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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. The certified English translation has been received on 04/29/2026.
Response to Amendment
The amendment to the specification (Title) filed on 04/29/2026 has not introduced a new matter, thus it has been accepted and entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 04/29/2026, with respect to the objection of the specification (Title) have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendment to the specification filed on 04/29/2026. The objection of the specification (Title) has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed on 04/29/2026 with respect to the claim objection have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argued that “Newly filed claims 19 and 20 have been amended by adding the ":" after the word "comprising" as suggested by the Patent Office, thereby making it clear that the terminal and the network-side device are clearly consisting of the devices for performing the actions/steps” (see Remarks, page 10).
In response to applicant’s argument, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the argument above, since the claims 19 and 20 have not been amended to add the ":" after the word "comprising". Thus, the claim objections of claims 19-20 are maintained.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 rejections have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claims 19-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claim 19 recites “A terminal, comprising a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implementing the following steps: reporting…” and claim 20 recites “A network-side device, comprising a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implementing the following steps: receiving…”. Thus the claims are directed to a machine embodiment, but however the bodies of the claims recite the actions/steps performed by the terminal and the network-side device.
For clarity and placing the claim into a proper machine claim, it is suggested to replace “A terminal, comprising a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor…” with “A terminal, comprising: a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor” and “A network-side device, comprising a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor…” to “A network-side device, comprising: a processor, a memory and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor…” so that the terminal and the network-side device are clearly consisting of the devices for performing the actions/steps (see MPEP 2106.03, section I1 ; MPEP 2173.05(p), section II2).
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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, 2, 5, 8-11, 13, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li).
Regarding claims 1 and 19, Lee teaches an information reporting method, performed by a terminal (a method performed by a UE, paragraphs [8, 121-124, 129-132] and Fig. 14-15) and a terminal (the UE performs a method, paragraphs [8, 121-124, 129-132] and Fig. 14-15), comprising a processor (the UE comprises a processor, paragraphs [194, 203] and Fig. 16), a memory (the UE comprises a memory, paragraphs [194, 203] and Fig. 16), and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or instructions, when executed by the processor (wherein the memory stores therein the program codes, which when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform the method, paragraphs [194, 203-205] and Fig. 16), implementing the following steps:
reporting target information to a network-side device (the UE reports a measurement(s) to a base station (i.e. BS), including beam ID and/or cell ID associated with each time information/measurement, paragraphs [123-134, 130, 140-141, 144]), wherein the target information comprises first information, and the first information corresponds to M pieces of timing information of P objects (wherein the reported measurement/measurement report includes a number of time information/measurements, i.e. 4 time information/measurements, of a number of cells, i.e. 4 cells, paragraphs [124, 130-132, 140, 142-144, 185-187]),
wherein the objects are cells, physical cells, or transmission and reception points (TRPs), M is a positive integer, and P is a positive integer less than or equal to M (wherein the number of cell is smaller than or equal to a number of time measurements, paragraphs [123-124, 130-132, 140, 142-144]),
wherein the reporting target information to a network-side device comprises:
reporting the target information to the network-side device in a case that a first condition is met, wherein the first condition being met comprises reporting the timing information of the objects configured on the network-side device (the UE sends the measurement report including timing information of the number of cells, when instructed by the BS, including to report measurements for at least two cells, paragraphs [140, 142-143]).
However, Lee does not explicitly teach the first condition is “an uplink resource used for reporting” is configured on the network-side device.
Li teaches reporting target information to a network-side device comprises (an user terminal/UE transmits measurement(s) report to a base station, paragraphs [60, 65, 83, 98]):
reporting the target information to the network-side device in a case that a first condition is met, wherein
the first condition being met comprises at least one of the following:
an uplink resource used for reporting the information of the object is configured on the network-side device (UE reports the measurements of the cell(s)/base station when the UE is allocated with an uplink resource used for reporting configured by the base station/eNB, paragraphs [60, 65, 83, 98]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the first condition being met comprises the uplink resource used for reporting the information of the object is configured on the network-side device as taught by Li, with the teachings of reporting the timing information of the objects as taught by Lee, for a purpose of increase flexibility in allocate a proper channel resource for the reporting by allowing the network-side device to configure the uplink resource for reporting, thus enabling the network side to configure the uplink resource based on channel status or network load at a time of reporting the information (see Li, paragraphs [60, 65, 98]).
Regarding claim 2, Lee further teaches wherein the first condition being met further comprises at least one of the following:
at least two cells or physical cells are configured or activated on the network-side device (the UE sends the measurement report when instructed by the BS, including to report measurements for at least two cells, paragraphs [140, 142-143]).
Regarding claim 5, Lee further teaches wherein the first information comprises any one of the following:
the M pieces of timing information (wherein the reported measurement/measurement report includes a number of time information/measurements, i.e. 4 time information/measurements, of a number of cells, i.e. 4 cells, paragraphs [124, 130-132, 140, 142-144, 185-187]).
Regarding claim 8, Lee further teaches wherein the M pieces of timing information of the P objects meet any one of the following: each of the P objects corresponds to one piece of timing information in a case that P is equal to M (each of the cell is corresponded to one time information when the number of cells is equal to a number of time information/measurement, i.e. RSTD, paragraphs [139-141, 143]); or
at least one of the P objects corresponds to at least two pieces of timing information in a case that P is less than M (at least one cell/base station is corresponded to at least two beams, when the cell/base station transmits multiple beams, paragraphs [127-132, 144-146]), wherein the at least two pieces of timing information are measured by using at least one of the following: at least two beams (at least two timing information/measurements are measured for at least two beams, paragraphs [127-132, 144-146]).
Regarding claim 9, Lee further teaches wherein in a case that the P objects comprise a target object corresponding to L pieces of timing information, and L is an integer greater than 1 (wherein the cells includes at least one cell/BS corresponding to multiple timing measurements, paragraphs [131-132, 142-144]), the M pieces of timing information comprise J pieces of timing information corresponding to the target object (wherein the reported measurements includes timing information of at least one cell, paragraphs [124, 130-132, 140, 142-144]), a value of J is determined based on a capability of the terminal (wherein the reported measurements includes timing information of at least one cell, when the UE is capable of monitor/measure the reference signals of multiple cells, paragraphs [55, 78, 86]), and J is a positive integer less than or equal to L (wherein the number of timing information of at least one cell is equal to a number of timing information reported, paragraphs [124, 130-132, 140, 142-144]).
Regarding claim 10, Lee further teaches wherein the value of J meets any one of the following:
J is greater than 1 and less than or equal to L in a case that the terminal supports a plurality of active antenna panels or beam transmissions, and supports at least two timing information processing capabilities (wherein the number of timing information is equal to at least two when the UE supports a plurality of antenna panels or beams transmissions, paragraphs [78, 86, 124, 130-132, 140-144]).
Regarding claim 11, Lee further teaches wherein the P objects comprise some or all of K objects (wherein the number of cells is configured for measurement, paragraphs [129-132, 140]), wherein the K objects are configured by the network-side device or determined by the terminal, and K is an integer greater than or equal to P (wherein the number of cells is configured by the base station, paragraphs [129-132, 140]).
Regarding claim 13, Lee further teaches wherein the target information further comprises identifier information of at least one of the objects or beams corresponding to the M pieces of timing information (wherein the measurement(s) report is including beam ID and/or cell ID associated with each time information/measurement, paragraphs [123-134, 130, 140-141, 144]).
Regarding claim 20, Lee teaches a network-side device (a serving BS, Fig. 14-15), comprising a processor (the serving BS comprises a processor, paragraphs [194, 203] and Fig. 16), a memory (the serving BS comprises a memory, paragraphs [194, 203] and Fig. 16), and a program or instructions stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or instructions, when executed by the processor (wherein the memory stores therein the program codes, which when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform the method, paragraphs [194, 203-205] and Fig. 16), implementing the following steps:
receiving target information reported by a terminal (the serving BS receives from the UE, a measurement(s) report, which is including at least one beam ID and/or cell ID associated with each time information/measurement, paragraphs [123-134, 130, 140-141, 144]), wherein the target information comprises first information, and the first information corresponds to M pieces of timing information of P objects (wherein the measurement report includes a number of time information/measurements, i.e. 4 time information/measurements, of a number of cells, i.e. 4 cells, paragraphs [124, 130-132, 140, 142-144, 185-187]),
wherein the objects are cells, physical cells, or transmission and reception points (TRP), M is a positive integer, and P is a positive integer less than or equal to M (wherein the number of cell is smaller than or equal to a number of time measurements, paragraphs [123-124, 130-132, 140, 142-144]),
wherein receiving target information reported by a terminal comprises:
receiving target information which is reported by a terminal in a case that a first condition is met, wherein the first condition being met comprises reporting the timing information of the objects configured on the network-side device (the base station receives the measurement report including timing information of the number of cells, when instructed by the base station/BS, including to report measurements for at least two cells, paragraphs [140, 142-143]).
However, Lee does not explicitly teach the first condition is “an uplink resource used for reporting” is configured on the network-side device.
Li teaches receiving target information reported by a terminal comprises (a base station receives from an user terminal/UE, measurement(s) report, paragraphs [60, 65, 83, 98]):
receiving target information which is reported by a terminal in a case that a first condition is met, wherein the first condition being met comprises at least one of the following:
an uplink resource used for reporting the information of the object is configured on the network-side device (UE reports the measurements of the cell(s)/base station when the UE is allocated with an uplink resource used for reporting configured by the base station/eNB, paragraphs [60, 65, 83, 98]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the first condition being met comprises the uplink resource used for reporting the information of the object is configured on the network-side device as taught by Li, with the teachings of reporting the timing information of the objects as taught by Lee, for a purpose of increase flexibility in allocate a proper channel resource for the reporting by allowing the network-side device to configure the uplink resource for reporting, thus enabling the network side to configure the uplink resource based on channel status or network load at a time of reporting the information (see Li, paragraphs [60, 65, 98]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2021/0360461 A1 to Duan et al. (hereafter refers as Duan).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach wherein “in a case that the first condition being met comprises that at least two pieces of TRP identifier information are configured on the network-side device, the first condition being met further comprises any one of the following: the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two cell identifiers; or the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two physical cell identifiers”.
Duan teaches in a case that the first condition being met comprises that at least two pieces of TRP identifier information are configured on the network-side device (the UE reports measurements for a plurality of TRPs based on at least two TRP identifiers information configured on the network-side device, paragraphs [139, 143-145, 149]), the first condition being met further comprises any one of the following:
the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two cell identifiers (at least two TRP identifiers information correspond to at least two cell, paragraphs [37, 39, 104]); or
the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two physical cell identifiers (wherein the TRP is corresponded to a physical cell, paragraphs [34, 104, 118]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of in a case that the first condition being met comprises that at least two pieces of TRP identifier information are configured on the network-side device, the first condition being met further comprises any one of the following: the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two cell identifiers; or the at least two pieces of TRP identifier information correspond to at least two physical cell identifiers as taught by Duan, with the teachings of combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of reporting target information for the TRPs, when the TRPs are configured on the network-side device (see Duan, paragraphs [104, 118, 139, 143-145, 149])
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2022/0163614 A1 to Wong et al. (hereafter refers as Wong).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Lee and Li further teaches a difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is determined based on results of measuring reference signals of the at least two objects by the terminal (wherein the time difference(s) is a difference between a timing information of at least two beams/cells that is based on the results of measuring reference signals of the two beams/cells, paragraphs [15, 96-99, 129, 130, 132, 135]), wherein the reference signals of the at least two objects are measured by using at least one of the following: at least two antenna panels or at least two beams (wherein the reference signals are measured by at least two beams, paragraphs [120-123, 130-132] or two antenna panels, paragraph [82]).
However, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach “wherein in a case that the first condition being met comprises that a difference between the timing information of at least two objects is greater than or equal to a first value, whether the difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is greater than or equal to the first value” is determined based on results of measuring reference signals of the at least two objects by the terminal.
Wong teaches in a case that the first condition being met comprises that a difference between the timing information of at least two objects is greater than or equal to a first value (a UE reports timing information of at least two cells, when a timing difference between the timing information of at least two cells exceeds a threshold, paragraph [53]), whether the difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is greater than or equal to the first value is determined based on results of measuring reference signals of the at least two objects by the terminal (wherein the difference between the timing information of at least two cells exceeds a threshold, is determined based on measurement results of reference signals of at least two cells, paragraph [53]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein in a case that the first condition being met comprises that a difference between the timing information of at least two objects is greater than or equal to a first value, whether the difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is greater than or equal to the first value is determined based on results of measuring reference signals of the at least two objects by the terminal as taught by Wong, with the teachings of the difference between the timing information of at least two object as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of reducing a number of reports by only report when the difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is greater than or equal to the first value (see Wong, paragraph [53]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach wherein in a case that the P objects comprise some of the K objects, “any one of the P objects meets any one of the following: an absolute value of the timing information is greater than or equal to a second value; or an offset value of the timing information relative to second reference timing information is greater than or equal to a third value, wherein the second reference timing information is determined based on first reference timing information, the first reference timing information is H pieces of timing information of a preset object, the preset object is configured by the network-side device, determined by the terminal, and H is a positive integer”.
Wong teaches in a case that the P objects comprise some of the K objects, any one of the P objects meets any one of the following:
an absolute value of the timing information is greater than or equal to a second value (the report includes an absolute value of the timing difference is greater than a threshold value, paragraphs [53-58, 114]); or
an offset value of the timing information relative to second reference timing information is greater than or equal to a third value (wherein the offset value of the timing information relative to a second reference timing is larger than a threshold, paragraphs [30-31, 53]),
wherein the second reference timing information is determined based on first reference timing information (wherein the reference timing information, paragraphs [30, 53]), the first reference timing information is H pieces of timing information of a preset object (wherein the reference timing information is determined from a reference cell, paragraphs [30, 53]), the preset object is configured by the network-side device, determined by the terminal (wherein the reference cell is configured by a network device, determined by the UE, paragraphs [30, 64-68]), and H is a positive integer (including at least one reference cell, paragraphs [30, 64-68]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein in a case that the P objects comprise some of the K objects, any one of the P objects meets any one of the following: an absolute value of the timing information is greater than or equal to a second value; or an offset value of the timing information relative to second reference timing information is greater than or equal to a third value, wherein the second reference timing information is determined based on first reference timing information, the first reference timing information is H pieces of timing information of a preset object, the preset object is configured by the network-side device, determined by the terminal, and H is a positive integer as taught by Wong, with the teachings of the difference between the timing information of at least two object as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of reducing a number of reports by only report when the difference between the timing information of the at least two objects is greater than or equal to the second value or third value (see Wong, paragraphs [30, 53, 64-68]).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2019/0364536 A1 to Sadiq et al. (hereafter refers as Sadiq).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach wherein the first information is represented by “using a quantized value”.
Sadiq teaches the first information is represented by using a quantized value (a UE reports a measurement(s) of difference of arrivals between the received positioning beacons, wherein the measurement(s) is a quantized value, abstract and paragraphs [23, 67, 70]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the first information is represented by using a quantized value as taught by Sadiq, with the teachings of the first information as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of increase efficiency in identifying the value by quantizing the value using the signal parameters associated with the positioning beacons (see Sadiq, abstract and paragraph [70]).
Regarding claim 7, Sadiq further teaches wherein in a case that the first information comprises the M-H offset values, the first information comprises: M-H quantized values corresponding to the M-H offset values (wherein the quantized values corresponding to the time difference values, paragraphs [23, 67, 70]), wherein a symbol of a first quantized value is used for representing a relationship between the timing information corresponding to the first quantized value and the second reference timing information (wherein a symbol first quantized value represents a difference between a first quantized value and a second timing information, paragraphs [72, 79]) and the first quantized value is any one of the M-H quantized values (the first quantized value is one of the time difference quantized values, paragraphs [23, 67, 70, 72, 79]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein in a case that the first information comprises the M-H offset values, the first information comprises: M-H quantized values corresponding to the M-H offset values, wherein a symbol of a first quantized value is used for representing a relationship between the timing information corresponding to the first quantized value and the second reference timing information and the first quantized value is any one of the M-H quantized values as taught by Sadiq, with the teachings of the first information as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of increase efficiency in identifying the value by quantizing the value using the signal parameters associated with the positioning beacons, wherein the quantized values are time difference quantized values (see Sadiq, abstract and paragraphs [23, 67, 70, 72, 79]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2019/0110254 A1 to Yerramalli et al. (hereafter refers as Yerramalli).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach the target information is carried in “a media access control (MAC) control element (CE)”.
Yerramalli teaches the target information is carried by any one of the following: a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) (wherein the timing difference report is transmitted in a medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE), paragraphs [40, 104, 151, 201, 207]) .
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the target information is carried by any one of the following: a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) as taught by Yerramalli, with the teachings of reporting the target information as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of increase compatibility of the teachings by enabling the target information to be carried by the MAC CE (see Yerramalli, paragraphs [40, 104, 151, 201, 207]).
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2014/0029586 A1 to Loehr et al. (hereafter refers as Loehr).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach “after the reporting target information to a network-side device, the method further comprises: receiving Q TAs transmitted by the network-side device; and determining the TA of each of K objects according to the Q TAs and/or at least one of the M pieces of timing information, wherein the K objects are configured by the network-side device, K is a positive integer, and Q is a positive integer less than or equal to K”.
Loehr teaches wherein after the reporting target information to a network-side device (after reporting measurement report including time difference measurement(s) of each cell, paragraphs [765-768] and Fig. 35, step 2), a method further comprises:
receiving Q TAs transmitted by the network-side device (a UE receives at least two TAs transmitted by the base station/eNodeB, paragraphs [769-771] and Fig. 35, step 4); and
determining the TA of each of K objects according to the Q TAs and/or at least one of the M pieces of timing information (the UE determines TA for each cell of at least two cells based on the received TAs, which is based on the time difference measurements, paragraph [769-773]),
wherein the K objects are configured by the network-side device, K is a positive integer (wherein the number of cells are configured by the base station/eNodeB, paragraphs [765-771]), and Q is a positive integer less than or equal to K (wherein each of the TAs is corresponded to a cell, paragraphs [769-771]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of after the reporting target information to a network-side device, the method further comprises: receiving Q TAs transmitted by the network-side device; and determining the TA of each of K objects according to the Q TAs and/or at least one of the M pieces of timing information, wherein the K objects are configured by the network-side device, K is a positive integer, and Q is a positive integer less than or equal to K as taught by Loehr, with the teachings of reporting the target information as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of increase efficiency in communication by assigning the TA for each of the K objects based on the reported target information, i.e. timing information (see Loehr, paragraphs [765-771]).
Regarding claim 16, Loehr further teaches wherein the Q TAs meet any one of the following:
the Q TAs comprise only the TA of a preset object, wherein the preset object is configured by the network-side device (wherein the TAs comprises the TAs corresponded to cells configured for time difference measurement, paragraphs [765-771]);
the Q TAs comprise the TA of each of the K objects (wherein each of the TAs is corresponded to each of cells, see paragraphs [765-771]); or
the Q TAs comprise only the TAs of the objects corresponding to the M pieces of timing information (wherein the TAs comprises the TAs corresponded to cells with the time difference measurements, paragraphs [765-771]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein the Q TAs meet any one of the following: the Q TAs comprise only the TA of a preset object, wherein the preset object is configured by the network-side device; the Q TAs comprise the TA of each of the K objects; or the Q TAs comprise only the TAs of the objects corresponding to the M pieces of timing information as taught by Loehr, with the teachings of reporting the target information as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of increase efficiency in communication by assigning the TA for each of the objects based on the reported target information, i.e. timing information, which is (see Loehr, paragraphs [765-771]).
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0380056 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee) in view of US 2019/0260432 A1 to Li et al. (hereafter refers as Li) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2021/0185670 A1 to Tao et al. (hereafter refers as Tao).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Lee and Li does not explicitly teach wherein after the reporting target information to a network-side device, “the method further comprises: determining, according to the target information, whether to perform a transmitting or receiving operation for second information of a second object, wherein the second object is a service object of the terminal, and the second information comprises at least one of a channel or a reference signal”.
Tao teaches after the reporting target information to a network-side device (after a UE sends a measurement report to a serving gNB, Fig. 9-11 and paragraphs [202, 210-213), the method further comprises: determining, according to the target information, whether to perform a transmitting or receiving operation for second information of a second object (the UE determines to perform a transmission for measurement report of the serving cell/gNB based on a handover acceptance or handover rejection, which is determined using the measurement report, paragraphs [212-216, 283-285, 299] and Fig. 11, 16-17), wherein the second object is a service object of the terminal (wherein the serving cell/gNB provides service for the terminal/UE, paragraphs [75-78] and Fig. 11, 16-17), and the second information comprises at least one of a channel signal (determining to transmit the measurement report, paragraphs [212-217, 252, 283-285, 299]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of after the reporting target information to a network-side device, determining, according to the target information, whether to perform a transmitting or receiving operation for second information of a second object, wherein the second object is a service object of the terminal, and the second information comprises at least one of a channel or a reference signal as taught by Tao, with the teachings of reporting target information to the network-side device as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of prevent the transmissions of the second information, when not needed, i.e. shortly after the handover is rejected (see Tao, paragraphs [215-217]).
Regarding claim 18, Tao further teaches wherein the determining, according to the target information, whether to perform a transmitting or receiving operation for second information of a second object comprises any one of the following:
stopping performing the transmitting or receiving operation for the second information of the second object within a target time period (refraining transmission for the measurement report(s) within a particular period of time, paragraph [217]),
wherein the target time period meets at least one of the following:
a first start time of the target time period is before a second start time of a transmission and receiving time of third information of a first object (refraining transmission for the measurement report(s) within the particular period of time, and start the transmission for the measurement report for a neighbor gNB, after the particular period of time, paragraph [217] and Fig. 11);
the first object is any object other than the second object (the neighbor gNB is different from the serving gNB, Fig. 11, 15-16 and paragraphs [76-79, 179-181, 203, 209-211]); and
the third information comprises at least one of channel signal (the measure report(s) is transmitted over a channel, paragraphs [48, 284]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the determining, according to the target information, whether to perform a transmitting or receiving operation for second information of a second object comprises any one of the following: stopping performing the transmitting or receiving operation for the second information of the second object within a target time period, wherein the target time period meets at least one of the following: a first start time of the target time period is before a second start time of a transmission and receiving time of third information of a first object; the first object is any object other than the second object; and the third information comprises at least one of channel signal as taught by Tao, with the teachings of reporting target information to the network-side device as taught by combination of Lee and Li, for a purpose of prevent the transmissions of the second information, when not needed, i.e. shortly after the handover is rejected, and provide the third information when needed, after the particular time interval (see Tao, paragraphs [215-217]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2021/0409967 A1 discloses reporting multiple time information and the gNB-indexes associated with the time information (see paragraphs [95-110]).
US 2020/0413358 A1 discloses a UE sends a measurement report to a base station (Fig. 2), wherein the measurement report includes time information and a corresponding detected cell ID (paragraphs [50-53, 62-64, 68]).
US 2010/0014429 A1 discloses a base station allocated additional uplink radio resources for report of the measurement information (see paragraphs [14, 34, 52, 57]).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG B. HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 June 30, 2026
1 A machine is a "concrete thing, consisting of parts, or of certain devices and combination of devices." Digitech, 758 F.3d at 1348-49, 111 USPQ2d at 1719 (quoting Burr v. Duryee, 68 U.S. 531, 570, 17 L. Ed. 650, 657 (1863)). This category "includes every mechanical device or combination of mechanical powers and devices to perform some function and produce a certain effect or result." Nuijten, 500 F.3d at 1355, 84 USPQ2d at 1501 (quoting Corning v. Burden, 56 U.S. 252, 267, 14 L. Ed. 683, 690 (1854)).
2 IPXL Holdings v. Amazon.com, Inc., 430 F.3d 1377, 1384, 77 USPQ2d 1140, 1145 (Fed. Cir. 2005)
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