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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/26/206 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments reflect the fact that Catovic does determine an area, and that area may use an area that is determined, and if that area is international use that configuration, and if not do not use the international configuration. A PLMN inherently covers a particular area, so arguing that a PLMN is no associated with an area is not persuasive. To overcome Catovic applicant would need to claim something more specific than just configuration, as while the specification is different, the claims are given the broadest reasonable interpretation with respect to the specification, and configuration is broad terminology.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-11, 16-17 and 19-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Catovic (US 2022/0141764 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 16, Catovic discloses a method/apparatus for determining a cell configuration, wherein the method is used for a terminal and comprises:
receiving configuration information sent by a serving cell, wherein the configuration information is configured to determine cell configuration information respectively corresponding to at least one geographical area within a coverage of the serving cell,
[0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, thus cell configuration is provided for cell coverage geographical area]
the serving cell is a Non-Territorial Network (NTN) cell, [0026]
and cell configuration information corresponding to a geographical area comprises at least one of access prohibition indication information or access permission condition information for the geographical area; [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, thus a UE with international access has permission for access]
determining a target geographical area where the terminal is located based on a geographical position where the terminal is located and area information of the at least one geographical area; [0075, at block 620 the UE determines it’s physical location, and whether that location is part of an international area]
and determining cell configuration information corresponding to the target geographical area. [0075 if in an international area the UE starts an international PLMN selection procedure]
Regarding claims 3 and 19, Catovic discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the cell configuration information is used to indicate whether the terminal is allowed to reside on the serving cell. [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, a UE with internation access can use the cell]
Regarding claims 4 and 20, Catovic discloses the method/apparatus according to claims 3 and 19, further comprising: determining whether to reside on the serving cell based on indication of the cell configuration information corresponding to the target geographical area; or determining whether to reside on the serving cell based on the cell configuration information corresponding to the target geographical area and a protocol agreement. [0075. Of the UE is in an international area it starts an internation PLMN selection procedure]
Regarding claims 5 and 21, Catovic discloses the method and apparatus according to claims 1 and 16, wherein the cell configuration information comprises at least one of: a cell access control parameter or a cell selection parameter. [0075 international access constitutes a cell access control parameter]
Regarding claims 6 and 22, Catovic discloses the method/apparatus according to claims 5 and 21, further comprising: accessing the serving cell based on the cell configuration information corresponding to the target geographical area. [0075 the UE implements the international PLMN selection if the area corresponds to internation territory]
Regarding claims 7 and 23, Catovic discloses the method according to claims 1 and 16, wherein the area information comprises at least one of: a plurality of pieces of coordinate position information for determining a covered area, an identity of a country where the serving cell is located, or an area identity of the covered area. [0075, internation area is an area identity]
Regarding claim 8, Catovic discloses a method for determining a cell configuration, wherein the method is used for a terminal and comprises:
receiving configuration information sent by a serving cell, wherein the configuration information is configured to determine cell configuration information respectively corresponding to at least one geographical area within a coverage of the serving cell, [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, thus cell configuration is provided for cell coverage geographical area]
the serving cell is a Non-Territorial Network (NTN) cell, [0026]
and cell configuration information corresponding to a geographical area comprises at least one of access prohibition indication information or access permission condition information for the geographical area; [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, thus a UE with international access has permission for access]
determining a target geographical area where the terminal is located by the terminal based on a geographical position where the terminal is located and area information of the at least one geographical area; [0075, at block 620 the UE determines a physical it’s physical location, and whether that location is part of an international area]
and determining cell configuration information corresponding to the target geographical area determined by the terminal. [0075 if in an international area the UE starts an international PLMN selection procedure]
9. Catovic discloses the method according to claim 8, wherein the cell configuration information is used to indicate whether the terminal is allowed to reside on the serving cell. [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, a UE with internation access can use the cell]
10. Catovic discloses the method according to claim 8, wherein the cell configuration information comprises at least one of: a cell access control parameter or a cell selection parameter. [0075 international access constitutes a cell access control parameter]
11. Catovic discloses the method according to claim 8, wherein the area information comprises at least one of:
a plurality of pieces of coordinate position information for determining a covered area, an identity of a country where the serving cell is located, or an area identity of the covered area. [0075, international area is an area identity]
17. Catovic discloses an apparatus for determining a cell configuration, comprising: a processor; and a memory configured to store processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to execute the method for determining the cell configuration according to claim 8. [0027 describes the system wherein the UE and the network determine the cell configuration as described above in the rejection of claim 8]
24. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the cell configuration information is used to indicate whether the terminal is allowed to reside on the serving cell, [0074, for a radio cell that is deployed to cover a geographical area located in an international area, the broadcast channel of the radio cell of the PLMN may include the indication that the PLMN of the radio cell is intended for international access, a UE with internation access can use the cell]
and the cell configuration information comprises at least one of: a cell access control parameter or a cell selection parameter; [0075 international access constitutes a cell access control parameter]
and wherein the area information comprises at least one of:a plurality of pieces of coordinate position information for determining a covered area, an identity of a country where the serving cell is located, or an area identity of the covered area. [0075, international area is an area identity]
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any 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 LEWIS G WEST whose telephone number is (571)272-7859. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, George Eng can be reached at (571) 272-7495. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LEWIS G WEST/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2699
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