2. The term "random access" in this context refers to memory access, which is entirely different from the "Random Access Channel" in wireless communication that US8411557B2 addresses. It does not anticipate any claims of US8411557B2.

Non-Patent Documents (cited in the description of US8411557B2):

The description of US8411557B2 also references several non-patent documents, which are critical for prior art assessment.

• Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 LTE Ad Hoc Meeting, R1-060047, NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Sharp, "Random Access Transmission in E-UTRA Uplink," Helsinki, Finland, 23-25 Jan., 2006.

  • Brief Description: This document discusses random access transmission in E-UTRA Uplink (a precursor to LTE), which would cover fundamental aspects of RACH procedures.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Likely anticipates the general concept of random access and RACH transmission as in claims 1, 2, and 10. The details of how information is conveyed or sequences are grouped would need to be scrutinized against the claims of US8411557B2.

• Non-patent Document 2: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 LTE Ad Hoc Meeting, R1-060046, NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Sharp, "Orthogonal Pilot Channel Structure in E-UTRA Uplink," Helsinki, Finland, 23-25 Jan., 2006.

  • Brief Description: This document addresses the orthogonal pilot channel structure in E-UTRA Uplink, mentioning the use of CAZAC sequences for their low cross-correlation and high autocorrelation properties.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Highly relevant to the technical basis of claims 1 and 10, specifically the use of CAZAC sequences (or GCL sequences, as CAZAC is a type of GCL) and their properties. It establishes the known characteristics of these sequences, but may not delve into the novel grouping and variable allocation scheme of US8411557B2.

• Non-patent Document 3: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 LTE Ad Hoc Meeting, R1-060480, Qualcomm, "Principles of RACH," Denver, USA, 13-17 Feb., 2006.

  • Brief Description: This document outlines the principles of RACH, including the idea of reporting control information (like mobile station ID, reason for RACH, bandwidth allocation request, and downlink received quality) in the RACH.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This non-patent document is very significant. It explicitly states the ongoing studies to report "control information including the mobile station ID, the reason for RACH transmission, bandwidth allocation request information (QoS information, the amount of data, and so on), and downlink received quality information" in the RACH. This directly impacts claims 1 and 10 regarding the association of sequences with "different amounts of data or reception qualities" or other control information. The distinction would lie in how US8411557B2 achieves this reporting efficiently through its specific grouping and variable group size mechanisms.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 8411557 Under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis addresses the obviousness of US Patent 8411557 ("Mobile station apparatus and random access method") under 35 U.S.C. § 103, considering the provided prior art references and a priority date of March 20, 2006.

Claims for Analysis:
The independent claims of US8411557 are Claim 1 (mobile station apparatus) and Claim 10 (random access method). Both claims share the same core inventive concepts. For brevity, the analysis will primarily focus on Claim 1, with the understanding that the reasoning applies equally to the method claim.

Claim 1 recites:

A mobile station apparatus comprising:
a receiving unit configured to receive control information;
a selecting unit configured to randomly select a sequence from a plurality of sequences contained in one group of a plurality of groups, into which a predetermined number of sequences that are generated from a plurality of base sequences are grouped and which are respectively associated with different amounts of data or reception qualities, wherein the predetermined number of sequences are grouped by partitioning the predetermined number of sequences, in which sequences generated from the same base sequence and having different cyclic shifts are arranged in an increasing order of the cyclic shifts; and
a transmitting unit configured to transmit the selected sequence,
wherein a position at which the predetermined number of sequences are partitioned is determined based on the control information, and a number of sequences contained in each of the plurality of groups varies in accordance with the control information.

Combinations of Prior Art and Motivation:

A person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) in the field of radio communication systems (specifically 3GPP LTE random access) would have found the claimed mobile station apparatus and method obvious based on a combination of:

• Non-patent Document 2 (NPT2): NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Sharp, “Orthogonal Pilot Channel Structure in E-UTRA Uplink,” R1-060046, Jan. 2006.
• Non-patent Document 3 (NPT3): Qualcomm, “Principles of RACH,” R1-060480, Feb. 2006.
• WO2006019710A1 (Qualcomm): “Efficient signaling over access channel,” published Feb. 23, 2006.
• US20020041578A1 (Samsung): “Method for selecting RACH in a CDMA mobile communication system,” published Apr. 11, 2002.

Detailed Obviousness Argument:

1. Receiving Control Information and Transmitting a Selected Sequence:
The "receiving unit configured to receive control information" and "transmitting unit configured to transmit the selected sequence" are fundamental elements of a mobile station involved in random access, as widely known in the prior art. The background of US8411557 itself states that mobile stations transmit RACH signals by selecting unique signatures. NPT3 describes that random access channels (RACH) are used to report "control information including the mobile station ID, the reason for RACH transmission, bandwidth allocation request information (QoS information, the amount of data, and so on), and downlink received quality information". Thus, a mobile station would inherently receive or determine the control information it needs to report and then transmit a corresponding random access sequence.

2. Generating Sequences from Base Sequences with Cyclic Shifts and Associating with Control Information:
NPT2 teaches the use of CAZAC (Constant Amplitude Zero Auto-Correlation) sequences, which are a type of GCL (Generalized Chirp-Like) sequence, as signatures in the E-UTRA Uplink. NPT2 explicitly discusses generating "a plurality of derived code sequences C k,m (n) of respective numbers of cyclic shifts" from a base code sequence. These derived sequences possess "lowest cross-correlation among GCL sequences", making them ideal for distinguishing signals from multiple mobile stations.

WO2006019710A1 teaches that "preambles can be utilized to convey information such as channel quality indication (CQI), a scheduling request, a power headroom, or other control information". Similarly, NPT3 states that RACH preambles can carry information such as "amount of data" or "downlink received quality information".

A PHOSITA would be motivated to combine NPT2 and WO2006019710A1/NPT3. The robust, orthogonal sequences generated by cyclic shifts from base sequences (as described in NPT2) provide an excellent set of "predetermined number of sequences" that can be used as preambles to efficiently signal the various types of control information (e.g., amounts of data or reception qualities) as suggested by WO2006019710A1 and NPT3. This combination addresses the problem of efficiently reporting control information in the RACH while maintaining good detection performance. The selection of one of these sequences for transmission would be random among available sequences to reduce collision in a contention-based RACH environment, a well-known principle in wireless communication, also acknowledged in the background of US8411557.

3. Grouping by Partitioning Sequences with Different Cyclic Shifts and Varying Group Size Based on Control Information:
The unique aspects of Claim 1 relate to:

• "a predetermined number of sequences... are grouped by partitioning the predetermined number of sequences, in which sequences generated from the same base sequence and having different cyclic shifts are arranged in an increasing order of the cyclic shifts"
• "a position at which the predetermined number of sequences are partitioned is determined based on the control information, and a number of sequences contained in each of the plurality of groups varies in accordance with the control information."

Given the disclosure of NPT2, a PHOSITA would inherently understand that sequences derived from a base sequence via cyclic shifts can be logically "arranged in an increasing order of the cyclic shifts" for management. The next step is "grouping" these sequences and associating them with control information. WO2006019710A1 and NPT3 already teach associating sequences with control information like "amount of data" or "reception qualities." The grouping is a logical consequence of this association.

The key lies in varying the number of sequences in each group based on the control information. US20020041578A1 provides the motivation for this. It describes a method for selecting a RACH based on the current load status of available RACHs or based on quality of service (QoS) requests. "Load status" is directly correlated with the "rate of occurrence" of requests for certain types of control information.

Motivation for Combining with US20020041578A1:
A PHOSITA would be motivated to combine the sequence generation and information-carrying mechanisms (from NPT2 and WO2006019710A1/NPT3) with the load-aware RACH selection of US20020041578A1. The problem of RACH collisions, particularly when many mobile stations attempt to report similar control information (e.g., a specific QoS requirement or low reception quality, which might have a high rate of occurrence in certain cell areas), is a known issue. US20020041578A1 identifies "load status" as a factor for RACH selection to mitigate such problems.

Therefore, it would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to dynamically adjust the resources (i.e., the number of available sequences) allocated to different types of control information. If a particular "amount of data" or "reception quality" (control information) is frequently reported (high load/rate of occurrence), a PHOSITA would naturally allocate a larger "group" of unique sequences (generated from base sequences with cyclic shifts from NPT2) to that specific control information type. This "partitioning" of the predetermined number of sequences would result in a "number of sequences contained in each of the plurality of groups" that "varies in accordance with the control information" (e.g., higher occurrence rate leads to a larger group size). The "position at which the predetermined number of sequences are partitioned" would consequently be determined by these dynamic allocation decisions based on the control information and its associated load/occurrence probability. This adaptive allocation directly addresses the problem of reducing collisions and improving the efficiency of control information reporting, as highlighted in US8411557 itself (e.g., in paragraph regarding reducing collisions for high-occurrence control information).

Conclusion:
Considering NPT2, NPT3, WO2006019710A1, and US20020041578A1, a PHOSITA would have possessed the necessary knowledge and motivation to combine these references. The combination would lead to a mobile station apparatus and method that generates sequences using cyclic shifts, associates these sequences with different types of control information (like data amount or reception quality), and dynamically adjusts the number of sequences allocated to each control information type based on factors like load or rate of occurrence. This combination would achieve the advantageous effects of efficient control information reporting and reduced RACH collisions, as claimed by US8411557, making Claim 1 and Claim 10 obvious.

To provide a comprehensive overview of US Patent 8411557 regarding its term adjustments, extensions, and related applications, I will detail each aspect based on the patent text and general USPTO rules.

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) and Patent Term Extensions (PTE)

The provided patent text for US8411557 does not explicitly state any Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) or Patent Term Extensions (PTE).

• Patent Term Adjustments (PTA): PTA is granted to compensate for delays incurred by the USPTO during the prosecution of a patent application. This can extend the 20-year lifespan of a patent. The calculation considers various delays by the USPTO, such as failing to issue an office action within 14 months, respond to a reply or appeal within four months, or issue a patent within 36 months of the filing date. Any PTA would typically be noted on the face of the issued patent or in its prosecution history.
• Patent Term Extensions (PTE): PTEs are generally granted in specific circumstances, such as delays due to regulatory review periods for drugs or other products, or for patents subject to a terminal disclaimer under certain conditions.

Without access to the official USPTO patent record for US8411557 (beyond the Google Patents display), the exact PTA or PTE, if any, cannot be definitively stated.

Continuation and Divisional Applications

The patent 8411557 itself is a continuation of an earlier application. The patent text states its filing date is December 21, 2011, and it claims priority to US13/333,805 on the same date. The patent also explicitly lists "Related Parent Applications" and "Related Child Applications" as part of its family information:

• Related Parent Applications:

  • US12/293,530 (US8139473B2) - Continuation, Priority Date: 2006-03-20, Filing Date: 2007-03-20
  • PCT/JP2007/055695 (WO2007108476A1) - Continuation, Priority Date: 2006-03-20, Filing Date: 2007-03-20
  • US29353008A - Continuation, Priority Date: 2006-03-20, Filing Date: 2008-09-18

  This indicates that US8411557 is part of a chain of applications originating from the priority date of March 20, 2006.

• Related Child Applications:

  • US13/781,142 (US8861329B2) - Continuation, Priority Date: 2006-03-20, Filing Date: 2013-02-28

  This shows that US8411557 has at least one direct continuation application filed after its own issue.

Related Family Members

The patent lists a number of family applications, including those claiming priority to the same priority date of March 20, 2006, and those that are continuations. These include:

• US Applications claiming priority from 2006-03-20:

  • US13/333,805 (US8411557B2 - this patent)
  • US13/781,142 (US8861329B2)
  • US14/501,324 (US9137830B2)
  • US14/844,180 (US9648642B2)
  • US15/485,337 (US9900915B2)
  • US15/869,120 (US10582541B2)
  • US16/775,335 (US11051345B2)
  • US16/943,177 (US11540326B2)

• Other Family Applications:

  • JP2006076995
  • PCT/JP2007/055695 (WO2007108476A1)

These applications represent a robust patent family, indicating continued development and protection of related inventions.

Projected Expiration Date

For applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, the patent term is generally 20 years from the earliest claimed priority date. US Patent 8411557 has an earliest priority date of March 20, 2006.

Therefore, the anticipated expiration date for US8411557, without considering any potential Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) or Patent Term Extensions (PTE), would be March 20, 2026.

However, the Google Patents information for US8411557 explicitly lists an "Anticipated expiration" date as 2027-03-20. This indicates that there is likely a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) of approximately one year associated with this patent, extending its life beyond the standard 20 years from the priority date.

Projected Expiration Date: March 20, 2027