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 .
This office action is in response to Amendment filed on Feb. 02, 2026.
Claims 1, 12, 15-17 have been amended.
Claims 18-20 have been canceled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kadiri et al (2021/0092654).
Regarding claims 1 and 17, Kadiri discloses an apparatus (see abstract, fig.3, element 105-c and its description), comprising: at least one processor (see abstract, fig.12, element 1240, paragraphs [0301], and its description); and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor (see abstract, fig.12, elements 1230, 1240, paragraphs [0301], and its description), cause the apparatus at least to: obtain user equipment information associated with a user equipment, wherein the user equipment information indicates whether the user equipment, when served with the apparatus, would need repetitions of a reference signal transmitted with a target base station to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with a transmitting beam in a beam management procedure with the target base station (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, 105-d, steps 305-320, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0172] and its description); and send, to the target base station, the user equipment information (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, 105-d, step 325, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0173] and its description).
Regarding claim 2, Kadiri further discloses wherein the user equipment information indicates at least one of: the user equipment would need repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with the transmitting beam; the number of repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station that the user equipment needs to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with the transmitting beam; the user equipment would not need repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with the transmitting beam; or a confidence indicator to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with the transmitting beam without repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station (see paragraph [0137]).
Regarding claim 3, Kadiri further discloses 3 wherein the user equipment information is determined with the user equipment; and wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: send, to the user equipment, a user equipment information inquiry to obtain the user equipment information (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, steps 305-310, paragraphs [0013-0015], [0049-0050], [0084], [0151-0153], [0170] and its description) and receive, from the user equipment, a response to the user equipment information inquiry comprising the user equipment information (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, steps 305-315, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0171] and its description).
Regarding claim 4, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the user equipment information with the user equipment based on a model received from the apparatus (see paragraph [0102-0103]).
Regarding claim 5, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the inputs of the model with the user equipment (see paragraphs [0099], [0102-0103]).
Regarding claim 6, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the user equipment information with the apparatus (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, steps 305-315, paragraphs [0153], [0170] and its description).
Regarding claim 7, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the user equipment information with the apparatus based on a model (see paragraphs [0099], [0102-0103]).
Regarding claim 8, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine inputs of the model; wherein inputs of the model are received from the user equipment (see paragraphs [0099], [0102-0103]).
Regarding claim 9, Kadiri further discloses wherein inputs of the model comprise at least one of: a location of the user equipment; a speed of the user equipment; a reference signal received power or reference signal received quality measured with the user equipment for a cell of the target base station; or a reference signal received power or reference signal received quality measured with the source base station for a cell of the target base station (see paragraphs [0099], [0102-0103] [013-0134]).
Regarding claim 10, Kadiri further discloses wherein an output of the model comprises at least one of: a stationarity of a channel between the user equipment and the target base station; a non-stationarity of a channel between the user equipment and the target base station; an indication that the user equipment would need repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station; the number of repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station; a confidence indicator to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with the transmitting beam without repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station; or an indication that the user equipment would not need repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the target base station (see paragraphs [0099], [0102-0103] [013-0134]).
Regarding claim 11, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to send the user equipment information to the target base station in a handover request message (see abstract, fig.3, elements 105-c, 105-d, step 325, paragraphs [0170-0173] and its description).
Regarding claim 12, Kadiri discloses an apparatus (see abstract, fig.3, element 105-d and its description), comprising: at least one processor (see abstract, fig.12, element 1240, paragraphs [0301], and its description); and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor (see abstract, fig.12, elements 1230, 1240, paragraphs [0301], and its description), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a source base station, user equipment information associated with a user equipment, wherein the user equipment information indicates whether the user equipment, when served with the source base station would need repetitions of a reference signal transmitted with the apparatus to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with a transmitting beam in a beam management procedure with the apparatus (see abstract, fig.3, elements 105-c, 105-d, steps 305-325, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0173] and its description); and use the user equipment information to make a handover decision (see abstract, fig.3, elements 105-c, 105-d, steps 305-330, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0174] and its description).
Regarding claim 13, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least one of: allowing handover from the source base station to the apparatus for protocol data unit sessions; rejecting handover from the source base station to the apparatus for protocol data unit sessions; calculating an overhead incurred with the repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the apparatus to the resource usage of the apparatus; or accepting handover from the source base station to the apparatus for at least one protocol data unit session and rejecting handover from the source base station to the apparatus for at least one other protocol data unit session (see abstract, fig.3, elements 105-c, 105-d, steps 305-340, paragraphs [0153], [0170-0177] and its description).
Regarding claim 14, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: use the user equipment information to determine the timing of the repetitions of the reference signal transmitted with the apparatus on the transmitting beam (see paragraphs [0129], [0137]).
Regarding claim 15, Kadiri discloses an apparatus 15. An apparatus (see abstract, fig.3, element 105-b and its description), comprising: at least one processor (see abstract, fig.8, element 840, paragraph [0247] and its description); and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor (see abstract, fig.8, elements 830, 840, paragraph [0247] and its description), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a source base station, a user equipment information inquiry to obtain user equipment information associated with the apparatus, wherein the user equipment information indicates whether the apparatus, when served with the source base station would need repetitions of a reference signal transmitted with a target base station to successfully select a receiving beam aligned with a transmitting beam in a beam management procedure with the target base station (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, 105-d, paragraphs [0013-0015], [0049-0050], [0084], [0151-0153], [0170-0172] and its description); and send, to the source base station, a response to the user equipment information inquiry comprising the user equipment information determined with the apparatus or inputs to allow the source base station to determine the user equipment information (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, 105-d, steps 305-315, paragraphs [0013-0014], ], [0151-0153], [0170] and its description).
Regarding claim 16, Kadiri further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: send, to the source base station, a measurement report comprising updated user equipment information determined with the apparatus or updated inputs to allow the source base station to determine updated user equipment information (see abstract, fig.3, elements 115-b, 105-c, 105-d, step 315, paragraphs [0013-0014], [0151-0153], [0170-0171] and its description).
Regarding claim 21, Kadiri further discloses a non-transitory program storage device readable with an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable with the apparatus (see abstract, fig.12, elements 1230, 1240, paragraphs [0301], and its description).
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Alison Slater can be reached on (571) 270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Prosecution Insights