DETAILED ACTION
Claims 15-16 are pending. Claims 1-14 are canceled.
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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 03/31/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 3-5 of the remarks, in regards to claims 15 and 16, the applicant submits that the Ishii fails to teach or suggest the limitation of “receiver circuitry configured to receive, from a serving cell, first information comprising time at which a target cell becomes available. processor circuitry configured to perform synchronization to the target cell after the time has passed”.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Ishii discloses at least in paragraphs [0113]-[0115], [0122]-[0123], Figs.12 &15c, the wireless terminal 26 in RRC_CONNECTED receives a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 (interpreted as first information) that indicates a handover from the current serving cell (controlled by the access node 22-1 (gNB1)) to the target cell (controlled by access node 22-2 (gNB2)). The RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 is handled by the handover unit 78 of wireless terminal 26, which engages in a synchronization procedure 12-2 with the target access node 22-2. The examiner states that Ishii implicitly discloses that the wireless terminal 26 receives the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 at a time when target access node 22-2 is available and perform the synchronization procedure 12-2 after receiving the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 interpreted as after the time has passed. Therefore, Ishii discloses the above limitations.
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.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishii, Atsushi (US 20190045379, Ishii hereinafter).
As to claim 15: Ishii discloses a wireless terminal of a cellular telecommunication system, the wireless terminal comprising: receiver circuitry configured to receive, from a serving cell, first information comprising time at which a target cell becomes available (see at least paragraphs [0113]-[0115], [0122]-[0123], Figs.12 &15c, the wireless terminal 26 in RRC_CONNECTED receives a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 (interpreted as first information) that indicates a handover from the current serving cell (controlled by the access node 22-1 (gNB1)) to the target cell (controlled by access node 22-2 (gNB2)). Ishii implicitly discloses that the wireless terminal 26 receives the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 at a time when target access node 22-2 is available.); and
processor circuitry configured to perform synchronization to the target cell after the time has passed (see at least paragraphs [0113]-[0115], [0122]-[0123], Figs.12 &15c, the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 is handled by the handover unit 78 of wireless terminal 26, which engages in a synchronization procedure 12-2 with the target access node 22-2. The synchronization procedure 12-2 is performed after receiving the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 interpreted as after the time has passed.).
As to claim 16: Ishii discloses a communication method performed by a wireless terminal of a cellular telecommunication system, the communication method comprising: receiving, from a serving cell, first information comprising a time at which a target cell becomes available (see at least paragraphs [0113]-[0115], [0122]-[0123], Figs.12 &15c, the wireless terminal 26 in RRC_CONNECTED receives a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 (interpreted as first information) that indicates a handover from the current serving cell (controlled by the access node 22-1 (gNB1)) to the target cell (controlled by access node 22-2 (gNB2)). Ishii implicitly discloses that the wireless terminal 26 receives the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 at a time when target access node 22-2 is available.); and
performing synchronization to the target cell after the time has passed (see at least paragraphs [0113]-[0115], [0122]-[0123], Figs.12 &15c, the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 is handled by the handover unit 78 of wireless terminal 26, which engages in a synchronization procedure 12-2 with the target access node 22-2. The synchronization procedure 12-2 is performed after receiving the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message 12-1 interpreted as after the time has passed.).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 KABIR U JAHANGIR whose telephone number is (571)272-0796. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am to 6:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Ngo can be reached at (571)272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K. J./
Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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