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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2 January 2024 and 18 December 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figure 6 contains blurry text and is difficult to read. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 9, the claim language recites “the transmitter is configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, information for specifying a threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion.” Subsequently, the claim language recites “in a case where the information for specifying the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion is not configured to the communication apparatus.” However, it is not clear how the information specifying the threshold of received quality is “not configured” if this same information is previously transmitted in an earlier step. Therefore, the scope of the claim is found to be indefinite.
Claims 10-13 are rejected by virtue of dependency on Claim 9.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-7, 9-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Laselva et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0150726), hereinafter Laselva.
Regarding Claim 1, Laselva discloses a communication apparatus (Figure 1 – UE 110) comprising:
a receiver (Figure 1, Rx 132; paragraph 0062) configured to receive, from a base station (Figure 1 – RAN node 170), first information for indicating a stationarity criterion (paragraphs 0088 and 0089 – the UE receives, via a system information block, parameters related to relaxed measurements, including s-SearchDeltaP-r16, the decibel value/range within which a received signal received power (RSRP) measurement value should be during a measurement period to indicate that the user equipment seems to be in a low mobility state (i.e., stationarity)), second information for indicating a non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0091 – cellEdgeEvaluation-r16 is an information element to inform for the mobile device parameter(s) for evaluating whether it is at or near a cell edge), third information for performing relaxed measurement in a case where the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled (paragraph 0094 - combineRelaxedMeasCondition-r16 is a parameter indicating that when both lowMobilityEvaluation and cellEdgeEvaluation criteria are present in the system information block, this parameter configures the user equipment to fulfill both criteria in order to relax measurement requirements for cell reselection), and fourth information for specifying a time period over which variation of received level value for the stationarity criterion is evaluated (paragraph 0090 - The measurement period is indicated with the parameter t-SearchDeltaP-r16; paragraph 0089 – the variation in the stationarity criterion can be expressed in dB); and
a controller (Figure 1 – processor 120; paragraph 0062) configured to choose, based on the third information, a performance of the relaxed measurement in a case where the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled (paragraph 0094 – the UE is configured to evaluate both low mobility and cell edge criteria as part of a determination of whether to relax measurements), wherein the controller is configured to:
determine whether the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled, on a basis of a threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion and of whether the stationarity criterion is fulfilled for the time period over which the variation of received level value is evaluated, in a case where information for specifying a threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion is not configured (paragraph 0088 – as shown in the parameters for relaxed measurement determination, the s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 parameter, which indicates a quality level threshold for cell reselection as described in paragraph 0093, is an optional parameter and therefore may not be configured; paragraph 0122 – the UE evaluates both low-mobility and cell-edge criteria; paragraph 0135 – the UE evaluates both low mobility condition and not-at-cell-edge condition as part of relaxing RRM measurements); and
determine whether the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled, on a basis of the threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion, the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion, and of whether the stationarity criterion is fulfilled for the time period over which the variation of received level value is evaluated, in a case where the information for specifying the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion is configured (paragraph 0088 – as shown in the parameters for relaxed measurement determination, the s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 parameter, which indicates a quality level threshold for cell reselection as described in paragraph 0093, is an optional parameter and therefore may be configured; paragraph 0122 – the UE evaluates both low-mobility and cell-edge criteria; paragraph 0135 – the UE evaluates both low mobility condition and not-at-cell-edge condition as part of relaxing RRM measurements).
Claim 14 is a method claim comprising the same steps performed by the communication apparatus of Claim 1. Therefore, Claim 14 is rejected for the same reasons as presented above for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 9, Laselva discloses a base station (Figure 1 – RAN node 170) comprising:
a transmitter (Figure 1 – Tx 163; paragraph 0064) configured to transmit, to a communication apparatus (Figure 1 – UE 110), first information for indicating a stationarity criterion (paragraphs 0088 and 0089 – the UE receives, via a system information block, parameters related to relaxed measurements, including s-SearchDeltaP-r16, the decibel value/range within which a received signal received power (RSRP) measurement value should be during a measurement period to indicate that the user equipment seems to be in a low mobility state (i.e., stationarity)), second information for indicating a non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0091 – cellEdgeEvaluation-r16 is an information element to inform for the mobile device parameter(s) for evaluating whether it is at or near a cell edge), third information for performing relaxed measurement in a case where the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled (paragraph 0094 - combineRelaxedMeasCondition-r16 is a parameter indicating that when both lowMobilityEvaluation and cellEdgeEvaluation criteria are present in the system information block, this parameter configures the user equipment to fulfill both criteria in order to relax measurement requirements for cell reselection), and fourth information for specifying a time period over which variation of received level value applied to the stationarity criterion is evaluated (paragraph 0090 - The measurement period is indicated with the parameter t-SearchDeltaP-r16; paragraph 0089 – the variation in the stationarity criterion can be expressed in dB); and
a controller (Figure 1 – processor 152; paragraph 0065) configured to control, based on the third information, the communication apparatus to choose a performance of the relaxed measurement in a case where the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled based on the third information,
wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, information for specifying a threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0088 and paragraph 0093 – the SIB containing the relaxed measurement parameters optionally includes s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 which is a quality level threshold for cell reselection; therefore, this parameter is either configured or not configured),
whether the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled is determined in the communication apparatus, on a basis of a threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion, and the stationarity criterion being fulfilled for the time period over which the variation of received level value is evaluated, in a case where the information for specifying the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion is not configured to the communication apparatus (paragraph 0088 – as shown in the parameters for relaxed measurement determination, the s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 parameter, which indicates a quality level threshold for cell reselection as described in paragraph 0093, is an optional parameter and therefore may not be configured; paragraph 0122 – the UE evaluates both low-mobility and cell-edge criteria; paragraph 0135 – the UE evaluates both low mobility condition and not-at-cell-edge condition as part of relaxing RRM measurements); and
whether the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled is determined, on a basis of the threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion, the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion, and the stationarity criterion being fulfilled for the time period over which the variation of received level value is evaluated, in a case where the information for specifying the threshold of received quality value for the non-cell edge criterion is configured (paragraph 0088 – as shown in the parameters for relaxed measurement determination, the s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 parameter, which indicates a quality level threshold for cell reselection as described in paragraph 0093, is an optional parameter and therefore may be configured; paragraph 0122 – the UE evaluates both low-mobility and cell-edge criteria; paragraph 0135 – the UE evaluates both low mobility condition and not-at-cell-edge condition as part of relaxing RRM measurements).
Regarding Claims 2 and 10, Laselva discloses the second information includes the threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0092 – s-SearchThresholdP-r16 is a parameter indicating an Rx level threshold for cell reselection as part of the cellEdgeEvaluation information element).
Regarding Claim 3, Laselva discloses the receiver is configured to receive, from the base station, a system information block including the first information, the second information, and the fourth information (paragraph 0088 – the relaxed measurement parameters are received in an SIB).
Regarding Claim 4, Laselva discloses the first information indicates a first value as the threshold of received level value for the stationarity criterion (paragraph 0089), and the controller is configured to determine whether or not the stationarity criterion is fulfilled, on a basis of reference signal received power (RSRP) of a serving cell and the first value (paragraph 0089 – the received level value is an RSRP measurement).
Regarding Claim 5, Laselva discloses the second information indicates a second value as the threshold of received level value for the non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0092), and the controller is configured to determine whether or not both the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled, on a basis of the RSRP, the first value, and the second value (paragraphs 0110-0116 – measurements for received levels during the specified measurement time period are based on the provided parameters and measured RSRPs).
Regarding Claim 6, Laselva discloses the controller is configured to determine whether or not both the stationarity criterion and the non-cell edge criterion are fulfilled, on a basis of a third value and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) of the serving cell in addition to the RSRP, the first value, and the second value, in a case where the second information further indicates the third value as the threshold of received quality for the non-cell edge criterion (paragraph 0129 - a signal analyser performs beam relaxation evaluation on the basis of the signal properties. The beam relaxation evaluation can be based e.g. on the relative/absolute RSRP/RSRQ threshold applied to the RSRP/RSRQ beam value(s) or it can be based on the semi-stationarity of the channel (derived based on SSB RS, DMRS), and/or a combination of both (channel properties and RSRP/RSRQ thresholds); paragraph 0135 – the UE evaluates both low mobility condition and not-at-cell-edge condition as part of relaxing RRM measurements).
Regarding Claim 7, Laselva discloses the controller is configured to select, as the relaxed measurement, at least one of measurement for intra-frequency cells and measurement for inter-frequency cells (paragraphs 0106 and 0109 – intra- and inter-frequency cell measurement are performed).
Regarding Claim 11, Laselva discloses the transmitter is configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, a system information block including the first information, the second information, and the fourth information (paragraph 0088 – the relaxed measurement parameters are transmitted in an SIB).
Regarding Claim 12, Laselva discloses at least one of measurement for intra-frequency cells, and measurement for inter-frequency cells is performed as the relaxed measurement in the communication apparatus (paragraphs 0106 and 0109 – intra- and inter-frequency cell measurement are performed).
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 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.
Claims 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laselva in view of Jeong et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0370876), hereinafter Jeong. Laselva discloses the limitations of Claims 1 and 9, as described above. However, Laselva does not disclose the communication apparatus is a RedCap (Reduced Capability) user equipment. In an analogous art, Jeong discloses this. Specifically, Laselva discloses a RedCap UE performing RRM relaxation (paragraphs 0079 and 0080). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Laselva and Jeong. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce energy consumption in a mobile device for performing measurement operations (see paragraph 0011 of Jeong).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Jeong et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0314879) discloses a gNB sending RRM measurement relaxation parameters via SIB2 to a UE, which determines whether to trigger relaxed RRM measurements (see Figure 1E).
Koskinen et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0224103) a UE determining whether measurement relaxation is allowed based on received information from a network element (Figure 1).
Koskinen et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0098538) discloses RedCap UEs selecting a measurement gap pattern configuration based on received configurations (Figure 5).
He (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0312243) discloses performing RRM measurements based on a configuration associated with RRM measurement relaxation (Figure 4).
3GPP TS 38.304 V16.1.0 discloses relaxed measurement criterion for a UE not at a cell edge, which includes a determination whether the quality measurement exceeds a threshold, if the threshold is configured (page 30 at clause 5.2.4.9.2).
Samsung (R2-2106531) discloses RSRP/RSRQ based stationarity criterion (clause 3).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW W. CHRISS whose telephone number is (571)272-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Bates can be reached at (571) 272-3980. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW W CHRISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472