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, see page 7, lines 8-9, filed 12/8/2025, with respect to claim 8 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of claim 4 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 8-9 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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM (US 20210006328 A1, hereinafter, "KIM") in view of TAO, et al. (US 20210377828 A1, hereinafter, "TAO"), 3GPP TR 38.821 V16.0.0 (3GPP TR 38.821 V16.0.0 (2019-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network, Study on Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN) (Release 16), December 2019, 140 pages, hereinafter, "3GPP TR 38.821"), and MOON, et al. (US 20150271717 A1, hereinafter, "MOON").
Regarding claim 8, KIM teaches a serving base station (paragraph 0129; figure 4, gateway: 430), comprising:
at least one transceiver (paragraph 0053; figure 2, transceiver: 230);
at least one processor (paragraph 0053; figure 2, processor: 210);
and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and
storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor (paragraph 0053;
figure 2, memory: 220), cause the serving base station to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, to a terminal, a synchronization signal;
KIM writes, “...the base station may transmit a synchronization signal...the terminal may perform a
monitoring operation of the synchronization signal…” (paragraph 0159)
transmitting, to the terminal, system information related to a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), based on the terminal being connected to the serving base station via an NTN satellite;
KIM writes, “...the terminal may acquire system information from the base station” (paragraph 0070).
KIM adds, “...the non-terrestrial node 610 may transmit system information including its type
information, altitude information, etc. to the terminals 621 to 623” (paragraph 0152).
transmitting, to the terminal, a random access (RA) response message;
KIM writes, “When a message including the TA information (e.g., a MAC message or a random access
(RA) response message) is received from the non-terrestrial node 610, the terminal may (re)start the
timeAlignmentTimer” (paragraph 0151).
and transmitting, to the terminal, a handover command message including information related to switching a feeder link,
KIM writes, “In a handover procedure, a synchronization reconfiguration procedure, or a connection
reconfiguration procedure, the base station may transmit a dedicated control message including the
configuration information of the common reference signal to the terminal” (paragraph 0104). KIM
indicates the base station may transmit a dedicated control message including the configuration
information of the common reference signal to the terminal, therefore, the message may include
information related to switching a feeder link.
wherein the method is for performing communications related to the NTN,
KIM writes, “Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for reducing power consumption by considering a transmission latency in a non-terrestrial network (NTN)” (paragraph 0006). KIM adds, “A communication network to which exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure are applied will be described. The communication network may be a non-terrestrial network (NTN)…” (paragraph 0045).
wherein the information related to switching a feeder link includes information of a target base station and timing information related to measurements of the target base station,
KIM writes, “For the handover procedure, the terminal may perform a measurement operation on the
base station and/or neighbor base station(s) (e.g., neighbor cell(s)) based on measurement and/or
reporting parameters configured by the base station, and report the measurement results to the base
station. In the exemplary embodiments below, the measurement operation may include an operation
for reporting the measurement result” (paragraph 0072). KIM indicates the terminal may perform a
measurement operation on the base station and/or neighbor base station and report the measurement
results to the base station.
KIM fails to explicitly disclose information regarding, “receiving, from the terminal, a random access channel (RACH);”, “wherein the timing information includes a first timing value related to a time to initiate a measurement for the target base station and a second timing value which is a random timing value,”, and “and wherein the first timing value and the second timing value are used to enable the terminal to perform a measurement for the target base station after the first timing value plus the second timing value from a time at which the handover command message is received by the terminal.”
However, in analogous art, TAO teaches receiving, from the terminal, a random access channel (RACH);
TAO writes, “First, the user equipment transmits a random access preamble on the Physical Random
Access Channel (PRACH) to the base station (i.e., message 1 of the RACH procedure) (paragraph 0229).
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 method and invention of KIM to include aspects described by TAO that are “directed to methods, devices and articles in communication systems, such as 3GPP communication systems.” TAO provides the motivation for modification stating, “...the advantage that handover-too-late failure events can be avoided or mitigated because the additional adjusting of the measurement reporting advances the trigger in time such that the measurement report is transmitted earlier to the serving gNB which can decide earlier on the handover. Additionally, the adjusting solution is simple because it does need to rely on other information, such as the UE location or satellite location (ephemeris of satellite)” (paragraph 0165). TAO also notes, "A conditional handover facilitates the advantage that the handover latency can be reduced, because the handover can be prepared by the serving gNB and then executed on time by the UE when needed” (paragraph 0201).
KIM and TAO fail to explicitly disclose information regarding, “wherein the timing information includes a first timing value related to a time to initiate a measurement for the target base station and a second timing value which is a random timing value,” and “and wherein the first timing value and the second timing value are used to enable the terminal to perform a measurement for the target base station after the first timing value plus the second timing value from a time at which the handover command message is received by the terminal.”
However, in analogous art, 3GPP TR 38.821 teaches wherein the timing information includes a first timing value related to a time to initiate a measurement for the target base station and a second timing value which is a random timing value,
3GPP TR 38.821 states, “Assuming only one feeder link connection serving via the same satellite is
applicable during the transition, which means the signal of the serving cell will be not available during
time Tl to time T2. To make the UE access to the serving cell again, two potential options are listed
below:
Solution 1: Feeder link hard switch procedure is based on accurate time control Assuming the old feeder
link serves the satellite until to Tl and the new feeder link begins to serve the satellite from T2. This
assumes that the cells of the source gNB(s) are represented over a given area at any time before Tl, and
the new cells of the target gNB(s) are represented from time T2. As there's no overlap of source cells
and target cells from the gNB(s) located at the old and the new NTN GWs, the switch over relies on
accurate time control. The handover command should be sent to all the UEs before Tl, e.g. CHO. The UE
should not initiate the handover procedure immediately upon receiving the Handover Command,
instead, UEshould initiate the handover procedure after T2, and thus an activation time should be
included in the handovercommand to all the connected UEs” (page 123, paragraphs 3-6). KIM continues,
“RACH hack-off indication: A hack-off indication may he provided in the HO command message, with
hackoff achieved via random number generation within an interval, or via explicit setting of different
back-off indications in the RACH sync reconfiguration message” (page 80, lines 1-3). 3GPP TR 38.821
indicates the activation time is equivalent the first timing information when the UE will perform the
handover and measurements on the target base station. 3GPP TR 38.821 indicates the RACH is
associated with a random timing value.
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 method and invention of KIM and TAO to include aspects described by 3GPP TR 38.821 “to study a set of necessary features/adaptations enabling the operation of the New Radio (NR) protocol in non-terrestrial networks for 3GPP Release 16 with a priority on satellite access.” 3GPP TR 38.821 provides the motivation for modification stating, “The objectives for the study are the following
Consolidation of potential impacts on the physical layer and definition of related solutions if needed
Performance assessment of, NR in selected deployment scenarios (LEO based satellite access, GEO based
satellite access) through link level (Radio link) and system level (cell) simulations
Study and define related solutions if needed on NR related Layer 2 and 3
Study and define related solutions if needed on RAN architecture and related interface protocols”
(page 9, paragraph 2).
KIM, TAO, and 3GPP TR 38.821 fail to explicitly disclose information regarding, “and wherein the first timing value and the second timing value are used to enable the terminal to perform a measurement for the target base station after the first timing value plus the second timing value from a time at which the handover command message is received by the terminal.”
However, in analogous art, MOON teaches and wherein the first timing value and the second timing value are used to enable the terminal to perform a measurement for the target base station after the first timing value plus the second timing value from a time at which the handover command message is received by the terminal.
MOON writes, “First, as described in the handover procedure in FIG. 1, a UE may send a measurement report message to a serving eNB after expiration of a handover timer TTT, and receive a handover command message from a target eNB” (paragraph 0078). MOON adds, “Referring to FIG. 15, in operation 1501, the UE may start a first waiting timer T312.sub.MR related to measurement report...the UE may determine whether the handover command message is received while the second waiting timer T312.sub.HOCMD is running” (paragraph 0081).
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 method and invention of KIM, TAO, and 3GPP TR 38.821 to include aspects described by MOON that “relates to a method and apparatus for controlling an operation of a timer related to Radio Link Failure (RLF) in relation to handover in a wireless communication system.” MOON provides the motivation for modification stating, “...the present disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for efficiently controlling an operation of a waiting timer upon determination of an RLF in a wireless communication system” (paragraph 0024).
Claims 1 and 9 are method claims corresponding to the apparatus claim 8 that has already been
rejected above. The applicant’s attention is directed to the rejection of claim 8. Claims 1 and 9 are
rejected under the same rational as claim 8.
Regarding claim 2, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 1, further
comprising:
Additionally, 3GPP TR 38.821 teaches determining, by the serving base station, whether to transmit information related to the feeder link switching, based on the distance between the NTN satellite and the serving base station or the location information of the target base station.
3GPP TR 38.821 states, “Figure 8. 7.1.1-1 shows the feeder link switch for transparent LEO. As seen from
the figure. in the transparent case the gNB is on earth thus there will be a switch from gNB1 to gNB2. lf
the satellite can be served by one feeder link at a time it means that with Rel-15 NR assumptions the
RRC connection for all UEs served by the gNB1 (via GW1) needs to be dropped. After gNB2 (via GW2)
takes over, the UEs may be able to find the reference signals corresponding to gNB2 and perform initial
access on a cell belonging to gNB2” (page 122, paragraph 2). 3GPP TR 38.821 continues, “Figure 8. 7.1.1-
2 shows one possible solution to enable service continuity for feeder link switch. At time T1, the satellite
is approaching the geographical location where the transition to be served by next GW will happen. At
time T1.5, the satellite is served by two GWs and at time T2 the transition to next GW is finished” (page
122, paragraph 3). 3GPP TR 38.821 adds “Location (UE and Satellite) triggering: additional triggering
conditions based on UE and satellite location can be considered in NTN and may be considered
independently or jointly with another trigger (e.g. measurement based). Location-based conditional HO
in LEO scenarios should consider deterministic satellite movement. For example, the location triggering
condition may he expressed as distance between the UE and the satellite” (page 98, paragraph 8). 3GPP
TR 38.821demonstrate a transition threshold time that involve distances and locations between T1 and
T2. 3GPP TR 38.821 also indicate a triggering condition expressed as distance between the UE and the
satellite.
Regarding claim 3, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 1, further
comprising:
Additionally, 3GPP TR 38.821 teaches determining, by the serving base station, a first timing value related to a time at which the terminal initiates a measurement for the target base station, based on a propagation delay between the terminal and the NTN satellite and the serving base station, or based on a propagation delay between the terminal and the NTN satellite and the target base station.
3GPP TR 38.821 states, “Although LEO scenarios exhibit less propagation delay, satellite movement may
have an impact on measurement validity. Satellite ephemeris and/or UE location may he beneficial in
addressing this challenge” (page 94, paragraph 6). 3GPP TR 38.821 declares, “Figure 8. 7.1.1-1 shows the
feeder link switch for transparent LEO. As seen from the figure. in the transparent case the gNB is on
earth thus there will be a switch from gNB1 to gNB2. lf the satellite can be served by one feeder link at a
time it means that with Rel-15 NR assumptions the RRC connection for all UEs served by the gNB1 (via
GW1) needs to be dropped. After gNB2 (via GW2) takes over, the UEs may be able to find the reference
signals corresponding to gNB2 and perform initial access on a cell belonging to gNB2” (page 122,
paragraph 2). 3GPP TR 38.821 continues, “Figure 8. 7.1.1-2 shows one possible solution to enable
service continuity for feeder link switch. At time T1, the satellite is approaching the geographical
location where the transition to be served by next GW will happen. At time T1.5, the satellite is served
by two GWs and at time T2 the transition to next GW is finished” (page 122, paragraph 3). 3GPP TR
38.821 adds “Location (UE and Satellite) triggering: additional triggering conditions based on UE and
satellite location can be considered in NTN and may be considered independently or jointly with another
trigger (e.g. measurement based). Location-based conditional HO in LEO scenarios should consider
deterministic satellite movement. For example, the location triggering condition may he expressed as
distance between the UE and the satellite” (page 98, paragraph 8). 3GPP TR 38.821demonstrate a
transition threshold time that involve distances and locations between T1 and T2. 3GPP TR 38.821 also
indicate a triggering condition expressed as distance between the UE and the satellite. 3GPP TR 38.821
mentions that satellite ephemeris and/or UE location may be beneficial in addressing propagation delay,
due to satellite movement.
Regarding claim 6, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 1,
Additionally, TAO teaches wherein request information to operate in DRX mode or RRC Inactive state mode is included in the handover command message, for power saving of the terminal.
TAO writes, “...the serving gNB transmits information on the DRX configuration of the UE to the target
gNB...the DRX configuration of the UE could, e.g., be transmitted together with the handover request
message (see FIG. 16) …” (paragraph 0257; figure 16).
Regarding claim 7, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 1,
Additionally, 3GPP TR 38.821 teaches wherein the switching of the feeder link relates to maintaining the service link between the NTN satellite and the terminal, and changing the feeder link between the NTN satellite and the serving base station.
3GPP TR 38.821 states, “During NTN operation, it may become necessary to switch the feeder link (SRI)
between different NTN GWs toward the same satellite. This may be due to e.g. maintenance, traffic
offloading, or (for LEO) due to the satellite moving out of visibility with respect to the current NTN GW.
The switchover should be performed without causing service disruption to the served UEs. This can be
done in different ways according to the NTN architecture option deployed” (page 122, paragraph 1).
Claim 10 is a method claim corresponding to the apparatus claim 7 that has already been
rejected above. The applicant’s attention is directed to the rejection of claim 7. Claim 10 is rejected
under the same rational as claim 7.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of MASINI, et al. (US 11903051 B2, hereinafter, "MASINI").
Regarding claim 4, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 1, further
comprising:
KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON fail to explicitly disclose information regarding, “exchanging, by the serving base station, information for feeder link switching with the above target base station.”
However, in analogous art, MASINI teaches exchanging, by the serving base station, information for feeder link switching with the above target base station.
MASINI writes, “In Action 903, the first network node 101 may transmit a SATELLITE CONNECTION
REQUEST message over the established Xn interface to the second network node 102. The message may
comprise e.g. satellite information and served cell(s) information. In other words, the old gNB signals to
the new gNB via the Xn SATELLITE CONNECTION REQUEST that the should connect to the satellite. The
old gNB may include in the message the relevant information on the satellite including, but not limited
to, the satellite identifier and position and the list of served cell(s) that the old gNB is providing through
the satellite (i.e. their cell IDs/PCIs), CD-SSB frequency locations, and optionally already in this stage the
HO REQUEST message for each of the UE served by the old gNB” (column 11, lines 24-38). MASINI
continues, “In Action 905, the second network node 102 may transmit a SATELLITE CONNECTION
REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT message over the established Xn interface to the first network node
101. In other words, new gNB replies to the old gNB with the Xn SATELLITE CONNECTION REQUEST
ACKNOWLEDGE, and may include the list of served cell(s) it is providing through the satellite (i.e. their
cell IDs/PCIs)” (column 12, lines 2-9).
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 method and invention of KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON to include aspects described by MASINI that “relate to communication in a non-terrestrial communications network. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a first network node and a method therein for enabling a second feeder link to be established between a second network node and an airborne or orbital communication node in non-terrestrial communications network to handle wireless devices being served by the airborne or orbital communication node. Embodiments herein also relate to a second network node and a method therein for establishing a second feeder link towards an airborne or orbital communication node in non-terrestrial communications network to handle wireless devices being served by the airborne or orbital communication node.” MASINI provides the motivation for modification stating, “More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may avoid service interruptions due to e.g. maintenance, traffic offloading and that (e.g. for LEO) the satellite moving out of visibility with respect to the current Earth station, thereby provide benefits, such as, reduced user waiting time and/or reduces user service interruptions” (column 47, lines 45-51).
Regarding claim 5, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, MOON, and MASINI teach the method of claim 4,
wherein the exchanging further comprising:
Additionally, MASINI teaches receiving, by the serving base station, at least one of location information of the target base station, cell ID of the target base station, or Signal (SS)/Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) information from the target base station.
MASINI writes, “In Action 903, the first network node 101 may transmit a SATELLITE CONNECTION
REQUEST message over the established Xn interface to the second network node 102. The message may
comprise e.g. satellite information and served cell(s) information. In other words, the old gNB signals to
the new gNB via the Xn SATELLITE CONNECTION REQUEST that the should connect to the satellite. The
old gNB may include in the message the relevant information on the satellite including, but not limited
to, the satellite identifier and position and the list of served cell(s) that the old gNB is providing through
the satellite (i.e. their cell IDs/PCIs), CD-SSB frequency locations, and optionally already in this stage the
HO REQUEST message for each of the UE served by the old gNB” (column 11, lines 24-38). MASINI
continues, “In Action 905, the second network node 102 may transmit a SATELLITE CONNECTION
REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT message over the established Xn interface to the first network node
101. In other words, new gNB replies to the old gNB with the Xn SATELLITE CONNECTION REQUEST
ACKNOWLEDGE, and may include the list of served cell(s) it is providing through the satellite (i.e. their
cell IDs/PCIs)” (column 12, lines 2-9).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of WANG, et al. (US 20230217387 A1, hereinafter, "WANG").
Regarding claim 11, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON teach the method of claim 9, further
comprising:
KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON fail to explicitly disclose information regarding, “performing, by the terminal, a random access procedure for the target base station, based on the measurement performed on the target base station.”
However, in analogous art, WANG teaches performing, by the terminal, a random access procedure for the target base station, based on the measurement performed on the target base station.
WANG writes, “FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of time synchronization during a handover procedure
according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. UE handover is performed between a
source base station (e.g., a source gNB) and a target base station (e.g., a target gNB). It is assumed that
1) both UE and the source base station support time sensitive services; 2) UE is in RRC_CONNECTION
state with source base station; 3) UE is performing measurement and measurement report; 4) handover
procedure is triggered; and 5) handover initiated random access can be contention free random access
and contention based random access” (paragraph 0052).
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 method and invention of KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, and MOON to include aspects described by WANG that “relates to the field of communication systems, and more particularly, to accurate reference Timing delivery over handover procedure.” WANG provides the motivation for modification stating, “The disclosed scheme ensures that the moving UEs supporting time sensitive services meet the synchronization accuracy requirement during the process of handover and the continuity of time sensitive traffic is guaranteed” (paragraph 0017).
Regarding claim 12, KIM, TAO, 3GPP TR 38.821, MOON, and WANG teach the method of claim 11, further comprising:
Additionally, WANG teaches transmitting, by the terminal, RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete message to the target base station.
WANG writes, “The UE sends RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message to the target base
station (step 5), performs path switch and context exchange, etc.” (paragraph 0070).
Claims 13-16 have been canceled by the applicant, respectfully.
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 CHRISTOPHER A REYES whose telephone number is (703)756-4558. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 EDT.
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/Christopher A. Reyes/Examiner, Art Unit 2475 2/23/2026
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475