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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 6, 7, 14, 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 6, the term “FR” should be spelled out. Similar issue in claim 14.
Depending claims 7, 15, respectively are rejected with the same rationale.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-12, 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cui et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0163752).
Regarding claim 17, Cui et al. discloses a terminal (see UE in fig. 2 or fig. 9), comprising a processor (see processor 205 in fig. 2), a memory (see memory 210 in fig. 2), and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or the instruction, when executed by the processor, causes the terminal to perform:
receiving, by the terminal, configuration signaling (see fig. 4, step 405 or step 910 in fig. 9) sent by a network side device, wherein the configuration signaling comprises a correspondence between at least one measurement gap pattern among a plurality of measurement gap patterns (read as measurement categories for inter-frequency L1/L2 based mobility and L3 based mobility in para. 0041) configured for the terminal and a measurement gap sharing rule (read as measurement gap sharing factor within a scheme in para. 0040, 0059) (Cui et al. see fig. 4, step 405; fig. 5, table 500 for measurement resource allocation; fig. 9, step 910; para. 0037-0041, 0043, 0055, 0059, 0072; In 405, the UE 110 receives measurement gap sharing configuration information. The measurement gap sharing configuration information may comprise a variety of information such as, but not limited to, an indication of the type of measurements to be performed during the measurement gap and an indication as to how much of the measurement gap is to be utilized for each type of measurement. In para. 0040, …Throughout this description, to differentiate between different measurement gap sharing schemes, the exemplary embodiments refer to “scheme A,” “scheme B,” “scheme C,” and “scheme D.”. In para. 0072, …the measurement gap sharing configuration information may indicate a sharing factor for the intra-frequency measurement category and the inter-frequency measurement category.). The UE receive measurement gap sharing configuration information from gNB, wherein the configuration information comprises a correspondence between the measurement gap categories/patterns (e.g., measurements for inter-frequency L1/L2 based mobility and L3 based mobility) and measurement gap sharing scheme/rule.
Claim 1 is rejected similarly to claim 17.
Regarding claim 9, Cui et al. discloses a configuration method for a measurement gap sharing rule, comprising:
sending, by a network side device, configuration signaling (see fig. 4, step 405 or step 910 in fig. 9) to a terminal, wherein the configuration signaling comprises a correspondence between at least one measurement gap pattern among a plurality of measurement gap patterns (read as measurement categories for inter-frequency L1/L2 based mobility and L3 based mobility in para. 0041) configured for the terminal and a measurement gap sharing rule (read as measurement gap sharing factor within a scheme in para. 0040, 0059) (Cui et al. see fig. 4, step 405; fig. 5, table 500 for measurement resource allocation; fig. 9, step 910; para. 0037-0041, 0043, 0055, 0059, 0072; In 405, the UE 110 receives measurement gap sharing configuration information. The measurement gap sharing configuration information may comprise a variety of information such as, but not limited to, an indication of the type of measurements to be performed during the measurement gap and an indication as to how much of the measurement gap is to be utilized for each type of measurement. In para. 0040, …Throughout this description, to differentiate between different measurement gap sharing schemes, the exemplary embodiments refer to “scheme A,” “scheme B,” “scheme C,” and “scheme D.”. In para. 0072, …the measurement gap sharing configuration information may indicate a sharing factor for the intra-frequency measurement category and the inter-frequency measurement category.). The gNB transmits measurement gap sharing configuration information to the UE, wherein the configuration information comprises a correspondence between the measurement gap categories/patterns (e.g., measurements for inter-frequency L1/L2 based mobility and L3 based mobility) and measurement gap sharing scheme/rule.
Regarding claim 20, Cui et al. discloses a network side device (see base station or gNB 300 in fig. 3), comprising a processor (see processor 305 in fig. 3), a memory (see memory 310 in fig. 3), and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the program or the instruction is executed by the processor, steps of the configuration method for a measurement gap sharing rule according to claim 9 are implemented (see the rejection in claim 9 above).
Regarding claims 2, 10, 18, Cui et al. discloses the feature wherein in the configuration signaling, the measurement gap pattern and the measurement gap sharing rule are in a one-to-one correspondence (Cui et al. see fig. 7, table 700; para. 0059; when the network signals a measurement gap sharing factor (A1/A2/A3/A4) with RRC parameter MeasGapSharingSchemeforL1 as shown in the column on the right side of the table 700 and the total of A1+A2+A3+A4 is equal to 100%, the measurement extension factor for intra-frequency L1/L2 based mobility may be equal to 1/(A3).). The measurement category and MG sharing factor is in a one-to-one correspondence.
Regarding claims 3, 11, 19, Cui et al. discloses the feature wherein among the plurality of measurement gap patterns configured for the terminal, different measurement gap patterns correspond to different measurement gap sharing rules (Cui et al. see fig. 7, measurement category and MG sharing factor; para. 0058, 0059). Each of the measurement categories corresponds to different sharing factors.
Regarding claims 4, 12, Cui et al. discloses the feature wherein the configuration signaling comprises a correspondence between one measurement gap pattern and one measurement gap sharing rule; or, the configuration signaling comprises a correspondence between at least two measurement gap patterns and at least two measurement gap sharing rules (Cui et al. see fig. 7, measurement category and MG sharing factor; para. 0058, 0059). Each of the measurement categories corresponds to different sharing factors.
Regarding claims 8, 16, Cui et al. discloses the feature wherein the configuration signaling further comprises information about a plurality of measurement gap patterns configured for the terminal; wherein the configuration signaling is gapconfig configuration signaling (Cui et al. see para. 0038, 0072; The measurement gap sharing configuration information may comprise a variety of information such as, but not limited to, an indication of the type of measurements to be performed during the measurement gap and an indication as to how much of the measurement gap is to be utilized for each type of measurement. Thus, the measurement gap sharing configuration information may provide an explicit or implicit indication as to how the measurement gap is to be shared. In para. 0072, … the measurement gap sharing configuration information may indicate a sharing factor for the intra-frequency measurement category and the inter-frequency measurement category). The configuration information is broadly interpreted as gapconfig configuration signal.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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) 5, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Cui et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0163752).
Regarding claims 5, 13, Cui et al. discloses the feature wherein the at least two measurement gap patterns and at least two measurement gap sharing rule, each of the measurement gap patterns and each of the measurement gap sharing rule is in a one-to-one correspondence (Cui et al. see fig. 7, table 700; para. 0059; when the network signals a measurement gap sharing factor (A1/A2/A3/A4) with RRC parameter MeasGapSharingSchemeforL1 as shown in the column on the right side of the table 700 and the total of A1+A2+A3+A4 is equal to 100%, the measurement extension factor for intra-frequency L1/L2 based mobility may be equal to 1/(A3).). In fig. 7, Cui et al. discloses four measurement patterns/categories and four MG sharing rules/factors and each of the measurement gap patterns is in a one-to one correspondence with each of the measurement gap sharing rules/factors.
Although in fig. 7 of Cui et al. the measurement gap categories do not form a first list and the MG sharing factors do not form a second list, however, an official notice is taken that grouping the measurement patterns to form a first list and grouping the MG sharing factors to form a second list and the first list is in a one-to-one correspondence with the second list is obvious and well known in the art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Cui et al. and to implement the obviousness for grouping the measurement patterns and grouping the MG sharing factors and mapping both groups in a one-to-one correspondence.
The motivation would be to improve network simplicity.
Claim(s) 6, 7, 14, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cui et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0163752) in view of Futaki (Pub No.: 2018/0220303).
Regarding claims 6, 14, Cui et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the configuration signaling further comprises configuration information of the terminal for supporting per UE measurement gap and/or per FR measurement gap.
Futaki from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the configuration signaling further comprises configuration information of the terminal for supporting per UE measurement gap and/or per FR measurement gap (Futaki see para. 0122; When the predetermined control signaling is the L1/L2 signaling and the RRC signaling, the radio base station 1 first transmits, besides the configuration information (MeasConfig) that is necessary for the terminal measurement (in the cell) on the unlicensed frequency, configuration information about a terminal measurement gap used for the terminal measurement (Measurement Gap Configuration: MeasGapConfig) to the radio terminal 3 by the RRC signaling in advance. …Further, the radio base station 1 may notify the radio terminal 3 of a plurality of MeasGapConfigs (i.e., patterns of the terminal measurement gap) in advance and send the L1/L2 signaling to specify one of the MeasGapConfigs with which the terminal measurement should be executed. Note that MeasConfig may include the information regarding the period allowed for allocation.). The terminal receives configuration information about a terminal measurement gap used or supporting for the terminal.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Cui et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Futaki wherein the configuration signaling comprises information of the terminal supporting per UE measurement gap or FR measurement gap.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Regarding claims 7, 15, Futaki discloses the feature wherein the configuration signaling is MeasGapConfig configuration signaling (Futaki see para. 0122; When the predetermined control signaling is the L1/L2 signaling and the RRC signaling, the radio base station 1 first transmits, besides the configuration information (MeasConfig) that is necessary for the terminal measurement (in the cell) on the unlicensed frequency, configuration information about a terminal measurement gap used for the terminal measurement (Measurement Gap Configuration: MeasGapConfig) to the radio terminal 3 by the RRC signaling in advance.)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Cui et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Futaki wherein the configuration signaling is MeasGapConfig configuration signaling.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Li (Pub No.: 2023/0088279) discloses communication methods and devices, and storage media. The method includes: determining, by a terminal, one or more downlink time periods within an inter-frequency measurement gap; and receiving, by the terminal from a serving cell within the downlink time periods, downlink information on an uplink frequency band.
Zhang et al. (Pub No.: 2020/0359256) discloses a method are provided, by which a measurement gap sharing scheme is generated by sharing measurement gaps between radio link monitoring measurement, intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement based on configurations of radio link monitoring reference signals for radio link monitoring and synchronization signal blocks and/or other reference signals used for intra-frequency measurements; measurements including the radio link monitoring measurement, the intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement are performed according to the measurement gap sharing scheme, and the measurement gap sharing scheme between radio link monitoring measurement, intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement is changed based on the radio link quality of a serving cell.
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/KAN YUEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464