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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-33 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
\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.
Claim(s) 1, 21-23, 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song in view of Shaheen (2018/0192347).
Regarding claim 1, Song discloses a method for implementing a cell switch procedure (figure 4) applied to a user equipment (UE) comprising receiving by the UE, a cell switch configuration (Figure 4, MAC/PDU) from a source cell (source cell) where the cell switch configuration comprises an early-uplink synch configuration (sending the timing advance in order to assist the handover process, para 43-44), performing by the EU, the EUS procedure in order to obtain a timing advance (Figure 4, TA is sent to the UE from the target cell, para 47) associated with the target cell and a cell switch command (Handover command, para 48-49). Song discloses in response to receiving the cell switch command, performing the cell switch procedure and transmitting a cell switch complete information (Figure 4, Handover Complete message). Also see, Song Figures 9-10. Song does not disclose that the UE performs the early synchronization and timing advance before the handover process.
However, Shaheen teaches a 5g handoff process in which the UE provides for the initiation (UE-initiated handoff, abstract) in which early handoff is performed (para 69-74, in particular para 73-74 disclose the use of RRC signaling similar to the system of Song). Shaheen discloses that these determinations take place before the actual switching for handover (Figure 7, HO indication and command/synch is performed before he HO is completed). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE-based control in order to reduce handover time, as taught by Shaheen.
Regarding claim 22, Song discloses a user equipment (UE, Figure 11) comprising: a transceiver (sending unit 113); a processor (modules 111—112), coupled to the transceiver and performing (para 148, disclosure states electronic hardware which includes transceiver and processors): controlling the transceiver to receive a cell switch configuration for a cell switch procedure from a source cell (Figure 4, MAC/DPU, from a source cell) wherein the cell switch configuration comprises an early-uplink synchronization (EUS) configuration for an EUS procedure (sending the timing advance in order to assist the handover process, para 43-44); performing the EUS procedure based on the EUS configuration to obtain a timing advance (TA) value associated with a target cell (Figure 4, TA is sent to the UE from the target cell, para 47)and a cell switch command from the source cell; in response to receiving the cell switch command, performing the cell switch procedure to the target cell based on the TA value (Handover command, para 48-49); and controlling the transceiver to transmit a cell switch complete information to the target cell after completing the cell switch procedure, and Figures 9-10 of Song. Song does not disclose that the UE performs the early synchronization and timing advance before the handover process.
However, Shaheen teaches a 5g handoff process in which the UE provides for the initiation (UE-initiated handoff, abstract) in which early handoff is performed (para 69-74, in particular para 73-74 disclose the use of RRC signaling similar to the system of Song). Shaheen discloses that these determinations take place before the actual switching for handover (Figure 7, HO indication and command/synch is performed before he HO is completed). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE-based control in order to reduce handover time, as taught by Shaheen.
Regarding claim 23, Song discloses A method for implementing a cell switch procedure, applied to a source cell, comprising: sending, by the source cell, a cell switch configuration for the cell switch procedure to a user equipment (UE), note Figure 4- mac/pdu is sent from the source cell wherein the cell switch configuration comprises an early-uplink synchronization (EUS) configuration for the UE to perform an EUS procedure(sending the timing advance in order to assist the handover process, para 43-44); and in response to determining that a target cell has provided a timing advance (TA) value during the EUS procedure (Figure 4, para 47 – TA is sent to the UE from the target cell thru the source cell), sending, by the source cell, a cell switch command to the UE, wherein the cell switch command controls the UE to perform the cell switch procedure to the target cell based on the TA value provided by the target cell in the EUS procedure (Handover command, para 48-49, as well as Figures 9-10). Song does not disclose that the UE performs the early synchronization and timing advance before the handover process.
However, Shaheen teaches a 5g handoff process in which the UE provides for the initiation (UE-initiated handoff, abstract) in which early handoff is performed (para 69-74, in particular para 73-74 disclose the use of RRC signaling similar to the system of Song). Shaheen discloses that these determinations take place before the actual switching for handover (Figure 7, HO indication and command/synch is performed before he HO is completed). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE-based control in order to reduce handover time, as taught by Shaheen.
Regarding claims 21 and 33, Song discloses the step of transmitting the cell switch complete information to the target cell comprises obtaining an uplink grant from the cell switch configuration (UL Grant, Figure 5), and transmitting the cell switch complete information to the target cell after completing the cell switch procedure based on the uplink grant (Handover complete, Figure 5)
Claims 2-4, 6, 8-10, 13, 24-25, 27, 29-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song and Shaheen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhou (2024/0187954).
Regarding claims 2-3, 24, 29 and 30, the combination of Song and Shaheen discloses wherein the EUS procedure comprises: receiving a request from the source cell, where the request includes a candidate configuration index associated with the target cell, (para 40) receiving the cell switch command, where the cell switch command carries the TA value (Figure 4, Handover command carrying a TA), and obtaining the TA value associated with the target cell (para 42, handover command carries the TA value and UE obtains the TA value from the handover command) The combination fails to disclose the use of a preamble that is sent to the target cell.
Zhou teaches receiving an EUS request from the source cell where the request comprises candidate configuration index associated with a target cell (Figure 47, 1st L1/L2 command triggering RACH of cell 1 (Target cell candidate). Zhou also teaches sending a preamble to the target cell (Figure 47, preamble sent to target cell to estimate TA) receiving the cell switch command from the source cell including the TA value (2nd L1/L2 command indicating the TA), and obtaining the TA value from the cell switch.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a preamble to estimate the TA in order to provide accurate timing measurements to the user equipment prior to handover.
Regarding claims 4, 13, and 25, Zhou further teaches the use of a EUS failure timer (HO Timer, para 361) in response to a handoff request (EUS request) and stopping the timer in response to cell switching command (par370, stopping HO timer in response to RRC reconfigure complete after handover). Zhou further teaches stopping the EUSF timer (HO timer) in response to receiving the TA value from the cell (para 370, the target base sends a TAC which is a timing signal in the RAR transmission, upon receipt the timer is stopped).
Regarding claims 6, 27, and 31, Zhou further teaches wherein the EUS configuration comprises an EUS condition (Figure 47 configuration of candidate PCells and event-triggered CSI report), and the EUS procedure comprises: sending an EUS indicator to the source cell in response to determining that the target cell satisfies the EUS condition (Figure 47, target PCell determination); sending a preamble to the target cell satisfying the EUS condition (preamble sent to target cell); obtaining the TA value associated with the target cell (estimate and early ta acquisition); and receiving a cell switch command from the source cell (2nd L1/L2 command triggering the PCell to switch) and is obvious for the same reasoning as given above. Zhou also teaches receiving an EUS indicator from the UE, wherein the EUS indicator indicates the EUS procedure is triggered by the UE (UE causes the event-trigger L1 CSI report as well as the L3 measurement report both send from the UE which indicate the EUS procedure). Zhou also teaches wherein the EUS indicator carries an identifier of a target cell satisfying the EUS condition (Fig 47, Target PCell), acquiring a resource configured for sending a preamble from the target cell (L1/l2 command trigger and preamble/TA indication is send from target cell) and sending an EUS request to the UE, where it comprises the resource configured for sending the preamble (Fig 47, Early TA acquisition process for acquiring the TA from the preamble is signaling both to the UE and the target cell)
Regarding claims 8-9, 28, the combination of Song and Shaheen further discloses that obtaining the TA value for the target cell comprises receiving the TA value from the target cell (Song Figure 4, Handover request ACK includes the TA value from the target cell) as well as sending an EUS finish indication to the source cell (Song Figure 4 UE context release) that indicates that the EUS procedure has finished (after handover is complete)
Regarding claim 10, Zhou further teaches that the cell switch command carries the TA value (2nd L1/L2 command for switching indicates the TA for cell 1, Figure 47) and the step of obtaining the TA value comprises obtaining the TA value from the cell switch command (since it is included in the command)
Regarding claims 18 and 19, Zhou further teaches where the EUS indicator carries the identifier of the target cell (via the candidate configuration/Target PCell determination, Figure 47) and that the method receives the EUS request from the source cell (First L1/L2 command triggering, Fig 47) for sending the preamble, and sending the preamble to the target cell (Figure 47, preamble sent to target cell) satisfying the EUS condition based on the resource (based on the command triggering signal),
Claims 20 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song and Shaheen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kwon (2015/0163761).
Regarding claims 20 and 32, the combination of Song and Shaheen discloses all the particulars of the claim 1 or 23, except for the target cell comprising both a first and second target cell, where the first and second target cell share the same TA value. Song discloses in the EUS procedure if a target cell has provided the TA value and sending the cell switch command (Fig 4, para 47 and Figs 9-10).
However, Kwon teaches in an analogous art, the use of a handover procedure in which a target cell can comprise both a first target cell and a second target cell which each share the same TA value (para 49 and 58, the use of TAG groups to include multiple cells which share a timing value). The handover in Kwon performed based on the TA value provided from the TAG group (based on TAG configuration, RACh and reorg-complete messages from the handover process are performed, Figure 14 and Figure 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention to share timing groups in order to reduce the amount of control signals in a handover environment.
Claims 5, 14, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song Shaheen and Zhou as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Basu Mallick (2021/0051555).
Regarding claims 5, 14, and 26 , the combination discloses all the limitations of the claim except for the if the timer expires, determining that the EUS procedure has failed and triggering connection reestablishment to the source cell. However, Basu Mallick teaches that in a failure, which can be based on a timer (para 42, timer t1/t2 can be used as an indication of failure that is separate from radio link failure). Basu Mallick also teaches that upon failure the connection is reestablished (returns to the same eNB, para 44). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention in order to prevent a loss of connection.
Claim 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Shaheen and Zhou as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Kwon (2015/0163761).
Regarding claim 7, the combination discloses in response to determining the signal quality of a first target cell among the at least one target cell satisfies the EUS condition (Fig 47, measurement/coordination of candidate Pcells), determining that the first target cell is the target cell satisfying the EUS conditions (Target PCell determination). The combination does not disclose determining of the signal quality of at least one target cell.
However, Kwon teaches that in a handover/EUS condition, the use of signal quality is also used to determine whether target cells are candidates for the handover (para 64 – use of RSRP signal quality information). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include signal quality as part of the determination in order to select the target cell with the greatest probability of success.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-12, 15-17 are 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.
The prior art of record does not disclose nor fairly suggest the use of a waiting flag in conjunction with an early uplink synchronization, where the TA value is received from the target cell when enabled versus the source cell if the waiting flag is disabled. The prior art of record further does not disclose nor fairly suggest determining whether the TA values are valid before performing the cel switch procedure, and only performing the cell switch when the TA value is valid.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Orsino (WO 2025/174286) discloses LTM handover in which a UE performs early synchronization and timing advance.
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WILLIAM GEORGE TROST IV
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/WILLIAM G TROST IV/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641