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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-8, 12-15, 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being by Khoshkholgh US 20230099762
1. A method of a terminal device reporting a Timing Advance TA in a Non-Terrestrial Network NTN, comprising:
triggering TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in a Radio Access Control RRC connection state receiving a TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from a network device (Khoshkholgh: fig. 24-30 [0332, 0354, 0377] The wireless device may be configured, based on the third configuration messages (e.g., the TA reporting configuration messages) to report the TA reporting information in response to or after a reporting request (e.g., a DCI or a MAC CE) that is received from the base station. The configuration may occur while the wireless device is in an RRC_CONNECTED state).
wherein the triggering the TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, comprises:
in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, not triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having reported the TA (Khoshkholgh: fig. 25-30 [0324, 0347-0348] The wireless device may be configured to not transmit the TA reporting information to the base station via RA procedure, for example, if the wireless device is in an RRC_CONNECTED mode…. After wireless device cancels the triggered TA reporting procedure, for example, based on (e.g., in response to) the expiration of the first timer, the wireless device may refrain from sending additional the TA reporting information).
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a TA reporting event comprises a variation amount of a current TA value of the terminal device relative to a TA value reported at a latest time being greater than or equal to a TA offset threshold (Khoshkholgh: [0327, 0333] where the current TA value is greater than (or less than) a previous TA value (e.g., if variation between a current TA value and a previous TA value is greater than a threshold), and/or the change in the current TA value is greater (or smaller) than a threshold).
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the TA offset threshold is configured for event-triggering TA reporting, the TA offset threshold is configured for the terminal device to estimate whether the variation amount between the current TA value and the TA value reported at the latest time exceeds the TA offset threshold (Khoshkholgh: [0327, 0333, 0471] timing offset and/or an expiration of a timer).
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the TA offset threshold is configured by the network device (Khoshkholgh: [0327, 0333, 0471] the wireless device may receive (e.g., at time T2) the timing offset 2508).
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in a RRC connection state receiving a TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from a network device, further comprises: triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having not reported the TA, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device (Khoshkholgh: fig. 24-20 [0332, 0351, 0415-0416] periodically report the TA reporting information…. e.g., a wireless device may discard/delete/update a previously-maintained device-specific timing offset, for example, based on triggered TA reporting procedure being canceled…..allow the base station to receive TA reporting information that may have been missed previously).
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the terminal device having reported the TA comprises: the terminal device having reported the TA to the network device in a Random Access Channel RACH process; or the terminal device having reported the TA to the network device after entering the RRC connection state (Khoshkholgh: fig. 25-30 [0324, 0347-0348] For sending (e.g., transmitting) the TA reporting information during initial access (e.g., while the wireless device conducting/initiating random access in an RRC_IDLE state).
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the TA comprises an actual TA of the terminal device, or a TA amount related to the actual TA of the terminal device (Khoshkholgh: [0317, 0321] The TA reporting information may be based on the current TA value of the wireless device).
Regarding claims 12-15, 17-18, the independent claim and each dependent claim are related to the same limitation set for hereinabove in claims 1-5, 7-8, where the difference used is a “terminal” with a processor and a memory (Khoshkholgh: Referring to FIG. 15A, a processor & a memory) and the wordings of the claims were interchanged within the claim itself or some of the claims were presented as a combination of two or more previously presented limitations. This change does not affect the limitation of the above treated claims. Adding these phrases to the claims arid interchanging the wording did not introduce new limitations to these claims. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-8, 12-15, 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji WO 2023059420 in view of Khoshkholgh US 20230099762.
1. A method of a terminal device reporting a Timing Advance TA in a Non-Terrestrial Network NTN, comprising:
triggering TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in a Radio Access Control RRC connection state receiving a TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from a network device, (Ji: [0131] a UE may report its UE specific TA to a network at the time of a RACH procedure or in the RRC CONNECTED state, if enabled by the network);
wherein the triggering the TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, comprises:
in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, not triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having reported the TA (Ji: [0131] the UE may update its TA to the network, whether periodically or aperiodically, e.g. based on a configured event trigger. As an example, the UE may provide an aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change).
Ji merely discloses the term “NTN”
Khoshkholgh teaches the term NTN (Khoshkholgh: fig. 24-30 [0380], non-terrestrial network (NTN))
Khoshkholgh further teaches triggering TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in a Radio Access Control RRC connection state receiving a TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from a network device (Khoshkholgh: fig. 24-30 [0332, 0354, 0377] The wireless device may be configured, based on the third configuration messages (e.g., the TA reporting configuration messages) to report the TA reporting information in response to or after a reporting request (e.g., a DCI or a MAC CE) that is received from the base station. The configuration may occur while the wireless device is in an RRC_CONNECTED state).
wherein the triggering the TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, comprises:
in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, not triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having reported the TA. (Khoshkholgh: fig. 25-30 [0324, 0347-0348] The wireless device may be configured to not transmit the TA reporting information to the base station via RA procedure, for example, if the wireless device is in an RRC_CONNECTED mode…. After wireless device cancels the triggered TA reporting procedure, for example, based on (e.g., in response to) the expiration of the first timer, the wireless device may refrain from sending additional the TA reporting information).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to include the above recited limitation into Ji’s invention in order to sends, to the base station, information associated with the device-specific TA value, as taught by Khoshkholgh.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a TA reporting event comprises a variation amount of a current TA value of the terminal device relative to a TA value reported at a latest time being greater than or equal to a TA offset threshold (Ji: [0131, 0134] the UE may provide an aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change).
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the TA offset threshold is configured for event-triggering TA reporting, the TA offset threshold is configured for the terminal device to estimate whether the variation amount between the current TA value and the TA value reported at the latest time exceeds the TA offset threshold (Ji: [0131, 0134] the UE may provide an aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change).
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the TA offset threshold is configured by the network device (Khoshkholgh: [0327, 0333, 0471] the wireless device may receive (e.g., at time T2) the timing offset 2508).
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering TA reporting, by the terminal device, in response to the terminal device in a RRC connection state receiving a TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from a network device, further comprises: triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having not reported the TA, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device (Ji: [0131] the UE may provide an aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change).
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the terminal device having reported the TA comprises: the terminal device having reported the TA to the network device in a Random Access Channel RACH process; or the terminal device having reported the TA to the network device after entering the RRC connection state (Ji: [0131] a UE may report it UE specific TA to a network at the time of a RACH procedure or in the RRC CONNECTED state, if enabled by the network).
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the TA comprises an actual TA of the terminal device, or a TA amount related to the actual TA of the terminal device (Khoshkholgh: [0317, 0321] The TA reporting information may be based on the current TA value of the wireless device).
Regarding claims 12-15, 17-18, the independent claim and each dependent claim are related to the same limitation set for hereinabove in claims 1-5, 7-8, where the difference used is a “terminal” with a processor and a memory (Ji: Referring to FIG. 3, the 300 includes a processor 316/356, a memory 376/360) and the wordings of the claims were interchanged within the claim itself or some of the claims were presented as a combination of two or more previously presented limitations. This change does not affect the limitation of the above treated claims. Adding these phrases to the claims arid interchanging the wording did not introduce new limitations to these claims. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5, 7-8, 12-15, 17-18 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Applicant Argument:
According to amended claim 1, in response to the terminal device in the RRC connection state receiving the TA reporting event configuration/reconfiguration message from the network device, not triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having reported the TA. Such a distinction is not disclosed in Prior Art(s).
Response to Arguments:
With respect to the above argument, Examiner would like to draw attention to that it is the claims that define the claimed invention, and it is claims, not specifications that are anticipated or unpatentable. Constant v. Advanced Micro-Devices Inc., 7 USPQ2d 1064.
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to ([0131]) of Ji, for example: a UE may report its UE specific TA to a network at the time of a RACH procedure or in the RRC CONNECTED state, if enabled (the term if herein is considered as a conditional step) by the network (NOTE: so, it’s also obvious that the UE can be configured with the step of “if disabled” condition, and then no TA will be sent/reported). In such examples, the network may be aware of the TA of the UE after receiving the report. In some aspects, the UE may update its TA to the network, whether periodically or aperiodic ally, e.g. based on a configured event trigger. As an example, the UE may provide an aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change (NOTE: the UE only triggers it’s TA update only if/when its location exceed outside of the range/threshold, in another word, the TA update(s) will be ignored or NOT reported repeatedly/periodically unless it exceeds the TA offset threshold).
Therefore, [0131] e.g., aperiodic TA update in response to a change in the TA that is beyond a threshold level of change (herein it’s considered same as not triggering, by the terminal device, the TA reporting, in a case of the terminal device having reported the TA).
Thus, for the above reason, the prior art meet the claim limitation.
Remark:
The examiner stresses that the claims are too broad and require detail or specialization of the steps as recited in the claims. Alone and as claimed, the limitations are too open.
Examiner has cited particular portions of the references as applied to each claim limitation for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
In addition, an interview could expedite the prosecution.
Conclusion
Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sulaiman Nooristany whose telephone number is (571) 270-1929. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9 to 5. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski, can be reached on (571) 270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/SULAIMAN NOORISTANY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
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