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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 01/15/2024 fails to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609 because of the following reasons:
Foreign Patent Document #8 contain blurry texts (in the translation)
The listing of Non-Patent Literature Document #1 in the IDS doesn’t clearly indicate the date of the document.
It has been placed in the application file, but part of the information referred to therein has not been considered as to the merits.
Applicant is advised that the date of any re-submission of any item of information contained in this information disclosure statement or the submission of any missing element(s) will be the date of submission for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements based on the time of filing the statement, including all certification requirements for statements under 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
Claim Objections
Claims 2-8, 17-18 are objected to because of the following reasons:
For claims 2-7, it’s unclear if “The method” in claims 2-7 refer to “A communication method” in claim 1. Examiner recommends Applicants to amend the claim language as “The communication method”.
For claim 8, it’s unclear if “a terminal device” in “receiving, by a terminal device” is the same as “A terminal device” in the preamble. Examiner recommends Applicants to amend the claim language as “receiving, by [[a]] the terminal device”.
For claim 17, it’s unclear if “a special secondary cell” in claim 17 is the same as “a secondary cell” in claim 14.
For claim 18, it’s unclear if “the secondary cell” in “the secondary cell receiving the system frame number” refer to “a secondary cell” in claim 14 or “a special secondary cell” in claim 17.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2, 6-7, 9, 13-14, 16-17 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 2, 6-7, 9, 13-14, 16-17 are indefinite because there are insufficient antecedent basis for the following limitations:
“the timer” (claim 2)
“the secondary cell” (claim 2)
“the secondary cell” (claim 6)
“the secondary cell” (claim 7)
“the timer” (claim 9)
“the secondary cell” (claim 9)
“the secondary cell” (claim 13)
“the first operation” (claim 14)
“the timer” (claim 16)
“the timeout moment” (claim 16)
“the system frame number” (claim 17)
Due to the large number of antecedent basis issues, Examiner recommends Applicants to recheck the claim language for other possible antecedent basis issues.
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 1-5, 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Deenoo, US 20210377825.
For claim 1. Deeno teaches: A communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a terminal device, configuration information transmitted by a network device, wherein the configuration information comprises first time information; (Deeno, paragraph 100, WTRU receives an indication of a time instance associated with satellite mobility, the indication includes a time indication using coordinated universal time (UTC), a time indication using a counter or a pre-configured hyper frame number (HFN) value)
performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information. (Deeno, paragraph 101-103, WTRU perform reconfiguration according to the indication)
For claim 2. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the first time information comprises at least one of: a Coordinated Universal Time, a timeout moment of the timer corresponding to the secondary cell, and a system frame number. (Deeno, paragraph 100, WTRU receives an indication of a time instance associated with satellite mobility, the indication includes a time indication using coordinated universal time (UTC), a time indication using a counter or a pre-configured hyper frame number (HFN) value)
For claim 3. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 2, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing, by the terminal device, the first operation on the secondary cell in response to the Coordinated Universal Time being reached. (Deeno, paragraph 101, WTRU performs reconfiguration when the current UTC becomes equal to the UTC associated with the satellite mobility event; paragraph 126, WTRU applies special RACH configuration for specific target cells (secondary cells) when the mobility event is triggered, the trigger includes an absolute point in time (e.g., UTC))
For claim 4. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 2, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing, by the terminal device, the first operation in response to the timer corresponding to the secondary cell timing out. (Deeno, paragraph 102, WTRU performs a reconfiguration associated with satellite mobility when the count value reaches zero; paragraph 126, WTRU applies special RACH configuration for specific target cells (secondary cells) when the mobility event is triggered, the trigger includes expiration of a timer)
For claim 5. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 2, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing, by the terminal device, the first operation in response to a received system frame number being equal to the system frame number in the configuration information. (Deeno, paragraph 103, WTRU performs a reconfiguration associated with satellite mobility when the system HFN reaches the HFN value associated with the satellite mobility event.)
For claim 8. Deeno teaches: A terminal device, comprising a processor and a memory; wherein the memory is configured to store an executable instruction of the processor, and the processor is configured to perform the following by executing the executable instruction: (Deeno, fig 1B, paragraph 34-35, 39, 155, WTRU include processor, memory storing software executed by processor to implement the methods)
receiving, by a terminal device, configuration information transmitted by a network device, wherein the configuration information comprises first time information; (Deeno, paragraph 100, WTRU receives an indication of a time instance associated with satellite mobility, the indication includes a time indication using coordinated universal time (UTC), a time indication using a counter or a pre-configured hyper frame number (HFN) value)
performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information. (Deeno, paragraph 101-103, WTRU perform reconfiguration according to the indication)
For claim 9. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 8, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the first time information comprises at least one of: a Coordinated Universal Time, a timeout moment of the timer corresponding to the secondary cell, and a system frame number. (Deeno, paragraph 100, WTRU receives an indication of a time instance associated with satellite mobility, the indication includes a time indication using coordinated universal time (UTC), a time indication using a counter or a pre-configured hyper frame number (HFN) value)
For claim 10. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 9, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing the first operation on the secondary cell in response to the Coordinated Universal Time being reached. (Deeno, paragraph 101, WTRU performs reconfiguration when the current UTC becomes equal to the UTC associated with the satellite mobility event; paragraph 126, WTRU applies special RACH configuration for specific target cells (secondary cells) when the mobility event is triggered, the trigger includes an absolute point in time (e.g., UTC))
For claim 11. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 9, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing the first operation in response to the timer corresponding to the secondary cell timing out. (Deeno, paragraph 102, WTRU performs a reconfiguration associated with satellite mobility when the count value reaches zero; paragraph 126, WTRU applies special RACH configuration for specific target cells (secondary cells) when the mobility event is triggered, the trigger includes expiration of a timer)
For claim 12. Deeno discloses all the limitations of claim 9, and Deeno further teaches: wherein the performing a first operation according to the first time information, comprises: performing the first operation in response to a received system frame number being equal to the system frame number in the configuration information. (Deeno, paragraph 103, WTRU performs a reconfiguration associated with satellite mobility when the system HFN reaches the HFN value associated with the satellite mobility event.)
Claims 1, 6-8, 13-14, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tang, US 20200374061.
For claim 1. Tang teaches: A communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a terminal device, configuration information transmitted by a network device, wherein the configuration information comprises first time information; (Tang, fig 2, paragraph 129-130, terminal receives connection reconfiguration from network device, the connection reconfiguration message includes one or more secondary cells configured by the network device for the terminal, information used to indicate to activate the one or more secondary cells, and a start moment at which the terminal reports CSI; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation)
performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information. (Tang, paragraph 131, the terminal reports the CSI of the secondary cell when the start moment arrives; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation)
For claim 6. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Tang further teaches: wherein the first operation comprises adding the secondary cell or deleting the secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 133, the configuration includes adding or modifying secondary cells)
For claim 7. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Tang further teaches: wherein the first operation comprises activating the secondary cell or deactivating the secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 133, operation includes activating secondary cell)
For claim 8. Tang teaches: A terminal device, comprising a processor and a memory; wherein the memory is configured to store an executable instruction of the processor, and the processor is configured to perform the following by executing the executable instruction: (Tang, fig 12, paragraph 262, apparatus includes processor and memory storing programs executed by processor to perform operations)
receiving, by a terminal device, configuration information transmitted by a network device, wherein the configuration information comprises first time information; (Tang, fig 2, paragraph 129-130, terminal receives connection reconfiguration message from network device, the connection reconfiguration message includes one or more secondary cells configured by the network device for the terminal, information used to indicate to activate the one or more secondary cells, and a start moment at which the terminal reports CSI; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation)
performing, by the terminal device, a first operation according to the first time information. (Tang, paragraph 131, the terminal reports the CSI of the secondary cell when the start moment arrives; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation)
For claim 13. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 8, and Tang further teaches: wherein the first operation comprises adding the secondary cell or deleting the secondary cell; (Tang, paragraph 133, the configuration includes adding or modifying secondary cells) or the first operation comprises activating the secondary cell or deactivating the secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 133, operation includes activating secondary cell)
For claim 14. Tang teaches: A network device, comprising a memory and a processor; wherein the memory is configured to store an executable instruction of the processor, and the processor is configured to perform the following by executing the executable instruction: (Tang, fig 12, paragraph 262, apparatus includes processor and memory storing programs executed by processor to perform operations)
determining configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises first time information for which a terminal device performs the first operation on a secondary cell; (Tang, fig 2, paragraph 129-130, network device sends connection reconfiguration message to terminal, the connection reconfiguration message includes one or more secondary cells configured by the network device for the terminal, information used to indicate to activate the one or more secondary cells, and a start moment at which the terminal reports CSI; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation; implicit that the connection reconfiguration message is determined by network device so that it can be send to the terminal)
transmitting the configuration information to the terminal device. (Tang, fig 2, paragraph 129-130, network device sends connection reconfiguration message to terminal)
For claim 16. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 14, and Tang further teaches: wherein the timer corresponding to the secondary cell is started in response to the terminal device receiving the configuration information, and stopped in response to the timeout moment in the configuration information being reached. (Tang, paragraph 175-181, terminal receives secondary cell activation information and duration of timer, terminal starts timer based on activation information and stop timer based on timer duration)
For claim 17. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 14, and Tang further teaches: wherein the system frame number is one received on a primary cell or received on a special secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 132-133, start moment is used to indicate secondary cell activation complete operation, the terminal starts to listen to the PDCCH when the start moment arrives, start moment is a combination of frame number and a subframe number)
For claim 18. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 17, and Tang further teaches: wherein the processor is further configured to transmit indication information to the terminal device, and the indication information is configured to indicate that the system frame number is received on the primary cell, or indicate an identifier of the secondary cell receiving the system frame number. (Tang, fig 2, paragraph 129-130, network device sends connection reconfiguration message to terminal, the connection reconfiguration message includes one or more secondary cells configured by the network device for the terminal, information used to indicate to activate the one or more secondary cells, and a start moment at which the terminal reports CSI; paragraph 132, reporting CSI is secondary cell activation complete operation; paragraph 132-133, start moment is used to indicate secondary cell activation complete operation, the terminal starts to listen to the PDCCH when the start moment arrives, start moment is a combination of frame number and a subframe number)
For claim 19. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 14, and Tang further teaches: wherein the first operation comprises activating the secondary cell, comprising at least one of: monitoring a physical downlink control channel on the secondary cell, transmitting a channel detection reference signal, a physical uplink shared channel, or a physical uplink control channel on the secondary cell, and performing a channel state information measurement and a beam management on the secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 132-133, start moment is used to indicate secondary cell activation complete operation, the terminal starts to listen (monitor) to the PDCCH when the start moment arrives)
For claim 20. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 14, and Tang further teaches: wherein the first operation comprises deactivating the secondary cell, comprising at least one of: stopping monitoring a physical downlink control channel on the secondary cell, stopping transmitting a channel detection reference signal, a physical uplink shared channel, or a physical uplink control channel on the secondary cell, and stopping performing a channel state information measurement and a beam management on the secondary cell. (Tang, paragraph 197, 200, terminal receives activation command from network device, the activation command is used to indicate a status of the secondary cell, the status of the secondary cell may include an activated state, a deactivated state, and a third state; paragraph 117, in a secondary cell in a deactivated state, a terminal does not send a sounding reference signal (SRS), does not send uplink (UL) data, does not send channel state information (CSI) of the secondary cell, does not listen to a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the secondary cell, does not perform random access to the secondary cell, and does not transmit data on a physical uplink control (PUCCH) of the secondary cell)
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang, US 20200374061 in view of Cheng, US 20220046498.
For claim 15. Tang discloses all the limitations of claim 14, however Tang doesn’t teach: wherein the first operation is an operation performed on the secondary cell in response to feeder link switch occurring.
Cheng from the same or similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein the first operation is an operation performed on the secondary cell in response to feeder link switch occurring. (Cheng, paragraph 70-71, handover procedure includes SCell addition; paragraph 95, the CHO (handover) procedure in response to feeder link switch;)
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Cheng into Tang, since Tang suggests a technique for secondary cell activating (addition), and Cheng suggests the beneficial way of performing such technique in response to feeder link switch since during the feeder link switch period, a target base station may not be able to broadcast or receive signals due to a loss of the feeder link (Cheng, paragraph 70-71, 95) in the analogous art of communication.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHOA B HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7185. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 1:00 PM - 9:35 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571) 272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KHOA HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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