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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on April 17, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21-28 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shrestha et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2022/0132383) in view of Fujishiro et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2018/0035346).
Consider claim 1; Shrestha discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) for a non-terrestrial network (NTN), the method comprising:
receiving, from a network (e.g. satellite) (par. 70, lines 3-13), a system information including a first type information of a neighbouring cell for a cell reselection (par. 72, lines 11-20), wherein the first type information indicates that the neighbouring cell is an NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10); and
performing, based on the system information (par. 72, lines 11-20), a measurement on the neighbouring cell for the cell reselection (par. 92, lines 4-8),
wherein the system information includes ephemeris information (e.g. time) on the neighbouring cell (par. 72, lines 11-20; par. 86, lines 1-7).
Shrestha discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
In an analogous art Fujishiro discloses the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell [“…the UE 100…specifies a predetermined timing on the basis of the system information…received from the current serving cell. The “predetermined timing” indicates a timing at which the quality measurement for the neighbor cell is started as the target cell is selected.” (par. 80, lines 1-6)]; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Shrestha by including a measurement start time, as taught by Fujishiro, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
Consider claim 4, as applied in claim 1; Shrestha discloses the system information further includes different information based on a second type information of a serving cell associated with the UE [e.g. neighbor cells (par. 72, lines 11-20)], wherein the second type information indicates that the serving cell comprising is an NTN or a terrestrial network (TN) [e.g. NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10)].
Consider claim 6; Shrestha discloses a method performed by a network entity, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE) (par. 72, lines 11-20), a system information including a first type information of a neighbouring cell for a cell reselection (par. 72, lines 11-20), wherein the first type information indicates that the neighbouring cell is an NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10) and the system information is configured for a measurement on the neighbouring cell for the cell reselection (par. 92, lines 4-8), and
wherein the SIB includes ephemeris information (e.g. time) on the neighbouring cell (par. 72, lines 11-20; par. 86, lines 1-7).
Shrestha discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
In an analogous art Fujishiro discloses the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell [“…the UE 100…specifies a predetermined timing on the basis of the system information…received from the current serving cell. The “predetermined timing” indicates a timing at which the quality measurement for the neighbor cell is started as the target cell is selected.” (par. 80, lines 1-6)]; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Shrestha by including a measurement start time, as taught by Fujishiro, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
Consider claim 9, as applied in claim 6; Shrestha discloses the system information further includes different information based on a second type information of a serving cell associated with the UE [e.g. neighbor cells (par. 72, lines 11-20)], wherein the second type information indicates that the serving cell comprising is an NTN or a terrestrial network (TN) [e.g. NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10)].
Consider claim 11; Shrestha discloses a user equipment (UE) for a non-terrestrial network (NTN), the UE comprising:
a transmitter (par. 55, lines 12-19);
a receiver (par. 55, lines 12-19); and
at least one processor coupled to the transmitter and the receiver (par. 55, lines 12-19), and configured to:
receive, from a network (e.g. satellite) (par. 70, lines 3-13), a system information including a first type information of a neighbouring cell for a cell reselection (par. 72, lines 11-20), wherein the first type information indicates that the neighbouring cell is an NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10); and
perform, based on the system information (par. 72, lines 11-20), a measurement on the neighbouring cell for the cell reselection (par. 92, lines 4-8),
wherein the system information includes ephemeris information (e.g. time) on the neighbouring cell (par. 72, lines 11-20; par. 86, lines 1-7).
Shrestha discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
In an analogous art Fujishiro discloses the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell [“…the UE 100…specifies a predetermined timing on the basis of the system information…received from the current serving cell. The “predetermined timing” indicates a timing at which the quality measurement for the neighbor cell is started as the target cell is selected.” (par. 80, lines 1-6)]; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Shrestha by including a measurement start time, as taught by Fujishiro, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
Consider claim 14, as applied in claim 11; Shrestha discloses the system information further includes different information based on a second type information of a serving cell associated with the UE [e.g. neighbor cells (par. 72, lines 11-20)], wherein the second type information indicates that the serving cell comprising is an NTN or a terrestrial network (TN) [e.g. NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10)].
Consider claim 16; Shrestha discloses a network entity, the network entity comprising:
a transmitter (par. 56, lines 16-22);
a receiver (par. 56, lines 16-22); and
at least one processor coupled to the transmitter and the receiver (par. 56, lines 16-22), and configured to:
transmit, to a user equipment (UE) (par. 72, lines 11-20), a system information including a first type information of a neighbouring cell for a cell reselection (par. 72, lines 11-20), wherein the first type information indicates that the neighbouring cell is an NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10),
wherein the system information is configured for a measurement on the neighbouring cell for the cell reselection (par. 92, lines 4-8), and
wherein the SIB includes ephemeris information (e.g. time) on the neighbouring cell (par. 72, lines 11-20; par. 86, lines 1-7).
Shrestha discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
In an analogous art Fujishiro discloses the system information includes at least one of: information on time for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell [“…the UE 100…specifies a predetermined timing on the basis of the system information…received from the current serving cell. The “predetermined timing” indicates a timing at which the quality measurement for the neighbor cell is started as the target cell is selected.” (par. 80, lines 1-6)]; or information on a location for determining when to start the measurement on the neighbouring cell.
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Shrestha by including a measurement start time, as taught by Fujishiro, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
Consider claim 19, as applied in claim 16; Shrestha discloses the system information further includes different information based on a second type information of a serving cell associated with the UE [e.g. neighbor cells (par. 72, lines 11-20)], wherein the second type information indicates that the serving cell comprising is an NTN or a terrestrial network (TN) [e.g. NTN (par. 73, lines 1-10)].
Consider claim 21, as applied in claim 16; Shrestha discloses the information on time includes time information on when the neighbouring cell becomes available for a service [“…determine that a new cell visibility duration satisfies a second threshold…” (par. 46, lines 1-8)].
Consider claim 23, as applied in claim 1; Shrestha discloses the information on time includes time information on when the neighbouring cell becomes available for a service [“…determine that a new cell visibility duration satisfies a second threshold…” (par. 46, lines 1-8)].
Consider claim 25, as applied in claim 6; Shrestha discloses the information on time includes time information on when the neighbouring cell becomes available for a service [“…determine that a new cell visibility duration satisfies a second threshold…” (par. 46, lines 1-8)].
Consider claim 27, as applied in claim 11; Shrestha discloses the information on time includes time information on when the neighbouring cell becomes available for a service [“…determine that a new cell visibility duration satisfies a second threshold…” (par. 46, lines 1-8)].
Claims 22, 24, 26, 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shrestha et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2022/0132383) Fujishiro et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2018/0035346) in view of Jung et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2015/0208353).
Consider claim 22, as applied in claim 16; Shrestha and Fujishiro disclose the claimed invention except: the information on location includes location threshold information configured for the UE to initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information.
In an analogous art Jung discloses the information on location includes location threshold information configured for the UE to initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information [“When the location change is greater than the threshold value, the terminal may measure a signal from the neighbor cell through the cell selection measuring unit…’ (par. 165, lines 1-3)].
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. It is an object of Jung’s invention to provide a method of optimizing measurement of a neighbor cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Shrestha and Fujishiro by including a distance threshold, as taught by Jung, for the purpose effectively managing communication in a wireless network.
Consider claim 24, as applied in claim 1; Shrestha and Fujishiro disclose the claimed invention except: initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information.
In an analogous art Jung discloses initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information [“When the location change is greater than the threshold value, the terminal may measure a signal from the neighbor cell through the cell selection measuring unit…’ (par. 165, lines 1-3)].
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. It is an object of Jung’s invention to provide a method of optimizing measurement of a neighbor cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Shrestha and Fujishiro by including a distance threshold, as taught by Jung, for the purpose effectively managing communication in a wireless network.
Consider claim 26, as applied in claim 6; Shrestha and Fujishiro disclose the claimed invention except: the information on location includes location threshold information configured for the UE to initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information.
In an analogous art Jung discloses the information on location includes location threshold information configured for the UE to initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information [“When the location change is greater than the threshold value, the terminal may measure a signal from the neighbor cell through the cell selection measuring unit…’ (par. 165, lines 1-3)].
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. It is an object of Jung’s invention to provide a method of optimizing measurement of a neighbor cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Shrestha and Fujishiro by including a distance threshold, as taught by Jung, for the purpose effectively managing communication in a wireless network.
Consider claim 28, as applied in claim 11; Shrestha and Fujishiro disclose the claimed invention except: initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information.
In an analogous art Jung discloses initiate the measurement on the neighbouring cell when a distance between a location of the UE and a reference location of a serving cell exceeds location threshold information [“When the location change is greater than the threshold value, the terminal may measure a signal from the neighbor cell through the cell selection measuring unit…’ (par. 165, lines 1-3)].
It is an object of Shrestha’s invention to provide a method of neighbor cell list management. It is an object of Fujishiro’s invention to provide a method of selecting a target cell. It is an object of Jung’s invention to provide a method of optimizing measurement of a neighbor cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Shrestha and Fujishiro by including a distance threshold, as taught by Jung, for the purpose effectively managing communication in a wireless network.
Conclusion
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/JOEL AJAYI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
Prosecution Insights