DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicants' amendment received on 06/11/2025.
Claim Status
Claims 35-52 are currently presenting for examination.
This action has been made NON-FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicants' arguments filed 06/11/2025 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
As a show of good faith to compact prosecution, Examiner had also provided alternate rejections for claims 51-52 since these claims are very broad.
Examiner did not receive any amended Figures 1 to 6E, as thus the objections to the drawings is maintained.
Drawings
Figures 1 to 6E should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 51 is objected to because of the following reason: the phrase “are configured configured to” is unclear.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 48 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 48 is indefinite because there are insufficient antecedent basis for the following limitations:
“the subset” (claim 48)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 35-38, 43-44, 47-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Diao, US 20220369190.
For claim 35. Diao teaches: A method performed by a first radio network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network, the method comprising: (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64)
receiving, from a second radio network node, an indication indicating whether handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node is confirmed or not, wherein the indication indicates whether a migrating node and/or one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node, are accepted or cancelled for handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node; (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 25, 44, 62, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request, the target donor CU performs admission control… On the other hand, if the target donor CU can only accept a subset of the IAB nodes and UEs, then the target donor CU sends a handover request acknowledgment message to the original donor CU, which includes the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID assigned to the MTs and UEs. In particular, the handover request acknowledgment message includes the Source NG-RAN node UE XnAP IDs of the accepted IAB-MTs and UEs, the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the migrating IAB node, and the RRC Reconfiguration message for the accepted downstream IAB nodes… In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request acknowledgment message, the original donor CU sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected.”; original donor CU (first radio network node) receives handover request acknowledgment message from target donor CU (second radio network node); as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
and determining to cancel handover or cell reselection of a subset of the one or more other nodes based the received indication. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 44, 62-64, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request acknowledgment message, the original donor CU sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node. If the acknowledgment message also contains the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the downstream nodes and the UE, the original IAB node first sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to these nodes and UEs, and finally sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected. In this scenario, one of the two following procedures may be implemented… The original donor CU sends an RRC message to the rejected IAB nodes. This RRC message includes: A cause that indicates that the (downstream) IAB node cannot be switched with the parent node”)
For claim 36. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 35, and Dao further teaches: further comprising transmitting, to the second radio network node, a message related to the handover or the cell reselection of the migrating node to the second radio network node, wherein the message comprises data associated with the migrating node and data related to the one or more other nodes directly and indirectly served by the migrating node. (Dao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 24, “In some embodiments, and after the original donor CU collects all the IAB nodes and UEs to be switched, it sends a handover request to the target donor CU. In an example, the handover request includes an Xn application protocol (Xn-AP) ID assigned by the original donor CU to all MTs and UEs, the context info of each UE and MT, the established backhaul (BH) RLC channel ID, and BH RLC channel quality-of-service (QoS) information. In some embodiments, the keys of all MTs and UEs (except for that of the migrating IAB node that will be assigned a new key by the target donor CU) may be included in the handover request.”; as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 37. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 35, and Diao further teaches: wherein determining to cancel handover or cell reselection of the subset of the one or more other nodes is further based on one or more parameters. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 62-64, “For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected. In this scenario, one of the two following procedures may be implemented. Implementation 1: If the original donor CU has received the measurement report of these rejected IAB nodes, it can instruct these IAB nodes to switch. If the original donor CU has not received the measurement report of these IAB nodes, then these IAB nodes can report the measurement report and then switch.”)
For claim 38. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 37, and Diao further teaches: wherein the one or more parameters comprise: architecture of the one or more other nodes and/or signalling measurements associated with the one or more other nodes. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 62-64, “For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected. In this scenario, one of the two following procedures may be implemented. Implementation 1: If the original donor CU has received the measurement report of these rejected IAB nodes, it can instruct these IAB nodes to switch. If the original donor CU has not received the measurement report of these IAB nodes, then these IAB nodes can report the measurement report and then switch.”)
For claim 43. Diao teaches: A method performed by a second radio network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network, the method comprising: (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64)
transmitting, to a first radio network node, an indication indicating whether handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node is confirmed or not, wherein the indication indicates whether a migrating node and/or one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node, are accepted or cancelled for handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 25, 62, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request, the target donor CU performs admission control… On the other hand, if the target donor CU can only accept a subset of the IAB nodes and UEs, then the target donor CU sends a handover request acknowledgment message to the original donor CU, which includes the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID assigned to the MTs and UEs. In particular, the handover request acknowledgment message includes the Source NG-RAN node UE XnAP IDs of the accepted IAB-MTs and UEs, the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the migrating IAB node, and the RRC Reconfiguration message for the accepted downstream IAB nodes… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected.”; target donor CU (second radio network node) transmits handover request acknowledgment message to original donor CU (first radio network node); as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 44. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 43, and Diao further teaches: further comprising receiving, from the first radio network node, a message related to the handover or the cell reselection of the migrating node to the second radio network node, wherein the message comprises data associated with the migrating node, and data related to the one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node. (Dao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 24, “In some embodiments, and after the original donor CU collects all the IAB nodes and UEs to be switched, it sends a handover request to the target donor CU. In an example, the handover request includes an Xn application protocol (Xn-AP) ID assigned by the original donor CU to all MTs and UEs, the context info of each UE and MT, the established backhaul (BH) RLC channel ID, and BH RLC channel quality-of-service (QoS) information. In some embodiments, the keys of all MTs and UEs (except for that of the migrating IAB node that will be assigned a new key by the target donor CU) may be included in the handover request.”; as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 47. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 44, and Diao further teaches: further comprising performing admission control for the one or more other nodes included in the received message to determine whether to allow the handover or cell reselection of the one or more other nodes. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 25, 62, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request, the target donor CU performs admission control… On the other hand, if the target donor CU can only accept a subset of the IAB nodes and UEs, then the target donor CU sends a handover request acknowledgment message to the original donor CU, which includes the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID assigned to the MTs and UEs. In particular, the handover request acknowledgment message includes the Source NG-RAN node UE XnAP IDs of the accepted IAB-MTs and UEs, the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the migrating IAB node, and the RRC Reconfiguration message for the accepted downstream IAB nodes… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected.”; target donor CU (second radio network node) transmits handover request acknowledgment message to original donor CU (first radio network node); as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 48. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 47, and Diao further teaches: further comprising releasing one or more resources related to the subset of one or more other nodes. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 44, 62-64, “For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected. In this scenario, one of the two following procedures may be implemented. Implementation 1: If the original donor CU has received the measurement report of these rejected IAB nodes, it can instruct these IAB nodes to switch. If the original donor CU has not received the measurement report of these IAB nodes, then these IAB nodes can report the measurement report and then switch. Implementation 2: The original donor CU sends an RRC message to the rejected IAB nodes. This RRC message includes: [0065] A cause that indicates that the (downstream) IAB node cannot be switched with the parent node [0066] IAB frequency information that is supported [0067] The cell ID supporting the IAB functionality under the currently registered Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN); [0068] IAB-supporting cell IDs in all PLMNs; and/or [0069] a Cell Global Identity (CGI), a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), or a CGI and a PCI.”; implicit that resources are released when the switching of some IAB nodes are rejected)
For claim 49. Diao teaches: A first radio network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network, wherein the first radio network node comprises interface circuitry and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the interface circuitry, and wherein the interface circuitry and processing circuitry are configured to: (Diao, fig 5, paragraph 115-117)
receive from a second radio network node, an indication indicating whether handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node is confirmed or not, wherein the indication indicates whether a migrating node and/or one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node, are accepted or cancelled for handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node; (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 25, 44, 62, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request, the target donor CU performs admission control… On the other hand, if the target donor CU can only accept a subset of the IAB nodes and UEs, then the target donor CU sends a handover request acknowledgment message to the original donor CU, which includes the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID assigned to the MTs and UEs. In particular, the handover request acknowledgment message includes the Source NG-RAN node UE XnAP IDs of the accepted IAB-MTs and UEs, the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the migrating IAB node, and the RRC Reconfiguration message for the accepted downstream IAB nodes… In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request acknowledgment message, the original donor CU sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected.”; original donor CU (first radio network node) receives handover request acknowledgment message from target donor CU (second radio network node); as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
and determine to cancel handover or cell reselection of a subset of the one or more other nodes based the received indication. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 44, 62-64, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request acknowledgment message, the original donor CU sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node. If the acknowledgment message also contains the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the downstream nodes and the UE, the original IAB node first sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to these nodes and UEs, and finally sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the migrating IAB node… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected. In this scenario, one of the two following procedures may be implemented… The original donor CU sends an RRC message to the rejected IAB nodes. This RRC message includes: A cause that indicates that the (downstream) IAB node cannot be switched with the parent node”)
For claim 50. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 49, and Diao further teaches: wherein the interface circuitry and processing circuitry are further configured to transmit, to the second radio network node, a message related to the handover or the cell reselection of the migrating node to the second radio network node, wherein the message comprises data associated with the migrating node, and data related to the one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node. (Dao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 24, “In some embodiments, and after the original donor CU collects all the IAB nodes and UEs to be switched, it sends a handover request to the target donor CU. In an example, the handover request includes an Xn application protocol (Xn-AP) ID assigned by the original donor CU to all MTs and UEs, the context info of each UE and MT, the established backhaul (BH) RLC channel ID, and BH RLC channel quality-of-service (QoS) information. In some embodiments, the keys of all MTs and UEs (except for that of the migrating IAB node that will be assigned a new key by the target donor CU) may be included in the handover request.”; as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 51. Diao teaches: A second radio network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network, wherein the second radio network node comprises interface circuitry and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the interface circuitry, and wherein the interface circuitry and processing circuitry are configured configured to: (Diao, fig 5, paragraph 115-117)
transmit to a first radio network node, an indication indicating whether handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node is confirmed or not, wherein the indication indicates whether a migrating node and/or one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node, are accepted or cancelled for handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node. (Diao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 25, 62, “In some embodiments, and after receiving the handover request, the target donor CU performs admission control… On the other hand, if the target donor CU can only accept a subset of the IAB nodes and UEs, then the target donor CU sends a handover request acknowledgment message to the original donor CU, which includes the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID assigned to the MTs and UEs. In particular, the handover request acknowledgment message includes the Source NG-RAN node UE XnAP IDs of the accepted IAB-MTs and UEs, the RRC Reconfiguration message sent to the migrating IAB node, and the RRC Reconfiguration message for the accepted downstream IAB nodes… For this selected target donor CU, the switching of some IAB nodes may have been rejected.”; target donor CU (second radio network node) transmits handover request acknowledgment message to original donor CU (first radio network node); as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
For claim 52. Diao discloses all the limitations of claim 51, and Diao further teaches: wherein the interface circuitry and processing circuitry are further configured to receive, from the first radio network node, a message related to the handover or the cell reselection of the migrating node to the second radio network node, wherein the message comprises data associated with the migrating node, and data related to the one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node. (Dao, fig 2, paragraph 23-64, specifically paragraph 24, “In some embodiments, and after the original donor CU collects all the IAB nodes and UEs to be switched, it sends a handover request to the target donor CU. In an example, the handover request includes an Xn application protocol (Xn-AP) ID assigned by the original donor CU to all MTs and UEs, the context info of each UE and MT, the established backhaul (BH) RLC channel ID, and BH RLC channel quality-of-service (QoS) information. In some embodiments, the keys of all MTs and UEs (except for that of the migrating IAB node that will be assigned a new key by the target donor CU) may be included in the handover request.”; as shown in fig 2 and discussed in paragraph 23, some IAB nodes and UEs are child nodes and grandchild nodes (downstream nodes directly and indirectly served) of a migrating IAB node)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 (Alternate Rejections)
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 51-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hsieh, US 20210227435.
For claim 51. Hsieh teaches: A second radio network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network, wherein the second radio network node comprises interface circuitry and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the interface circuitry, and wherein the interface circuitry and processing circuitry are configured configured to: (Hsieh, fig 2-3, paragraph 55-63)
transmit to a first radio network node, an indication indicating whether handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node is confirmed or not, wherein the indication indicates whether a migrating node and/or one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node, are accepted or cancelled for handover or cell reselection to the second radio network node. (Hsieh, paragraph 114-121, specifically paragraph 114, 119-121, “The handover of an IAB-Node from a Source IAB-Donor to a Target IAB-Donor may include handover of any connected User Equipment (UE) devices. The handover of an IAB-Node from a Source IAB-Donor to a Target IAB-Donor may include handover of subtending IAB-Nodes and User Equipment devices connected to such subtending IAB-Nodes… In aspects, 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 125 (e.g., Target CU 860)… 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 125 (e.g., Target CU 860)… In aspects, the Handover Command message directs UE 110 connected to the IAB-Node 830 to perform a handover procedure and handover to the Target IAB-Donor 125 (e.g., Target CU 860)… 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 906.”; UEs and subtending IAB-Nodes are one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating IAB Node)
For claim 52. Hsieh discloses all the limitations of claim 51, and Hsieh further teaches: wherein the second radio network node is interface circuitry and processing circuitry are further configured to receive, from the first radio network node, a message related to the handover or the cell reselection of the migrating node to the second radio network node, wherein the message comprises data associated with the migrating node, and data related to the one or more other nodes, directly and indirectly served by the migrating node. (Hsieh, paragraph 114-121, specifically paragraph 115, 117, “Responsive to determining to initiate handover, the Source CU 810 generates and sends a Handover Request message 904 to the Target CU 860 requesting preparation of resources for handover… 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, capability information for one or more connected User Equipment (UE), context information for one or more connected UE, Source IAB-Donor configurations related to the IAB-Node and the User Equipment connected to the IAB-Node (e.g., current radio resource control, other Layer 2 configurations), the source radio resource configuration of the IAB-Donor and the IAB-Node, or the source radio resource configuration of one or more connected UE… Responsive to receiving the Handover Request message 904, the Target CU 860 may perform an Admission Control procedure 940 to decide whether to accept handover of the IAB-Node 832 (e.g., to validate that sufficient resources are available to receive the IAB-Node and any connected UE).”)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 39-42, 45-46 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHOA B HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7185. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 1:00 PM - 9:35 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571) 272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KHOA HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462