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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING RADIO LINK FAILURE RECOVERY.
The use of the terms ‘Bluetooth’, ‘Wi-Fi’, and ‘Zigbee’, etc., which is a trade name or a mark used in commerce, has been noted in this application. The term should be accompanied by the generic terminology; furthermore the term should be capitalized wherever it appears or, where appropriate, include a proper symbol indicating use in commerce such as ™, SM , or ® following the term.
Although the use of trade names and marks used in commerce (i.e., trademarks, service marks, certification marks, and collective marks) are permissible in patent applications, the proprietary nature of the marks should be respected and every effort made to prevent their use in any manner which might adversely affect their validity as commercial marks.
Any other instances of trade names appearing improperly in the Specification should also be corrected.
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.
(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 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon et al (US 20130100938 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kwon discloses
An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising ([0181] and [Fig. 12] UE):
a transceiver ([0181] and [Fig. 12] UE includes transmitting unit and receiving unit);
one or more memories configured to, individually or in combination, store instructions ([0114] UE comprises memory); and
one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more memories, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to ([0181]-[0190] and [Fig. 12] UE includes processors which control the UE to perform functions):
perform a downlink (DL) timing measurement of a signal received from a network entity ([0014] and [Fig. 7] UE measures downlink timing values received from the base station (from a network entity)); and
transmit, to the network entity based on comparing a difference between the downlink timing measurement of the signal and a previous downlink timing measurement of a previous signal to a threshold, a report indicating an out-of- synchronization status for DL ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)).
Regarding claim 2, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit the out-of-synchronization status for DL further based on a time alignment timer not being expired and radio link failure (RLF) or beam failure detection (BFD) not being declared ([0095] when time alignment timer TAT is running, synchronization is able to be performed, and when TAT expires there are no transmissions by the UE (transmitting based on timer not expiring); [0096], [0114], and [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] RLF is not mentioned to be triggered prior to the uplink transmission with the SRS (RLF not declared)).
Regarding claim 3, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, from the network entity, a configuration including an indication of the threshold in radio resource control (RRC) signaling or system information (SI) ([0114] the threshold value is configured by the base station and can be indicated via RRC).
Regarding claim 4, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit the out-of-synchronization status for DL in uplink control information (UCI) or media access control (MAC)-control element (CE) ([0096] uplink signal that indicates the synchronization may be an SRS or CSI (out-of-synchronization status in uplink control information)).
Regarding claim 5, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the report includes an indication of the downlink timing measurement or a difference between the downlink timing measurement and the threshold ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)).
Regarding claim 6, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to compress or quantize the downlink timing measurement or the difference, wherein the report includes the compressed or quantized downlink timing measurement or difference ([0096], [00114], [0194], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE includes the result of determining the validity (compressed downlink timing measurement or difference), where the result is determined based on the difference between the two values and compared to a threshold).
Regarding claim 7, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the report includes an indication of a component carrier (CC) index over which the signal is received on DL ([0071], [0073], and [Fig. 4] uplink signal contains Ui (where i=1, 2, and 3), which is an index of the component carrier that corresponds to a component carrier for downlink Di (again, where i=1, 2, and 3)).
Regarding claim 8, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the report additionally includes a radio link monitoring (RLM) measurement or an indication of a status of RLM measurements performed by the apparatus, or a beam management (BM) measurement or an indication of a status of BM measurements ([0096] uplink signal may also comprise channel state information CSI (indication of radio link monitoring measurements performed)).
Regarding claim 9, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, from the network entity, one or more of ([0181]-[0190] and [Fig. 12] UE includes processors which control the UE to perform functions):
a transmission scheme indication related to transmitting the report in uplink (UL) resources overlapping with one or more other UL channels or one or more other DL channels; or
a prioritization rule configuration semi-statically configured by the network entity ([0072]-[0074] primary and secondary component carriers (a prioritization rule configuration) are configured on the UE by the base station (network entity), where the configurations are sent via radio resource control RRC message or a system information block SIB (semi-statically configured)).
Regarding claim 10, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit the report instead of transmitting the one or more other UL channels or receiving the one or more other DL channels based on a priority indication included in the transmission scheme indication, or the prioritization rule configuration ([0078], [0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] uplink component carrier corresponding to the primary serving cell is the uplink primary component carrier ULPCC, and when the valid timing advance value for the ULPCC is obtained, the UE transmits the uplink signal comprising the SRS/CSI (transmits the report)).
Regarding claim 11, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit the report at least in part by applying power boosting or dynamic power sharing based on the transmission scheme indication or the prioritization rule configuration ([0089], [0136]-[0138] DCI including uplink grant that is mapped to PDCCH includes an uplink transmission power control command field, where power adjustments of bits are performed for transmissions (dynamic power sharing) and the TPC is configured by the primary cell but not the secondary cell (based on the transmissions scheme/prioritization rule)).
Regarding claim 12, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit the report at least in part by multiplexing the report with the one or more other UL channels based on the transmission scheme indication, the prioritization rule configuration, a user equipment (UE) capability, a UE processing timeline requirement, or a combination thereof ([0078], [0096], [0114], [0137]-[0138], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE supports multiplexing mode, where there may be multiple component carriers that are prioritized based on a primary and secondary serving cell, and when the valid timing advance value for the ULPCC is obtained, the UE transmits the uplink signal comprising the SRS/CSI (transmits the report)).
Regarding claim 13, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, based on the out-of-synchronization status for DL, an indication scheduling one or more of aperiodic bursts of downlink reference signals or aperiodic uplink reference signals ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7]UE transmits uplink transmission including SRS/CSI (report including out-of-synchronization status), and in addition to that, a signal such as a non-periodical SRS that is indicated by the base station may also be transmitted (receive indication scheduling one or more aperiodic uplink reference signals)).
Regarding claim 14, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, based on the out-of-synchronization status for DL, an early indication for monitoring occasions of a downlink control channel that triggers a random access procedure for UL timing acquisition ([0020] when the timing advance timer TAT expires (based on out-of-synchronization status), the base station sends an indicator indicating initiation of the random access procedure).
Regarding claim 15, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, based at least in part on transmitting the out-of-synchronization status for DL, a downlink control channel order for a random access procedure ([0136] after the UE determines the validity of the timing advance value, the base station sends an uplink grant that is mapped to the PDCCH (downlink control channel) as DCI that includes a control field for indicating an RA response (order for a random access procedure)).
Regarding claim 16, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive, based at least in part on the out-of-synchronization status for DL, network-based assistance information for radio link failure recovery ([0083] based on the downlink capacity being compared to the threshold (based in part on the out-of-synchronization status) for the primary serving cell (network device), the RLF will be generated and the RRC re-establishment will be triggered (network-based assistance information for radio link failure recovery)).
Regarding claim 17, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the network-based assistance information includes an indication that a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource can be shared by a radio link failure recovery or a beam failure recovery process and a random access procedure ordered by a downlink control channel ([0083] RLF is generated and the RRC re-establishment is triggered when a random access procedure fails by a number of times no less than the threshold value; [0066] PRACH is used to transport a random access preamble, which is used by the UE to perform the random access procedure; [0136] after the UE determines the validity of the timing advance value, the base station sends an uplink grant that is mapped to the PDCCH as DCI that includes a control field for indicating an RA response).
Regarding claim 18, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the network-based assistance information indicates whether the apparatus is to monitor for a downlink control channel associated with a random access procedure ordered by the network entity within a random access response window associated with a user equipment (UE)-initiated random access procedure ([0083], [0112] RLF is generated and the RRC re-establishment is triggered when a random access procedure fails by a number of times no less than the threshold value, where there is a first duration defined as the time at which the timing advance value is updated through the random access response message (within a random access response window); [0066] PRACH is used to transport a random access preamble, which is used by the UE to perform the random access procedure (UE-initiated RA procedure)).
Regarding claim 19, Kwon discloses
An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising ([Fig. 12] base station):
a transceiver ([0195], [Fig. 12] base station includes transmitting and receiving units);
one or more memories configured to, individually or in combination, store instructions ([0196]-[0201], [Fig. 12] base station comprises multiple components that determine and generate messages and other data, where the base station is also able to perform specific operations (memories storing instructions)); and
one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more memories, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to ([0196]-[0201], [Fig. 12] base station comprises multiple processors which all perform operations (execute stored instructions)):
receive, from a user equipment (UE) based on a difference between a downlink (DL) timing measurement of a signal transmitted to the UE and a previous downlink timing measurement of a previous signal transmitted to the UE being at least equal to or above a threshold, a report indicating an out-of- synchronization status for DL ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)); and
transmit, based on the out-of-synchronization status for DL, a response signal to the UE to correct the downlink timing or cause a random access procedure ([0169] and [Fig. 11] after the UE determines that the timing value is valid or not, the base station may decide to update the timing value and perform a random access procedure; [0136] after the UE determines the validity of the timing advance value, the base station sends an uplink grant that is mapped to the PDCCH (downlink control channel) as DCI that includes a control field for indicating an RA response).
Regarding claim 20, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit, to the UE, a configuration including an indication of the threshold in radio resource control (RRC) signaling or system information (SI) ([0114] the threshold value is configured by the base station and can be indicated via RRC).
Regarding claim 21, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive the out-of-synchronization status for DL in uplink control information (UCI) or media access control (MAC)-control element (CE) ([0096] uplink signal that indicates the synchronization may be an SRS or CSI (out-of-synchronization status in uplink control information)).
Regarding claim 22, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the report includes an indication of the downlink timing measurement or a difference between the downlink timing measurement and the threshold ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)).
Regarding claim 23, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to decompress or map the downlink timing or the difference from a value specified in the report ([0096], [00114], [0194], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE includes the result of determining the validity (compressed downlink timing measurement or difference), where the result is determined based on the difference between the two values and compared to a threshold).
Regarding claim 24, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the report includes an indication of a component carrier (CC) index over which the signal is received on DL ([0071], [0073], and [Fig. 4] uplink signal contains Ui (where i=1, 2, and 3), which is an index of the component carrier that corresponds to a component carrier for downlink Di (again, where i=1, 2, and 3)).
Regarding claim 25, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the report additionally includes a radio link monitoring (RLM) measurement or an indication of a status of RLM measurements performed by the UE, or beam management (BM) measurement or an indication of a status of the BM measurements, and wherein transmitting the response signal is based on the RLM measurement, the status of the RLM measurements, the BM measurement, or the status of the BM measurements ([0096] uplink signal may also comprise channel state information CSI (indication of radio link monitoring measurements performed); [0083] RLF is generated and the RRC re-establishment is triggered when a random access procedure fails by a number of times no less than the threshold value).
Regarding claim 26, Kwon discloses
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are, individually or in combination, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to transmit, to the UE, one or more of ([0196]-[0201], [Fig. 12] base station comprises multiple processors which all perform operations (execute stored instructions)):
a transmission scheme indication related to transmitting the report in uplink (UL) resources overlapping with one or more other UL channels or one or more other DL channels; or
a prioritization rule configuration semi-statically configured by the apparatus ([0072]-[0074] primary and secondary component carriers (a prioritization rule configuration) are configured on the UE by the base station (network entity), where the configurations are sent via radio resource control RRC message or a system information block SIB (semi-statically configured)).
Regarding claim 27, Kwon discloses
A method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising ([0181] and [Fig. 12] UE):
performing a downlink (DL) timing measurement of a signal received from a network entity ([0014] and [Fig. 7] UE measures downlink timing values received from the base station (from a network entity)); and
transmitting, to the network entity based on comparing a difference between the downlink timing measurement of the signal and a previous downlink timing measurement of a previous signal to a threshold, a report indicating an out-of-synchronization status for DL ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)).
Regarding claim 28, Kwon discloses
The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the out-of-synchronization status for DL is further based on a time alignment timer not being expired and radio link failure (RLF) or beam failure detection (BFD) not being declared ([0095] when time alignment timer TAT is running, synchronization is able to be performed, and when TAT expires there are no transmissions by the UE (transmitting based on timer not expiring); [0096], [0114], and [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] RLF is not mentioned to be triggered prior to the uplink transmission with the SRS (RLF not declared)).
Regarding claim 29, Kwon discloses
A method for wireless communications at a network entity, comprising ([Fig. 12] base station):
receiving, from a user equipment (UE) based on a difference between a downlink (DL) timing measurement of a signal transmitted to the UE and a previous downlink timing measurement of a previous signal transmitted to the UE being at least equal to or above a threshold, a report indicating an out-of-synchronization status for DL ([0096], [0114], [0197], [Fig. 6]-[Fig. 7] UE measures the timing values and determines the difference between the two of them, comparing the difference to a threshold to determine if the timing advance value is valid, and after determining whether the timing advance is valid, the UE transmits an uplink signal such as an SRS or CSI to the base station (to the network entity), where the SRS is used by the base station to determine synchronization and includes the result of determining the validity (report indicating an out-of-synchronization status)); and
transmitting, based on the out-of-synchronization status for DL, a response signal to the UE to correct the downlink timing or cause a random access procedure ([0169] and [Fig. 11] after the UE determines that the timing value is valid or not, the base station may decide to update the timing value and perform a random access procedure; [0136] after the UE determines the validity of the timing advance value, the base station sends an uplink grant that is mapped to the PDCCH (downlink control channel) as DCI that includes a control field for indicating an RA response).
Regarding claim 30, Kwon discloses
The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting, to the UE, a configuration including an indication of the threshold in radio resource control (RRC) signaling or system information (SI) ([0114] the threshold value is configured by the base station and can be indicated via RRC).
Conclusion
The prior art that is made of record and not relied upon but is considered to be pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure is as follows:
US 20250119258 A1 to Shahmohammadian et al teaches a UE determining a timing difference between two DL reference timings and comparing it to cyclic prefix length, where the difference in timing is then reported back to the base station ([0077] Shahmohammadian).
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/A.J.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478