DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to the Applicant's arguments and amendments filed on 16 December 2025 in which claims 1-10 are currently pending and claim 11 has been cancelled.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim 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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Luo et al. (WO 2021/030186 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 10, Luo discloses a network connection exception processing method and an electronic device, applied to a distributed unit (DU) of a dual-mode base station, the dual-mode base station being configured for a standalone (SA) network and a non-standalone (NSA) network simultaneously, and comprising the DU and a centralized unit (CU) that are in communication connection, the CU being configured to establish a connection with a first core network and a second core network, respectively, and to perform data transmission between an SA user end and the first core network and data transmission between an NSA user end and the second core network through the DU (“an IAB node 602 is shown coupled to a core network 604 via a wireline connection. This IAB node 602 may be referred to herein as an IAB donor node, which may be, for example, an enhanced gNB including functionality for controlling the IAB network 600. In some examples, the IAB donor node 602 may include a central unit (CU) 606 and a distributed unit (DU) 608. The CU 606 is configured to operate as a centralized network node (or central entity) within the IAB network 600. For example, the CU 606 may include radio resource control (RRC) layer functionality and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer functionality to control/configure the other nodes (e.g., IAB nodes and UEs) within the IAB network 600” [0090], “The DU 608 is configured to operate as a scheduling entity to schedule scheduled entities (e.g., other IAB nodes and UEs) of the IAB donor node 602. For example, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may operate as a scheduling entity to schedule IAB nodes 610 and 612 and UEs 614 and 616. Thus, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may schedule communication with IAB nodes 610 and 612 via respective backhaul links and schedule communication with UEs 614 and 616 via respective access links. In some examples, the DU 608 may include the radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer functionality to enable operation as a scheduling entity” [0091], fig. 6), and the method comprising:
sending, after receiving a first core network connection exception information sent by the CU (“the IAB-CU 702 then transmits a message (e.g., an RRC message) including a soft PCI change indication with the new PCI to the IAB-DU 704” [0099], “upon reception of a release command (e.g., a UE context release command) from the IAB-CU 702 for one or more RRC-connected scheduled entities” [0105], “a list of barred cells” [0129]), a notification of connection exception between each subordinate cell and the first core network for the SA user end to read and update access information of each cell according to the notification of the connection exception (“the IAB-DU 1206a may further page the camped scheduled entity 1204 to notify the camped scheduled entity of a change in SI. For example, the notification of SI change may be transmitted over the paging channel via a short message field in a PDCCH DCI format 1 0. Upon being paged, the camped scheduled entity 1204 may receive and process the updated MIB/SIBl including the cell bar indication for the first cell transmitted by the IAB-DU 1206a at 1216. The camped scheduled entity 1204 may then determine that the first cell is barred (e.g., from the cell bar indication in the MIB/SIBl), and at 1218, select a new cell to camp onto” [0129], “neighbor list updates” [0107]), and to re-perform cell selection (“When the cell status “barred” is indicated for a particular cell, the scheduled entity 1204 may not be permitted to select or reselect that particular cell and may then perform a cell re-selection procedure to select a new cell” [0129]).
Regarding claim 5, Luo discloses a network connection exception processing method, applied to a centralized unit (CU) of a dual-mode base station, the dual-mode base station being configured for a standalone (SA) network and a non-standalone (NSA) network simultaneously, and comprises a distributed unit (DU) and the CU that are in communication connection, the CU being configured to establish a connection with a first core network and a second core network respectively, and to perform data transmission between an SA user end and the first core network and data transmission between an NSA user end and the second core network through the DU (“an IAB node 602 is shown coupled to a core network 604 via a wireline connection. This IAB node 602 may be referred to herein as an IAB donor node, which may be, for example, an enhanced gNB including functionality for controlling the IAB network 600. In some examples, the IAB donor node 602 may include a central unit (CU) 606 and a distributed unit (DU) 608. The CU 606 is configured to operate as a centralized network node (or central entity) within the IAB network 600. For example, the CU 606 may include radio resource control (RRC) layer functionality and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer functionality to control/configure the other nodes (e.g., IAB nodes and UEs) within the IAB network 600” [0090], “The DU 608 is configured to operate as a scheduling entity to schedule scheduled entities (e.g., other IAB nodes and UEs) of the IAB donor node 602. For example, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may operate as a scheduling entity to schedule IAB nodes 610 and 612 and UEs 614 and 616. Thus, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may schedule communication with IAB nodes 610 and 612 via respective backhaul links and schedule communication with UEs 614 and 616 via respective access links. In some examples, the DU 608 may include the radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer functionality to enable operation as a scheduling entity” [0091], fig. 6), and the method comprising:
sending, after detecting connection exception with the first core network, first core network connection exception information to the DU (“the IAB-CU 702 then transmits a message (e.g., an RRC message) including a soft PCI change indication with the new PCI to the IAB-DU 704” [0099], “upon reception of a release command (e.g., a UE context release command) from the IAB-CU 702 for one or more RRC-connected scheduled entities” [0105], “a list of barred cells in the MIB/SIBl” [0129]), for the DU to send a notification of connection exception between each subordinate cell and the first core network, the notification of connection exception being configured to instruct the SA user end to update access information of each cell (“the IAB-DU 1206a may further page the camped scheduled entity 1204 to notify the camped scheduled entity of a change in SI. For example, the notification of SI change may be transmitted over the paging channel via a short message field in a PDCCH DCI format 1 0. Upon being paged, the camped scheduled entity 1204 may receive and process the updated MIB/SIBl including the cell bar indication for the first cell transmitted by the IAB-DU 1206a at 1216. The camped scheduled entity 1204 may then determine that the first cell is barred (e.g., from the cell bar indication in the MIB/SIBl), and at 1218, select a new cell to camp onto” [0129], “neighbor list updates” [0107]), and to re-perform cell selection (“When the cell status “barred” is indicated for a particular cell, the scheduled entity 1204 may not be permitted to select or reselect that particular cell and may then perform a cell re-selection procedure to select a new cell” [0129]).
Regarding claim 8, Luo discloses a network connection exception processing method, applied to an SA user end, the SA user end performing data transmission with the first core network through a dual-mode base station, the dual-mode base station being configured for a standalone (SA) network and a non-standalone (NSA) network simultaneously, and comprising a distributed unit (DU) and a centralized unit (CU) that are in communication connection, the CU being configured to establish connection with a first core network and a second core network respectively, and to perform data transmission between the SA user end and the first core network and data transmission between an NSA user end and the second core network through the DU (“an IAB node 602 is shown coupled to a core network 604 via a wireline connection. This IAB node 602 may be referred to herein as an IAB donor node, which may be, for example, an enhanced gNB including functionality for controlling the IAB network 600. In some examples, the IAB donor node 602 may include a central unit (CU) 606 and a distributed unit (DU) 608. The CU 606 is configured to operate as a centralized network node (or central entity) within the IAB network 600. For example, the CU 606 may include radio resource control (RRC) layer functionality and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer functionality to control/configure the other nodes (e.g., IAB nodes and UEs) within the IAB network 600” [0090], “The DU 608 is configured to operate as a scheduling entity to schedule scheduled entities (e.g., other IAB nodes and UEs) of the IAB donor node 602. For example, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may operate as a scheduling entity to schedule IAB nodes 610 and 612 and UEs 614 and 616. Thus, the DU 608 of the IAB donor node 602 may schedule communication with IAB nodes 610 and 612 via respective backhaul links and schedule communication with UEs 614 and 616 via respective access links. In some examples, the DU 608 may include the radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer functionality to enable operation as a scheduling entity” [0091], fig. 6), and the method comprising:
updating, after receiving a notification of connection exception between each subordinate cell and the first core network sent by the DU, access information of each cell according to the notification of connection exception (“the IAB-DU 1206a may further page the camped scheduled entity 1204 to notify the camped scheduled entity of a change in SI. For example, the notification of SI change may be transmitted over the paging channel via a short message field in a PDCCH DCI format 1 0. Upon being paged, the camped scheduled entity 1204 may receive and process the updated MIB/SIBl including the cell bar indication for the first cell transmitted by the IAB-DU 1206a at 1216. The camped scheduled entity 1204 may then determine that the first cell is barred (e.g., from the cell bar indication in the MIB/SIBl), and at 1218, select a new cell to camp onto” [0129], “neighbor list updates” [0107]), and re-performing cell selection (“When the cell status “barred” is indicated for a particular cell, the scheduled entity 1204 may not be permitted to select or reselect that particular cell and may then perform a cell re-selection procedure to select a new cell” [0129]), wherein the notification of connection exception is sent by the DU after receiving first core network connection exception information sent by the CU (“the IAB-CU 702 then transmits a message (e.g., an RRC message) including a soft PCI change indication with the new PCI to the IAB-DU 704” [0099], “upon reception of a release command (e.g., a UE context release command) from the IAB-CU 702 for one or more RRC-connected scheduled entities” [0105], “Upon being paged, the camped scheduled entity 1204 may receive and process the updated MIB/SIBl including the cell bar indication for the first cell transmitted by the IAB-DU 1206a at 1216. The camped scheduled entity 1204 may then determine that the first cell is barred (e.g., from the cell bar indication in the MIB/SIBl), and at 1218, select a new cell to camp onto. In some examples, the second cell with the second PCI may be included in a neighbor cell list for cell selection to enable the camped scheduled entity 1204 to select the second cell to camp onto” [0129]).
Regarding claim 2, Luo discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Luo discloses carrying a cell barring information element, and/or a cell reservation information element in a periodically broadcasted system message, the cell barring information element and/or the cell reservation information element being configured to indicate cells having connection exception with the first core network; wherein, the cell barring element and the cell reservation element are located at a reading location for the SA user end in the system message (“the IAB-DU 1206a may set a cell bar indication for the first cell in system information (SI). For example, the IAB-DU 1206a may include the PCI of the first cell in a list of barred cells in the MIB/SIBl. When the cell status “barred” is indicated for a particular cell, the scheduled entity 1204 may not be permitted to select or reselect that particular cell and may then perform a cell re-selection procedure to select a new cell. At 1212, the IAB-DU 1206a may further provide the cell bar indication to the IAB-CU. [0130] At 1214, the IAB-DU 1206a may further page the camped scheduled entity 1204 to notify the camped scheduled entity of a change in SI. For example, the notification of SI change may be transmitted over the paging channel via a short message field in a PDCCH DCI format 1 0. Upon being paged, the camped scheduled entity 1204 may receive and process the updated MIB/SIBl including the cell bar indication for the first cell transmitted by the IAB-DU 1206a at 1216. The camped scheduled entity 1204 may then determine that the first cell is barred (e.g., from the cell bar indication in the MIB/SIBl), and at 1218, select a new cell to camp onto. In some examples, the second cell with the second PCI may be included in a neighbor cell list for cell selection to enable the camped scheduled entity 1204 to select the second cell to camp onto. The neighbor list may include one or more parameters (e.g., q-offsetCell, q- rxLevMinOffsetCell, q-RxLevMinOffsetCellSUL, q-QualMinOffsetCell) associated with each cell in the neighbor cell list. In some examples, one or more of the parameters indicated for the second cell may be more favorable than other cells in the neighbor list to facilitate selection of the second cell” [0129]).
Regarding claims 3, 6, Luo discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Luo discloses the first core network connection exception information is indicated by a first public land mobile network (PLMN) list sent by the CU; after the receiving a first core network connection exception information sent by the centralized unit (CU), the method further comprises: updating a stored second PLMN list according to the first PLMN list; and the sending a notification of connection exception between each subordinate cell and the first core network, comprises: carrying the updated second PLMN list in the periodically broadcasted system message, the second PLMN list being used by the SA user end to select a PLMN identity before the cell selection (“the IAB-CU 802 may update one or more neighbor lists with the new PCI and provide the updated neighbor lists to neighboring IAB nodes of the IAB-DU 804” [0109], “may include the PCI of the first cell in a list of barred cells in the MIB/SIBl .. the second cell with the second PCI may be included in a neighbor cell list for cell selection to enable the camped scheduled entity 1204 to select the second cell to camp onto. The neighbor list may include one or more parameters (e.g., q-offsetCell, q- rxLevMinOffsetCell, q-RxLevMinOffsetCellSUL, q-QualMinOffsetCell) associated with each cell in the neighbor cell list. In some examples, one or more of the parameters indicated for the second cell may be more favorable than other cells in the neighbor list to facilitate selection of the second cell” [0129]).
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 4, 7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo in view of Liu et al. (PG Pub US 2021/026704 A1 where a machine English translation has been attached herewith).
Regarding claims 4, 7, 9, Luo discloses everything claimed as applied above. However, Luo does not explicitly disclose sending, after receiving first core network connection restoring information sent by the CU, a notification of normal connection between each cell and the first core network, for the SA user end to read and update access information of each cell according to the notification of normal connection, and to re-perform cell selection.
Nevertheless, Liu discloses “After the RRC connection is restored, the fast F1 interface restoration process between the IAB-DU and the host CU will be triggered. For example: the host CU saves the cell information of the IAB DU, once the host CU knows that the RRC connection with the IAB MT is restored, it will trigger the sending of an F1 interface recovery message to the IAB DU, which carries the activation indication information of the IAB DU cell , That is, indicate which IAB DU cells are activated. In step S1306, the host CU sends a paging message to the IAB DU. For an inactive UE, the donor CU sends a paging message to the IAB-DUs of the IAB nodes corresponding to all cells in the RAN notification area configured by the UE to find the UE. For a UE in an idle state, the donor CU sends a paging message to the IAB-DUs of the IAB nodes corresponding to all cells in the paging area configured by the UE. In step S1307, the IAB-DU generates and sends a paging message of the RRC layer according to the paging message received from the F1 interface”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to send, after receiving first core network connection restoring information sent by the CU, a notification of normal connection between each cell and the first core network, for the SA user end to read and update access information of each cell according to the notification of normal connection, and to re-perform cell selection because “Once the IAB node restores the RRC connection with the host CU, the host CU can send the network management service data of the IAB node to the IAB node”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants have argued regarding claim 1 that “Luo does not disclose the above-mentioned features, that is, it does not disclose that a dual-mode base station is configured for a standalone (SA) network and a non-standalone (NSA) network simultaneously, a cell DU corresponds to a CU and a DU, nor does it disclose whether there are a plurality of core networks and how the CU is connected to a plurality of core networks, that is, it does not disclose that the network architecture in which the CU is configured to establish a connection with a first core network and a second core network, respectively, and to perform data transmission between an SA user end and the first core network and data transmission between an NSA user end and the second core network through the DU” (pages 7-8).
Applicant’s arguments rely on language solely recited in preamble recitations in claim(s) 1. When reading the preamble in the context of the entire claim, the recitation “a standalone (SA) network and a non-standalone (NSA) network simultaneously, and comprising the DU and a centralized unit (CU) that are in communication connection, the CU being configured to establish a connection with a first core network and a second core network, respectively, and to perform data transmission between an SA user end and the first core network and data transmission between an NSA user end and the second core network through the DU” is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations. Thus, the preamble of the claim(s) is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See MPEP § 2111.02.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “such that the user connected to AMF through gNB interrupts the connection and reselects other cells without affecting the connection between gNB and the SN”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicants have argued regarding claim 1 that “It can be seen that Luo does not disclose that re-performing cell selection, but does not disclose sending, after receiving first core network connection exception information sent by the CU, a notification of connection exception between each subordinate cell and the first core network for the SA user end to read and update access information of each cell according to the notification of the connection exception, and to re-perform cell selection” (page 9).
In response to Applicants’ argument, the examiner respectfully disagrees. As described above, Luo discloses in paragraph [0129] “When the cell status “barred” is indicated for a particular cell, the scheduled entity 1204 may not be permitted to select or reselect that particular cell and may then perform a cell re-selection procedure to select a new cell. At 1212, the IAB-DU 1206a may further provide the cell bar indication to the IAB-CU”. Further, Luo discloses “the IAB-CU 702 may update one or more neighbor lists with the new PCI and provide the updated neighbor lists to neighboring IAB nodes of the IAB-DU 704. In examples in which a centralized network node other than the IAB-CU 702 decides to perform the soft PCI change, the centralized network node may transmit a signal indicating the soft PCI change to the IAB-DU 704 and may further transmit another signal indicating the soft PCI change to the IAB-CU 702 to enable the IAB-CU 702 to update the neighbor list(s) with the new PCI of the IAB-DU 704” [0106]. This shows that a list of barred cell or updated neighbor list is received and transmitted in order to re-perform cell selection/ start cell re-selection. Therefore, Luo discloses the limitations of claim 1.
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.
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CHRISTINE DUONG FUQUA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2462
/CHRISTINE T DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462 02/23/2026