DETAILED ACTION
This Final Office Action is in response to application number 17/855,237 filed on June 30th 2022. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Applicant’s amendment filed on 11/25/2025 is acknowledged
Claims 1,11 and 15 have been amended
Information Disclosure Statements
The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS), submitted on March 7th 2025, January 12th 2025, December 13th 2022 and August 15th 2022 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2,4-6,11-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Min et al. (US-20210168670-A1) in view of Zhang et al. (US 20200236573 A1) further in view of Okvist et al. (WO 2019160460 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Min et al. disclose a radio resource management measurement method applied to a radio resource management measurement apparatus, wherein the radio resource management measurement apparatus comprises a processor configured to perform the method comprising (Paragraph 0013 discloses radio resource management -measurement): receiving measurement configuration information from a network device, (FIG. 5 S100 discloses the UE receiving from the network device measurement configuration information – ReportConfigEUTRA), wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a first threshold, and the first threshold comprises a first serving cell signal quality threshold (Paragraph 0041 and FIG. 6 disclose the event A5, serving cell signal quality threshold) and/or a first detected cell quantity threshold (Paragraph 0036 and FIG. 6 disclose through ReportConfigEUTRA the field numberOfTriggeringCell indicating the threshold for the number of triggering cells);
Min et al. fail to explicitly disclose a first height threshold and determining, based on a value relationship between a detection value and the first threshold, and signal quality of at least one neighboring cell, whether to report a measurement report, wherein a value of the first threshold corresponds to a height of a terminal device; and determining, based on the value relationship between the detection value and the first threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell, whether to report the measurement report comprises: in response to the height of the terminal device is higher than the first height threshold, a quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, determining to report the measurement report.
However, in an analogous art, Zhang et al. teach a first height threshold (Paragraph 0178 discloses “The height state parameter may be defined as, for example, HeightStateParameters, and may be included in a system message for broadcast or in an RRC message (specifically, in the information element MeasConfig) for configuration. The height state parameter may include predetermined one or more height thresholds for determining a height state at which the user equipment is located.”), and determining, based on a value relationship between a detection value and the first threshold, and signal quality of at least one neighboring cell, whether to report a measurement report (Paragraph 0124 discloses “… trigger the reporting when the signal quality of the cell in the range of measured cells (not limited to the adjacent cells) of the inter-frequency becomes better than a threshold…”) wherein a value of the first threshold corresponds to a height of a terminal device (Paragraph 0262 discloses “each parameter in the measurement and report configuration related information is reasonably set based on at least the flight height of the unmanned aerial vehicle” and paragraph 0169 discloses “ The generating unit 1202 may be configured to generate measurement and report configuration related information based on at least height information of a user equipment. ); and determining, based on the value relationship between the detection value and the first threshold and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell, whether to report the measurement report comprises (Paragraph 0124 discloses “… trigger the reporting when the signal quality of the cell in the range of measured cells (not limited to the adjacent cells) of the inter-frequency becomes better than a threshold…”): in response to the height of the terminal device is higher than the first height threshold, a quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold (Paragraph 0152 discloses the condition whereby the height of the UAV is higher than the threshold, “…flight height exceeds a predetermined threshold…” here the “the range of measured cells for the unmanned aerial vehicle in this state may be expanded to further include other cells than the adjacent cells.” Accordingly paragraph 0238 discloses the condition whereby the number of cells detected is greater than or equal to the cell number threshold), signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold (Paragraph 0169 discloses the comparison of the serving cell signal quality to the threshold value) and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition (Paragraph 0120 discloses the event A3 for reporting whereby signal quality of the adjacent cell becomes better than the serving cell), determining to report the measurement report (Paragraph 0222- 0223 indicates that measurement and report configuration is based on height information, serving cell quality threshold and other parameters).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Min et al. to incorporate the teachings of Zhang et al., to conduct measurements and reporting based on fulfilling conditions related to height information, serving cell quality and other parameters such as the quantity or number of cells detected, in order to prevent inefficient and unnecessary reporting, essentially reporting should only be facilitated when it is deemed by the network that such measurement related information is required to support the operation of the network effectively.
Min et al. and Zhang et al. fail to disclose wherein, the first serving cell signal quality threshold changes by one offset when the first height threshold changes by one offset and the offset of the height threshold and the offset of the first serving cell signal quality threshold is one of specified in a protocol, set by the terminal device, or indicated by the network device.
However in an analogous art Okvist et al. teaches wherein, the first serving cell signal quality threshold changes by one offset when the first height threshold changes by one offset and the offset of the height threshold and the offset of the first serving cell signal quality threshold is one of specified in a protocol, set by the terminal device, or indicated by the network device (Paragraph 0033 discloses “For example, in today’s tuning of the handover-related RRC measurement report Event A3, hysteresis, cell individual offsets and Event offsets are not considering that radio nodes can operate in significantly different radio environments over time. One typical example is that eNBs operating at different altitudes will perceive different path loss and different shadow fading. For instance, eNBs operating at ground level may perceive significantly different propagation and shadow fading environments than eNBs operating at a relatively high altitude (e.g., above rooftops and/or foliage). Thus, the impact from that radio environment characteristics are significantly different at different altitudes in the network are not considered in today’s e.g. Event A3 and layer 3 filtering parameter settings.”. Paragraph 0034 discloses “Accordingly, in embodiments disclosed herein, the measurement and reporting procedures associated with RRCConnectionReconfiguration or RRCConnectionResume message (3 GPP TS 36.331, section 5.5ff), consider node altitude (e.g., UE altitude and/or base station altitude). For example, the RSRP layer 3 filtering parameter is modified to reflect a less aggressive setting as UE and its related eNB are operating above rooftops (altitude: high). As another example, Event A3 cell-individual offset and a3 -offset are made smaller to avoid that UAV-UE reach too far into an already wide spread target cell. An advantage of the embodiments disclosed herein is that they enable more efficient utilization of radio network resources as more relevant feature parameters, hysteresis and filter settings area applied reflecting flight altitude of individual network nodes.”. Paragraph 0037 discloses “In some embodiments, the method further includes, prior to determining that a measurement report should be transmitted, the UE receiving from the serving base station a message comprising a measurement information element (IE), wherein the measurement IE comprises a set of offsets (e.g., a set of frequency specific offsets, a set of cell specific offsets) wherein each offset in the set of offsets is associated with a different altitude. In such an embodiment, the second value may be selected from said set of offsets based on a determined altitude of the base station.”.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Min et al. and Zhang et al. to incorporate the teachings of Okvist et al., to change the serving cell signal quality threshold in accordance to changes in the height threshold, in order to adapt thresholds to reflect changes in the radio environment due to height changes such that radio network resources are used efficiently.
Regarding claim 2, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 1, determining based on the value relationship between the detection value and the first threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell, whether to report the measurement report comprises (Paragraph 0041 and FIG. 6 disclose the Event A5, serving cell signal quality threshold; Paragraph 0037-0038 discloses the relationship between a detection value and the fist threshold and the signal quality as a comparison between reception quality of the serving cell and the reception quality of the neighbor cell, whereby the numberOfTriggeringCell is based on the entering/leaving conditions of events A3,A4, A5 and A6): in response to the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold (Paragraph 11), the signal quality of the serving cell being greater than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, and signal quality of N neighboring cells all meeting a corresponding measurement report triggering condition, determining to report the measurement report, wherein N is a neighboring cell quantity threshold that is carried in the measurement configuration information (Paragraph 0049 discloses the transmission of the measurement report when the neighbor cells fulfill the entering condition (numberOfTriggerCell)).
Regarding claim 4, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 1.
Min et al. fail to explicitly disclose determining the first threshold based on a height of a terminal device.
However, in an analogous art, Zhang et al. teach determining the first threshold based on a height of a terminal device (Paragraph 0174 discloses the “…predetermined height threshold...”, whereby “…different measurement and report configuration may be configured according the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Min et al. to incorporate the teachings of Zhang et al., to determine the first threshold based on a height of a terminal device, in order to classify and categorize the inherently different behaviors exhibited by the terminal device at different heights.
` Regarding claim 5, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 1.
Min et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a second height threshold, a fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and a fourth detected cell quantity threshold; in response to the height of the terminal device is lower than the second height threshold, the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the fourth detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, determining to report the measurement report, wherein the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and the fourth detected cell quantity threshold corresponds to the height of the terminal device.
However, in an analogous art, Zhang et al. teach wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a second height threshold, a fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and a fourth detected cell quantity threshold; in response to the height of the terminal device is lower than the second height threshold (Paragraph 0075 discloses “… a height lower than a certain height threshold…”), the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the fourth detected cell quantity threshold (Paragraph 0238 discloses the condition whereby the number of cells detected is greater than or equal to the cell number threshold), signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold (Paragraph 0169 discloses the comparison of the serving cell signal quality to the threshold value), and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition (Paragraph 0120 discloses the event A3 for reporting whereby signal quality of the adjacent cell becomes better than the serving cell), determining to report the measurement report, wherein the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and the fourth detected cell quantity threshold corresponds to the height of the terminal device (Paragraph 0222- 0223 indicates that measurement and report configuration is based on height information, serving cell quality threshold and other parameters).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Min et al. to incorporate the teachings of Zhang et al., to conduct measurements and reporting based on fulfilling conditions related to height information, serving cell quality and other parameters such as the quantity or number of cells detected, in order to prevent inefficient and unnecessary reporting, essentially reporting should only be facilitated when it is deemed by the network that such measurement related information is required to support the operation of the network effectively.
Regarding claim 6, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein after determining whether to report the measurement report, the method further comprises: sending a measurement report corresponding to a first neighboring cell (Paragraph 0049 discloses the transmission of the measurement report when the neighbor cells fulfill the entering condition (numberOfTriggerCell)); starting a first timer after sending the measurement report corresponding to the first neighboring cell; and in a validity period of the first timer, skipping reporting the measurement report, or reporting a measurement report corresponding to a second neighboring cell, wherein signal quality of the second neighboring cell is greater than signal quality of the first neighboring cell (Paragraphs 0044-0045 disclose the interferenceReportingProhibiitTimer, activated after transmission of the measurement report, stop transmission of measurement reports meeting the entering condition).
Regarding claim 11, Min et al. disclose a radio resource management measurement method, comprising: determining measurement configuration information, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a first threshold and a first height threshold, and the first threshold comprises a first serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a first detected cell quantity threshold first detected cell quantity threshold; and sending the measurement configuration information to a terminal device, wherein the first threshold is used by the terminal device to determine whether to report a measurement report, wherein a value of the first threshold corresponds to a height of a terminal device; in response to the height of the terminal device is higher than the first height threshold, a quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, receiving the measurement report. (The limitations of this claim are rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #1).
Regarding claim 12, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 11, the method further comprises: receiving the measurement report from the terminal device, wherein signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, and signal quality of at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition; or receiving the measurement report from the terminal device, in response to the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold, the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, signal quality of N neighboring cells all meets a corresponding measurement report triggering condition, and N is a neighboring cell quantity threshold that is carried in the measurement configuration information The limitation of this claim is rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #2).
Regarding claim 13, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 11, the measurement configuration information further comprises a second threshold, a third threshold, and a first time to trigger corresponding to the at least one neighboring cell, the second threshold comprises a second serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a second detected cell quantity threshold, and the third threshold comprises a third serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a third detected cell quantity threshold. (The limitation of this claim is rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #4).
Regarding claim 14, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 11, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a second height threshold, a fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and a fourth detected cell quantity threshold; in response to the height of the terminal device is lower than the second height threshold, the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the fourth detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, receiving the measurement report, wherein the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and the fourth detected cell quantity threshold corresponds to the height of the terminal device. (The limitation of this claim is rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #5).
Regarding claim 15, Min et al. disclose a radio resource management measurement apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for: receiving measurement configuration information, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a first threshold, and a first height threshold, and the first threshold comprises a first serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a first detected cell quantity threshold ; and determining, based on a value relationship between a detection value and the first threshold, and signal quality of at least one neighboring cell, whether to report a measurement report, wherein a value of the first threshold corresponds to a height of a terminal device; and determining, based on the value relationship between the detection value and the first threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell, whether to report the measurement report comprises: in response to the height of the terminal device is higher than the first height threshold, a quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the first detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the first serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, determining to report the measurement report. (The limitations of this claim are rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #1).
Regarding claim 16, Min et al. disclose the apparatus according to claim 15, determining, based on the value relationship between the detection value and the first threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell, whether to report the measurement report comprises:(The limitations of this claim are rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #2).
Regarding claim 18, Min et al. disclose the apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the program further including instructions for: determining the first threshold based on a height of a terminal device (The limitation of this claim is rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #4).
Regarding claim 19, Min et al. disclose the apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises a second height threshold, a fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and a fourth detected cell quantity threshold; in response to the height of the terminal device is lower than the second height threshold, the quantity of detected cells being greater than or equal to the fourth detected cell quantity threshold, signal quality of a serving cell is less than or equal to the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold, and the signal quality of the at least one neighboring cell meets a measurement report triggering condition, determines to report the measurement report, wherein the fourth serving cell signal quality threshold and the fourth detected cell quantity threshold corresponds to the height of the terminal device. (The limitation of this claim is rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #5).
Regarding claim 20, Min et al. disclose the apparatus according to claim 15, wherein after determining whether to report the measurement report, the program further including instructions for: sending a measurement report corresponding to a first neighboring cell; starting a first timer after sending the measurement report corresponding to the first neighboring cell; and in a validity period of the first timer, skipping reporting the measurement report, or reporting a measurement report corresponding to a second neighboring cell, wherein signal quality of the second neighboring cell is greater than signal quality of the first neighboring cell (The limitations of this claim are rejected on the same grounds of rejection as claim #6).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Min et al. (US-2021/0168670-A1) in view of Zhang as applied to claim 1, and further in view of LG Electronics Inc. (R2-1812582).
Regarding claim 7, Min et al. disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement configuration information further comprises a second threshold, a third threshold, and a first time to trigger corresponding to the at least one neighboring cell, the second threshold comprises a second serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a second detected cell quantity threshold, and the third threshold comprises a third serving cell signal quality threshold and/or a third detected cell quantity threshold; and the method further comprises (Paragraphs 0004, 0041 and FIG. 6 disclose the comparison of the reception quality of the serving cell and the reception quality the neighbor cell. Furthermore events A4 and A5 point to the stipulated serving cell signal quality thresholds (e.g. threshold1 and threshold2)):
Min et al. fails to explicitly teach determining a second time to trigger based on a value relationship between the detection value and the second threshold and/or the third threshold, wherein the second threshold is less than or equal to the third threshold, the second time to trigger is obtained based on the first time to trigger, and the detection value comprises signal quality of a serving cell and/or a quantity of detected cell.
However, in an analogous art, LG Electronics Inc. discloses determining a second time to trigger based on a value relationship between the detection value and the second threshold and/or the third threshold, wherein the second threshold is less than or equal to the third threshold, the second time to trigger is obtained based on the first time to trigger, and the detection value comprises signal quality of a serving cell and/or a quantity of detected cell (Page 3 Proposal 2 states, “For event triggered reporting, if configured, aerial UE scales time-to-trigger value depending on the given threshold information according to the scaling value”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Min et al. to incorporate the teachings of LG Electronics Inc. to adjust or scale the time-to-trigger values, in order to support improved mobility performance for aerial vehicles in communications networks.
Regarding claim 8, LG Electronics et al. disclose the method according to claim 7, wherein the determining the second time to trigger based on the value relationship between the detection value and the second threshold and/or the third threshold comprises: in response to the detection value being less than the second threshold, determining that the second time to trigger is a time to trigger shorter than the first time to trigger; in response to the detection value being greater than the third threshold, determining that the second time to trigger is a time to trigger longer than the first time to trigger; or in response to the detection value being greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than or equal to the third threshold, determining that the second time to trigger is a time to trigger equal to the first time to trigger (With regards to the limitations listed above Page 3 Proposal 2 states, “For event triggered reporting, if configured, aerial UE scales time-to-trigger value depending on the given threshold information according to the scaling value”. This indicates that the time-trigger values are adjusted based on configured multipliers relative to the defined threshold points).
Regarding claim 9, LG Electronics et al. disclose the method according to claim 8, wherein determining that the second time to trigger is the time to trigger shorter than the first time to trigger comprises: determining that the second time to trigger is a product of the first time to trigger and Q, wherein Q is a positive number less than 1 (Page 3 paragraph 1 and Proposal 2 discloses scale/scaling the time-to-trigger value. Whereby scaling refers to the multiplication of the TTI value by a multiplier less than one); wherein determining that the second time to trigger is the time to trigger longer than the first time to trigger comprises: determining that the second time to trigger is a product of the first time to trigger and P, wherein P is a positive number greater than 1 (Page 3 paragraph 1 and Proposal 2 discloses scale/scaling the time-to-trigger value. Whereby scaling refers to the multiplication of the TTI value by a multiplier greater than one); and wherein determining that the second time to trigger is the time to trigger equal to the first time to trigger comprises: determining that the second time to trigger is a product of the first time to trigger and K, wherein K is equal to 1 (Page 3 paragraph 1 and Proposal 2 discloses scale/scaling the time-to-trigger value. Whereby scaling refers to the multiplication of the TTI value by a multiplier equal to one).
Regarding claim 10, LG Electronics al. disclose the method according to claim 7, wherein the second threshold and/or the third threshold are/is at a height granularity; and the method further comprises: determining the second threshold and/or the third threshold based on a height of a terminal device (Min et al. Paragraph 0095 discloses through event A4, A5 thresholds for a UE at a heigh of 300 meters, this indicates that thresholds are function of the UE height).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samuel Dilan Rutnam whose telephone number is 703-756-1374. The examiner can normally be reached between 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Fri.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached on 571-272-8586.
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/Samuel Dilan Rutnam/
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/SUJOY K KUNDU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471