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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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, 5-8, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Christoffersson et al. (US 2024/0057192 A1).
(1) Regarding claim 1:
Christoffersson discloses an apparatus for triggering to generate a backhaul link radio link failure notification (WD 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF), para. 0231), applicable to a first node, the apparatus comprising:
a memory (memory 88 of WD 22 as shown in figure 7); and
processor circuitry coupled to the memory (processor 86 of WD 22 as shown in figure 7) and configured to:
transmit, when a radio link failure is detected (the WD 22 initiates RRC re-establishment in a suitable cell upon declaration of RLF in a primary cell, para. 0239) and when Access Stratum security (AS security) has been activated and an a signaling radio bearer 2(SRB2) has been established (WD 22 in RRC_CONNECTED state, for which access stratum (AS) security has been activated with signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) and at least one dedicated radio bearer (DRB) setup or, (WD 22 in RRC_CONNECTED state, for which access stratum (AS) security has been activated with signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) and at least one dedicated radio bearer (DRB) setup or, for IAB, the SRB2, may initiate the fast MCG link recovery procedure in order to continue the RRC connection without re-establishment. In the signaling MCGFailureInformation, the WD 22 may indicate the slice/slice group information associated with the RLF in MCG, para. 0239) and the first node is configured with and/or uses new radio dual connectivity (NR-DC) (figure 6 discloses a communication system 10, according to an embodiment, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network that may support standards such as LTE and/or NR (5G), para. 0161) (a WD 22 can have dual connectivity with a network node that supports LTE and the same or a different network node 16 16 that supports NR, para. 0162), the backhaul link radio link failure notification (For IAB-MT, the reception of a BH RLF indication received from its parent node, para. 0237).
(2) Regarding claim 2:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 1, and further discloses the first node is an integrated access and backhaul node (IAB-node) (RLF occurs at the integrated access and backhaul (IAB) link, the same mechanisms and procedures are applied as for the access link. This includes BH RLF detection and RLF recovery, para. 0068-0069; IAB-MT, para. 0237, 0239).
(3) Regarding claim 3:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 2, and further discloses the first node is an IAB-node (for IAB-MT, para. 0237) comprises at least one of the following that:
in a connection establishment process, the first node is accessed to a network as an IAB-node;
in a process of adding and/or updating a secondary node, the first node is connected to the secondary node as an IAB-node;
the first node serves for a descendant node or a terminal equipment as an IAB- node (for IAB-MT, the reception of a BH-BLF indication received from its parent node, para. 0237);
at least one connected IAB-node is taken as a descendant node of the first node; and
at least one connected IAB-node has established a backhaul link radio link control (RLC} channel with the first node.
(4) Regarding claim 5:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 1, and further discloses the processor circuitry is further configured to:
trigger or generate or transmit, when a radio link failure is detected and when a third timer expires or is not configured, the backhaul link radio link failure notification (the WD 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF) when at least one of the following criteria is met, Expiry of a timer started upon triggering a measurement report for a measurement identity for which the timer has been configured while another radio problem timer is running, para. 0231, 0233), or
control to not trigger or not generate or not transmit, when the third timer is running or stops, the backhaul link radio link failure notification.
(5) Regarding claim 6:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 1, and further discloses:
the processor circuitry is further configured to trigger or generate or transmit, when a radio link failure is detected (RF declared upon expiry of T310 shown in figure 5; (the WD 22 initiates RRC re-establishment in a suitable cell upon declaration of RLF in a primary cell, para. 0239) and the AS security has been activated and an SRB2 has been established (WD 22 in RRC_CONNECTED state, for which access stratum (AS) security has been activated with signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) and at least one dedicated radio bearer (DRB) setup or, for IAB, the SRB2, may initiate the fast MCG link recovery procedure in order to continue the RRC connection without re-establishment. In the signaling MCGFailureInformation, the WD 22 may indicate the slice/slice group information associated with the RLF in MCG, para. 0239) and the first node is configured with and/or uses NR-DC (figure 6 discloses a communication system 10, according to an embodiment, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network that may support standards such as LTE and/or NR (5G), para. 0161) (a WD 22 can have dual connectivity with a network node that supports LTE and the same or a different network node 16 16 that supports NR, para. 0162) and when a third timer expires (RF declared upon expiry of T310 shown in figure 5) or is not configured, the backhaul link radio link failure notification (the WD 22 informs the network about a master cell group (MCG) failure the WD 22 has experienced); , or control to not trigger or not generate or not transmit, when a third timer is running or stops, the backhaul link radio link failure notification (For IAB-MT, the reception of a BH RLF indication received from its parent node, para. 0237).
(6) Regarding claim 7:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 1, and further discloses the backhaul link radio link failure notification is triggered or generated or transmitted, the third timer is started (the WD 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF) when at least one of the following criteria is met, Expiry of a timer started upon triggering a measurement report for a measurement identity for which the timer has been configured while another radio problem timer is running, para. 0231, 0233) or restarted.
(7) Regarding claim 12:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 6, and further discloses the backhaul link radio link failure notification is triggered or generated or transmitted, the third timer is started (the WD 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF) when at least one of the following criteria is met, Expiry of a timer started upon triggering a measurement report for a measurement identity for which the timer has been configured while another radio problem timer is running, para. 0231, 0233) or restarted.
(8) Regarding claim 8:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 5, and further discloses a radio resource control (RRC) layer or a backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) layer of the first node (the RRC reestablishment procedure fails, the IAB-node may transmit a backhaul (BH) RLF indication to its child nodes. The BH RLF indication is transmitted as backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) Control packet data unit (PDU), para. 0069) triggers or does not trigger to generate the backhaul link radio link failure notification based on a state of the third timer (the WO 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF) when at least one of the following criteria is met: Expiry of a radio problem timer started after indication of radio problems from the physical layer (if radio problems are recovered before the timer is expired, the WO 22 stops the timer), para. 0231-0233).
(9) Regarding claim 13:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 6, and further discloses a radio resource control (RRC) layer or a backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) layer of the first node (the RRC reestablishment procedure fails, the IAB-node may transmit a backhaul (BH) RLF indication to its child nodes. The BH RLF indication is transmitted as backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) Control packet data unit (PDU), para. 0069) triggers or does not trigger to generate the backhaul link radio link failure notification based on a state of the third timer (the WO 22 declares Radio Link Failure (RLF) when at least one of the following criteria is met: Expiry of a radio problem timer started after indication of radio problems from the physical layer (if radio problems are recovered before the timer is expired, the WO 22 stops the timer), para. 0231-0233).
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.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Christoffersson et al. (US 2024/0057192 A1) in view of Pradas et al. (US 2022/0394797 A1).
(1) Regarding claim 10:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 1, and further discloses for IAB-MT, the reception of a Backhaul (BH) Radio Link Failure (RLF) indication received from the parent node (para. 0237), and RLF occurs at the integrated access and backhaul (IAB) link, the same mechanisms and procedures are applied as for the access link. This includes BH RLF detection and RLF recovery (para. 0068), but fail to explicitly disclose the backhaul radio link failure notification is a type 2 or type 1 radio link failure.
However, Pradas discloses options of 3GPP with regard to backhaul RLF notifications, Type 1—“Plain” notification: Indication that BH link RLF is detected by the IAB-node; and Type 2—“Trying to recover”: Indication that BH link RLF is detected by the IAB-node; and the IAB-node is attempting to recover from it (para. 0040-0042).
It is desirable to have the backhaul radio link failure notification is a type 2 or type 1 radio link failure because it indicate the status of the RLF. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Pradas in the apparatus of Christoffersson for the benefit of indicating the status of the RLF.
(2) Regarding claim 11:
Christoffersson and Pradas together discloses all subject matter of claim 10, and Pradas discloses in the rejection of claim 10:
the type 2 radio link failure notification is used to indicate that the first node detects that a backhaul link radio link fails and the first node is attempting to recover from the backhaul link radio link failure (Type 2—“Trying to recover”: Indication that BH link RLF is detected by the IAB-node; and the IAB-node is attempting to recover from it, para. 0042),
the type 1 radio link failure notification is used to indicate that the first node detects that a backhaul link radio link fails (Type 1—“Plain” notification: Indication that BH link RLF is detected by the IAB-node, para. 0041);
and Christoffersson further discloses the RRC reestablishment procedure fails, the IAB-node may transmit a backhaul (BH) RLF indication to its child nodes. The BH RLF indication is transmitted as backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) Control packet data unit (PDU) (para. 0069).
Claims 9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Christoffersson et al. (US 2024/0057192 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0330323 A1).
(1) Regarding claim 9:
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 5, but fails to disclose the third timer is a prohibit timer or a hysteresis timer.
However, Kim discloses the terminal 1t-05 may trigger transmission of a DedicatedSIBRequest message (1t-30). The RRC message may include lists of SIBs and PosSIBs requested by the terminal 1t-05. The terminal 1t-05 may transmit the DedicatedSIBRequest message to the base station 1t-10 (1t-35). Along with the transmission of the message, the terminal 1t-05 may drive one prohibit timer, which is T350 (1t-40). In this case, the terminal 1t-05 may not be able to acquire the requested SIB or PosSIB information for a predetermined reason (1t-45). The terminal 1t-05 may store information related to the acquisition failure at a predetermined time point (1t-50). For example, the predetermined time point may be a time point when the T350 expires or a time point when radio link failure (RLF) occurs in a state in which the requested SIB or PosSIB is not received (para. 0182).
It is desirable to have the third timer is a prohibit timer or a hysteresis timer because it minimizing the signaling overhead for the timer. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of Kim in the apparatus of Christoffersson for the benefit of reducing signaling overhead for the timer.
(2) Regarding claim 14
Christoffersson discloses all subject matter of claim 6, but fails to disclose the third timer is a prohibit timer or a hysteresis timer.
However, Kim discloses the terminal 1t-05 may trigger transmission of a DedicatedSIBRequest message (1t-30). The RRC message may include lists of SIBs and PosSIBs requested by the terminal 1t-05. The terminal 1t-05 may transmit the DedicatedSIBRequest message to the base station 1t-10 (1t-35). Along with the transmission of the message, the terminal 1t-05 may drive one prohibit timer, which is T350 (1t-40). In this case, the terminal 1t-05 may not be able to acquire the requested SIB or PosSIB information for a predetermined reason (1t-45). The terminal 1t-05 may store information related to the acquisition failure at a predetermined time point (1t-50). For example, the predetermined time point may be a time point when the T350 expires or a time point when radio link failure (RLF) occurs in a state in which the requested SIB or PosSIB is not received (para. 0182).
It is desirable to have the third timer is a prohibit timer or a hysteresis timer because it minimizing the signaling overhead for the timer. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of Kim in the apparatus of Christoffersson for the benefit of reducing signaling overhead for the timer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Haustein et al. (US 2023/0247504 A1) discloses IAB link failure.
Kim et al. (US 2023/0247501 A1) discloses method and device for bandwidth part switching in consideration of dormant bandwidth part in next generation mobile communication system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIU M LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-1083. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8:30-7:00.
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/SIU M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632 7/6/2026
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