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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 2/2/2024 and 6/26/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1, 10-11 and 45-46 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Geng et al. (US. Pub. No. 2022/0322176 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Geng discloses a method for transmitting information (See abstract and Fig. 3), executed by a non-terrestrial network (NTN) device (See Par. [3]-[4] of Geng for a reference to a network device in the non-terrestrial network (NTN) system), and comprising: sending reselection time information to user equipment (UE), wherein the reselection time information is at least configured to determine a cell reselection moment (See Par. [99]-[104] and Fig. 3 of Geng for a reference to the NTN network device sends the reselection configuration information including the reselection trigger time information that indicates the UE to immediately perform cell reselection), and
the reselection time information comprises at least one of the following: first auxiliary information indicating the cell reselection moment; second auxiliary information indicating a correspondence relation between each zone in an NTN serving cell and the cell reselection moment; or third auxiliary information indicating a cell reselection moment of a reference position in the NTN serving cell (See Par. [93]-[95], [154]-[156] of Geng for a reference to the reselection configuration information comprises the moment T3, which is the moment when cell hopping/reselection occurs [First Auxiliary information]).
Regarding claim 10, Geng discloses a method for transmitting information, executed by user equipment (UE) (See abstract and Fig. 3; ), and comprising:
receiving reselection time information (See Par. [99]-[104] and Fig. 3 of Geng for a reference to the UE receives the reselection configuration information including the reselection trigger time information that indicates the UE to immediately perform cell reselection), wherein the reselection time information is at least configured to determine a cell reselection moment, and the reselection time information comprises at least one of the following: first auxiliary information indicating the cell reselection moment; second auxiliary information comprising a correspondence relation between each zone in an NTN serving cell and the cell reselection moment; or third auxiliary information indicating a cell reselection moment of a reference position in the NTN serving cell (See Par. [93]-[95], [154]-[156] of Geng for a reference to the reselection configuration information comprises the moment T3, which is the moment when cell hopping/reselection occurs [First Auxiliary information]).
Regarding claim 11, Geng discloses determining the cell reselection moment of the UE according to the first auxiliary information (See Par. [93]-[95], [154]-[156] of Geng for a reference to the reselection configuration information comprises the moment T3, which is the moment when cell hopping/reselection occurs [First Auxiliary information]).
Regarding claim 45, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 1.
Regarding claim 46, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 10.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 2-4 and 12-14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng et al. in view of Fu et al. (US. Pub. No. 2023/0239774 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Geng does not explicitly disclose wherein the first auxiliary information is determined by the NTN device according to at least the following information: position information of the UE; an obtainment time of the position information; and time information of the UE entering a disconnected state, wherein the disconnected state comprises an idle state or an inactive state.
However, Fu discloses wherein the first auxiliary information is determined by the NTN device according to at least the following information: position information of the UE; an obtainment time of the position information; and time information of the UE entering a disconnected state, wherein the disconnected state comprises an idle state or an inactive state (See Par. [165]-[168] of Fu for a reference to for RRC-Inactive [Disconnected] UE, the anchor base station sends RRCRelease PDCP PDU to the UE, including the location of the UE, time of obtaining of the UE location and the time when the UE enters the inactive state).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fu to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the delay and reducing the signalling overhead by implementing the 2-step RACH process. (Fu; Par. [63])
Regarding claim 3, Geng does not explicitly disclose wherein the position information of the UE comprises one of the following: position information reported when the UE is in a random access process; or position information reported when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.
However, Fu discloses wherein the position information of the UE comprises one of the following: position information reported when the UE is in a random access process; or position information reported when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state (See Par. [97]. [165]-[168] of Fu for a reference the UE position information is reported in the UE in a 4-step or a 2-step random access process (RACH)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fu to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the delay and reducing the signalling overhead by implementing the 2-step RACH process. (Fu; Par. [63])
Regarding claim 4, Geng does not explicitly disclose wherein the sending reselection time information to user equipment (UE) comprises at least one of the following: sending radio resource control (RRC) release signaling carrying the first auxiliary information to the UE; sending a system message carrying the second auxiliary information to the UE; sending a system message carrying the third auxiliary information to the UE; sending RRC signaling carrying the second auxiliary information to the UE; or sending RRC signaling carrying the third auxiliary information to the UE.
However, Fu discloses wherein the sending reselection time information to user equipment (UE) comprises at least one of the following: sending radio resource control (RRC) release signaling carrying the first auxiliary information to the UE; sending a system message carrying the second auxiliary information to the UE; sending a system message carrying the third auxiliary information to the UE; sending RRC signaling carrying the second auxiliary information to the UE; or sending RRC signaling carrying the third auxiliary information to the UE (See Par. [165]-[168] of Fu for a reference the anchor base station sends RRCRelease PDCP PDU to the UE, including the location of the UE, time of obtaining of the UE location).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fu to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the delay and reducing the signalling overhead by implementing the 2-step RACH process. (Fu; Par. [63])
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 2.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 3.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 4.
7. Claims 5, 15 and 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng et al. in view of Kubota et al. (US. Pub. No. 2016/0234735 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Geng does not explicitly disclose wherein the second auxiliary information comprises: a zone identifier of each zone, and a cell reselection moment corresponding to each zone identifier.
However, Kubota discloses wherein the second auxiliary information comprises: a zone identifier of each zone, and a cell reselection moment corresponding to each zone identifier UE (See Par. [93], [164], [344] and Fig. 33 of Kubota for a reference the network node sends a first signal at the UE, including a zone identifier, and using the zone ID to identify the time that the UE moves from a first zone to a second zone).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kubota to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving communication quality and reliability between the BS and the UE. (Kubota; Par. [79])
Regarding claim 15, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 5.
Regarding claim 17, Geng does not explicitly disclose determining the cell reselection moment of the UE according to the second auxiliary information.
However, Kubota discloses determining the cell reselection moment of the UE according to the second auxiliary information (See Par. [93], [164], [344] and Fig. 33 of Kubota for a reference the network node sends a first signal at the UE, including a zone identifier, and using the zone ID to identify the time [moment] that the UE moves from a first zone to a second zone).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kubota to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving communication quality and reliability between the BS and the UE. (Kubota; Par. [79])
8. Claims 6 and 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng et al. in view of Kubota et al. and further in view of Ryu et al. (US. Pub. No. 2021/0051444 A1).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Geng and Kubota does not explicitly disclose wherein the second auxiliary information further comprises length information of a length of a zone in a first direction, length information of a length of the zone in a second direction, a modulo parameter of the length in the first direction, a modulo parameter of the length in the second direction, and position information of a zone reference point; or, the second auxiliary information further comprises length information of a length of the zone in a first direction, length information of a length of the zone in a second direction, a modulo parameter of the length in the first direction, and a modulo parameter of the length in the second direction.
However, Ryu discloses wherein the second auxiliary information further comprises length information of a length of a zone in a first direction, length information of a length of the zone in a second direction, a modulo parameter of the length in the first direction, a modulo parameter of the length in the second direction, and position information of a zone reference point (See Par. [305]-[306], [378] of Ryu for a reference the flexible zone info comprises: the length of the zone, angle (direction) of the zone. Zone ID is determined by means of modulo operation using length, width, number of zones in length, number of zones in width and the single fixed reference point of the UE current location).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ryu to the combination of Geng and kubota. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by increasing resource utilization efficiency and reducing power consumption when implementing an improved registration area tracking mechanism. (Ryu; Par. [318])
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 6.
9. Claims 7 and 20-21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng et al. in view of Tripathi (US. Pub. No. 2022/0070738 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Geng does not explicitly disclose wherein the third auxiliary information comprises: position information of the reference position; cell reselection moment information of the reference position; and coverage information of the NTN serving cell.
However, Tripathi discloses wherein the second auxiliary information comprises: a zone identifier of each zone, and a cell reselection moment corresponding to each zone identifier UE (See Par. [68], [72], [81], [84] of Tripathi for a reference the network node sends cell reselection information, including NTN timing activation time, ephemeris and location supports, and reselection moment).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Tripathi to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving radio interface efficiency coverage, and quality of service. (Tripathi; Par. [3])
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 7.
Regarding claim 21, Geng does not explicitly disclose determining the cell reselection moment of the UE according to the third auxiliary information, ephemeris information associated with the NTN serving cell, and a position of the UE.
However, Tripathi discloses determining the cell reselection moment of the UE according to the third auxiliary information, ephemeris information associated with the NTN serving cell, and a position of the UE (See Par. [68], [72], [81], [84] of Tripathi for a reference the network node sends cell reselection information, including NTN timing activation time, ephemeris and location supports, and reselection moment).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Tripathi to Geng. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving radio interface efficiency coverage, and quality of service. (Tripathi; Par. [3])
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claim 18 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hong (US 2024/0163754 Al) teaches a cell reselection method, an apparatus, a communication device and a storage medium.
Tseng et al. (U.S. 2023/0047987Al) teaches a user equipment (UE) and a method of the UE to determine how to implement the UE's Idle mode during a Service Available Period (SAP) and/or while out of a RAN coverage area of a cell connected to a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).
Yun et al. (US 2020/0178135 A1) discloses a method for receiving satellite information in the NTN, a method for supporting handover in the NTN.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication from the examiner should be directed to RASHA FAYED whose telephone number is (571) 270-3804. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the supervisory Examiner, Un Cho can be reached on (571)272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/R.K.F/Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/UN C CHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413