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 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, 3, 6, 9, 12, 14, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gummadi et al (US 2024/0171990 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 12, and 20, Gummadi discloses an electronic device (Fig. 2, UE 120) comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) circuit (Fig. 2, transceivers 252);
memory storing instructions (Fig. 2, memory 282); and
at least one processor operatively connected to the memory (Fig. 2, processor 280 and/or 6th paragraph, UE includes one or more processors coupled to the memory), the at least one processor being configured to execute the instructions to cause the electronic device to:
perform scanning, by using the RF circuit, in a state that the electronic device has not accessed a network (5th paragraph, UE scanning a wireless network for system information message containing IRAT frequency information for a non-terrestrial network. Herein, UE has not established a connection to the non-terrestrial network);
based on a result of the scanning, identify a first cell located around the electronic device (Fig. 4, UE is found located within the beam footprint of satellite 440 based on scanning);
based on identifying that the first cell is associated with satellite communication (Fig. 4), monitor whether a trigger requiring a connection to the satellite communication occurs; and based on identifying an occurrence of the trigger, perform at least one first access operation for access to the network based on the first cell (26th paragraph, displaying the NTN (non-terrestrial network) icon may enable a user to select the preferred network. Herein, NTN is accessed once the network selected by the UE).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Gummadi discloses that wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the electronic device to identify, based on information provided from the first cell, whether the first cell is associated with the satellite communication (Fig. 8, block 802, system information message containing IRAT frequency information for a non-terrestrial network).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Gummadi discloses that the electronic device to identify the first cell as associated with the satellite communication, based on the first cell having a frequency and/or Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) of the satellite communication (Fig. 8 block 802, system information message containing IRAT frequency information for a non-terrestrial network).
Regarding claim 9, Gummadi discloses that based on identifying a user input causing use of the satellite communication as the occurrence of the trigger, perform the at least one first access operation (26th paragraph, displaying the NTN (non-terrestrial network) icon may enable a user to select the preferred network. Herein, NTN is accessed once the network selected by the UE).
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 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.
Claims 4, 5, 7, 15, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gummadi in view of Raghavachari et al (US 2024/0259930 A1).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Gummadi discloses accessing NTN network based on UE selection (26th paragraph). Gummadi does not disclose that after having accessed the first cell, monitor whether a disconnection condition is satisfied; and based on identifying the disconnection condition is satisfied, perform at least one disconnection operation for disconnection from the first cell. Raghavachari discloses connecting to the NTN, invoking a TN search based on a criterion, and releasing the NTNT connection (Fig. 4, blocks 430, 435, and 455). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include disconnecting the NTN based on a criterion in Gummadi’s system, as suggested by Raghavachari, due to high propagation delay associated with NTN.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Gummadi discloses scanning IRAT of NTN (Fig. 8, block 802). Gummadi does not disclose that based on the result of the scanning, identify a second cell located around the electronic device; and based on identifying that the second cell is associated with terrestrial communication, perform at least one second access operation for access to the network based on the second cell. Raghavachari discloses scanning for TN and connecting to the TN if succeeded (Fig. 4, blocks 435 and 455). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include scanning and connecting to TN in Gummadi’s system, as suggested by Raghavachari, due to low delay and high throughput transmission associated with TN.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Gummadi discloses scanning IRAT of NTN (Fig. 8, block 802). Gummadi does not disclose that the electronic device to: perform at least one first scan for terrestrial communication; and based on a failure of the at least one first scan, perform at least one second scan for the satellite communication. Raghavachari discloses that the terrestrial network is not available, e.g., no scan result for terrestrial network, the user may trigger a search or scan for a non-terrestrial network (60th paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include scanning NTN based on non-detection of NT in Gummadi’s system, as suggested by Raghavachari, prevent service interruption.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gummadi in view of Xu et al (US 2025/0008399 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Gummadi discloses displaying NTN icon in UE (Fig. 8, block 804). Gummadi does not disclose that the electronic device to: identify a request for use of a first service; and based on identifying that the first service is supported by the satellite communication as the occurrence of the trigger, perform the at least one first access operation. Xu discloses that for UE triggered service request, UE may perform cell reselection and camp on the corresponding cell for initial access based on cell reselection indication, e.g., service related NTN (69th paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include NTN selection based on UE service request in Gummadi’s system, as suggested by Xu, to accommodate UE service request.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 8, 11, 13, and 19 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.
Conclusion
Grodin et al (US 2024/0259774 A1), same field of endeavor, discloses NTN and TN selection (Fig. 5).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH VU H LY whose telephone number is (571)272-3175. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nick Jensen can be reached at 571-270-5443. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
ANH VU H. LY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2472
/ANH VU H LY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472