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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. This communication is response to the application filed 11/08/2024 havingclaims 1-20 pending and presented for examination.
Priority
2. Application filed on 01/24/2024 is 371 of PCT/JP2022/029235 07/29/2022
FOREIGN APPLICATIONS UNITED KINGDOM 2111281.8 08/04/2021 are acknowledged.
Drawings
3. The drawings were received on 01/24/2024 and these drawings are accepted.
4. Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/24/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Oath/Declaration
4. The Oath/Declaration filed on 01/24/2024 is accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. 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.
2. 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 42-44, 47-50 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by US Publication US 20240032097 A1 HOPPE et al. (Hereinafter “HOPPE").
As per claim 42, HOPPE teaches a method of a user equipment (UE) for communicating via a non-terrestrial network, the method comprising: receiving satellite information in a system information block ( para 0052, 0055], receiving satellite information from a satellite ); predicting whether the UE is in coverage of the non-terrestrial network or out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network based on the satellite information ( para 0052, 0055], based on the information which it received from satellite predicting that UE will be out of coverage from current satellite for few minutes);; and entering a power saving mode of the UE in a case where the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ( para 0052, 0055], UE enters the power saving mode during the time when UE is out of coverage from satellite and performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ). US 20240032097 A1
As per claim 43, HOPPE teaches the method according to claim 42, further comprising: ending the power saving mode of the UE in a case where the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is in-coverage of the non-terrestrial network (( para 0052, 0055], ending the power saving mode and enters the into satellite projection area by predicting that the UE is in-coverage of the non-terrestrial network as received from satellite).
As per claim 44, HOPPE teaches the method according to claim 43, further comprising: transmitting a uplink data after expiration of a back off timer which is activated after the ending the power saving mode of the UE (para 0053], UE is transmitting to satellite when UE is in coverage of the satellite).
As per claim 47, HOPPE teaches the method according to claim 42, wherein maintaining the power saving mode of the UE in a case where the UE has uplink data to transmit and the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network (( para 0052, 0055], in a case where the UE has uplink data to transmit and the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ).
As per claim 48, HOPPE teaches the method of a network node for communicating to a user equipment (UE) via a non-terrestrial network, the method comprising: transmitting to the UE, satellite information in a system information block (( para 0052, 0055], satellite is transmitting to UE information in a system information block regarding coverage information)., for controlling a power saving mode of the UE based on predicting whether the UE is in coverage or out of coverage based on the satellite information (( para 0052, 0055], controlling the power saving mode whether the UE is in coverage or out of coverage based on the satellite information)., such that the UE entering the power saving mode of the UE based on the predicting (( para 0052, 0055], UE is entering the power saving mode based on the information received from satellite).
As per claim 49, HOPPE teaches the user equipment (UE) for communicating via a non-terrestrial network, the UE comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to: receive satellite information in a system information block( para 0052, 0055], receiving satellite information from a satellite );; predict whether the UE is in coverage of the non-terrestrial network or out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network based on the satellite information( para 0052, 0055], based on the information which it received from satellite predicting that UE will be out of coverage from current satellite for few minutes);;; and enter a power saving mode of the UE in a case where the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ( para 0052, 0055], UE enters the power saving mode during the time when UE is out of coverage from satellite and performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network )..
As per claim 50, HOPPE teaches a network node for communicating to a user equipment (UE) via a non-terrestrial network, the network node comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to: transmit to the UE, satellite information in a system information block(( para 0052, 0055], satellite is transmitting to UE information in a system information block regarding coverage information), for controlling a power saving mode of the UE based on predicting whether the UE is in coverage or out of coverage based on the satellite information(( para 0052, 0055], controlling the power saving mode whether the UE is in coverage or out of coverage based on the satellite information).,, such that the UE entering the power saving mode of the UE based on the predicting( para 0052, 0055], UE is entering the power saving mode based on the information received from satellite).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
4. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
5. Claim(s) 45-46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HOPPE further view of US PG Pub US 20250097845 A1 to LIN et al (hereinafter LIN).
As per claim 45, HOPPE teaches the method according to claim 42, LIN teaches further comprising: starting a timer indicating an active time for the UE (para 0067], UE is starting a timer associated with in coverage network); suspending the timer upon the UE moving out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network (para 0067], stops the timer when UE moves out of network); and resuming the timer upon the UE moving in-coverage of the non-terrestrial network(para 0067], resuming the timer upon the UE moving in-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ). 20250097845
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, to modify the combination system of HOPPE by starting a timer indicating an active time for the UE suspending the timer upon the UE moving out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ; and resuming the timer upon the UE moving in-coverage of the non-terrestrial network as suggested by LIN, this modification would benefit HOPPE for provide a power saving for discontinuous coverage in a device non-terrestrial network (NTN), provide a good communication performance, and/or provide high reliability..
As per claim 46, HOPPE teaches the method according to claim 45,LIN teaches further comprising: maintaining the power saving mode of the UE in a case where the timer is started, and the predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network (para 0067], e predicting is performed by predicting that the UE is out-of-coverage of the non-terrestrial network ).
Examiner supplies the same rationale as supplied in claim 45.
Conclusion
Prior arts made of record, not relied upon: US Patent Publication US 20220183077 A1; US Patent Publication US 20220225467 A1, US Patent Publication US 20220070752 A1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANEZ EBRAHIM whose telephone number is (571)270-7153. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8 AM to 5 PM If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hassan Phillips can be reached on (571) 272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANEZ C EBRAHIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467