DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s response filed on 02/06/2026 has been entered and made of record.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Status
Claims 1, 8, 10 and 16-17 are amended.
No new claims is/are added.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 14-21 and 23-24 are pending for examination.
Applicant Argument
Applicant’s arguments (remark page 11-13), filed on 02/06/2026, with respect to claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 14-21 and 23-24 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection below which better address the claimed invention as amended.
This Office Action is made Final.
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, 10, and 17 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, 10 and 17 recite ‘information about a BAP entity that is allocated by the source CU’ and ‘internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU’. The Examiner cannot find the support of the claimed limitations in the specification. There is no information in all of the drawings and its related specification about the migration request message includes BAP entity that is allocated by the source CU and the internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU. Therefore, the written disclosure does not support to newly added limitation as recited in claims 1, 10 and 17 since the written disclosure fails to recite the claimed subject matter of newly added limitation. Accordingly, the newly added limitation is not supported by the specification.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 14-21 and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsieh et al. (US 20210227435 A1), hereinafter “Hsieh”, in view of Akl et al. (US 20210360491 A1), hereinafter “Akl”, and in view of Teyeb et al. (US 20220264383 A1), hereinafter “Teyeb”.
Per claim 1, 10, 17, 18, 19 and 20:
Claim 1 is a method about source CU, claim 10 is method about target CU and claim 17 is method about IAB node. Claim 18 is an CU implements the method of claim 1, claim 19 is a CU implements the method of claim 10 and claim 20 is a IAB node implements the method of claim 17.
Regarding claim 1, Hsieh teaches ‘A network migration method’ (Hsieh: [0007]: “methods for maintaining communication interfaces through handover of a node base station from a source donor base station to a target donor base station”);
‘wherein the method comprises:
sending, by a source centralized unit CU, a migration request message to a target CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “Target CU”: “Handover Request 904”, migration request message from source CU to target CU);
‘wherein the migration request message comprises first target information, and the first target information is context information of a migrating integrated access backhaul IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”);
‘receiving, by the source CU, a migration response message sent by the target CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Target CU” to “Source CU”: “Handover Request Ackn 906”, source CU may receive a migration response message from target CU);
‘wherein the migration response message comprises first configuration information, and the first configuration information is information for network migration configured by the target CU for the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0121]: “The Target CU 860 sends the Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message) to the Source CU 810 in the Handover Request Acknowledgement message”; [0044]: “performs handover of the DU”; the response message may comprise configuration information for the DU configured by target CU);
‘sending, by the source CU, the first configuration information to the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “IAB-Node DU”: “First Interface Message 908”; [0125]: “the first interface message … may include configuration information”);
‘wherein the first configuration information is for use by the IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context … the UE Context Modification Request message may include configuration information”; [0044]: “In IAB-Node handover, a Source IAB-Donor, which includes a Central Unit connected to a Distributed Unit (DU) of an IAB-Node, performs handover of the DU (and any IAB-Nodes and UE devices connected thereto) to a Central Unit (CU) of a Target IAB-Donor”; configuration information may be for use by the IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the DU);
‘radio access network RAN based notification area code RANAC information of the DU, uplink and downlink load of the DU, power distribution information between the DU and an MT of the IAB node, or guard symbol information corresponding to the DU’ (these are still optional because of “or”);
‘the migration request message further comprises third target information, and the third target information is relevant context information of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information … Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node”; request message may include context information of the IAB node);
‘the third target information comprises at least one of the following: information about a BAP entity that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node, local offloading configuration information of the IAB node, congestion status information of a route or BH RLC channel’ (these are optional).
Hsieh does not expressly teach, but Akl in the same field of endeavor teaches ‘context information of a distributed unit DU’ (Akl: [FIG.6]; [0035]: “context transfer request, a cell identifier that may be associated with the first donor node for a cell served by a DU function of the relay node”; [0190]: “The CU 610-a may also migrate the DU 630-a of the IAB relay node 620. However, migration of the DU 630-a may include a change in NCGI or PCI of cells served by the DU 630-a. … DU function (e.g., the DU 630) may change based on a cell it serves, a physical location, or the like. Thus, an NCGI or PCI or both for the DU 630-b (e.g., the DU function of the IAB relay node 620 if connected to the CU 610-a) may be different than the NCGI, PCI, or both for the DU 630-a”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl does not expressly teach, but Teyeb in the same field of endeavor teaches ‘tracking area code TAC information of the DU’ (Teyeb: [Table 1]: “TAC”, “Tracking Area Code”; “Cell Information NR IE from TS 38.423 (v15.4.0) is shown in Table 1”; [FIG.1]: “gNB-DU”, TAC for a DU (cell)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.4]: “IP Layer”; [FIG.5]: “IP”; [FIG.8]: “Source CU”, “Target CU”; [0070]: “The IP layer 416 specifies how the data from the application layer 420 is transferred to a destination node. The TCP/UDP layer 418 is used to verify that data packets intended to be transferred to the destination node reached the destination node, using either TCP or UDP for data transfers”; [0075]: “an IP layer 516, and a L1/L2 control channel 518. In the first F1*-U protocol stack 520 and in the second F1*-U protocol stack 530, F1*-U runs over RLC-channels on the wireless backhaul between the MT on the serving IAB-Node and the DU on the IAB-Donor. The first F1*-U protocol stack 520 may carry a GTP-U header 522 for the end-to-end association between CU and DU”; [0115]: “the Source CU 810 generates and sends a Handover Request message 904 to the Target CU 860 requesting preparation of resources for handover. In aspects, the Handover Request message 904 may carry current configuration information from the Source IAB-Donor 123. The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include … Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node”; [0132]: “the Source CU 810 may provide configuration information in a message to the IAB-Node”, a procedure of migrating from a network controlled by the source CU. Akl: [0211]: “the donor node 205-g may transmit, to the donor node 205-h, a message requesting an indication of a migration procedure identifier. The migration procedure identifier may be, for example, a routing identifier for the relay node 205-f, such as an IP address or BAP address information allocated to the relay node”; [0100]: “a first IAB donor node may perform a handover procedure to transfer a child node, such as an IAB relay node, to another IAB donor node. The first donor node may also transfer any child nodes or devices downstream of the relay node. During the handover, aspects of the relay node's configuration may change”. Teyeb: [0109]: “IP address allocation to IAB-node for adapt interface, which is routable from wireline fronthaul via adapt route”; [0110]-[0111]: “The IP address must be specific to IAB-donor DU so that CU can send IP packets to IAB-node via this specific IAB-donor DU … If IP assignment is done by CU, the CU must know IAB-donor-DU's available IP address pool for IAB nodes”. source CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with source Donor DU and target CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with target Donor DU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of IP address allocated to relay node and Teyeb’s teaching of IP assignment by CU with that of Hsieh for the migration request message to include internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node in order to adjust DU function based on IP address when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 10, Hsieh teaches ‘A network migration method’ (Hsieh: [0007]: “methods for maintaining communication interfaces through handover of a node base station from a source donor base station to a target donor base station”);
‘wherein the method comprises:
receiving, by a target centralized unit CU, a migration request message sent by a source CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “Target CU”: “Handover Request 904”, migration request message from source CU to target CU);
‘wherein the migration request message comprises first target information, and the first target information is context information of a migrating integrated access backhaul IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”);
‘sending, by the target CU, a migration response message to the source CU according to the migration request message’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Target CU” to “Source CU”: “Handover Request Ackn 906”, target CU may send a migration response message to source CU);
‘wherein the migration response message comprises first configuration information, and the first configuration information is information for network migration configured by the target CU for the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0121]: “The Target CU 860 sends the Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message) to the Source CU 810 in the Handover Request Acknowledgement message”; [0044]: “performs handover of the DU”; the response message may comprise configuration information for the DU configured by target CU);
‘radio access network RAN based notification area code RANAC information of the DU, uplink and downlink information of the DU, uplink and downlink load of the DU, power distribution information between the DU and an MT of the IAB node, or guard symbol information corresponding to the DU’ (these are still optional because of “or”);
‘the migration request message further comprises third target information, and the third target information is relevant context information of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information … Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node”; request message may include context information of the IAB node);
‘the third target information comprises at least one of the following: information about a BAP entity that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node, local offloading configuration information of the IAB node, congestion status information of a route or BH RLC channel’ (these are optional).
Hsieh does not expressly teach, but Akl teaches ‘context information of a distributed unit DU’ (Akl: [FIG.6]; [0035]: “context transfer request, a cell identifier that may be associated with the first donor node for a cell served by a DU function of the relay node”; [0190]: “The CU 610-a may also migrate the DU 630-a of the IAB relay node 620. However, migration of the DU 630-a may include a change in NCGI or PCI of cells served by the DU 630-a. … DU function (e.g., the DU 630) may change based on a cell it serves, a physical location, or the like. Thus, an NCGI or PCI or both for the DU 630-b (e.g., the DU function of the IAB relay node 620 if connected to the CU 610-a) may be different than the NCGI, PCI, or both for the DU 630-a”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl does not expressly teach, but Teyeb teaches ‘tracking area code TAC information of the DU’ (Teyeb: [Table 1]: “TAC”, “Tracking Area Code”; “Cell Information NR IE from TS 38.423 (v15.4.0) is shown in Table 1”; [FIG.1]: “gNB-DU”, TAC for a DU (cell)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.4]: “IP Layer”; [FIG.5]: “IP”; [FIG.8]: “Source CU”, “Target CU”; [0070]: “The IP layer 416 specifies how the data from the application layer 420 is transferred to a destination node. The TCP/UDP layer 418 is used to verify that data packets intended to be transferred to the destination node reached the destination node, using either TCP or UDP for data transfers”; [0075]: “an IP layer 516, and a L1/L2 control channel 518. In the first F1*-U protocol stack 520 and in the second F1*-U protocol stack 530, F1*-U runs over RLC-channels on the wireless backhaul between the MT on the serving IAB-Node and the DU on the IAB-Donor. The first F1*-U protocol stack 520 may carry a GTP-U header 522 for the end-to-end association between CU and DU”; [0115]: “the Source CU 810 generates and sends a Handover Request message 904 to the Target CU 860 requesting preparation of resources for handover. In aspects, the Handover Request message 904 may carry current configuration information from the Source IAB-Donor 123. The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include … Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node”; [0132]: “the Source CU 810 may provide configuration information in a message to the IAB-Node”, a procedure of migrating from a network controlled by the source CU. Akl: [0211]: “the donor node 205-g may transmit, to the donor node 205-h, a message requesting an indication of a migration procedure identifier. The migration procedure identifier may be, for example, a routing identifier for the relay node 205-f, such as an IP address or BAP address information allocated to the relay node”; [0100]: “a first IAB donor node may perform a handover procedure to transfer a child node, such as an IAB relay node, to another IAB donor node. The first donor node may also transfer any child nodes or devices downstream of the relay node. During the handover, aspects of the relay node's configuration may change”. Teyeb: [0109]: “IP address allocation to IAB-node for adapt interface, which is routable from wireline fronthaul via adapt route”; [0110]-[0111]: “The IP address must be specific to IAB-donor DU so that CU can send IP packets to IAB-node via this specific IAB-donor DU … If IP assignment is done by CU, the CU must know IAB-donor-DU's available IP address pool for IAB nodes”. source CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with source Donor DU and target CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with target Donor DU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of IP address allocated to relay node and Teyeb’s teaching of IP assignment by CU with that of Hsieh for the migration request message to include internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node in order to adjust DU function based on IP address when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 18, Hsieh teaches ‘A centralized unit CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.5]: “gNB-CU”);
‘comprising a processor, a memory’ (Hsieh: FIG.3]; [0061]: “processor(s) 360 and computer-readable storage media”);
‘a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor’ (Hsieh: [0061]: ‘applications, and/or an operating system … are executable by processor(s)”).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘the steps of the network migration method according to claim 1 are implemented’ (discussed in claim 1 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of context information of a distributed unit DU with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node and combine Teyeb’s teaching of TAC of the DU with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 19, Hsieh teaches ‘A centralized unit CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.5]: “gNB-CU”);
‘comprising a processor, a memory’ (Hsieh: FIG.3]; [0061]: “processor(s) 360 and computer-readable storage media”);
‘a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor’ (Hsieh: [0061]: ‘applications, and/or an operating system … are executable by processor(s)”).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘the steps of the network migration method according to claim 10 are implemented’ (discussed in claim 10 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of context information of a distributed unit DU with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node and combine Teyeb’s teaching of TAC of the DU with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in claim 10 above).
Regarding claim 17, Hsieh teaches ‘A network migration method’ (Hsieh: [0007]: “methods for maintaining communication interfaces through handover of a node base station from a source donor base station to a target donor base station”);
‘wherein the method comprises:
receiving, by an integrated access backhaul IAB node, first configuration information sent by a source centralized unit CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “IAB-Node DU”: “First Interface Message 908”; [0125]: “the first interface message … may include configuration information”);
‘wherein the first configuration information is information for network migration configured by a target CU for a distributed unit DU of the IAB node’ ((Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context … the UE Context Modification Request message may include configuration information”; [0044]: “In IAB-Node handover, a Source IAB-Donor, which includes a Central Unit connected to a Distributed Unit (DU) of an IAB-Node, performs handover of the DU (and any IAB-Nodes and UE devices connected thereto) to a Central Unit (CU) of a Target IAB-Donor”);
‘implementing, by the IAB node, a migration procedure of the DU according to the first configuration information’ ([0133]: “Responsive to receiving the configuration information, the IAB-Node DU 836 performs a TNL connection setup procedure and creates Transport Network Layer (TNL) connectivity toward the Target CU 860. After creating TNL connectivity toward the Target CU 860, the IAB-Node DU 836 implements a wireless backhaul link 815 (Un 815) with the Target CU 860 utilizing the TNL connectivity”, IAB node may implement a migration procedure of the DU based on the configuration information).
‘wherein the first configuration information is the information for network migration configured by the target CU for the DU of the IAB node based on first target information sent by the CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0121]: “The Target CU 860 sends the Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message) to the Source CU 810 in the Handover Request Acknowledgement message”; [0044]: “performs handover of the DU”; the configuration information for network migration configured by the target CU for the DU of the IAB node based on target information sent by the CU);
‘the first target information is context information of the migrating IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”; context information of the migrating IAB node);
‘wherein the first target information comprises at least one of the following: system information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0071]: “system information”; [0064]-[0074]: system information of the DU (system information of gNB for gNB with CU/DU architecture); [0115]: “IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”; the target information would include the system information of the DU among RAN context information for target RAN access);
‘radio access network RAN based notification area code RANAC information of the DU, uplink and downlink load of the DU, power distribution information between the DU and an MT of the IAB node, or guard symbol information corresponding to the DU’ (these are still optional because of “or”);
‘the first configuration information is comprised in a migration response message, and the migration response message is sent by the target CU in response to a migration request message from the source CU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: step 906: “Target CU” -> “Source CU”: “Handover Request Ackn”; step 910: “Source CU” to “IAB-Node DU”: “First Interface Message 908”; [0118]: “The Handover Request Acknowledgement message 906 informs the Source CU 810 about the prepared resources at the Target IAB-Donor”; [0119]: “if the Target CU 860 accepts the handover, the Target CU 860 generates a Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message, RRCConnectionReconfiguration message) for the IAB-Node 832 (and connected UE) to handover to the Target IAB-Donor”; [0120]: “the Handover Command message includes the RRC configuration of the IAB-Node 832. In aspects, the Handover Command message includes the RRC configuration of the IAB-Node 832 and the UE 110 connected to the IAB-Node 832. In aspects, the Handover Command message directs subtending IAB-Nodes (e.g., subtending IAB-Node 842) held by the IAB-Node 832 to handover to the Target IAB-Donor”; [0129]: “the first interface message 908 may carry one or more Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages (e.g., Handover Command message, RRC Reconfiguration message) for UE. In aspects, RRC messages carried in the first interface message 908 include one or more of an RRC Handover Command message for UE 110 connected to the IAB-Node 832 to perform handover to the Target IAB-Donor 125, an RRC Handover Command message for the UE 110 connected to subtending IAB-Nodes (e.g., IAB-Node 842) to perform handover to the Target IAB-Donor 125, or an RRC Handover Command message for the IAB-Node 832 to perform handover to the Target IAB-Donor”);
‘the migration request message comprises third target information, and the third target information is relevant context information of the IAB node; and the third target information comprises at least one of the following: information about a BAP entity that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node, local offloading configuration information of the IAB node, congestion status information of a route or BH RLC channel’ (these are optional).
Hsieh does not expressly teach, but Akl teaches ‘context information of the DU’ (Akl: [FIG.6]; [0035]: “context transfer request, a cell identifier that may be associated with the first donor node for a cell served by a DU function of the relay node”; [0190]: “The CU 610-a may also migrate the DU 630-a of the IAB relay node 620. However, migration of the DU 630-a may include a change in NCGI or PCI of cells served by the DU 630-a. … DU function (e.g., the DU 630) may change based on a cell it serves, a physical location, or the like. Thus, an NCGI or PCI or both for the DU 630-b (e.g., the DU function of the IAB relay node 620 if connected to the CU 610-a) may be different than the NCGI, PCI, or both for the DU 630-a”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl does not expressly teach, but Teyeb teaches ‘tracking area code TAC information of the DU’ (Teyeb: [Table 1]: “TAC”, “Tracking Area Code”; “Cell Information NR IE from TS 38.423 (v15.4.0) is shown in Table 1”; [FIG.1]: “gNB-DU”, TAC for a DU (cell)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in element above).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.4]: “IP Layer”; [FIG.5]: “IP”; [FIG.8]: “Source CU”, “Target CU”; [0070]: “The IP layer 416 specifies how the data from the application layer 420 is transferred to a destination node. The TCP/UDP layer 418 is used to verify that data packets intended to be transferred to the destination node reached the destination node, using either TCP or UDP for data transfers”; [0075]: “an IP layer 516, and a L1/L2 control channel 518. In the first F1*-U protocol stack 520 and in the second F1*-U protocol stack 530, F1*-U runs over RLC-channels on the wireless backhaul between the MT on the serving IAB-Node and the DU on the IAB-Donor. The first F1*-U protocol stack 520 may carry a GTP-U header 522 for the end-to-end association between CU and DU”; [0115]: “the Source CU 810 generates and sends a Handover Request message 904 to the Target CU 860 requesting preparation of resources for handover. In aspects, the Handover Request message 904 may carry current configuration information from the Source IAB-Donor 123. The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include … Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node”; [0132]: “the Source CU 810 may provide configuration information in a message to the IAB-Node”, a procedure of migrating from a network controlled by the source CU. Akl: [0211]: “the donor node 205-g may transmit, to the donor node 205-h, a message requesting an indication of a migration procedure identifier. The migration procedure identifier may be, for example, a routing identifier for the relay node 205-f, such as an IP address or BAP address information allocated to the relay node”; [0100]: “a first IAB donor node may perform a handover procedure to transfer a child node, such as an IAB relay node, to another IAB donor node. The first donor node may also transfer any child nodes or devices downstream of the relay node. During the handover, aspects of the relay node's configuration may change”. Teyeb: [0109]: “IP address allocation to IAB-node for adapt interface, which is routable from wireline fronthaul via adapt route”; [0110]-[0111]: “The IP address must be specific to IAB-donor DU so that CU can send IP packets to IAB-node via this specific IAB-donor DU … If IP assignment is done by CU, the CU must know IAB-donor-DU's available IP address pool for IAB nodes”. source CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with source Donor DU and target CU would assign IP address to IAB node associated with target Donor DU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of IP address allocated to relay node and Teyeb’s teaching of IP assignment by CU with that of Hsieh for the migration request message to include internet protocol IP address information that is allocated by the source CU and corresponds to the IAB node in order to adjust DU function based on IP address when migrating IAB node (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 20, Hsieh teaches ‘An integrated access backhaul IAB node’ (Hsieh: [0075]: “IAB-Node”);
‘comprising a processor, a memory’ (Hsieh: FIG.3]; [0061]: “processor(s) 360 and computer-readable storage media”);
‘a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor’ (Hsieh: [0061]: ‘applications, and/or an operating system … are executable by processor(s)”).
Combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches ‘the steps of the network migration method according to claim 17 are implemented’ (discussed in claim 17 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include context information such as cell identifier for a DU among the IAB node context information in order to adjust DU function based on NCGI or PCI when migrating IAB node and combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in claim 17 above).
Per claim 2 and 11:
Regarding claim 2, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl teaches ‘wherein the migration request message further comprises second target information, and the second target information is context information of a mobile termination MT of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0095]: “Source DU 822 supports the MT function 834 of IAB-Node 832 via a wireless backhaul link”; [FIG.9]; [0115]: “The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information, capability information for one or more connected User Equipment (UE), context information for one or more connected UE”. Akl: [0007]: “context transfer request associated with an MT function of a relay node”);
‘the migration response message further comprises second configuration information, and the second configuration information is information for network migration configured by the target CU for the MT’ (Hsieh: [0121]: “The Target CU 860 sends the Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message) to the Source CU 810 in the Handover Request Acknowledgement message”. Akl: [FIG.6]; [0194]: “the CU 610-b first perform an MT context transfer”, response message may include configuration information configured by the target CU for the MT);
‘sending, by the source CU, the second configuration information to the IAB node, wherein the second configuration information is for use by the IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the MT’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “IAB-Node DU”: “Fist Interface Message 908”; [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context … the UE Context Modification Request message may include configuration information”. Akl: [FIG.6]; [0194]: “perform an MT context transfer”, the configuration information may be for use by IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the MT).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of context associated with an MT function of relay node with that of Hsieh in order to perform MT context transfer (Akl: [0194]: “perform an MT context transfer”).
Regarding claim 11, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 10 (discussed above).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl teaches ‘wherein the migration request message further comprises second target information, and the second target information is context information of a mobile termination MT of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0095]: “Source DU 822 supports the MT function 834 of IAB-Node 832 via a wireless backhaul link”; [FIG.9]; [0115]: “The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information, capability information for one or more connected User Equipment (UE), context information for one or more connected UE”. Akl: [0007]: “context transfer request associated with an MT function of a relay node”);
‘the migration response message further comprises second configuration information, and the second configuration information is information for network migration configured by the target CU for the MT’ (Hsieh: [0121]: “The Target CU 860 sends the Handover Command message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message) to the Source CU 810 in the Handover Request Acknowledgement message”. Akl: [FIG.6]; [0194]: “the CU 610-b first perform an MT context transfer”, response message may include configuration information configured by the target CU for the MT);
‘sending, by the source CU, the second configuration information to the IAB node, wherein the second configuration information is for use by the IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the MT’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “Source CU” to “IAB-Node DU”: “Fist Interface Message 908”; [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context … the UE Context Modification Request message may include configuration information”. Akl: [FIG.6]; [0194]: “perform an MT context transfer”, the configuration information may be for use by IAB node to implement a migration procedure of the MT).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching of context associated with an MT function of relay node with that of Hsieh in order to perform MT context transfer (Akl: [0194]: “perform an MT context transfer”).
Per claim 3 and 12:
Regarding claim 3, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 2 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘signaling radio bearer SRB information’ (Hsieh: [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context (e.g., signaling radio bearer (SRB)”).
Regarding claim 12, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 10 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘signaling radio bearer SRB information’ (Hsieh: [0125]: “the first interface message 908 initiates a UE Context Setup procedure for establishing or modifying the UE Context (e.g., signaling radio bearer (SRB)”).
Per claim 4 and 21:
Regarding claim 4, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Hsieh does not expressly teach, but Akl teaches ‘backhaul adaptation protocol BAP entity configuration information’ (Akl: [0198]: “the identifier may include address information … backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) address”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include BAP address in the migration message in order to correlate the context (Akl: [0198]: “the identifier may include address information … such an identifier may indicate to the CU 610-b that the context transfer requests are correlated”).
Regarding claim 21, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 10 (discussed above).
Hsieh does not expressly teach, but Akl teaches ‘backhaul adaptation protocol BAP entity configuration information’ (Akl: [0198]: “the identifier may include address information … backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) address”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Akl’s teaching with that of Hsieh to include BAP address in the migration message in order to correlate the context (Akl: [0198]: “the identifier may include address information … such an identifier may indicate to the CU 610-b that the context transfer requests are correlated”).
Per claim 6 and 14:
Regarding claim 6, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘system information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0071]: “system information”; [0064]-[0074]: system information of the DU); ‘synchronization signal block SSB information of the DU, or physical cell identifier PCI information of the DU’ (these are optional);
‘master system information block MIB information’ (this is optional);
‘other SIB information, wherein the other SIB information is SIB information other than the target SIB information’ (these are optional);
‘the system information of the DU comprises at least one of the following: bandwidth part BWP configuration information corresponding to the DU, carrier configuration information corresponding to the DU, and slice configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (these are optional);
‘general random access configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]: “IAB-Node”, “DU”; [0115]: “IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”; [0185]: would include general random access configuration information corresponding to the DU among RAN context information for target RAN access);
‘paging configuration information corresponding to the DU, neighboring cell information corresponding to the DU, cell selection configuration information corresponding to the DU, broadcast message transmission configuration information corresponding to the DU, and radio resource configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (these are optional).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl does not expressly teach, but Teyeb in the same field of endeavor ‘target system information block SIB information’ (Teyeb: [0227]:” the IAB capability of a cell is broadcast in system information block”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to broadcast the IAB capability of a cell (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 14, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 10 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘system information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0071]: “system information”); ‘synchronization signal block SSB information of the DU, or physical cell identifier PCI information of the DU’ (these are optional);
‘master system information block MIB information’ (this is optional);
‘other SIB information, wherein the other SIB information is SIB information other than the target SIB information’ (these are optional);
‘the system information of the DU comprises at least one of the following: bandwidth part BWP configuration information corresponding to the DU, carrier configuration information corresponding to the DU, and slice configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (these are optional);
‘general random access configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]: “IAB-Node”, “DU”; [0115]: “IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”; [0185]: would include general random access configuration information corresponding to the DU among RAN context information for target RAN access);
‘paging configuration information corresponding to the DU, neighboring cell information corresponding to the DU, cell selection configuration information corresponding to the DU, broadcast message transmission configuration information corresponding to the DU, and radio resource configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (these are optional).
Combination of Hsieh and Akl does not expressly teach, but Teyeb in the same field of endeavor ‘target system information block SIB information’ (Teyeb: [0227]:” the IAB capability of a cell is broadcast in system information block”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to broadcast the IAB capability of a cell (see reference quotes in element above).
Per claim 7 and 15:
Regarding claim 7, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘the capability information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “IAB-Node capability information”; [0074]: “Integration of CU/DU Architecture and Integrated Access and Backhaul”; capability information of the DU for CU/DU architecture); ‘indication information whether the DU supports EN-DC’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0049]: “E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC)”, may indicate whether the DU supports EN-DC).
Regarding claim 15, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 13 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘capability information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “IAB-Node capability information”; [0074]: “Integration of CU/DU Architecture and Integrated Access and Backhaul”; capability information of the DU for CU/DU architecture); ‘indication information whether the DU supports EN-DC’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0049]: “E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC)”, may indicate whether the DU supports EN-DC).
Per claim 8 and 16:
Regarding claim 8, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘routing configuration information of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.5]; [0075]: “IAB-Node … an enhanced RLC layer/adaption layer 532 (RLC*/Adapt* 532), which holds routing information”).
Regarding claim 16, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 10 (discussed above).
Hsieh teaches ‘routing configuration information of the IAB node’ (Hsieh: [FIG.5]; [0075]: “IAB-Node … an enhanced RLC layer/adaption layer 532 (RLC*/Adapt* 532), which holds routing information”).
Regarding claim 23, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Combination of Hsieh and Teyeb teaches ‘wherein the first target information further comprises: system information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.8]; [0127]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0071]: “system information”; [0064]-[0074]: system information of the DU; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”);
‘wherein the system information of the DU is any one of the following: master system information block MIB information’ (this is optional);
‘target system information block SIB information’ (Teyeb: [0227]: “the IAB capability of a cell is broadcast in system information block”);
‘other SIB information, wherein the other SIB information is SIB information other than the target SIB information’ (these are optional);
‘the system information of the DU comprises at least one of the following: bandwidth part BWP configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (this optional);
‘carrier configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (Teyeb: [TABLE 1]: carrier configuration information: “NR Frequency Info”, “NR Transmission Bandwidth”, “FDD Info”, “TDD Info”; [0201]: “Cell Information NR IE from TS 38.423 (v15.4.0) is shown in Table 1”; [FIG.1]: “gNB-DU”; carrier configuration of the DU (cell));
‘slice configuration information corresponding to the DU, or paging configuration information corresponding to the DU’ (these are optional).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching of cell information with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in element above).
Regarding claim 24, combination of Hsieh, Akl and Teyeb teaches the method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Combination of Hsieh and Teyeb teaches ‘wherein the first target information further comprises capability information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0115]: “The configuration information in the Handover Request message 904 may include handover preparation information (e.g., in a HandoverPreparationInformation message). The handover preparation information may include at least one of: IAB-Node capability information, IAB-Node Radio Access Network (RAN) context information”);
‘the capability information of the DU comprises at least one of the following: scheduling/transmission/reception processing latency of the DU’ (this is optional);
‘radio frequency information of the DU’ (Hsieh: [FIG.9]: “IAB-Node DU”; [0060]: “radio frequency”. Teyeb: [TABLE 1]: “NR Frequency Info”; [0201]: “Cell Information NR IE from TS 38.423 (v15.4.0) is shown in Table 1”; [FIG.1]: “gNB-DU”; radio frequency information of the DU (cell));
‘band and carrier supported by the DU, dynamic power adjustment range of the DU, multiplexing pattern supported by the DU, subcarrier spacing SCS information supported by an antenna configuration corresponding to the DU, preemptive buffer status report BSR function information corresponding to the DU, or downlink hop by hop flow control function information of the DU’ (these are optional).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Teyeb’s teaching of cell information with that of combination of Hsieh and Akl in order to conform to 3GPP specification for promotion of corroboration and inter-operation (see reference quotes in element above).
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.
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/G.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2462
/YEMANE MESFIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2462