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 .
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 36-48 and 53-55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (US 2021/0105649).
RE claims 36 and 54, Lee discloses a method and user equipment which selectively operates in a relaxed measurement mode of operation, the user equipment comprising: processing circuitry (Figure 5) configured to cause the user equipment to refrain from operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation, responsive to a determination that the user equipment is to perform or is performing one or more high-priority actions (Figure 10 and paragraph 424 discloses a method performed by a UE to determine whether or not to perform relaxed measurements of serving and neighbor cells based upon a configuration received from the network which contains conditions needed for a relaxed measurement mode. See also paragraphs 18-19 and 402-403. If the wireless device fails to satisfy “serving cell quality of the wireless device is stable” and/or “the wireless device is stationary or in low mobility” then the wireless device does NOT perform relaxed measurement and indicates as such to the network)
RE claim 37, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein the one or more high-priority actions comprise performance of one or more high-priority measurements (Though Lee fails to explicitly state “high-priority measurements”, Paragraphs 18-19, 402-403 and 409-412 discloses two conditions in which a relaxed measurement is permitted. The first is unstable serving cell quality and the other is the device being in a high mobility state. These conditions arise from the fact that a device near a cell edge and/or moving between cells must perform normal measurement operation to prepare for and possibly perform handover. These “normal” measurements are thus interpreted as “high-priority actions” since they prevent a relaxed operation mode)
RE claim 38, Lee discloses the method of claim 37 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein a high-priority measurement comprises a measurement performed by the user equipment for cell change (Paragraph 409: “The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for mobility of the wireless device. The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for cell selection and/or cell reselection. The wireless device may perform measurement for cell selection and/or cell reselection in idle state and/or inactive state based on the first measurement configuration”).
RE claim 39, Lee discloses the method of claim 38 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein cell change comprises one or more of: cell reselection; handover; serving cell change, handover with PSCell change RRC release with direction and RRC connection re-establishment (Paragraph 409: “The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for mobility of the wireless device. The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for cell selection and/or cell reselection. The wireless device may perform measurement for cell selection and/or cell reselection in idle state and/or inactive state based on the first measurement configuration”).
RE claim 40, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein one or more of the following applies: a high-priority measurement is a measurement performed by the user equipment for a critical purpose (Paragraph 409: “The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for mobility of the wireless device. The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for cell selection and/or cell reselection. The wireless device may perform measurement for cell selection and/or cell reselection in idle state and/or inactive state based on the first measurement configuration”. Cell selection or reselection is interpreted as a “critical purpose” as in the context of Lee, measurement for this purpose when a UE is high mobility and/or near a cell edge is clearly “critical” as lacking normal measurements would lead to a poor or no selection. ); a high-priority measurement is a measurement performed by the user equipment only in a second measurement mode of operation different from the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode); and a high-priority measurement is a measurement performed by the user equipment while meeting a reference requirement (Paragraph 449).
RE claim 41, Lee discloses the method of claim 40 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein a critical purpose comprises one or more of: positioning; beam failure detection; candidate beam detection; radio link monitoring; radio link failure; emergency services; early measurement reporting; cell selection; self-organizing network configuration; automatic neighbour relations; time and/or frequency tracking or synchronization; measurement for active Transmission Configuration Indicator switching and cell global identifier acquisition (Paragraph 409: “The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for mobility of the wireless device. The first measurement configuration may include measurement configuration for cell selection and/or cell reselection. The wireless device may perform measurement for cell selection and/or cell reselection in idle state and/or inactive state based on the first measurement configuration”. This is interpreted to meet the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed “beam failure detection; candidate beam detection; radio link monitoring; radio link failure, early measurement reporting, cell selection, and automatic neighbour relations”).
RE claim 42, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein early measurement reporting comprises any one or more of: measurement in idle mode for carrier aggregation; measurement in inactive mode for carrier aggregation; measurement in idle mode for dual connectivity and measurement in inactive mode for dual connectivity (Paragraph 20: “upon receiving the indication, the network could setup Carrier Aggregation (CA) and/or Dual Connectivity without a large delay. Thus, the wireless device could setup the CA and/or the DC fast” and Paragraph 22: “Therefore, the wireless device may not perform unnecessary measurement by reporting that the relaxed measurement has been performed in idle state and/or inactive state”).
RE claim 43, Lee discloses the method of claim 40 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein the reference requirement for a measurement is more stringent than a reference requirement for the measurement performed in the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).
RE claim 44, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein refraining from operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation comprises ignoring an instruction from a network node to enter the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Figure 10 and paragraph 424 discloses a method performed by a UE to determine whether or not to perform relaxed measurements of serving and neighbor cells based upon a configuration received from the network which contains conditions needed for a relaxed measurement mode. See also paragraphs 18-19 and 402-403. If the wireless device fails to satisfy “serving cell quality of the wireless device is stable” and/or “the wireless device is stationary or in low mobility” then the wireless device does NOT perform relaxed measurement and indicates as such to the network).
RE claim 45, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses wherein refraining from operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation comprises refraining from operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation until the one or more high-priority actions are stopped or completed (Figure 10 and paragraph 424 discloses a method performed by a UE to determine whether or not to perform relaxed measurements of serving and neighbor cells based upon a configuration received from the network which contains conditions needed for a relaxed measurement mode. See also paragraphs 18-19 and 402-403. If the wireless device fails to satisfy “serving cell quality of the wireless device is stable” and/or “the wireless device is stationary or in low mobility” then the wireless device does NOT perform relaxed measurement and indicates as such to the network).
RE claim 46, Lee discloses the method of claim 36 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses while operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation, one or more of the following applies: the user equipment performs measurements less frequently than in a second measurement mode of operation different to the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode); the user equipment performs measurements over a longer period of time than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode); the user equipment performs measurements on fewer cells than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).; the user equipment performs measurements on fewer beams than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).; the user equipment performs measurements on fewer reference signals than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).;and the user equipment performs measurements while meeting a requirement which is less stringent than a reference requirement (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).
RE claims 48 and 55, Lee discloses a method and network node comprising: processing circuitry (Figure 2, 200) configured to cause the network node to: receive a report from a user equipment indicating fulfilment of one or more criteria for the user equipment to enter a relaxed measurement mode of operation, wherein the report further comprises an indication that the user equipment is performing or is to perform one or more high-priority actions; and refrain from immediately instructing the user equipment to enter the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Figure 10 and paragraph 424 discloses a method performed by a UE to determine whether or not to perform relaxed measurements of serving and neighbor cells based upon a configuration received from the network which contains conditions needed for a relaxed measurement mode. See also paragraphs 18-19 and 402-403. If the wireless device fails to satisfy “serving cell quality of the wireless device is stable” and/or “the wireless device is stationary or in low mobility” then the wireless device does NOT perform relaxed measurement and indicates as such to the network)
RE claim 53, Lee discloses the method of claim 48 as set forth above. Note that Lee further discloses while operating in the relaxed measurement mode of operation, one or more of the following applies: the user equipment performs measurements less frequently than in a second measurement mode of operation different to the relaxed measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode); the user equipment performs measurements over a longer period of time than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode); the user equipment performs measurements on fewer cells than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).; the user equipment performs measurements on fewer beams than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).; the user equipment performs measurements on fewer reference signals than in the second measurement mode of operation (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).;and the user equipment performs measurements while meeting a requirement which is less stringent than a reference requirement (Paragraph 421-423 discloses that a relaxed measurement mode may cause a wireless device to “extend time period of measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cells” and/or “reduce number of cells, carriers, and/or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be measured for measurement on the serving cell and/or the at least one of the neighbor cell” as compared to a normal mode).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 49-52 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but may be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
RE claim 49, prior arts do not explicitly disclose, teach or suggest that the report indicating the user equipment has refrained from operating in the relaxed measurement mode further comprises an indication of an amount of time that performance of the one or more high-priority actions, which is preventing operation in the relaxed mode, is expected to endure.
RE claims 50-52, the claims depend upon claim 49 and therefore include the allowable features above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James P Duffy whose telephone number is (571)270-7516. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Friday, 9am-6pm EST.
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/James P Duffy/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461