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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 03/09/2026, with respect to 112(a) rejection have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous 35 USC 112(a) rejection of the claims has been withdrawn. However, 35 USC 112(a) rejection is introduced for a different reason, due to the claim amendment.
The amendment, filed on 03/09/2026, overcomes 102(a) / single reference 103 rejections. Therefore 102(a) / single reference 103 rejections of claims 1, 18 to 20 are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 03/09/2026, with respect to 103 rejection have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
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Although Roy does not use the word “bit field”, the range [0, interval] is carried in a HO command message, therefore necessarily is a field in the message. Also as explained in the previous rejection, as the term bit field suggests, it is just a field of 1-bit. It could be a “0” or a “1”. And range [0, interval] clearly suggests a bit have a value of “0”.
In addition, the bit field according to the original disclosure is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the original filed drawings: See below.
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Clearly, none of these details are captured in the claims. The claim only requires “mapped to a plurality of communication node types”, the claim does not require the bit field to directly identify any type of communication node. Regarding communication node types, it could be interpreted as a source eNB, a target eNB, or any legacy eNB, or UE. Roy teaches a receiving a hand over command. By virtue of being a handover command, it suggests receiving from a base station, not a UE. Therefore Roy teaches the type of communication node.
For the foregoing reasons, the arguments are not persuasive.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-5 and 8-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-5 and 8-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 18 to 20 amended on 03/09/2026 introduce the following new matter: “decoded according to the type of the first communication node in the first signaling”. This is not supported in the original specification. Remarks filed 03/09/2026 does not state where the support is.
Examiner carefully reviewed Fig. 4A to 4D, steps 412, 423, 434 and 444. These steps do not describe types of the first communication node. For example, paragraph 71, “At 412, the second communication node 402 receives the signaling and decodes the signaling.” Paragraph 73, “At 423, the second communication node 402 receives the signaling and decodes the signaling, for example, based on format for known type of the third communication node 403.” [emphasis is third, while the claim requires first communication node in the first signaling]. Paragraph 75, “At 434 the second communication node 402 receives the signaling (corresponding to the status information) via unicast and decodes the signaling, for example, based on format for known type of the third communication node 403, where the known type is received at 432. In other words, the second communication node 402 can directly decode the status information received from the third communication node 403.” So this supports status information, not type of communication node. Finally, paragraph 77, “At 444 the second communication node 402 receives the signaling (corresponding to the status information) and decodes the signaling.” Again this supports receive and decode, but not decode based on type of communication node.
Reviewing Fig. 5A and 5B, step 513, paragraph 81 states “the second communication node 502 receives the signaling (corresponding to the type of the first communication node 501) and decodes the signaling”. This does not appear to support decode based on type of node. The same can also be said of Fig. 6A to Fig. 6D, steps 613, 624 and 645.
Therefore, independent claims 1, 18 to 20 are rejected based on the foregoing reasons. Dependent claims are rejected because they have the same features as their parent claims. Applicant is encouraged to specifically point out where in the original drawings (figures and step number) and corresponding paragraph number to show support in the original specification.
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 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.
Claims 1-5, 8-13, and 15 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roy, US 2020/0314914, assigned to MediaTek in vie Ananth, WO 2021-168485.
Regarding claim 1, Roy teaches a wireless communication method for wireless communication between a first communication node and a second communication node, comprising:
obtaining, by the second communication node, information related to the first communication node (Roy, Fig. 5, step 514),
the first communication node comprising a base station (Roy, Fig. 5, gNB 501 and 502) and
the second communication node comprising a user equipment (UE) (Roy, Fig. 5, UE-1 to UE-n),
wherein the information comprises identifies a type of the first communication node (according to the specification, this is Type-B or 5G NR communication, Fig. 4, step 410, pp31) and comprises status information comprising one or more parameters for at least one of location information of the first communication node or mobility status of the first communication node (Examiner interpret this limitation as location information; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN; PP29 GNSS based positioning, Fig. 5, Step 514, PP 32 UEs are grouped based on their position, so handover status information is based in part on location information), and
wherein obtaining the information comprises:
receiving, by the second communication node, first signaling from the first communication node including identifying the type of the first communication node (this receiving step has been addressed previously in the obtaining step) via a bit field mapped to a plurality of communication node types (see response to arguments, on page 2 of this Office Action, regarding the prior art rejection; PP32); and
receiving, by the second communication node, second signaling from the communication node including the one or more parameters (Fig. 5, Step 524, RAR, PP34), the second signaling comprising
one or more of system information signaling via a system information block (SIB), or configuration signaling via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (PP32, RRC connections), the second signaling decoded according to the type of the first communication node in the first signaling (based on original specification this limitation is interpreted as receive type of communication node and decode. Roy, Fig. 5, step 514 teaches receiving the HO command, and since the method of Roy performs backoff based on the command, it implies the command is decoded; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN).
Regarding claim 18, Roy teaches a wireless communication method for wireless communication between a first communication node and a second communication node, comprising:
transmitting, by the first communication node to the second communication node, status information related to the first communication node, the first communication node comprising a base station and the second communication node comprising a user equipment (UE) (Roy, Fig. 5, step 514),
wherein the information comprises identifies a type of the first communication node (according to the specification, this is Type-B or 5G NR communication, Fig. 4, step 410, pp31) and comprises status information comprising one or more parameters for at least one of location information of the first communication node or mobility status of the first communication node (Examiner interpret this limitation as location information; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN; PP29 GNSS based positioning, Fig. 5, Step 514, PP 32 UEs are grouped based on their position, so handover status information is based in part on location information), and
wherein transmitting the status information comprising
transmitting, by the first communication node, first signaling identifying the type of the first communication node via a bit field mapped to a plurality of communication node types (see response to arguments, on page 2 of this Office Action, regarding the prior art rejection; PP32); and
transmitting, by the first communication node, second signaling including the one or more parameters, the second signaling the status information via signaling (Fig. 5, Step 524, RAR, PP34), the signaling comprising
at least one of system information signaling via a system information block (SIB), or radio resource control (RRC} signaling for common configuration signaling (PP32, RRC connections), the second signaling decoded by the second communication node according to type of the first communication node indicated from the first signaling (based on original specification this limitation is interpreted as receive type of communication node and decode. Roy, Fig. 5, step 514 teaches receiving the HO command, and since the method of Roy performs backoff based on the command, it implies the command is decoded; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN).
Regarding claim 19, Roy teaches a second communication node comprising a user equipment (UE) (Roy, Fig. 5, UE-1 to UE-n), the second communication node comprising: at least one processor configured to (Roy, Fig. 2, processor 203 or 213):
obtain, by the second communication node, information related to the first communication node (Roy, Fig. 5, step 514) comprising a base station (Roy, Fig. 5, gNB 501 and 502), wherein the information identifies a type of the first communication node (according to the specification, this is Type-B or 5G NR communication, Fig. 4, step 410, pp31) and comprises status information comprising one or more parameters for at least one of location information of the first communication node or mobility status of the first communication node (Examiner interpret this limitation as location information; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN; PP29 GNSS based positioning, Fig. 5, Step 514, PP 32 UEs are grouped based on their position, so handover status information is based in part on location information), and
wherein obtaining the information comprises: receiving, by the second communication node, first signaling from the first communication node identifying the type of the first communication node (this receiving step has been addressed previously in the obtain step abovie) via a bit field mapped to a plurality of communication node types (see response to arguments, on page 2 of this Office Action, regarding the prior art rejection; PP32); and
receiving, by the second communication node, second signaling from the communication node including the one or more parameters (Fig. 5, Step 524, RAR, PP34), the second signaling comprising one or more of system information signaling via a system information block (SIB), or configuration signaling via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (PP32, RRC connections), the second signaling decoded according to the type of the first communication node indicated in the first signaling (based on original specification this limitation is interpreted as receive type of communication node and decode. Roy, Fig. 5, step 514 teaches receiving the HO command, and since the method of Roy performs backoff based on the command, it implies the command is decoded; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN).
Regarding claim 20, Roy teaches a first communication node comprising a base station, the first communication node comprising: at least one processor configured to (Roy, Fig. 2, processor 203 or 213):
transmitting, by the first communication node to the second communication node, status information related to the first communication node, the first communication node comprising a base station and the second node communication node comprising a user equipment (UE) (Roy, Fig. 5, step 514),
wherein the information identifies a type of the first communication node (according to the specification, this is Type-B or 5G NR communication, Fig. 4, step 410, pp31) and comprises status information comprising one or more parameters of at least one of location information of the first communication node or mobility status of the first communication node (Examiner interpret this limitation as location information; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN; PP29 GNSS based positioning, Fig. 5, Step 514, PP 32 UEs are grouped based on their position, so handover status information is based in part on location information), and
wherein transmitting the status information comprising
transmitting, via the transmitter, first signaling identifying the type of the first communication node via a bit field mapped to a plurality of communication node types (see response to arguments, on page 2 of this Office Action, regarding the prior art rejection; PP32); and
transmitting, via the transmitter to a plurality of second communication nodes, second signaling including the one or more parameters, the second signaling the status information via signaling (Fig. 5, Step 524, RAR, PP34), the signaling comprising
at least one of system information signaling via a system information block (SIB), or radio resource control (RRC} signaling for common configuration signaling (PP32, RRC connections), the second signaling decoded by the second communication node according to the type of first communication node in the first signaling (based on original specification this limitation is interpreted as receive type of communication node and decode. Roy, Fig. 5, step 514 teaches receiving the HO command, and since the method of Roy performs backoff based on the command, it implies the command is decoded; PP06, the problem Roy solves is the frequent handover requirements for LEO-NTN).
Regarding claims 1, 18, 19 and 20, Roy is not explicit about obtaining at least one of location information of the first communication node. Roy is directed towards the problem of handover of UEs with LEO-NTNs by communicating through gNB. Location information of LEO-NTNs or gNBs are implied. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the application to include in the handover command of Roy location information of base stations to improve the handover process.
In addition, in the analogous art, Ananth, Fig. 2, PP21 teaches obtaining at least one of location information. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the application to include in the handover command of Roy location information of base stations to improve location accuracy (Ananth, PP02).
Regarding claim 2, Ananth teaches wherein the one or more parameters for the location information comprises at least one of:
a location of the first communication node expressed in parameters of a coordinate system; the location of the first communication node expressed in longitude, latitude, and height ([0052] The position of HAP 114 at a given point in time are included in the SIB# and expressed in cartographic coordinates that may be relative to the WGS84 reference ellipsoid of the Earth’s surface. The position/location of HAP 114 that is included in a SIB can include in parameters where longitude and latitude may be in degrees and height may be the distance, in meters); a predetermined path along which the first communication node is configured to move; or accuracy information, wherein the accuracy information comprises at least one of an error range, variation rate, a valid time duration, or update periodicity.
Regarding claim 3, Ananth teaches wherein the mobility status comprises at least one of: a velocity of the first communication node ([0047] The additional location information that is received by UE 152 thru SIB# can include multiple parameters of HAP 114 that may include a trajectory or a predicted motion of the HAP node, a speed of the HAP node {interpreted as the velocity}, etc.); or a general status of the first communication node.
Regarding claim 4, Ananth teaches wherein the system information corresponds to different signaling corresponding to the different types of the first communication node and at least one of:
the second communication node lacks prior knowledge of a type of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises blind detecting, by the second communication node, all of the different signaling;
or the second communication node has the prior knowledge of the type of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises detecting, by the second communication node, one of the different signaling corresponding to the type of the first communication node ([0059] UE 152 can use the pre-provisioned HAP-specific (e.g., HAP 114) configuration (or provisioned and updated by Radio Resource Control (RRC) and/or Non- Access Stratum (NAS) procedures) to determine its geographical information (e.g., GPS coordinates, tracking information, etc.). The UE can then check the SIB# if HAP 114 is in the specific geographic area based on the HAP-specific configuration);
or the second communication node is capable of supporting communications with one or more types of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises detecting, by the second communication node, different signaling corresponding to the one or more types of the first communication node.
Regarding claim 5, wherein the system information corresponds to same signaling corresponding to the different types of the first communication node ([0054] The SIB# can be periodically transmitted by a HAP node using a fixed schedule. The periodicity of the SIB# may be based on the type of HAP node (e.g., satellite, balloon or airplane) based on the speed of its motion);
and at least one of:
the second communication node lacks prior knowledge of a type of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises blind detecting, by the second communication node, the signaling with different assumption;
the second communication node has the prior knowledge of the type of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises detecting, by the second communication node, the signaling corresponding to the type of the first communication node ([0055] If UE 152 has prior knowledge of the previous location information of the HAP node (e.g., HAP 114), it can estimate the timing and schedule where to send the request. Once UE 152 receives the first indication in SIB1, it may send an uplink signal such as a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) to HAP 114).
or the second communication node is capable of supporting communications with one or more types of the first communication node, and obtaining the status information further comprises detecting, by the second communication node, the signaling corresponding to the one or more types of the first communication node.
Regarding claim 8, Ananth teaches wherein the second communication node is connected to the first communication node and is establishing connection with a third communication node ([0059] In one scenario if SIB1 does not include the first indication of the location information, the UE will check for a SIB# and second indication of the location information. If the SIB# is not found, the UE (e.g., UE 152) assumes that it is not connecting to HAP 114 and will try to connect to the terrestrial node instead (e.g., node 110 or 120 in Fig. 1); and at least one of:
obtaining the status information comprises receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, the status information via unicast ([0059] The HAP-specific configuration can be pre-provisioned to the UE or provisioned and updated using Radio Resource Control {interpreted as a unicast signal}.UE 152 may use the HAP-specific configuration (which includes the status information) to establish a connection to HAP 114).
or obtaining the status information comprises receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, information indicating a type of the third communication node via unicast.
Regarding claim 9, wherein obtaining the status information comprises storing, by the second communication node, at least a portion of the status information ([0048] As the HAP node moves, the additional location information may be updated in the memory of the UE (e.g., UE 152) with location information based on a new current location of the HAP 114 node at a new current time).
Regarding claim 10, The method of claim 9, further comprising determining, by the second communication node, that the status information corresponds to a type of the first communicating node ([0049] For example, for a HAP node that is a satellite, the SIB# may include the different parameters that is included in the additional location information parameters); the at least the portion of the status information comprises full status information ([0048] UE 152 can quickly identify if the new identification assigned to the additional location information {status information} has changed based on the previous status information received and stored in its memory. If the information is the same, no further processing is needed {interpreted as having the full status information}).
Regarding claim 11, Ananth teaches further comprising: determining, by the second communication node, that the status information corresponds to a type of the first communicating node, the at least the portion of the status information comprises a first portion of the status information ([0045] The UE 152 {second communication node} can receive the first indication of the location information {first portion of the status information} is included in SIB1 transmitted by the HAP node. It can include the identification of the HAP node (e.g., HAP 114) and may identify it as a moving base station); and
receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, a remaining portion of the status information ([0046] The additional location information received by UE 152 may include a current location of HAP 114 at a current time which may include a latitude, longitude and altitude information).
Regarding claim 12, Ananth teaches wherein obtaining the status information comprises periodically receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, updates to the status information ([0044 – 0045] HAP 114 periodically sends the SIB1 to a geographic region using a fixed schedule (repeated intervals). UE 152 receives SIB1 from HAP 114 and may require additional location information needed to establish a connection to the HAP node).
Regarding claim 13, Ananth teaches wherein obtaining the status information comprises: receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, an update indication ([0048] As HAP 114 moves, it can send the updated location information to UE 152 based on its new current location with the new current time. The updates to the additional location information {status information} can be sent to UE 152 at predefined regular intervals or at points in time defined by a motion of the HAP node, such as a speed at which the HAP node travels); and
in response to receiving the update indication, re-acquiring, by the second communication node from the first communication node, updates to the status information ([0048] As the HAP node moves and the additional location information {status information} expires, it will need to be updated in the memory of UE 152 with updated location information based on a new current location of the HAP 114 at a new current time. The updated additional location information may be assigned a new identification so a UE (e.g., UE 152) can quickly identify whether the additional location information has changed from previously received additional location information).
Regarding claim 15, Ananth teaches wherein obtaining the status information comprises: determining, by the second communication node, that a timer associated with the status information indicates that a valid duration associated with the status information has expired ([0046-0047] The additional location information {status information} that is transmitted by HAP 114 to UE 152 can include several parameters including a timestamp that indicates expiration time that indicates when at least one of the additional location information is no longer valid. The expiration information may allow a UE 152 to determine when updated additional location information is needed); and
in response to determining that the timer associated with the status information indicates that the valid duration has expired, re-acquiring, by the second communication node from the first communication node, updates to the status information ([0048] As the HAP node moves and the additional location information {status information} expires, it will need to be updated in the memory of UE 152 with updated location information based on a new current location of the HAP 114 at a new current time. The updated additional location information may be assigned a new identification so a UE (e.g., UE 152) can quickly identify whether the additional location information has changed from previously received additional location information).
Regarding claim 16, Ananth teaches wherein the status information is obtained by the second communication node during an access procedure ([0044] The Network node (e.g., HAP 114) can periodically transmit the first/initial System Information Block (SIB1) that can include access information regarding a Random Access Channel (RACH) to a geographic region using a fixed schedule. UE 152 {the second communication node} receives SIB1 and requests additional location information to connect to the HAP node and the network (Par. [0045])).
Regarding claim 17, Ananth teaches wherein at least one of: the second communication node is capable of at least one of transmitting data to the first communication node or receiving data from the first communication node; the second communication node is authorized to obtain the status information from the first communication node; the second communication node stores at least a portion of the status information ([0048] As the HAP node moves, the additional location information may be updated in the memory of the UE (e.g., UE 152) {second communication node} with location information based on a new current location of the HAP 114 node at a new current time.); the second communication node is free from access restriction with respect to the status information; or the second communication node obtains the status information as the first communication node provides updates to the status information.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roy, US 2020/0314914, in view Ananth, WO 2021-168485, further in view of Wang, US 2022/0110049.
Regarding claim 14, Roy does not specifically teach wherein obtaining the status information comprises: receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, an indication of negative link condition; and in response to receiving the update indication, re-acquiring, by the second communication node from the first communication node, updates to the status information.
In an analogous art, Wang teaches wherein obtaining the status information comprises:
receiving, by the second communication node from the first communication node, an indication of negative link condition ([0054-0055] In Fig. 2 step S103, the network device {first communication node} sends a second message to the terminal {second communication device}. This is after receiving the first message (S101) from the terminal where the signal quality is poor or below a signal quality threshold (Par. [0045])); and
in response to receiving the update indication, re-acquiring, by the second communication node from the first communication node, updates to the status information ([0056-0057] In Fig. 2 step S104, the terminal receives the second message from the network device an updated status information that can include the second location information or other parameters in response to receiving by the network device the first message in step S101 in Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the process of sending the update indication of Ananth to include process of sending the update indication to the second network device as taught by Wang. Doing so will improve the search and access efficiency of the terminal and enhance the user experience (Wang [0013]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Charles C Jiang whose telephone number is (571)270-7191. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5 pm Eastern Time.
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/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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