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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination, in the “Request for Continued Examination (RCE)” filed on 04/14/2015, 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/27/2026 has been entered.
SUMMARY
This action is in reply to Applicant’s Amendments and Remarks filed on 03/30/2026 and submission filed on 04/27/2026.
Claims 29, 33-34, 36-42, and 56-57 are pending.
Claims 1-28, 30-32, 35 and 43-55 are canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments dated 03/30/2026 with respect to claims 29, 33-34 and 36-42 have been fully considered to be persuasive. Accordingly the rejections are withdrawn.
However, Examiner respectfully presents that Applicant's arguments dated 03/30/2026 with respect to claims 56-57 are not persuasive.
The Examiner notes that amended claim 57 is in alternate form, and Applicant did not present any amendment or argument for the limitation –
“to control the transceiver circuitry to transmit downlink data from the wireless communications network to the communications device by adapting a transmission of the downlink data to include at least part of the second in-coverage period, having been transmitted at least partly in the second in-coverage period, based on a length of time required to transmit the downlink data and a start time at which the downlink data can be transmitted in the first in- coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period.”.
The above limitation of amended claim 57, as previously presented, can be read over Edge.
Edge discloses a solution for communication service interruption due to moving satellite coverage area during ongoing uplink and downlink service, the solution requires continuation of service over multiple coverage areas as described in Fig. 38, [0007, 0366-0380].
Edge discloses-
[0007] …. Since satellites in low and medium earth orbits have moving coverage areas, radio access by UEs may be subject to interruption. Means of mitigating or avoiding such interruption in an efficient manner.
See Fig. 38, showing at Stage 3 UE 105 accessing SV1 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV1, and At Stage 9 UE 105 accessing SV2 performing Uplink and Downlink data communication via SV2, based remaining time of coverage by SV1 and subsequent handover to SV2 for continuation of communication of data.
[0369] At stage 3, the UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the SV1 102/202/302-1, sNB 106/202/307, and AMF 122, based on the allowed TAs via the first radio cell. For example, the UE 105 may determine whether the UE 105 is located inside an allowed TA and determine whether the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA. The UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the first SV1 102/202/302-1 and the first radio cell for the first SV1 102/202/302-1 when the UE 105 determines the UE 105 is located inside the allowed TA and the UE 105 determines the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA.
[0373] At stage 6, the sNB 106/202/307 generates a SIB, e.g., a SIB type 1 (SIB1) or a SIB type 2 (SIB2), and includes the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes for TAs supported by the first radio cell and broadcasts the SIB to the UE 105 via the SV1 102/202/302-1.
(Construed from Fig. 38, stage 3 that UE 105 accessing SV1 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV1)
[0374] At stage 7, the UE 105 may determine when to perform a cell change or a handover from the first radio cell to a different radio cell and to access the serving PLMN via a SV2 102/202/302-2 using a different radio cell based on the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes of one or more TAs received at stage 6. For example, the UE 105 may begin the cell change or handover process a predetermined time before the expiration of the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes of one or more TAs received at stage 6.
[0375] At stage 8 the cell change or handover to a second radio cell is performed….. . The handover may be performed when the UE 105 is in a connected state, as discussed at stages 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d.
[0378] At stage 8c, the sNB 106/202/307 instigates handover of UE 105 to the second radio cell via signaling through the first SV1 102/202/302-1. For example, sNB 106/202/307 may instigate the handover based in part on the signal measurements and the remaining lifetime for the second radio cell being greater than the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell or a remaining lifetime for an allowed TA for UE 106 supported by the second radio cell being greater than the remaining lifetime for any allowed TA for UE 105 supported by the first radio cell.
[0379] At stage 8d, the handover to the second radio cell via the second SV2 102/202/302-2 is performed.
[0380] At stage 9, the UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the SV2 102/202/302-2, sNB 106/202/307, and AMF 122, via the second radio cell. The access may be as described for stage 3 with the second radio cell and SV2 102/202/302-2 replacing the first radio cell and SV1 102/202/302-1.
From Fig. 38, [0380], at Stage 9 UE 105 accessing SV2 performing Uplink and Downlink data communication via SV2, based remaining time of coverage by SV1 and subsequent handover to SV2 for continuation of communication of Uplink data which started at stage 3 considering remaining data to be communicated requiring an additional time, which indicates an adaption of a transmission of the uplink data to include at least part of the second in-coverage period, based on a length of time required to transmit the uplink data and a start time at which the uplink data can be transmitted in the first in-coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period.
See also [0421] using external device 4106 to transmit and receive data
Accordingly, claim 57, and claims 56 with similar features are rejected.
NOTICE for all US Patent Applications filed on or after March 16, 2013
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 56-57 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by EDGE; Stephen W. (US 20210144669 A1, of record, hereinafter 'EDGE').
Regarding claim 57, EDGE teaches a non-terrestrial network, NTN (Fig. 1 communication system 100), infrastructure equipment for forming part of a wireless communications network for transmitting data to or receiving data from one or more communications devices, the NTN infrastructure equipment (
Fig. 1, sNB 106-3, a UE 105 may communicate with sNB 106-3 via SV 102-1 and SV 102-2,
[0100] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a communication system 100 capable of supporting satellite access using 5G New Radio (NR) ….. FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture with transparent space vehicles (SVs).
[0101] The communication system 100 comprises a number of UEs 105, a number of SVs 102-1 to 102-4 (collectively referred to herein as SVs 102), a number of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) gateways 104-1 to 104-4 (collectively referred to herein as NTN gateways 104) (sometimes referred to herein simply as gateways 104, earth stations 104, or ground stations 104), a number of gNBs capable of communication with UEs via SVs 102 referred to herein as satellite NodeBs (sNBs) 106-1 to 106-3 (collectively referred to herein as sNBs 106). It is noted that the term sNB refers in general to an enhanced gNB with support for SVs and may be referred to as a gNB (e.g. in 3GPP).
See also Fig. 38 UE 105 communicating with SV1 being handovered to SV2 after remaining time of communication with SV1 for continuation of communication using SV2 in system 3800.
See also Fig. 41 sNB 4100) comprising:
transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to or receive signals from the one or more communications devices (
Fig. 41 sNB 4100 with External Interface 4106,
[0412] The sNB 4100 may include, e.g., hardware components such as an external interface 4106, which may comprise one or more wired and/or wireless interfaces capable of connecting to and directly communicating with one or more entities in a core network in a PLMN, such as AMF 122 or UPF 130 in 5GCN 110 shown in FIGS. 1-3, and earth stations 104, as well as other sNBs, UEs 105 (e.g. when sNB 4100 is part of an SV 202 or SV 302) and to other elements in a wireless network directly or through one or more intermediary networks and/or one or more network entities, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.
[0421] As illustrated, the program code 4120 stored on medium 4118 and/or memory 4116 may include a configuration data module 4202 that that when implemented by the one or more processors 4104 configures the one or more processors 4104 to transmit configuration data to the UE via the external interface 4106, and/or to receive configuration data from a network node via the external interface 4106. ), and
controller circuitry (
Fig. 41 sNB 4100 with Processor 4104, sNB-CU 4114,
[0412] The sNB 4100 further includes one or more processors 4104, memory 4116, and non-transitory computer readable medium 4118, which may be coupled together with bus 4107. The sNB 4100 is illustrated as including an sNB-DU 4112 and/or sNB-CU 4114 (e.g. in the case that sNB 4100 corresponds to sNB 106-3 in FIG. 1, an sNB 202 in FIG. 2, or an sNB-DU 302 or sNB-CU 307 in FIG. 3), which may be hardware components or implemented by specifically configured one or more processors 4104.
[0413] [0413] The one or more processors 4104 may be implemented using a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. For example, the one or more processors 4104 may be configured to perform the functions discussed herein by implementing one or more instructions or program code 4120 on a non-transitory computer readable medium, such as medium 4118 and/or memory 4116.) configured to schedule a communications device during a first in-coverage period (
Fig. 38, Stage 2 SIB from sNB via SV1 indicating supported PLMNs for a first radio cell for the sNB, followed by Stage 6 SIB from sNB via SV1 includes the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell
) to transmit signals to or receive signals from the NTN infrastructure equipment, the NTN infrastructure equipment being either carried by an aerial vehicle or the transmitted or the received signals are relayed via the aerial vehicle to or from the NTN infrastructure equipment as the aerial vehicle passes over the communications device (
[0097] In one implementation, as described herein, a solution may be based on predicting an SV orbital motion in advance. Knowing the future locations of an SV, it may be possible to determine in advance the duration of radio coverage by the SV for any location on the Earth and the duration of accessibility by the SV to any earth station. For example, determining the duration of radio coverage by an SV and the duration of accessibility by the SV to an earth station may take into account the radio cells supported by the SV including the coverage areas of these radio cells and whether steerable and directional antennas are used by the SV to maintain coverage for the same geographic area by a radio cell over an extended period. With this information, it may be possible to determine: (1) a period of time (e.g. start time and end time) during which an SV will be using a particular earth station; and (2) a period of time (e.g. start time and end time) during which a particular radio cell for an SV will be providing radio coverage for part or all of any fixed TA.
[0099] In some implementations, the advance indications may be provided using System Information Blocks (SIBs) such as SIB1 or SIB2. For example, a SIB1 or SIB2 for a particular radio cell supported by an SV may include one or more of the radio cell remaining lifetime (e.g. a value in the range 0-1023 seconds); a list of TAs supported by the radio cell; and for each supported TA, a remaining lifetime of radio coverage of the TA by the radio cell; or a combination thereof.
Fig. 38, [0368] At stage 2, the sNB 106/202/307 may provide the UE 105 via the SV1 102/202/302-1 with a broadcast system information block (SIB) indicating supported PLMNs for a first radio cell for the sNB 106/202/307 to which the UE 105 is connected (or camped on) and supported TAs for each supported PLMN.
[0369] At stage 3, the UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the SV1 102/202/302-1, sNB 106/202/307, and AMF 122, based on the allowed TAs via the first radio cell. For example, the UE 105 may determine whether the UE 105 is located inside an allowed TA and determine whether the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA. The UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the first SV1 102/202/302-1 and the first radio cell for the first SV1 102/202/302-1 when the UE 105 determines the UE 105 is located inside the allowed TA and the UE 105 determines the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA..
[0373] At stage 6, the sNB 106/202/307 generates a SIB, e.g., a SIB type 1 (SIB1) or a SIB type 2 (SIB2), and includes the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes for TAs supported by the first radio cell and broadcasts the SIB to the UE 105 via the SV1 102/202/302-1.), and either
to control the transceiver circuitry (See [0421] cited above) to receive uplink data by adapting a reception of the uplink data to include at least part of a second in-coverage period, based on a length of time required to transmit the uplink data and a start time at which the uplink data can be transmitted in the first in-coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period, the second in-coverage period being a period during which the communications device can transmit signals to or receive signals from the NTN infrastructure equipment, the uplink data comprising a plurality of repetitions of a redundant version of a transport block, the number of the plurality of repetitions of the transport block determining the length of time required for transmitting the uplink data, a number of the plurality of the redundant versions being received in the first in- coverage period and a second number of the redundant versions being received in the second in- coverage period, or
to control the transceiver circuitry ([0421] using external device 4106 to transmit and receive data) to transmit downlink data from the wireless communications network to the communications device by adapting a transmission of the downlink data to include at least part of the second in-coverage period, having been transmitted at least partly in the second in-coverage period, based on a length of time required to transmit the downlink data and a start time at which the downlink data can be transmitted in the first in-coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period (
See Fig. 38, at Stage 3 UE 105 accessing SV1 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV1, and implied continued communication via SV1 till handover to SV2 at Stage 8d, and then at Stage 9 UE 105 accessing SV2 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV2,
See Fig. 38, at Stage 3 UE 105 accessing SV1 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV1, and implied continued communication via SV1 till handover to SV2 at Stage 8d, and then at Stage 9 UE 105 accessing SV2 performing Uplink and downlink communication via SV2,
[0369] At stage 3, the UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the SV1 102/202/302-1, sNB 106/202/307, and AMF 122, based on the allowed TAs via the first radio cell. For example, the UE 105 may determine whether the UE 105 is located inside an allowed TA and determine whether the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA. The UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the first SV1 102/202/302-1 and the first radio cell for the first SV1 102/202/302-1 when the UE 105 determines the UE 105 is located inside the allowed TA and the UE 105 determines the first radio cell supports the serving PLMN and the allowed TA.
[0373] At stage 6, the sNB 106/202/307 generates a SIB, e.g., a SIB type 1 (SIB1) or a SIB type 2 (SIB2), and includes the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes for TAs supported by the first radio cell and broadcasts the SIB to the UE 105 via the SV1 102/202/302-1.
[0374] At stage 7, the UE 105 may determine when to perform a cell change or a handover from the first radio cell to a different radio cell and to access the serving PLMN via a SV2 102/202/302-2 using a different radio cell based on the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes of one or more TAs received at stage 6. For example, the UE 105 may begin the cell change or handover process a predetermined time before the expiration of the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell and/or the remaining lifetimes of one or more TAs received at stage 6.
[0375] At stage 8 the cell change or handover to a second radio cell is performed….. . The handover may be performed when the UE 105 is in a connected state, as discussed at stages 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d.
[0378] At stage 8c, the sNB 106/202/307 instigates handover of UE 105 to the second radio cell via signaling through the first SV1 102/202/302-1. For example, sNB 106/202/307 may instigate the handover based in part on the signal measurements and the remaining lifetime for the second radio cell being greater than the remaining lifetime for the first radio cell or a remaining lifetime for an allowed TA for UE 106 supported by the second radio cell being greater than the remaining lifetime for any allowed TA for UE 105 supported by the first radio cell.
[0379] At stage 8d, the handover to the second radio cell via the second SV2 102/202/302-2 is performed.
[0380] At stage 9, the UE 105 may access the serving PLMN via the SV2 102/202/302-2, sNB 106/202/307, and AMF 122, via the second radio cell. The access may be as described for stage 3 with the second radio cell and SV2 102/202/302-2 replacing the first radio cell and SV1 102/202/302-1.).
Regarding claim 56, the claim is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 57 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 57.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 29, 33-34 and 36-42 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 29, EDGE, 3GPP38821, CHENG, JEON or any prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to teach a communications device for transmitting or receiving via a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network including non- terrestrial, NTN, infrastructure equipment, the communications device comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to or receive signals from the NTN infrastructure equipment, and
controller circuitry configured to identify a first in-coverage period during which the communications device can transmit signals to or receive signals from a first NTN infrastructure equipment, the first NTN infrastructure equipment being either carried by a first aerial vehicle or the transmitted or the received signals are relayed via the first aerial vehicle to or from the first NTN infrastructure equipment, as the first aerial vehicle passes over the communications device,
to identify a second in-coverage period during which the communications device can transmit signals to or receive signals from either the first NTN infrastructure equipment or a second NTN infrastructure equipment, the second NTN infrastructure equipment being either carried by a second aerial vehicle or the transmitted or the received signals are relayed via the second aerial vehicle to or from the second NTN infrastructure equipment as the second aerial vehicle passes over the communications device, and either
to control the transceiver circuitry to transmit uplink data to the wireless communications network by adapting a transmission of the uplink data to include at least part of the second in- coverage period, based on a length of time required to transmit the uplink data and a start time at which the uplink data can be transmitted in the first in-coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period; by identifying that the start time at which the uplink data can be transmitted is during the first in-coverage period, receiving downlink control information from the wireless communications network scheduling the transmission of the uplink data, the downlink control information being received during the first in-coverage period, and transmitting the uplink data as a plurality of repetitions of a redundant version of a transport block, the number of the plurality of repetitions of the transport block determining the length of time required for transmitting the uplink data, a number of the plurality of the redundant versions being transmitted in the first in-coverage period and a second number of the redundant versions being transmitted in the second in-coverage period, or
to control the transceiver circuitry to receive downlink data from the wireless communications network by adapting a reception of the downlink data to include at least part of the second in-coverage period, having been transmitted at least partly in the second in-coverage period, based on a length of time required to receive the downlink data and a start time at which the downlink data can be received in the first in-coverage period with respect to an end of the first in-coverage period- by identifying that the start time at which the downlink data can be received is during the first in-coverage period, receiving downlink control information from the wireless communications network scheduling the reception of the downlink data, the downlink control information being received during the first in-coverage period, wherein the downlink control information received in the first in-coverage period identifies time and frequency.
Regarding claims 33-34 and 36-42, the claims being dependent on claim 29, are allowed for the same reason as above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Shrestha et al. (US 20240178912 A1) describing CELL TYPE SELECTION FOR NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS
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/SHAH M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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