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 a response to an application filed on 03/19/2026 in which claims 1, 3-5, 8, 10-12, 22 and 24-29 are pending. Claims 2, 6-7, 9, 13-21, 23 and 30 were canceled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/19/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/25/2026 has been considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Response to Amendments
Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks filed on 03/19/2026 with respect to amended independent claim 1 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments are addressed below. Based on the amendments to claims, further consideration of the prior arts of record was performed, resulting in a new grounds of rejection. The claims have not overcome the claim rejections as shown below.
Claims 1, 3-5, 8, 10-12, 22 and 24-29 are pending.
Claims 2, 6-7, 9, 13-21, 23 and 30 were canceled.
Response to Arguments
Regarding amended independent claim 1, Applicant argues that in relation to the prior art of Rune “there is no need for the UE of the present claimed invention to make such a determination, and the UE always receives and uses the NTN configuration in the RRC reconfiguration message (e.g., Ho command), which reduces complexity and overhead for the network”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Rune recites in [0190] “the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e. in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell). The HandoverCommand is sent to the source node in a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE XnAP message, for further forwarding to the UE”. Rune discloses that the UE receives a RRCReconfiguration message which includes ephemeris data and common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell and the satellite serving the candidate target cell. These parameters are Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration. Thus, Rune discloses the claimed feature “receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell…wherein the NTN configuration comprises at least one of validity duration, ephemeris data, or common Timing Advance (TA) parameters”. The UE in Rune performing additional steps does not limit the UE to not perform the claim features as described.
Regarding amended independent claim 1, Applicant argues that Rune fails to require that the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters are always included or are mandatory in the handover command in the case where the target cell is an NTN cell. Applicant points to Rune, Par. [0107] - e.g., ephemerisInfo-r17 is OPTIONAL, as well as TAlnfo-r17.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Rune recites in [0127] “in NTN, the configuration data provided to a UE in a cell is extended with NTN-specific configuration data, including, for example, the ephemeris data associated with the satellite serving the cell, the Common TA parameters, and Kmac applicable in the cell”, in [0128] “the ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell, as well as the Common TA and Kmac associated with the candidate target cell, are part of the configuration data a UE needs to access the candidate target cell if CHO execution is triggered towards the candidate target cell”, in [0129] “Thus, like other configuration data the UE needs to access a candidate target cell, e.g. the RA configuration, the ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell, the Common TA, Kmac, and related parameters associated with the candidate target cell may be included in the RRCReconfiguration that the candidate target node prepares for the candidate target cell and which contains configuration data the UE should apply if/when accessing the candidate target cell”, and in [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. Rune discloses that, in NTN, NTN-specific configuration data including ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell, as well as Common TA parameters associated with candidate target cell, etc., are part of the configuration data the UE needs to access the candidate target cell. The NTN configuration data of the candidate target cell is transmitted to the UE in a RRCReconfiguration, which the UE applies when accessing the candidate target cell. Rune further discloses that in all embodiments the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) is included in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell. Thus, the NTN configuration (ephemeris, Common TA, etc.) is always included or is mandatory in the handover command in the case where the target cell is an NTN cell, since the UE needs the NTN configuration to access the target NTN cell.
Regarding amended independent claim 1, Applicant argues that Rune fails to teach or suggest that the NTN configuration is provided via a system information included in the handover command.
Based on the amendments to the claim, further consideration was performed and it was found that the prior art of record Park et al. (US 2023/0133633), hereinafter “Park” discloses in [0110] that the RRC reconfiguration message includes dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN), and in [0045] that the timing and synchronization parameters include satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters, etc. Thus, Park teaches the missing feature in Rune regarding the NTN configuration (the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN), provided via a system information (NTN-SIB information).
Therefore, based on the response to arguments discussed above, the amended independent claim 1 is rendered unpatentable. Independent claims 8 and 25 recite similar distinguishing features as claim 1, thus are also rendered unpatentable. As a result the features of the claims are shown by the cited references as set forth below.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 8, 10-12, 22, 24-25 and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rune et al. (2025/0287461), hereinafter “Rune” in view of Park et al. (US 2023/0133633), hereinafter “Park”.
As to claim 1, Rune teaches a method for a User Equipment (UE), comprising:
receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell (Rune, [0190], “the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e. in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell). The HandoverCommand is sent to the source node in a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE XnAP message, for further forwarding to the UE”. The UE receives the HandoverCommand (i.e. RRCReconfiguration) that includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target), wherein the NTN configuration is mandatory in the RRC reconfiguration message in case the target cell is an NTN cell (Rune, [0127]-[0129], [0184], “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with the target cell are always included in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration when the UE needs to access the target cell with satellite information (NTN configuration)); and
applying the NTN configuration for the target cell (Rune, [0129], “the UE needs to access a candidate target cell, e.g. the RA configuration, the ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell, the Common TA, Kmac, and related parameters associated with the candidate target cell may be included in the RRCReconfiguration that the candidate target node prepares for the candidate target cell and which contains configuration data the UE should apply if/when accessing the candidate target cell”, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE applies the ephemeris data, the common TA, Kmac, and other related parameters associated with the target cell to access the target cell), wherein the NTN configuration comprises at least one of validity duration, ephemeris data, or common Timing Advance (TA) parameters (Rune, [0129], [0184], ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell and the Common TA. [0185], the UE reads the RRCReconfiguration and checks the validity time of the ephemeris data and Common TA).
Rune teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune further discloses in [0186] that the UE obtains updated ephemeris data and common TA parameters from the SI broadcast in the candidate target cell. Rune does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 1, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell…provided via a system information.
However, Park teaches a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “the source base station 705 may transmit the configuration information to the UE 120 in one or more RRC reconfiguration messages…from each of the candidate target base stations 710”) including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “configuration information in the RRC reconfiguration message may be extended to also include the configuration information that indicates the timing and synchronization parameters (e.g., the parameters associated with the NTN) for a candidate target non-terrestrial cell”, [0045], “wherein the configuration information indicates, for a target non-terrestrial cell, timing and synchronization parameters including a scheduling timing offset, a round trip time between a reference point and a target base station associated with the target non-terrestrial cell, satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, and a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters”)…provided via a system information (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “For example, the RRC reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration) with ReconfigurationWithSync may be extended to include dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune to have the features, as taught by Park in order to avoid attempting to connect with the target base station using outdated synchronization parameters, which may increase reliability and decrease latency and UE power consumption for handovers in an NTN (Park, [0088]).
As to claim 3, Rune teaches further comprising performing Uplink (UL) synchronization and/or TA pre-compensation for the target cell using the NTN configuration (Rune, [0033], “The serving (source) gNB then forwards the HandoverCommand to the UE as an RRCReconfiguration message. When the UE receives this message, it releases the source cell and starts the procedure of connecting to the target cell (i.e., synchronizing with the target cell and performing RA)”. [0185], “the UE uses the ephemeris data and the Common TA parameters to calculate the TA to be used when the UE sends a RA preamble in the triggered candidate target cell”).
As to claim 4, Rune teaches further comprising performing a handover to the target cell in response to receiving the RRC reconfiguration message (Rune, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE executes the conditional handover (CHO) to the target cell using the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters in the RRCReconfiguration).
As to claim 5, Rune teaches further comprising applying the NTN configuration for the target cell in response to performing the handover to the target cell (Rune, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE applies the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters when executing the conditional handover (CHO) to the target cell).
As to claim 8, Rune teaches a User Equipment (UE) (Rune, Fig. 9, [0229], the UE), comprising:
a memory (Rune, Fig. 9, [0231], the UE includes a memory); and
a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute program code to (Rune, Fig. 9, [0231]-[0232], the UE includes a processing circuit connected to the memory via the bus to execute the instructions stored in the memory to perform the functions of the UE):
receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell (Rune, [0190], “the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e. in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell). The HandoverCommand is sent to the source node in a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE XnAP message, for further forwarding to the UE”. The UE receives the HandoverCommand (i.e. RRCReconfiguration) that includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target), wherein the NTN configuration is mandatory in the RRC reconfiguration message in case for the target cell is an NTN cell (Rune, [0127]-[0129], [0184], “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with the target cell are always included in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration when the UE needs to access the target cell with satellite information (NTN configuration)); and
apply the NTN configuration for the target cell (Rune, [0129], “the UE needs to access a candidate target cell, e.g. the RA configuration, the ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell, the Common TA, Kmac, and related parameters associated with the candidate target cell may be included in the RRCReconfiguration that the candidate target node prepares for the candidate target cell and which contains configuration data the UE should apply if/when accessing the candidate target cell”, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE applies the ephemeris data, the common TA, Kmac, and other related parameters associated with the target cell to access the target cell), wherein the NTN configuration comprises at least one of validity duration, ephemeris data, or common Timing Advance (TA) parameters (Rune, [0129], [0184], ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell and the Common TA. [0185], the UE reads the RRCReconfiguration and checks the validity time of the ephemeris data and Common TA).
Rune teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune further discloses in [0186] that the UE obtains updated ephemeris data and common TA parameters from the SI broadcast in the candidate target cell. Rune does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 8, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell…provided via a system information.
However, Park teaches a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “the source base station 705 may transmit the configuration information to the UE 120 in one or more RRC reconfiguration messages…from each of the candidate target base stations 710”) including a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for a target cell (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “configuration information in the RRC reconfiguration message may be extended to also include the configuration information that indicates the timing and synchronization parameters (e.g., the parameters associated with the NTN) for a candidate target non-terrestrial cell”, [0045], “wherein the configuration information indicates, for a target non-terrestrial cell, timing and synchronization parameters including a scheduling timing offset, a round trip time between a reference point and a target base station associated with the target non-terrestrial cell, satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, and a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters”)…provided via a system information (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “For example, the RRC reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration) with ReconfigurationWithSync may be extended to include dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune to have the features, as taught by Park in order to avoid attempting to connect with the target base station using outdated synchronization parameters, which may increase reliability and decrease latency and UE power consumption for handovers in an NTN (Park, [0088]).
As to claim 10, Rune teaches wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to perform Uplink (UL) synchronization and/or TA pre-compensation for the target cell using the NTN configuration (Rune, [0033], “The serving (source) gNB then forwards the HandoverCommand to the UE as an RRCReconfiguration message. When the UE receives this message, it releases the source cell and starts the procedure of connecting to the target cell (i.e., synchronizing with the target cell and performing RA)”. [0185], “the UE uses the ephemeris data and the Common TA parameters to calculate the TA to be used when the UE sends a RA preamble in the triggered candidate target cell”).
As to claim 11, Rune teaches wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to perform a handover to the target cell in response to receiving the RRC reconfiguration message (Rune, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE executes the conditional handover (CHO) to the target cell using the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters in the RRCReconfiguration).
As to claim 12, Rune teaches wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to apply the NTN configuration for the target cell in response to performing the handover to the target cell (Rune, [0184] “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The UE applies the ephemeris data and Common TA parameters when executing the conditional handover (CHO) to the target cell).
Rune teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune does not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 22, further comprising applying the NTN configuration received in the system information for the target cell.
As to claim 22, Park teaches further comprising applying the NTN configuration received in the system information for the target cell (Park, [0045], the configuration information indicates, for a target non-terrestrial cell, timing and synchronization parameters including a scheduling timing offset, a round trip time between a reference point and a target base station associated with the target non-terrestrial cell, satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, and a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters”, Fig. 7, [0110], “the RRC reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration) with ReconfigurationWithSync may be extended to include dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN)”, [0113], “reference number 730, the UE 120 may initiate a respective ephemeris validity timer and a respective common TA validity timer for each of the candidate target non-terrestrial cells…for each of the one or more candidate target non-terrestrial cells, the UE 120 may initiate the respective ephemeris validity timer based at least in part on receiving the configuration information that indicates the ephemeris information and the ephemeris validity duration for that candidate target non-terrestrial cell…for each of the one or more candidate target non-terrestrial cells, the UE 120 may initiate the respective common TA validity timer based at least in part on receiving the configuration information that indicates the common TA parameters and the common TA validity timer for that candidate target non-terrestrial cell”, [0119], “by reference number 740, the UE 120 may connect to the first candidate target base station 710-1 based at least in part on the timing and synchronization parameters for the candidate target non-terrestrial cell associated with the first candidate target base station 710-1”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune to have the features, as taught by Park in order to avoid attempting to connect with the target base station using outdated synchronization parameters, which may increase reliability and decrease latency and UE power consumption for handovers in an NTN (Park, [0088]).
Rune teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune does not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to apply the NTN configuration received in the system information for the target cell.
As to claim 24, Park teaches wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to apply the NTN configuration received in the system information for the target cell (Park, [0045], the configuration information indicates, for a target non-terrestrial cell, timing and synchronization parameters including a scheduling timing offset, a round trip time between a reference point and a target base station associated with the target non-terrestrial cell, satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, and a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters”, Fig. 7, [0110], “the RRC reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration) with ReconfigurationWithSync may be extended to include dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN)”, [0113], “reference number 730, the UE 120 may initiate a respective ephemeris validity timer and a respective common TA validity timer for each of the candidate target non-terrestrial cells…for each of the one or more candidate target non-terrestrial cells, the UE 120 may initiate the respective ephemeris validity timer based at least in part on receiving the configuration information that indicates the ephemeris information and the ephemeris validity duration for that candidate target non-terrestrial cell…for each of the one or more candidate target non-terrestrial cells, the UE 120 may initiate the respective common TA validity timer based at least in part on receiving the configuration information that indicates the common TA parameters and the common TA validity timer for that candidate target non-terrestrial cell”, [0119], “by reference number 740, the UE 120 may connect to the first candidate target base station 710-1 based at least in part on the timing and synchronization parameters for the candidate target non-terrestrial cell associated with the first candidate target base station 710-1”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune to have the features, as taught by Park in order to avoid attempting to connect with the target base station using outdated synchronization parameters, which may increase reliability and decrease latency and UE power consumption for handovers in an NTN (Park, [0088]).
As to claim 25, Rune teaches a method for a network, comprising:
transmitting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message indicating a target cell (Rune, [0190], “the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e. in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell). The HandoverCommand is sent to the source node in a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE XnAP message, for further forwarding to the UE”. The source node and candidate target node send to the UE the HandoverCommand (i.e. RRCReconfiguration) that includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target), wherein the RRC reconfiguration message always includes a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration for the target cell in case the target cell is an NTN cell (Rune, [0127]-[0129], [0184], “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with the target cell are always included in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration when the UE needs to access the target cell with satellite information (NTN configuration)).
Rune teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune further discloses in [0186] that the UE obtains updated ephemeris data and common TA parameters from the SI broadcast in the candidate target cell. Rune does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 25, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message always includes a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration, provided via a system information, for the target cell.
However, Park teaches the Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “the source base station 705 may transmit the configuration information to the UE 120 in one or more RRC reconfiguration messages…from each of the candidate target base stations 710”) always includes a Non- Terrestrial Network (NTN) configuration, provided via a system information (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “For example, the RRC reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration) with ReconfigurationWithSync may be extended to include dedicatedNTN-SIB-Delivery, which may be an octet string including the NTN-SIB information (e.g., the timing and synchronization parameters associated with NTN)”), for the target cell (Park, Fig. 7, [0110], “configuration information in the RRC reconfiguration message may be extended to also include the configuration information that indicates the timing and synchronization parameters (e.g., the parameters associated with the NTN) for a candidate target non-terrestrial cell”, [0045], “wherein the configuration information indicates, for a target non-terrestrial cell, timing and synchronization parameters including a scheduling timing offset, a round trip time between a reference point and a target base station associated with the target non-terrestrial cell, satellite ephemeris information, an ephemeris validity duration associated with the satellite ephemeris information, common timing advance parameters, and a common timing advance validity duration associated with the common timing advance parameters”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune to have the features, as taught by Park in order to avoid attempting to connect with the target base station using outdated synchronization parameters, which may increase reliability and decrease latency and UE power consumption for handovers in an NTN (Park, [0088]).
As to claim 27, Rune teaches wherein the RRC reconfiguration message is a handover command to the target cell (Rune, [0190], “the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e. in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell). The HandoverCommand is sent to the source node in a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE XnAP message, for further forwarding to the UE”. The UE receives the HandoverCommand (i.e. RRCReconfiguration) that includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target).
As to claim 28, Rune teaches wherein the NTN configuration comprises at least one of validity duration, ephemeris data, or common Timing Advance (TA) parameters (Rune, [0129], [0184], ephemeris data of the satellite serving the candidate target cell and the Common TA. [0185], the UE reads the RRCReconfiguration and checks the validity time of the ephemeris data and Common TA).
As to claim 29, Rune teaches wherein the NTN configuration is mandatory in case the target cell is an NTN cell (Rune, [0127]-[0129], [0184], “In all embodiments, the candidate target node includes ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with a candidate target cell (and the satellite serving the candidate target cell) in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration associated with the candidate target cell in a CHO configuration (and which RRCReconfiguration the UE should apply if/when executing the CHO in the candidate target cell)”. The ephemeris data and Common TA parameters associated with the target cell are always included in the HandoverCommand, i.e., in the RRCReconfiguration when the UE needs to access the target cell with satellite information (NTN configuration)).
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rune et al. (2025/0287461), hereinafter “Rune” in view of Park et al. (US 2023/0133633), hereinafter “Park” and further in view of Li et al. (US 2023/0328598), hereinafter “Li”.
Rune and Park teach the claimed limitations as stated above. Rune and Park do not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 26, wherein the RRC reconfiguration message does not include any NTN configuration for the target cell in case the target cell is not an NTN cell.
As to claim 26, Li teaches wherein the RRC reconfiguration message does not include any NTN configuration for the target cell in case the target cell is not an NTN cell (Li, Fig. 6, [0067], “a network device transmits first signaling to a terminal device”, [0073], “the first signaling may be Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration signaling”, [0080], the first signaling indicates whether the target cell is an NTN cell according to whether the first signaling includes a NTN-related configuration of the target cell. [0093], “the first signaling including no NTN configuration information of the target cell indicates that the target cell is not an NTN cell”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Rune and Park to have the features, as taught by Li in order to distinguish types of cells to achieve efficient random access (Li, [0065]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICARDO H CASTANEYRA whose telephone number is (571)272-2486. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am - 5:30pm.
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, Kwang bin Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. 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.
/RICARDO H CASTANEYRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
Prosecution Insights