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 § 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.
Claims 1-4, 8-12, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 20150319664 to Perras et al in view of U.S. Patent No. 6359871 to Chung et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20080096566 to Brunner et al, and in further view of U.S. Publication No. 20210377828 to Tao et al.
Referring to claim 1, Perras et al disclose in Figures 1A-12C a method of performing roaming (Section 0065) and handover load balancing (offloading among cells via handover) in a multicell (Sections 0002, 0072, and 0081: network has a plurality of cells) wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations (anchor nodes, each of which can be BS; Sections 0027, 0033, 0037, 0072, 0093, and 0107), each base station … to communicate with wireless terminals (each BS communicates with UEs within its cell), the method comprising:
Receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information (load information) for said one (each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs) or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information (the number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered) … for said one or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations. Sections 0025, 0090, and 0091: each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs. Sections 0033, 0082, 0092, and 0103: The load information reads on the claimed “capacity information” since the load information indicates number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered.
Storing the capacity information in a database (table) at the wireless terminal. Sections 0089, 0095, 0107, 0111, and 0114: Using the load information from BS’s, UE knows in advance which BS has a higher amount of load compared to another BS, and can select the BS with the lesser load as the target BS. Although not specifically disclosed, UE must store the load information since UE receives the load information from BS in advance, and then uses the load information to select a target BS. Sections 0004, 0024, 0108-0110, 0112, and 0115: Similarly, UE stores a history of one or more routes of UE and BS’s on the one or more routes in a table, and uses that stored history in the table to determine a target BS.
… a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover … based on at least one of signal strength (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) and link quality (signal quality of links) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station. Sections 0029, 0036, 0060, 0063, 0064, 0066, 0069, 0071, and 0092: A trigger used to initiate a handover by UE includes signal quality of links between UE and BS; a BS is overloaded if the percentage of data throughput used on the link is low, thereby causing poor signal quality and triggering handover by UE. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initial the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that is less loaded, etc.
… prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initiate the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that may be less loaded, etc. Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE has already stored the load information of all BS’s, so UE uses the stored load information to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Refer to Sections 0023-0138.
Perras et al do not disclose a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: ….
Chung et al disclose in Figures 1-13, Column 9 line 28-49, and Column 21 lines 50-65 wherein each BS has a plurality of call slots to communicate with UEs. When the handover from an old BS to a new BS is successful, UE will be allocated the required time slots by the new BS. When there are no, or insufficient, time slots available in the new BS for the handover to proceed, UE will remain with the old BS. Refer to Column 5 line 46 to Column 24 line 67. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: …. One would have been motivated to do so so that each BS can communicate with UEs via a plurality of call slots to facilitate communication.
Perras et al and Chung et al do not disclose … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations …
Brunner et al disclose in Figures 1-17 and Sections 0030 and 0042 wherein frequent handovers of UEs in active mode among BS’s adversely impacts real-time services and reduces service coverage in the network. Network coverage and capacity can be increased by reducing the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s (claimed “the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations”). So, the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s affects the capacity. Refer to Sections 0022-0159. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations … One would have been motivated to do so since by indicating the number of active handovers to UE, UE can try to reduce the number of active handovers among BS’s in order to increase capacity.
Perras et al, Chung et al, and Brunner et al do not disclose … receiving a roaming or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality directing the wireless terminal to roam or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming or handover request, to prevent roaming or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information.
Tao et al disclose in Figures 1-22 and Sections 0065, 0082, 0148, 0158-0165 and 0202-0219 wherein if serving gNB detects that a signal strength of a target gNB is higher than a signal strength of serving gNB, serving gNB prepares for handover of UE to the target gNB and transmits a handover command message to the UE (claimed “receiving a … handover request based on at least one of signal strength … directing the wireless terminal to … handover a call to a target base station”). If a handover rejection condition is fulfilled, UE rejects the handover command (claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station”). An example of an handover reject condition is “if serving cell is better than the target cell for more than x DB for at least y ms”. Refer to Sections 0029-0310. Tao et al do not disclose the claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”. However, Perras et al disclose in Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE uses the stored load information of all BS’s to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Tao et al also disclose in Section 0209 wherein target gNB must have the capacity to accept a UE to be handed over. By applying Tao et al to Perras et al: UE of Perras et al receives a handover command from serving BS, and can reject the handover command from serving BS based on determining that target BS does not have enough capacity to accept UE. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request, to prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. One would have been motivated to do so since UE should be handed off to a target BS with a higher signal strength, and so UE can override the handover command in case that UE detects the target BS fulfills handover reject conditions, thereby ensuring UE is handed off to an optimal target BS.
Referring to claim 2, Perras et al disclose in Figures 1A-12C wherein the wireless terminal localization status information specifies a number of wireless terminals currently localized to each of said one or more base stations. Sections 0033, 0082, 0092, and 0103: The load information indicates the number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered. Refer to Sections 0023-0138.
Referring to claim 3, Perras et al, Chung et al, and Tao et al do not disclose wherein the active call handover status information specifies a number of active call handovers at each of said one or more base stations.
Brunner et al disclose in Figures 1-17 and Sections 0030 and 0042 wherein frequent handovers of UEs in active mode among BS’s adversely impacts real-time services and reduces service coverage in the network. Network coverage and capacity can be increased by reducing the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s. So, the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s affects the capacity. Refer to Sections 0022-0159. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the active call handover status information specifies a number of active call handovers at each of said one or more base stations. One would have been motivated to do so since by indicating the number of active handovers to UE, UE can try to reduce the number of active handovers among BS’s in order to increase capacity.
Referring to claim 4, Perras et al disclose in Figures 1A-12C wherein the capacity information is continually broadcast by the base station to all of the wireless terminals associated with the base station. Sections 0025, 0090, and 0091: each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs; an RA with the load information may be sent periodically in a broadcast. Refer to Sections 0023-0138.
Referring to claim 8, Perras et al, Brunner et al, and Tao et al do not disclose wherein, in said overriding the roaming or handover request, the request is overridden if the stored capacity information of the base station indicates that the target base station does not have an open call slot for roaming or handover, respectively.
Chung et al disclose in Figures 1-13, Column 9 line 28-49, and Column 20 line 14 to Column 21 line 65 wherein each BS has a plurality of call slots to communicate with UEs, wherein the call slot must be free with sufficient capacity (claimed “capacity information”). When the handover from an old BS to a new BS is successful, UE will be allocated the required time slots by the new BS. When there are no, or insufficient with not enough capacity, time slots available in the new BS for the handover to proceed, UE will remain with the old BS (claimed “the stored capacity information of the base station indicates that the target base station does not have an open call slot for … handover, respectively”). Refer to Column 5 line 46 to Column 24 line 67. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein, in said overriding the roaming or handover request, the request is overridden if the stored capacity information of the base station indicates that the target base station does not have an open call slot for roaming (not in reference, claim is in “or” form) or handover, respectively. One would have been motivated to do so so that if BS does not have any open call slots, BS will not be able to serve any new UE.
Referring to claim 9, Perras et al disclose in Figures 1A-12C a system performing roaming (Section 0065) and handover load balancing (offloading among cells via handover) in a multicell (Sections 0002, 0072, and 0081: network has a plurality of cells) wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations (anchor nodes, each of which can be BS; Sections 0027, 0033, 0037, 0072, 0093, and 0107), each base station … to communicate with wireless terminals (each BS communicates with UEs within its cell), the system comprising:
At least one processor (processor 118) in a base station.
Memory (memory 140/142) operatively coupled to said at least one processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed, cause said at least one processor to perform (memory 140/142 stores instructions that are executed by processor 118 to perform BS functions):
Receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information (load information) for said one (each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs) or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information (the number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered) … for said one or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations. Sections 0025, 0090, and 0091: each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs. Sections 0033, 0082, 0092, and 0103: The load information reads on the claimed “capacity information” since the load information indicates number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered.
Storing the capacity information in a database (table) at the wireless terminal. Sections 0089, 0095, 0107, 0111, and 0114: Using the load information from BS’s, UE knows in advance which BS has a higher amount of load compared to another BS, and can select the BS with the lesser load as the target BS. Although not specifically disclosed, UE must store the load information since UE receives the load information from BS in advance, and then uses the load information to select a target BS. Sections 0004, 0024, 0108-0110, 0112, and 0115: Similarly, UE stores a history of one or more routes of UE and BS’s on the one or more routes in a table, and uses that stored history in the table to determine a target BS.
… a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover … based on at least one of signal strength (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) and link quality (signal quality of links) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station. Sections 0029, 0036, 0060, 0063, 0064, 0066, 0069, 0071, and 0092: A trigger used to initiate a handover by UE includes signal quality of links between UE and BS; a BS is overloaded if the percentage of data throughput used on the link is low, thereby causing poor signal quality and triggering handover by UE. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initial the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that is less loaded, etc.
… prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initiate the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that may be less loaded, etc. Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE has already stored the load information of all BS’s, so UE uses the stored load information to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Refer to Sections 0023-0138.
Perras et al do not disclose a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: ….
Chung et al disclose in Figures 1-13, Column 9 line 28-49, and Column 21 lines 50-65 wherein each BS has a plurality of call slots to communicate with UEs. When the handover from an old BS to a new BS is successful, UE will be allocated the required time slots by the new BS. When there are no, or insufficient, time slots available in the new BS for the handover to proceed, UE will remain with the old BS. Refer to Column 5 line 46 to Column 24 line 67. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: …. One would have been motivated to do so so that each BS can communicate with UEs via a plurality of call slots to facilitate communication.
Perras et al and Chung et al do not disclose … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations …
Brunner et al disclose in Figures 1-17 and Sections 0030 and 0042 wherein frequent handovers of UEs in active mode among BS’s adversely impacts real-time services and reduces service coverage in the network. Network coverage and capacity can be increased by reducing the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s (claimed “the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations”). So, the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s affects the capacity. Refer to Sections 0022-0159. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations … One would have been motivated to do so since by indicating the number of active handovers to UE, UE can try to reduce the number of active handovers among BS’s in order to increase capacity.
Perras et al, Chung et al, and Brunner et al do not disclose … receiving a roaming or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality directing the wireless terminal to roam or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming or handover request, to prevent roaming or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information.
Tao et al disclose in Figures 1-22 and Sections 0065, 0082, 0148, 0158-0165 and 0202-0219 wherein if serving gNB detects that a signal strength of a target gNB is higher than a signal strength of serving gNB, serving gNB prepares for handover of UE to the target gNB and transmits a handover command message to the UE (claimed “receiving a … handover request based on at least one of signal strength … directing the wireless terminal to … handover a call to a target base station”). If a handover rejection condition is fulfilled, UE rejects the handover command (claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station”). An example of an handover reject condition is “if serving cell is better than the target cell for more than x DB for at least y ms”. Refer to Sections 0029-0310. Tao et al do not disclose the claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”. However, Perras et al disclose in Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE uses the stored load information of all BS’s to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Tao et al also disclose in Section 0209 wherein target gNB must have the capacity to accept a UE to be handed over. By applying Tao et al to Perras et al: UE of Perras et al receives a handover command from serving BS, and can reject the handover command from serving BS based on determining that target BS does not have enough capacity to accept UE. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request, to prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. One would have been motivated to do so since UE should be handed off to a target BS with a higher signal strength, and so UE can override the handover command in case that UE detects the target BS fulfills handover reject conditions, thereby ensuring UE is handed off to an optimal target BS.
Referring to claim 10, refer to the rejection of claim 2.
Referring to claim 11, refer to the rejection of claim 3.
Referring to claim 12, refer to the rejection of claim 4.
Referring to claim 16, refer to the rejection of claim 8.
Referring to claim 17, Perras et al disclose in Figures 1A-12C one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media (memory 140/142) comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor (memory 140/142 stores instructions that are executed by processor 118 to perform BS functions), cause said at least one processor to carry out a method of performing roaming (Section 0065) and handover load balancing (offloading among cells via handover) in a multicell (Sections 0002, 0072, and 0081: network has a plurality of cells) wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations (anchor nodes, each of which can be BS; Sections 0027, 0033, 0037, 0072, 0093, and 0107), each base station … to communicate with wireless terminals (each BS communicates with UEs within its cell), the method comprising:
Receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information (load information) for said one (each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs) or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information (the number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered) … for said one or more (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) base stations. Sections 0025, 0090, and 0091: each BS broadcasts its load information via a RA to UEs. Sections 0033, 0082, 0092, and 0103: The load information reads on the claimed “capacity information” since the load information indicates number of UEs registered with each BS in a localized area, wherein BS serves the number of UEs registered.
Storing the capacity information in a database (table) at the wireless terminal. Sections 0089, 0095, 0107, 0111, and 0114: Using the load information from BS’s, UE knows in advance which BS has a higher amount of load compared to another BS, and can select the BS with the lesser load as the target BS. Although not specifically disclosed, UE must store the load information since UE receives the load information from BS in advance, and then uses the load information to select a target BS. Sections 0004, 0024, 0108-0110, 0112, and 0115: Similarly, UE stores a history of one or more routes of UE and BS’s on the one or more routes in a table, and uses that stored history in the table to determine a target BS.
… a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover … based on at least one of signal strength (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) and link quality (signal quality of links) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station. Sections 0029, 0036, 0060, 0063, 0064, 0066, 0069, 0071, and 0092: A trigger used to initiate a handover by UE includes signal quality of links between UE and BS; a BS is overloaded if the percentage of data throughput used on the link is low, thereby causing poor signal quality and triggering handover by UE. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initial the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that is less loaded, etc.
… prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. Section 0103: Upon detecting the trigger to initiate the handover, UE selects a target BS for handover that may be less loaded, etc. Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE has already stored the load information of all BS’s, so UE uses the stored load information to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Refer to Sections 0023-0138.
Perras et al do not disclose a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: ….
Chung et al disclose in Figures 1-13, Column 9 line 28-49, and Column 21 lines 50-65 wherein each BS has a plurality of call slots to communicate with UEs. When the handover from an old BS to a new BS is successful, UE will be allocated the required time slots by the new BS. When there are no, or insufficient, time slots available in the new BS for the handover to proceed, UE will remain with the old BS. Refer to Column 5 line 46 to Column 24 line 67. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a method of performing roaming and handover load balancing in a multicell wireless communication network, the network comprising one or more base stations, each base station having a number of call slots to communicate with wireless terminals, the method comprising: …. One would have been motivated to do so so that each BS can communicate with UEs via a plurality of call slots to facilitate communication.
Perras et al and Chung et al do not disclose … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations …
Brunner et al disclose in Figures 1-17 and Sections 0030 and 0042 wherein frequent handovers of UEs in active mode among BS’s adversely impacts real-time services and reduces service coverage in the network. Network coverage and capacity can be increased by reducing the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s (claimed “the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations”). So, the number of handovers in active mode among BS’s affects the capacity. Refer to Sections 0022-0159. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving, at a wireless terminal, a broadcast from a base station, of said one or more base stations, providing capacity information for said one or more base stations, the capacity information comprising wireless terminal localization status information and active call handover status information for said one or more base stations … One would have been motivated to do so since by indicating the number of active handovers to UE, UE can try to reduce the number of active handovers among BS’s in order to increase capacity.
Perras et al, Chung et al, and Brunner et al do not disclose … receiving a roaming or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality directing the wireless terminal to roam or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming or handover request, to prevent roaming or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information.
Tao et al disclose in Figures 1-22 and Sections 0065, 0082, 0148, 0158-0165 and 0202-0219 wherein if serving gNB detects that a signal strength of a target gNB is higher than a signal strength of serving gNB from the measurement report, serving gNB prepares for handover of UE to the target gNB and transmits a handover command message to the UE (claimed “receiving a … handover request based on at least one of signal strength … directing the wireless terminal to … handover a call to a target base station”). If a handover rejection condition is fulfilled, UE rejects the handover command (claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station”). An example of an handover reject condition is “if serving cell is better than the target cell for more than x DB for at least y ms”. Refer to Sections 0029-0310. Tao et al do not disclose the claimed “overriding the … handover request, to prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”. However, Perras et al disclose in Sections 0024, 0067, 0081, 0082, 0089, 0090, 0092, 0099, 0103, 0106, 0111, and 0116: UE uses the stored load information of all BS’s to select a BS with a lesser load as a target BS; UE does not handover to a target BS that is overloaded with serving too many UE’s (claimed “prevent … handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information”). Tao et al also disclose in Section 0209 wherein target gNB must have the capacity to accept a UE to be handed over. By applying Tao et al to Perras et al: UE of Perras et al receives a handover command from serving BS, and can reject the handover command from serving BS based on determining that target BS does not have enough capacity to accept UE. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … receiving a roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request based on at least one of signal strength and link quality (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) directing the wireless terminal to roam (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover a call to a target base station; and overriding the roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover request, to prevent roaming (not in reference; claim is in “or” form) or handover to the target base station, based at least in part on the stored capacity information. One would have been motivated to do so since UE should be handed off to a target BS with a higher signal strength, and so UE can override the handover command in case that UE detects the target BS fulfills handover reject conditions, thereby ensuring UE is handed off to an optimal target BS.
Referring to claim 18, refer to the rejection of claim 2.
Referring to claim 19, refer to the rejection of claim 3.
Referring to claim 20, refer to the rejection of claim 8.
Claims 5, 6, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 20150319664 to Perras et al in view of U.S. Patent No. 6359871 to Chung et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20080096566 to Brunner et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20210377828 to Tao et al, and in further view of U.S. Publication No. 20160345230 to Cuevas Ramirez et al.
Referring to claim 5, Perras et al, Chung et al, Brunner et al, and Tao et al do not disclose wherein the capacity information is obtained from a shared database of the base station, the shared database comprising capacity information of other base stations of said one or more base stations.
Cuevas Ramirez et al disclose in Figures 1-9 and Sections 0004, 0015, 0030, 0037, 0039, 0040, 0045, and 0046 wherein each BS maintains a database of data relating to each BS in the network, wherein the database comprises capacity and load information of each BS in the network, so that each BS can select a target BS. The capacity and load information of each BS in the network can be stored in a database local to each BS or in a shared database accessible to all BS’s (claimed “the capacity information is obtained from a shared database of the base station, the shared database comprising capacity information of other base stations of said one or more base stations”). Refer to Sections 0027-0057. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the capacity information is obtained from a shared database of the base station, the shared database comprising capacity information of other base stations of said one or more base stations. One would have been motivated to do so so that all BS’s can share capacity information in a shared database, thereby facilitating handover so that each BS can determine a target BS based on the shared load information.
Referring to claim 6, Perras et al, Chung et al, Brunner et al, and Tao et al do not disclose wherein the shared database of capacity information is stored at each of said one or more base stations.
Cuevas Ramirez et al disclose in Figures 1-9 and Sections 0004, 0015, 0030, 0037, 0039, 0040, 0045, and 0046 wherein each BS maintains a database of data relating to each BS in the network, wherein the database comprises capacity and load information of each BS in the network, so that each BS can select a target BS. The capacity and load information of each BS in the network can be stored in a database local to each BS (claimed “the shared database of capacity information is stored at each of said one or more base stations”) or in a shared database accessible to all BS’s. Refer to Sections 0027-0057. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the shared database of capacity information is stored at each of said one or more base stations. One would have been motivated to do so so that all BS’s can stored the shared capacity information in a respective shared database, thereby facilitating handover so that each BS can determine a target BS based on the shared load information.
Referring to claim 13, refer to the rejection of claim 5.
Referring to claim 14, refer to the rejection of claim 6.
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 20150319664 to Perras et al in view of U.S. Patent No. 6359871 to Chung et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20080096566 to Brunner et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20210377828 to Tao et al, and in further view of U.S. Patent No. 6263203 to Jahn.
Referring to claim 7, Perras et al, Chung et al, Brunner et al, and Tao et al do not disclose wherein, in said receiving the roaming or handover request, the roaming or handover request is generated by DECT protocol.
Jahn discloses in Figures 1-4 and Column 7 lines 27-45 wherein UE determines a target BS. UE then transmits handover request message, according to a DECT protocol, requesting a connection to the target BS. Refer to Column 6 line 45 to Column 8 line 12. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein, in said receiving the roaming (not in reference, claim is in “or” form) or handover request, the roaming or handover request is generated by DECT protocol. One would have been motivated to do so since a DECT protocol is a conventional protocol used to generate handover requests.
Referring to claim 15, refer to the rejection of claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Publication No. 20220248256 to Lee et al disclose in Figures 1-9 and Sections 0073 and 0120 wherein when UE receives a handover command indicating that UE is to establish a communication connection with an NR cell, UE may reject or ignore the handover command and perform an operation to reestablish the communication connection with an LTE cell. Refer to Sections 0019-0196.
U.S. Publication No. 20230073247 to Prasad et al disclose in Figures 1A-12 and Section 0177 wherein UE determines whether to perform a handover to another BS by using load information of the other BS, in the state of having camped on a BS of the serving cell; UE receives the load information of a second BS from the second BS and determines whether to perform a handover to the second BS according to the received load information of the second BS. Refer to Sections 0029-0250.
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/Christine Ng/
Examiner, AU 2464
December 16, 2025