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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 02/09/2024. Claims 1-16 are pending with claims 1, 5, 9 and 13 being independent.
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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cheng et al. (US 2024/0031896 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Cheng discloses a method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
identifying whether a cell is a network energy savings (NES) cell ([0056] NESAI from network apparatus 520, wherein the NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation filed for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs); and
in case that the cell is the NES cell and the cell is allowed an access of a terminal ([0057] In some implementations, the cell barred field or the cell reservation field may indicate whether the NES-capable UEs are allowed camping on the NES cell), transmitting, to the terminal, a message comprising information indicating that the cell is allowed the access of the terminal ([0063] In some implementations, processor 522 may determine a NESAI, wherein the NESAI comprises a cell barred field or a cell reservation field for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs. Processor 522 may transmit, via transceiver 526, the NESAI to communication apparatus 510),
wherein the terminal is capable of supporting energy savings ([0062] In some implementations, processor 512 may receive, via transceiver 516, a UE capability enquiry from the network node. Processor 512 may transmit, via transceiver 516, a UE capability information to the network node to indicate whether the cell reselection for the NES cell is supported).
Regarding claim 2, Cheng discloses wherein the message comprises a system information block 1 to determine the cell barring status ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell and [0058] receiving, via transceiver 516, the NESAI from the network node through a MIB, a SIB, a PEI, a PDCCH in a PO, or a PDSCH in the PO).
Regarding claim 3, Cheng further discloses wherein the information is used for accessing the cell or camping restriction [0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 4, Cheng further discloses in case that the cell is barred to the terminal, transmitting, to the terminal, the message without the information (Fig. 1, CELLBARREDFOR NWES THROUGH MIB SIB, ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 5, Cheng discloses a method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
in case that a cell is network energy savings (NES) cell and the cell is allowed an access of the terminal (([0056] NESAI from network apparatus 520, wherein the NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation filed for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs)), receiving, from a bases station, a message comprising information on indicating the cell is allowed the access of the terminal ([0056] In some implementations, processor 512 may receive, via transceiver 516, a NESAI from network apparatus 520, wherein the NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation field for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs. Processor 512 may perform a cell reselection for a NES cell based on the NESAI), and
identifying whether the terminal is allowed to access the cell , wherein the termina is capable of supporting energy savings ([0062] In some implementations, processor 512 may receive, via transceiver 516, a UE capability enquiry from the network node. Processor 512 may transmit, via transceiver 516, a UE capability information to the network node to indicate whether the cell reselection for the NES cell is supported).
Regarding claim 6, Cheng further discloses wherein the message comprises a system information block 1 to determine the cell barring status ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell and [0058] receiving, via transceiver 516, the NESAI from the network node through a MIB, a SIB, a PEI, a PDCCH in a PO, or a PDSCH in the PO).
Regarding claim 7, Cheng further discloses wherein the information is used for accessing the cell or camping restriction ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 8, Cheng further discloses comprising: in case that the cell is barred to the terminal, receiving, from the base station, the message without the information (Fig. 1, CELLBARREDFOR NWES THROUGH MIB SIB, ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 9, Cheng discloses a base station (Fig. 5, Network Apparatus, 520) in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising a transceiver (526); and at least one processor (522) coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
identify whether a cell is a network energy savings (NES) cell ([0056] NESAI from network apparatus 520, wherein the NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation filed for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs); and
in case that the cell is the NES cell and the cell is allowed an access of a terminal ([0057] In some implementations, the cell barred field or the cell reservation field may indicate whether the NES-capable UEs are allowed camping on the NES cell), transmit, to the terminal, a message comprising information indicating that the cell is allowed the access of the terminal ([0063] In some implementations, processor 522 may determine a NESAI, wherein the NESAI comprises a cell barred field or a cell reservation field for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs. Processor 522 may transmit, via transceiver 526, the NESAI to communication apparatus 510),
wherein the terminal is capable of supporting energy savings ([0062] In some implementations, processor 512 may receive, via transceiver 516, a UE capability enquiry from the network node. Processor 512 may transmit, via transceiver 516, a UE capability information to the network node to indicate whether the cell reselection for the NES cell is supported).
Regarding claim 11, Cheng further discloses wherein the message comprises a system information block 1 to determine the cell barring status ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell and [0058] receiving, via transceiver 516, the NESAI from the network node through a MIB, a SIB, a PEI, a PDCCH in a PO, or a PDSCH in the PO).
Regarding claim 12, Cheng further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: in case that the cell is barred to the terminal, transmit, to the terminal, the message without the information (Fig. 1, CELLBARREDFOR NWES THROUGH MIB SIB, ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 13, Cheng discloses a terminal (Fig. 5, Network Apparatus, 510) in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising a transceiver (516); and at least one processor (512) coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
identify whether a cell is a network energy savings (NES) cell ([0056] NESAI from network apparatus 520, wherein the NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation filed for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs); and
in case that the cell is the NES cell and the cell is allowed an access of a terminal ([0057] In some implementations, the cell barred field or the cell reservation field may indicate whether the NES-capable UEs are allowed camping on the NES cell), transmit, to the terminal, a message comprising information indicating that the cell is allowed the access of the terminal ([0063] In some implementations, processor 522 may determine a NESAI, wherein the NESAI comprises a cell barred field or a cell reservation field for NWES configured to differentiate between non-NES UEs and NES-capable UEs. Processor 522 may transmit, via transceiver 526, the NESAI to communication apparatus 510),
wherein the terminal is capable of supporting energy savings ([0062] In some implementations, processor 512 may receive, via transceiver 516, a UE capability enquiry from the network node. Processor 512 may transmit, via transceiver 516, a UE capability information to the network node to indicate whether the cell reselection for the NES cell is supported).
Regarding claim 14, Cheng further discloses wherein the message comprises a system information block 1 to determine the cell barring status ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell and [0058] receiving, via transceiver 516, the NESAI from the network node through a MIB, a SIB, a PEI, a PDCCH in a PO, or a PDSCH in the PO).
Regarding claim 15, Cheng further discloses wherein the information is used for accessing the cell or camping restriction [0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Regarding claim 16, Cheng further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: in case that the cell is barred to the terminal, receive from the base station, the message without the information (Fig. 1, CELLBARREDFOR NWES THROUGH MIB SIB, ([0032] In some implementations, in the MIB, the UE may receive cellBarredforNWES (i.e., the cell barred field or the cell reservation field) with information element (IE) types of barred or not barred. The cellBarredforNWES with the value “barred” may mean that a cell is barred, and the UE is not allowed to camp on the barred cell).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Choe (US 2025/0159603 A1) discloses a method for performing a network energy saving (NES) operation by determining whether or not to perform the NES operation.
Yue et al. (US 2026/0019922 A1) discloses a method and apparatus for access restriction in an energy saving network.
Chen (WO 2024/213015 A1) discloses a wireless communication method for a network energy saving (NES) system.
Diogo (GB 2637824 A) discloses a method for a user equipment to manage cell barring in a telecommunications network during cell selection and/or reselection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES N APPIAH whose telephone number is (571)272-7904. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:30 M-TH.
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/CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641