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 Status
This office action is in response to the communication(s) filed on 12/29/2025.
Claim(s) 1, 4-14, and 17-20 is/are currently presenting for examination.
Claim(s) 1, 14, and 20 is/are independent claim(s).
Claim(s) 1, 4-14, and 17-20 is/are rejected.
This action has been made NON-FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/29/2025 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5, 7-9, 13-14, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20230107526_A1_Li in view of US_20220116839_A1_Tseng.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a method of wireless communication, comprising: receiving, by a user device, from a network device, configuration information that is used to distribute, to the user device, resource elements that include beams, cells, or frequencies (Li figure 3, step S101, paragraph 42, “S101, the terminal device receives multiple sets of cell configuration information.” And paragraph 29, “… the terminal device communicates with the network device through a transmission resource (for example, a frequency domain resource or a spectrum resource) for the cell…” ); and using, by the user device, the configuration information for a subsequent operation (Li figure 3, steps S101-S103, for performing handover), wherein the configuration information includes at least one of i) one or more lists of distribution targets (Li figure 3, step S101, paragraph 42, “S101, the terminal device receives multiple sets of cell configuration information.” Paragraph 45, “…where the multiple sets of cell configuration information correspond to multiple cells respectively…”), ii) one or more distribution factors, each distribution factor giving a weight of a corresponding distribution target, or iii) a timer configured with the one or more distribution targets or the one or more distribution factors to trigger distribution based on the configuration information based on the configuration information, wherein a distribution target is a beam, a cell, a cell group, or a frequency (Li figure 3, step S101, paragraph 42, “S101, the terminal device receives multiple sets of cell configuration information.” Paragraph 45, “…where the multiple sets of cell configuration information correspond to multiple cells respectively…”), but does not disclose wherein the configuration information includes an indication indicating whether a subsequent operation is triggered by the user device or by the network device.
Tseng discloses wherein the configuration information includes an indication indicating whether a subsequent operation is triggered by the user device or by the network device (Tseng paragraph 7, “…the UE stores a UE-triggered handover configuration upon receiving the early handover command…”, paragraph 41, “… The handover command includes a handover configuration...”, paragraph 48, “The UE upon receiving one or more early handover commands, monitors handover triggering conditions. At step 651, UE 601 makes early handover decisions. Upon determining one or more triggering conditions are met, the UE performs the UE-triggered handover…”, paragraph 56, “the UE-triggered handover, or conditional handover (CHO) coexists with the network triggered handover, or the legacy handover…”. The UE-triggered handover configuration indicates a UE-triggered handover).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Tseng’s the UE performs the UE-triggered handover based on the UE-triggered handover configuration in Li’s system to enable faster, more robust mobility, particularly in high-mobility scenarios, without waiting for real-time network signaling. This method for improving the system of Li was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Tseng. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li and Tseng to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, and Li further discloses further comprising receiving, from the network device, a paging message, a dedicated radio resource control (RRC) message, a MAC control element (CE) or a downlink control information (DCI) to trigger the subsequent operation based on the configuration information (Li figure 3, paragraph 85, “…the activation instruction can be carried in RRC dedicated signaling, a MAC CE…”, and paragraph 61).
Regarding claim 7, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, and Li further discloses wherein the subsequent operation includes sending measurement report, or performing a cell selection or a cell reselection, or evaluating a execution condition for a conditional handover or conditional Primary SCG (Secondary Cell Group) Cell (PSCell) change, or determining a target for cell switch or cell group switch (Li figure 3, paragraph 78, “The above describes a scenario where the preset cell configuration information is used to assist the terminal in fast cell handover in implementations of the disclosure. Based on the principles of the above implementations, other handover scenarios are also applicable. For example, in a dual-connectivity (DC) architecture, the terminal device can implement a PSCell change procedure from a serving PSCell to a target PSCell according to multiple sets of secondary cell group (SCG) configuration information sent in advance by the network device, which can achieve the same or similar technical effects”).
Regarding claim 8, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 7, and Li further discloses further comprising, after the performing of the cell selection or the cell reselection, triggering data transmission (Li figure 3, paragraph 36, “…the NR system may switch a communication link between the UE and an original cell to a new cell for ensuring communication continuity and quality of service...”, and paragraph 105).
Regarding claim 9, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, and Li further discloses wherein the distribution target is identified by a reference signal for the beam, by a physical cell identification for the cell (Li paragraph 60, “…an identifier (ID) of the target cell…”), or an absolute radio-frequency channel number (ARFCN) value for the frequency.
Regarding claim 13, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, and Li further discloses wherein the configuration information is received by the user device via a system information block or a radio resource control (RRC) message (Li paragraph 81, “The UE receives RRC configuration information transmitted by the network…”).
Regarding claim 14, Li and Tseng disclose the limitations as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 18, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 14, and Li further discloses further comprising transmitting, by the network device, a message to trigger the user device to perform a subsequent operation based on the configuration information (Li figure 3, step S102, paragraph 52, “handover configuration information can be provided to the terminal device in advance… By introducing an activation indication, handover and access of the terminal device can be triggered with a small signaling overhead, the probability of handover success can be improved…”).
Regarding claim 19, Li and Tseng disclose the limitations as set forth in claim 5.
Regarding claim 20, Li and Tseng disclose the limitations as set forth in claim 1.
Claim(s) 4 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20230107526_A1_Li in view of US_20220116839_A1_Tseng US_20190387438_A1_Chang.
Regarding claim 4, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 3, but do not disclose wherein the indication is a one-bit indication to trigger the subsequent operation or a list of indications, each indication triggering the subsequent operation under a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), or a closed access group (CAG), a certain network type, or a certain network scenario.
Chang discloses wherein the indication is a one-bit indication to trigger the subsequent operation (Chang paragraph 303, “…the handover indication can include one bit to indicate whether the UE is about to be handed over to the target cell, or to indicate that the first condition has been met…”) or a list of indications, each indication triggering the subsequent operation under a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), or a closed access group (CAG), a certain network type, or a certain network scenario.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Chang’s the handover indication can include one bit to indicate whether the UE is about to be handed over to the target cell in Li and Tseng’s system to reduce overhead signalling. This method for improving the system of Li and Tseng was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Chang. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li, Tseng and Chang to obtain the invention as specified in claim 4.
Regarding claim 17, Li, Tseng and Chang disclose the limitations as set forth in claim 4.
Claim(s) 6 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20230107526_A1_Li in view of US_20220116839_A1_Tseng and US_20180220330_A1_Van.
Regarding claim 6, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, but do not disclose further comprising: applying the one or more distribution factors in deriving cell measurement information and/or selecting a distribution target.
Van discloses applying the one or more distribution factors in deriving cell measurement information and/or selecting a distribution target (Van figure 4 steps 320-330).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Van’s determining whether to move to one of the redistribution targets using at least one of the redistribution factors in Li and Tseng’s system to avoid frequently hand overing. This method for improving the system of Li and Tseng was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Van. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li, Tseng and Van to obtain the invention as specified in claim 6.
Regarding claim 12, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, but do not disclose wherein more than one distribution factors are configured such that each distribution factor is for a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a non-public network (NPN), a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), a closed access group (CAG), a certain network type or a certain network scenario.
Van discloses wherein more than one distribution factors are configured such that each distribution factor is for a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a non-public network (NPN), a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), a closed access group (CAG), a certain network type or a certain network scenario (Van figure 4, and paragraph 25, “wherein the redistribution factor for the first cell is set as the only redistribution factor associated with that redistribution target only if the first cell satisfies a condition based on the ranking of cells of the frequency corresponding to that redistribution target”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Van’s determining whether to move to one of the redistribution targets using at least one of the redistribution factors in Li and Tseng’s system to avoid frequently hand overing. This method for improving the system of Li and Tseng was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Van. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li, Tseng and Van to obtain the invention as specified in claim 12.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20230107526_A1_Li in view of US_20220116839_A1_Tseng and US_20230189187_A1_Velev.
Regarding claim 10, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, but do not disclose wherein the one or more lists of the distribution targets are configured such that each list is for a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a non-public network (NPN), a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), or a closed access group (CAG).
Velev discloses wherein the one or more lists of the distribution targets are configured such that each list is for a certain slice, a slice group, an access category, an access category group, a non-public network (NPN), a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), or a closed access group (CAG) (Velev paragraph 64, “…Allowed CAG list…”, and paragraphs 48, 61).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Velev’s the configuration includes Allowed CAG list in Li and Tseng’s system to control access to specific cells or network resources. This method for improving the system of Li and Tseng was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Velev. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li, Tseng and Velev to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Regarding claim 11, Li and Tseng disclose the method of claim 1, but do not disclose wherein the one or more lists of the distribution targets are configured for a certain network type or a certain network scenario that includes a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a closed access group (CAG) network, a non-public network (NPN), a terrestrial network, a non-terrestrial network, a non-terrestrial network served by a geostationary (GEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a non-GEO satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a high altitude platform station (HAPS), a non-terrestrial network with fixed beam scenario or a non-terrestrial network with moving beam scenario.
Velev discloses wherein the one or more lists of the distribution targets are configured for a certain network type or a certain network scenario that includes a stand-alone non-public network (SNPN), a closed access group (CAG) network (Velev paragraph 64, “…Allowed CAG list…”, and paragraphs 48, 61), a non-public network (NPN), a terrestrial network, a non-terrestrial network, a non-terrestrial network served by a geostationary (GEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a non-GEO satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a non-terrestrial network served by a high altitude platform station (HAPS), a non-terrestrial network with fixed beam scenario or a non-terrestrial network with moving beam scenario.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Velev’s the configuration includes Allowed CAG list in Li and Tseng’s system to control access to specific cells or network resources. This method for improving the system of Li and Tseng was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Velev. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Li, Tseng and Velev to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The reference US_20240098612_A1_Xiong, teaches a conditional handover (CHO) that the terminal performs handover when one or more handover execution conditions are met. The terminal starts evaluating the execution conditions after receiving CHO configuration and stops evaluating the execution conditions after executing the handover (Paragraphs 55-59).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEIBIN HUANG whose telephone number is (571)270-3695. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30AM - 6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached at (571)272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/W.H/Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/SUJOY K KUNDU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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