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 .
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.
Response to Amendment
This action is responsive to amendments and remarks filed 04 May 2026. Claims 1-11 are pending in the application.
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, 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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Da Silva et al. (US 2025/0351040 A1) in view of Pezeshki et al. (US 2021/0336683) in view of Gundogan et al. (US 2025/0203467 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Da Silva appears to disclose a system comprising:
an apparatus implementing a centralized unit (CU) (Fig. 7, CU 740); and a follower user equipment (UE) (Fig. 7, UE 710),the apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform ([0226]):
receiving, by the centralized unit (CU) from a distributed unit (DU), a measurement report associated with the follower user equipment (UE); (Fig. 7, Steps 1 and 2, [0103], [0111] disclosing the UE sends a measurement report to the DU which is forwarded from the DU to the CU)
predicting, by the CU, a pilot-route based on the measurement report, wherein the pilot-route is a path taken by a first user equipment (UE), wherein CU has stored on a database information on the pilot-route the including a history of reported CSI measurements, successfully visited beams IDs including trajectory, SSB-RS indexes and Physical Cell Ids (PCIs)), information about speed, approximate[0112]-[0114] disclosing, based on the measurement report, the CU identifies one or more L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cells seen as a prediction that the mobile device is travelling from one cell to another cell; [0160]-[0161] disclosing the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidates as a target cell);
configuring, by the CU, a CSIPilot based mobility for the DU based on the pilot-route, wherein the CSIPilot based mobility comprises configuring a set of CSI-based beams or cells identified in a pilot-route as candidate target beams or cells for layer-1 triggered mobility (Fig. 10, 1020, [0184] disclosing the CU provides measurement configuration associated with candidate cells; [0068]-[0071] disclosing for L1 inter-cell mobility and beam management; [0005] disclosing beams provide coverage in cells and a downlink (DL) beam is a coverage area where a reference signal can be monitored or measured by a UE), such that the follower UE continues to collect layer-1 measurements on the set of CSI- based beams or cells without periodically reporting the measurements unless a beam-match error is detected ([0005], beams provide coverage in the cells; [0107]-[0110] disclosing event-triggered reports; as opposed to periodic reports; in which the report is only sent when a neighbor cell satisfies a condition as better than the PCell seen as a beam-match error such as the cell with the best beam does not match the PCell); and
configuring, by the CU, measurement reporting and a CSIPilot based mobility for the follower user equipment based on the pilot-route ([0095]-[0099] disclosing the CU provides a measurement configuration to the UE via RRCReconfiguration message; Fig. 10, 1020, [0184] disclosing the CU provides measurement configuration associated with candidate cells; [0068]-[0071] disclosing for L1 inter-cell mobility and beam management; [0005] disclosing a downlink (DL) beam is a coverage area where a reference signal can be monitored or measured by a UE), and
the follower user equipment comprising: at least one second processor; and at least one second memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the follower user equipment at least to perform ([0226]):
communicating, by the follower user equipment to the DU, the measurement report associated with the follower user equipment (Fig. 7, Step 1, [0103] disclosing the UE sends a measurement report to the DU);
receiving, by the follower user equipment from the DU, a pilot-route information and a CSIPilot based mobility configuration based on the pilot-route predicted based on the measurement report, wherein the pilot-route is the path taken by the first user equipment (UE), wherein the CSIPilot based mobility comprises configuring a set of CSI-based beams or cells identified in a pilot-route as candidate target beams or cells for layer-1 triggered mobility (Fig. 7, step 6, [0142]-[0143], [0145] disclosing the DU forwards the CSI measurement configuration for L1/L2 based mobility to the UE; Fig. 10, 1020, [0184] disclosing the CU provides measurement configuration associated with candidate cells; [0068]-[0071] disclosing for L1 inter-cell mobility and beam management; [0005] disclosing a downlink (DL) beam is a coverage area where a reference signal can be monitored or measured by a UE; [0068] for intra-cell beam switching) , such that the follower UE continues to collect layer-1 measurements on the set of CSI- based beams or cells without periodically reporting the measurements unless a beam-match error is detected ([0005] disclosing beams provide coverage in the cells; [0107]-[0110] disclosing event-triggered reports; as opposed to periodic reports; in which the report is only sent when a neighbor cell satisfies a condition as better than the PCell seen as a beam-match error such as the cell with the best beam does not match the PCell);
collecting, by the follower user equipment, layer-1 measurements ([0145] disclosing upon receiving the configuration, the UE may start CSI measurements on the candidates), and not reporting measurements results to the DU based on the CSIPilot based mobility configuration ([0107]-[0110] disclosing event-triggered reports; as opposed to periodic reports; in which the report is not sent when the event trigger is not satisfied);
identifying, by the follower user equipment, one of a next beam or a next cell in one of a beam change or a handover operation ([0112] disclosing the UE is configured with at least one candidate cell to perform a mobility procedure towards);
determining, by the follower user equipment whether the next beam or the next cell is included and matched in the CSIPilot based mobility configuration (Fig. 10, step 1050, [0146], [0184] disclosing the UE stores the candidate cell configurations and upon receiving a lower layer command to change its serving cell to a candidate cell, the UE does so according to the stored configuration); and
in response to determining the next best measured beam identity or the next best measured cell identity is included and matched in the CSIPilot based mobility configuration, communicating, by the user follower equipment to the DU, a beam change indication ([Fig. 10 1060, [0189]-[0191] disclosing the UE communicates in the candidate cell according to the configuration including performing a random access to establish communication in the new cell; [0005] cell coverage provided by beams),
wherein the measurement report includes information associated with the predicted pilot-route ([0113]-[0114] reports neighbor cells which can become candidates), a cell/beam identification associated with the predicted pilot-route ([0113] disclosing reports include PCI of neighbor cell), a cell/beam identification associated with a serving cell/beam ([0107]-[0109] disclosing the report is triggered based on measurements of neighbors compared to the Pcell (i.e., an implicit indication of the serving identity)), cell/beam measurements ([0114] disclosing the measurement report includes measured RSRP, RSRQ and/or RSSI).
Da Silva does not disclose the following; however, Pezeshki suggests in response to determining the next best measured beam identity or the next best measured cell identity is not included in the CSIPilot based mobility configuration ([0069], [0071] disclosing the UE is configured with a set of proposed beams that are predicted by the base station as the best beams for communication and is configured to report measurements for the proposed beams and one or more other beams determined by the UE):
communicating, by the follower user equipment to the DU, a message including information indicating a beam match error associated with the follower user equipment ([0072] disclosing the measurement reports may indicate a mismatch between the proposed beams predicted by the network entity and the one or more other beams reported by the UE),
receiving, by the follower user equipment from the DU, another CSIPilot based mobility configuration based on another pilot-route predicted in response to the message including information indicating the beam match error ([0072] disclosing the network entity can retrain the machine learning model to more accurately predict the beams; Fig. 7, second step 706 which appears to actually be step 708, [0081] disclosing the network entity predicts a new set of proposed beams that are best for the UE), and
making, by the follower user equipment, layer-1 measurements and not reporting the layer-1 measurements to the DU based on the another CSIPilot based mobility configuration (Fig. 6, steps 602 and 604, [0074]-[0075] disclosing the network entity configures the EU to measure the proposed beams and reporting for the proposed beams; e.g., perform measurements according to the event-triggered measurements as disclosed by Da Silva),
wherein the measurement report is the message including information indicating a beam match error ([0072] disclosing the network entity can determine a beam mismatch based on the measurement report).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the techniques of Pezeshki because the motivation is found in Pezeshki teaches this allows for efficient and accurate selection of beams for use in communication which may lead to reduced monitoring time by a UE and increased resource efficiency ([0069]).
Gundogan suggests the measurement report includes time period associated with the beam match error ([0073], [0080]-[0081] disclosing the measurement report includes time information associated with the reported measurements).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the timing information taught by Gundogan because the teaching lies in Gundogan that L1/L2 centric mobility can increase the number of ping-pong handovers and that use of the timing information or age of the measurements can improve L2 filtering and reduce the number of ping-pong handovers ([0066]-[0067], [0073]).
Regarding claim 2, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein, in the apparatus:
the predicting of the pilot-route includes predicting a key index corresponding to an entry in a database, and configuring the CSIPilot based mobility for the DU includes reading pilot-route information from the database based on the key index and communicating the pilot-route information to the DU ([0226] disclosing implementations as a combination of hardware software which inherently includes storing the information in some sort of database which conventionally includes some sort of address or index associated with the data stored therein used to access said information; [0112]-[0114] disclosing, based on the measurement report, the CU identifies one or more L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cells; Fig. 7, step 5, [0141]-[0142] ).
Regarding claim 3, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
determining, by the CU, a candidate target DU based on the pilot-route [0112]-[0114] disclosing, based on the measurement report, the CU identifies one or more L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cells; [0160]-[0161] disclosing the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidates as a target cell); and
configuring, by the CU, a CSIPilot based mobility and a possible handover for the candidate target DU based on the pilot-route ([0095]-[0099] disclosing the CU provides a measurement configuration to the UE via RRCReconfiguration message; Fig. 10, 1020, [0184] disclosing the CU provides measurement configuration associated with candidate cells; [0068]-[0071] disclosing for L1 inter-cell mobility and beam management; [0005] disclosing a downlink (DL) beam is a coverage area where a reference signal can be monitored or measured by a UE; [0082]).
Regarding claim 3, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
configuring, by the CU, a possible beam switch for the next beam within the DU based on the pilot-route ([0082]).
Da Silva does not expressly disclose the following; however, Pezeshki suggests determining, by the CU, a next beam of the DU based on the pilot-route ([0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the techniques of Pezeshki because the motivation is found in Pezeshki teaches this allows for efficient and accurate selection of beams for use in communication which may lead to reduced monitoring time by a UE and increased resource efficiency ([0069]).
Regarding claim 5, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
configuring, by the CU, a CSIPilot based mobility for other candidate target DU's based on the pilot-route information ([0068]-[0071]; Fig. 10, 1020, [0184]).
Regarding claim 6, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
generating, by the CU, a configuration message including the pilot-route information, a measurement reporting configuration and information associated with DU's that include the CSIPilot based mobility (Fig. 7, step 5, [0142]-[0144]); and
communicating, by the CU to the follower user equipment through the serving DU, the configuration message (Fig. 7, step6, [0145]).
Regarding claim 7, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
receiving, by the CU from the DU, messages comprising measurement reports from the follower user equipment (Fig. 7, steps 1 and 2).
Da Silva does not disclose the following; however, Pezeshki suggests a message comprising the measurement report including information indicating the beam match error associated with the follower user equipment ([0072] disclosing the measurement reports may indicate a mismatch between the proposed beams predicted by the network entity and the one or more other beams reported by the UE); and
updating, by the CU, a validity metric associated with the pilot-route ([0072] disclosing the network entity determines the prediction was not accurate and may retrain the learning model to accurately predict the beams).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the techniques of Pezeshki because the motivation is found in Pezeshki teaches this allows for efficient and accurate selection of beams for use in communication which may lead to reduced monitoring time by a UE and increased resource efficiency ([0069]).
Regarding claim 8, Da Silva does not disclose the following; however, Pezeshki suggests the system of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
determining, by the CU, whether the validity metric exceeds a threshold value; and in response to determining the validity metric exceeds the threshold value, removing, by the CU, the pilot-route from a database, predicting, by the CU, another pilot-route associated with the follower user equipment ([0072]), and configuring, by the CU, measurement reporting for the follower user equipment based on the another pilot-route (Fig. 6, 602, [0074]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the techniques of Pezeshki because the motivation is found in Pezeshki teaches this allows for efficient and accurate selection of beams for use in communication which may lead to reduced monitoring time by a UE and increased resource efficiency ([0069]).
Regarding claim 9, Da Silva does not expressly disclose the following; however, Pezeshki suggests the system of claim 7, wherein the validity metric is based on a number of beam match errors ([0072]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the techniques of Pezeshki because the motivation is found in Pezeshki teaches this allows for efficient and accurate selection of beams for use in communication which may lead to reduced monitoring time by a UE and increased resource efficiency ([0069]).
Gundogan suggests wherein the validity metric is based on time ([0066]-[0067], [0073], [0080]-[0081]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva to include the timing information taught by Gundogan because the teaching lies in Gundogan that L1/L2 centric mobility can increase the number of ping-pong handovers and that use of the timing information or age of the measurements can improve L2 filtering and reduce the number of ping-pong handovers ([0066]-[0067], [0073]).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Da Silva et al. (US 2025/0351040 A1) in view of Pezeshki et al. (US 2021/0336683) in view of Gundogan et al. (US 2025/0203467 A1) further in view of Hwang et al. (US 2020/0077314 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Da Silva does not expressly disclose the following; however, Hwang suggests the system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
determining, by the CU, whether the predicting of the pilot-route identifies a valid pilot route; and in response to determining that the pilot-route is not a valid pilot route, tracking, by the CU, the follower user equipment, and generating, by the CU, a candidate pilot-route based on the tracking ([0133] disclosing the base station receives a list of candidates different than the previous list of candidate cells, and based on this information received from the UE, the base station modifies the list of candidate cells).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Da Silva as suggested by Hwang because it can improve UE autonomous handover ([0017]).
Regarding claim 11, Da Silva appears to disclose the system of claim 10, wherein, in the apparatus, the tracking of the follower user equipment includes:
communicating, by the CU to the DU, a tracking request for the follower user equipment ([0095]-[0099] disclosing the CU provides a measurement configuration to the UE via RRCReconfiguration message; For example, see Fig. 7, operations 5 and 6, [0145]); and
receiving, by the CU from the DU, a tracking measurement associated with the follower user equipment (Fig. 7, operation 2, [0111]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 2023/0269609 A1) teaches not performing CSI feedback does not need to be performed when a moving route of a terminal is known or predictable ([0491]).
Kim et al. (US 2025/0300749 A1) teaches use os artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) to predict user equipment mobility/trajectory and predict target cell/beam/reference signals.
Chen et al. (US 2023/0086334 A1) teaches prediction of a trajectory based on location/velocity/time difference to predict beams.
Rydén et al. (US 2026/0067717 A1) teaches techniques for training AI/ML beam prediction based on beam mismatches.
Sheng (US 2025/0211309 A1) teaches beam prediction based on historical data and geometric information.
Chandrashekar et al. (US 2025/0240682 A1) teaches layer 1, layer 2, and layer 3 mobility related to intra-DU cell, inter-DU cell and inter-base station cell mobility based on CSI.
Deenoo et al. (US 2020/0154326 A1) teaches suspension of periodic reporting during conditional handoff and triggered reporting when a new cell measurement exceeds the target cell.
Teyeb et al. (US 2024/0373299 A1) teaches reporting physical cell identifier (PCI) of beam/cell mismatch during conditional handover (e.g., a second cell/beam is measured to be better than the target cell).
Kim et al. (US 2021/0258844 A1) teaches techniques for handling beam/cell mismatches during handover.
Kim et al. (US 2021/0314828 A1) teaches techniques for handling beam/cell mismatches during handover.
Fu et al. (US 2017/0055196 A1) teaches triggered periodic reporting upin determining cell/beam mismatch.
Chen et al. (US 2019/0110300 A1) teaches triggered reporting of beam mismatch (e.g., reporting when the best beam has changed during handover.
Jeon et al. (US 2019/0320364 A1) teaches a base station storing historical data related to user equipment beam measurements such as beam ID, reception strength, time duration of the best beam to determine a path on which a terminal is travelling and to determine mobility related information to provide to the terminal.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph A Bednash whose telephone number is (571)270-7500. The examiner can normally be reached 7 AM - 4:30 PM M-F.
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/JOSEPH A BEDNASH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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