DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to the amendment dated 6/23/2026, for which the amendment and corresponding arguments filed on the same date have been entered. Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13 and 15 are currently pending in this application, with claims 1, 6 and 11 being independent. No claims have been amended, cancelled or added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/14/2025 have been fully considered, but are not persuasive.
On pages 5 and 6 of the arguments, the applicant argues that Cheng does not teach
“wherein, the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information”.
The reasons by the applicant for making this argument are:
Cheng, in the cited paragraph [0056], merely describes that a gNB-remote/DU transmits a failure indication to downstream nodes (e.g., UEs). However, Cheng, however, does NOT describe that the UE, upon receiving the failure indication, refrains from performing a handover. To be specific, in paragraph [0068], Cheng explicitly describes that the UE performs a handover to
a target cell upon receiving a "notification of network connection failure."
Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Regarding [0056], in step S804, the gNB-remote/DU does transmit a network connection failure indication to the downstream nodes (including attached UEs and attached gNB-remote/DUs) in response to having determined that the backhaul connection failure has occurred. This teaches the UE receives failure information, as required by the claims. Regarding the refraining from performing a handover upon occurrence of this failure, as explained in the cited [0054], the pre-configured handover configuration could be generated by the gNB-head/CU and sent to the UE. This configuration that is sent to the UE, as explained in [0055] associated identities that represent the candidate target cell for each of at least one candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration, where in step S802, the UE stores the received pre-configured handover configuration, the pre-configured handover configuration associated with a validity timer and the pre-configured handover configuration considered valid for a predetermined time window which is tracked by the validity timer, where after the expiration of the validity timer, the UE may not apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the subsequent handover as the pre-configured handover configuration is no longer considered valid.
In other words, the UE, after receiving the backhaul connection failure information, does not perform the handover to (refrains from handing over to) cells included amongst the identified target cells that, while included in the cell information received by the UE, are determined to be invalid, as evidenced by the backhaul connection failure indicating a failure to connect to the identified target cells during the
handover.
Regarding Applicant’s reference to [0068], this was not used in making the rejection of this limitation, and therefore, any argument corresponding to this paragraph is considered moot.
Therefore, Cheng teaches this limitation.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining
obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, et al (US PG Publication 2021/0195675), hereafter Park, in view of Cheng (US PG Publication 2020/0077310).
Regarding claim 1, Park teaches
a wireless terminal that communicates with an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) donor via an IAB node
([0411] The first network node may comprise an integrated access and backhaul donor (IAB-donor) (Hereafter, first network node/IAB-donor). The second network node may comprise an integrated access and backhaul node (IAB-node) (Hereafter, second network node/IAB-node))
[0414] At least one RRC message may be transmitted by the first network node/IAB-donor to the second network node/IAB-node via the first radio link. The second network node/IAB-node may forward the at least one RRC message to the wireless device via the second radio link),
the wireless terminal comprising:
receiver circuitry configured to receive:
node serving cell information including at least one identity of one or more cells served by the IAB node
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell);
a reconfiguration message comprising a conditional reconfiguration, the conditional reconfiguration comprising at least one identity of a target candidate cell
([0427] In an example, the wireless device may receive the backhaul link failure information via a RRC connection
reconfiguration message
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell), and
a backhaul (BH) radio link condition indication indicating radio link failure (RLF) between the IAB donor and the IAB node
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information indicating a failure of a first radio link established between the first network node/IAB-donor and the second network node/IAB-node); and
processor circuitry configured to, upon receiving the BH radio link condition indication, determine whether to trigger a conditional handover, configured by the conditional reconfiguration, based on the node serving cell information
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information indicating a failure of a first radio link established between the first network node/IAB-donor and the second network node/IAB-node
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell (e.g. the a causing the failure of the first radio link)
[0452] In response to determining the backhaul link failure the wireless device may select a second cell of the third network node for a radio resource control connection (e.g. RRC connection establishment and/or RRC connection reestablishment). In an example, the wireless device may select the second cell based on measurement results of one or more cells
(The wireless device determines whether to select candidate second cell, based on the backhaul link failure information and cell identifier of cell of the first radio link that is of the second network node/IAB-node, the selection based on measurement result (condition))).
Park does not teach
wherein, the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information.
In the same field of endeavor, Cheng teaches
wherein, the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information
([0054] The pre-configured handover configuration could be
generated by the gNB-head/CU and sent to the UE
[0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503). The pre-configured handover configuration could be associated with a validity timer. In other words, the pre-configured handover configuration is considered valid for a predetermined time window which is tracked by the validity timer. After the expiration of the validity timer, the UE may not apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the subsequent handover as the pre-configured handover configuration is no longer considered valid
[0056] In step S803, the gNB-remote/DU would determine whether a upstream backhaul connection failure along the gNB-head/CU and the gNB-remote/DU has occurred. In step S804, the gNB-remote/DU would transmit a network connection failure indication to the downstream nodes (including attached UEs and attached gNB-remote/DUs) in response to having determined that the backhaul connection failure has occurred
(The UE, after receiving the backhaul connection failure
information, does not perform the handover to cells included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover configuration (see [0032]).
Regarding claim 3, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the wireless terminal of claim 1.
Cheng further teaches
wherein, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is not
included in the node serving cell information, the BH radio link condition indication
triggers the conditional handover
([0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503)
[0057] In step S804, the downstream node UE 814 would perform a handover procedure in response to receiving the network connection failure indication from the serving gNB-remote/DU. UE may then apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the handover procedure in order to be handed over to a candidate target cell (e.g. eNB-remote 2/DU 2) assuming that the pre-configured handover configuration is valid
(The UE performs the handover to cells not included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover configuration (see [0032]).
Regarding claim 6, Park teaches an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node
([0411] The second network node may comprise an integrated access
and backhaul node (IAB-node) (Hereafter, second network node/IAB-node))
that communicates over at least two radio interfaces including a first interface and a second interface, the first interface being configured to establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with an IAB donor, the second interface being configured to serve one or more cells to communicate with a wireless terminal
([0407] The second network node/IAB-node may provide a primary cell for the wireless device
[0411] The first network node may comprise an integrated access and backhaul donor (IAB-donor) (Hereafter, first network node/IAB-donor)
[0414] At least one RRC message may be transmitted by the first network node/IAB-donor to the second network node/IAB-node via the first radio link. The second network node/IAB-node may forward the at least one RRC message to the wireless device via the second radio link),
the IAB node comprising:
processor circuitry configured to detect a radio link condition on the first interface
([0357] IAB-node may support mechanisms for detecting backhaul link failure
[0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, information indicating a failure of a first radio link); and
transmitter circuitry configured to transmit, based on the radio link condition, a backhaul (BH) radio link condition indication, via the one or more cells, indicating a radio link failure (RLF) between the IAB donor and the IAB node
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information indicating a failure of a first radio link established between the first network node/IAB-donor and the second network node/IAB-node),
wherein the BH radio link condition indication is configured to be used in conjunction with node serving cell information by the wireless terminal to determine whether to trigger a conditional handover to a target candidate cell, the node serving cell information including at least one identity of the one or more cells
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information indicating a failure of a first radio link established between the first network node/IAB-donor and the second network node/IAB-node
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell (e.g. the a causing the failure of the first radio link)
[0452] In response to determining the backhaul link failure the wireless device may select a second cell of the third network node for a radio resource control connection (e.g. RRC connection establishment and/or RRC connection reestablishment). In an example, the wireless device may select the second cell based on measurement results of one or more cells
(The wireless device determines whether to select candidate second cell, based on the backhaul link failure information and cell identifier of cell of the first radio link that is of the second network node/IAB-node, the
selection based on measurement result (condition))).
Park does not teach
the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information.
In the same field of endeavor, Cheng teaches
the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information
([0054] The pre-configured handover configuration could be generated by the gNB-head/CU and sent to the UE
[0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503). The pre-configured handover configuration could be associated with a validity timer. In other words, the pre-configured handover configuration is considered valid for a predetermined time window which is tracked by the validity timer. After the expiration of the validity timer, the UE may not apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the subsequent handover as the pre-configured handover configuration is no longer considered valid
[0056] In step S803, the gNB-remote/DU would determine whether a upstream backhaul connection failure along the gNB-head/CU and the gNB-remote/DU has occurred. In step S804, the gNB-remote/DU would transmit a network connection failure indication to the downstream nodes (including attached UEs and attached gNB-remote/DUs) in response to having determined that the backhaul connection failure has occurred
(The UE, after receiving the backhaul connection failure information, does not perform the handover to cells included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover
configuration (see [0032]).
Regarding claim 8, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the IAB node of claim 6.
Cheng further teaches
wherein, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is not included in the node serving cell information, the BH radio link condition indication triggers the conditional handover
([0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503)
[0057] In step S804, the downstream node UE 814 would perform a handover procedure in response to receiving the network connection failure indication from the serving gNB-remote/DU. UE may then apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the handover procedure in order to be handed over to a candidate target cell (e.g. eNB-remote 2/DU 2) assuming that the pre-configured handover configuration is valid
(The UE performs the handover to cells not included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng,
which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover configuration (see [0032]).
Regarding claim 11, Park teaches
an Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor that communicates with a wireless terminal via an IAB node
([0411] The first network node may comprise an integrated access and backhaul donor (IAB-donor) (Hereafter, first network node/IAB-donor). The second network node may comprise an integrated access and backhaul node (IAB-node) (Hereafter, second network node/IAB-node))
[0414] At least one RRC message may be transmitted by the first network node/IAB-donor to the second network node/IAB-node via the first radio link. The second network node/IAB-node may forward the at least one RRC message to the wireless device via the second radio link),
the IAB donor comprising:
processor circuitry configured to generate a reconfiguration message comprising a conditional reconfiguration, the conditional reconfiguration
comprising at least one identity of a target candidate cell
([0414] The at least one RRC message may be transmitted by the first network node/IAB-donor to the second network node/IAB-node and the second network node/IAB-node may forward/transmit the at least one RRC message to the wireless device
[0427] In an example, the wireless device may receive the backhaul link failure information via a RRC connection reconfiguration message
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell); and
transmitter circuitry configured to transmit the reconfiguration message to the wireless terminal
([0414] The at least one RRC message may be transmitted by the first network node/IAB-donor to the second network node/IAB-node and the second network node/IAB-node may forward/transmit the at least one RRC message to the wireless device
[0427] In an example, the wireless device may receive the backhaul link failure information via a RRC connection reconfiguration message),
wherein the conditional reconfiguration is configured to be used by the
wireless terminal, in conjunction with node serving cell information, to determine, upon receiving a backhaul (BH) radio link condition indication, from the IAB node, indicating radio link failure (RLF) between the IAB donor and the IAB node, whether to trigger a conditional handover to the target candidate cell, the node serving cell information including at least one identity of one or more cells served
by the IAB node
([0426] The wireless device may receive, from the second network node/IAB-node, a backhaul link failure information indicating a failure of a first radio link established between the first network node/IAB-donor and the second network node/IAB-node
[0427] In an example, the wireless device may receive the backhaul link failure information via a RRC connection reconfiguration message
[0428] The backhaul link failure information may comprise a cell identifier of a cell (e.g. the a causing the failure of the first radio link)
[0452] In response to determining the backhaul link failure the wireless device may select a second cell of the third network node for a radio resource control connection (e.g. RRC connection establishment and/or RRC connection reestablishment). In an example, the wireless device may select the second cell based on measurement results of one or more cells
(The wireless device determines whether to select candidate second cell, based on the backhaul link failure information received via a RRC connection reconfiguration message and cell identifier of cell of the first radio link that is of the second network node/IAB-node, the selection based on measurement result (condition))).
Park does not teach
the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information.
In the same field of endeavor, Cheng teaches
the wireless terminal refrains from triggering the conditional handover to the target candidate cell, after receiving the BH radio link condition indication, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is included in the node serving cell information
([0054] The pre-configured handover configuration could be generated by the gNB-head/CU and sent to the UE
[0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503). The pre-configured handover configuration could be associated with a validity timer. In other words, the pre-configured handover configuration is considered valid for a predetermined time window which is tracked by the validity timer. After the expiration of the validity timer, the UE may not apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the subsequent handover as the pre-configured handover configuration is no longer considered valid
[0056] In step S803, the gNB-remote/DU would determine whether a upstream backhaul connection failure along the gNB-head/CU and the gNB-remote/DU has occurred. In step S804, the gNB-remote/DU would transmit a network connection failure indication to the downstream nodes (including attached UEs and attached gNB-remote/DUs) in response to having determined that the backhaul connection failure has occurred
(The UE, after receiving the backhaul connection failure information, does not perform the handover to cells included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover configuration (see [0032]).
Regarding claim 13, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the IAB donor of claim 11.
Cheng further teaches
wherein, in a case that the at least one identity of the target candidate cell is not
included in the node serving cell information, the BH radio link condition indication triggers the conditional handover
([0055] The pre-configured handover configuration may include at least one
of: one or more candidate target cell(s) with each candidate target cell associated with a candidate target cell configuration including an associated identity that represent the candidate target cell. In step S802, the UE would store the received pre-configured handover configuration in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g. 503)
[0057] In step S804, the downstream node UE 814 would perform a handover procedure in response to receiving the network connection failure indication from the serving gNB-remote/DU. UE may then apply the pre-configured handover configuration to perform the handover procedure in order to be handed over to a candidate target cell (e.g. eNB-remote 2/DU 2) assuming that the pre-configured handover configuration is valid
(The UE performs the handover to cells not included amongst the identified target cells that are invalid)).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Cheng’s teaching of a mobile device that performs handover, based on RLF of an IAB node, including not performing handover after the RLF, for the benefit of a UE performing a handover procedure as the connection change procedure based on pre-configured handover configuration in response to having received network connection failure indication, based on valid pre-configured handover configuration (see [0032]).
Claims 5, 9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, in view of Cheng, and further in view of Hwang (US PG Publication 2023/0124364).
Regarding claim 5, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the wireless terminal of claim 1.
Park, in view of Cheng, does not teach
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed.
In the same field of endeavor, Hwang teaches
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed
([0013] According to another embodiment of the disclosure, when a radio link failure occurs, when performing re-establishment, if information of cells connected to an old IAB donor is provided, a terminal re-accesses a cell connected to the old IAB donor, if possible, when accessing a network again later
[0267] FIG. 14 is an operation for the MT not to perform cell selection to a cell of its own lower IAB node during re-establishment).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Hwang’s teaching of recovery failure of an IAB node, for the benefit of performing failure recovery through conditional handover in case of a failure of an IAB node in a wireless communication system (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 9, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the IAB node of claim 6.
Park, in view of Cheng, does not teach
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed.
In the same field of endeavor, Hwang teaches
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed
([0013] According to another embodiment of the disclosure, when a radio link failure occurs, when performing re-establishment, if information of cells connected to an old IAB donor is provided, a terminal re-accesses a cell connected to the old IAB donor, if possible, when accessing a network again later
[0267] FIG. 14 is an operation for the MT not to perform cell selection to a cell of its own lower IAB node during re-establishment).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Hwang’s teaching of recovery failure of an IAB node, for the benefit of performing failure recovery through conditional handover in case of a failure of an IAB node in a wireless communication system (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 15, Park, in view of Cheng, teaches the IAB donor of claim 11.
Park, in view of Cheng, does not teach
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed.
In the same field of endeavor, Hwang teaches
wherein the BH radio link condition indication further indicates that a recovery procedure for the RLF detected on a radio link between the IAB donor and the IAB node has also failed
([0013] According to another embodiment of the disclosure, when a radio link failure occurs, when performing re-establishment, if information of cells connected to an old IAB donor is provided, a terminal re-accesses a cell connected to the old IAB donor, if possible, when accessing a network again later
[0267] FIG. 14 is an operation for the MT not to perform cell selection to a cell of its own lower IAB node during re-establishment).
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 invention of Park, in view of Cheng, which includes a mobile device that performs handover based on configuration conditions during communication with a backhaul and donor node, to include Hwang’s teaching of recovery failure of an IAB node, for the benefit of performing failure recovery through conditional handover in case of a failure of an IAB node in a wireless communication system (see [0002]).
Conclusion
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art not Applied
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jung, et al (US PG Publication 2025/0106925), hereafter Jung, teaches a method and apparatus for failure notification on backhaul link in wireless communication system.
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 extension fee 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 Examiner Frank Donado whose telephone number is (571) 270-5361. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays through Fridays between 8 am and 4 pm.
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/FRANK E. DONADO/Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/Rafael Pérez-Gutiérrez/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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