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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/26/26 is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 2/17/26. Claims 1-12 and 14-21 are currently pending.
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, 3-11, and 13-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jassal et al. (WO 2020/200131) in view of Awoniyi-Oteri et al. (US 2020/0329405 hereinafter “Awon”), and further in view of Guo (US 2024/0080087).
Regarding claim 1, Jassal teaches a mobility management method, wherein the method is applied to a terminal device (UE), and the method comprises:
measuring a downlink reference signal (first reference signal) of a first cell (first cell of first base station) and a downlink reference signal (second reference signal) of a second cell (second cell of second base station) to obtain a first measurement result, and reporting the obtained first measurement result to an access network device (first base station), wherein the first cell is a cell serving the terminal device, the second cell is a cell other than the first cell (see “The operation at 306 involves receiving, by a UE, an indication signal from a first base station. The indication signal is for indicating, to the UE, a communication resource for a second reference signal from a higher-layer configuration from the first base station…The higher-layer configuration includes not only a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station, but also the communication resource for the second reference signal associated with a second base station” [par 63] and “A method could also or instead involve performing, by the UE, channel measurements for a channel used for communicating a data transmission or a control signal transmission with the first base station…As illustrated by 310, a method could also or instead involve performing, by the UE, channel measurements for a channel used for communicating the data transmission or the control signal transmission with the second base station…” [par 66] which in combination suggests the UE receives a higher-layer configuration including a first reference signal associated with a first base station and a second reference signal associated with a second base station and performs measurements using the reference signals), and wherein the first cell or the second cell belongs to the access network device (first cell belongs to first base station [Fig. 5]);
receiving at least one piece of beam information (TCI State update) from the access network device, wherein the at least one piece of beam information comprises beam information of the first cell and/or the second cell (see “A TCI State update as shown at 720 references a communication resource of the target gNB 706, and is an example of an indication signal that is also described elsewhere herein” [par 86] and “The UE 902 performs beam switching in accordance with the beam indication, and then communicates with a base station using the new beam. Communications at operation 916 after beam switching could be with the same serving base station BS1 904 or another base station in the same cell for intra-cell mobility” [par 94]); and
performing mobility management based on the at least one piece of beam information (see UE may perform beam switch in serving cell [par 94] and “After the TCI State update at operation 720, the UE 702 communicates, with the target gNB 706, a data transmission and a control signal transmission using the respective data channel (PDSCH) and control channel (PDCCH), at operations 722, 724” [par 87] which suggests the UE may “mobility management” such as beam switching and handover to a target gNB based on TCI state update).
Jassal does not explicitly teach that the mobility management includes based on the at least one piece of beam information comprising the beam information of the second cell, camping on the first cell and performing data transmission through the second cell. In an analogous prior art reference, Awon teaches a UE performs mobility management based on at least one piece of beam information (second one or more beams or panels) comprising the beam information of the second cell (target BS), camping on the first cell and performing data transmission through the second cell (see “In some aspects, UE 120 may include means for receiving, from a source BS, a handover message or the beam or panel selection message including multi-beam or multi-panel information identifying a first one or more beams or panels to remain with the source BS and a second one or more beams or panels to switch from the source BS to a target BS during a handover procedure, means for performing the handover procedure to switch from the source BS to the target BS with the first one or more beams or panels for communication with the target BS and the second one or more beams or panels for communication with the source BS, and/or the like” [par 51] and “…source BS 110 may select and provide an indication of a first one or more beams and/or panels to remain with source BS 110 during the RACH-less handover and may select a second one or more beams and/or panels to switch to target BS 110 during the RACH-less handover” [par 93] and “UE 120 and target BS 110 may communicate to perform the RACH-less handover and may begin communicating data traffic using target BS 110” [par 97] which suggests that the UE may remain, or “camp” as claimed, with the source BS and begin communicating, or “performing data transmission through the second 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 combination of Jassal and Awon to allow the UE to perform mobility management based on the at least one piece of beam information comprising the beam information of the second cell, camping on the first cell and performing data transmission through the second cell, as taught by Awon, in order for the UE to perform a concurrent connectivity handover procedure which reduces likelihood of dropped communication, wasted power resources, and/or the like [par 86].
The combination of Jassal and Awon does not explicitly teach that the data transmission is through the first cell in a beam direction of the second cell. In an analogous prior art reference, Guo teaches a UE performs data transmission through a first cell in a beam direction of a second cell (see “…a beam direction of the first communication channel is configured as the second beam direction, and a communication with the network is performed on the second beam via the first communication channel” [par 75] which suggests a UE performs communication via a first beam of a first communication channel in the direction of a second beam of a second communication channel which reads on the claimed “data transmission through the first cell in a beam direction of the second 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 combination of Jassal and Awon to allow the data transmission to be through the first cell in a beam direction of the second cell, as taught by Guo, in order to reduce delay when switching or measuring beams of the second cell.
Regarding claim 3, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the performing the mobility management further comprises:
based on the at least one piece of beam information comprising the beam information of the second cell (BM resource set), determining the second cell as the secondary cell (TRP) (see “In some embodiments, the RRC reconfiguration IE carries a Beam Management IE with the definition of Beam Management resources and resource sets….Each BM resource set contains one or more resources (e.g. SS/PBCH block or NZP CSI-RS). Each resource set may correspond to a TRP set that belongs to a source cell or a neighbor cell” [par 181]).
Regarding claim 4, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 3, further comprising:
establishing a communication connection to the second cell, and communicating with the second cell in the beam direction indicated by the beam information of the second cell (see ““The UE 902 performs beam switching in accordance with the beam indication, and then communicates with a base station using the new beam” [par 94]).
Regarding claim 5, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the performing the mobility management further comprises:
based on the at least one piece of beam information comprising the beam information of the first cell, camping on the first cell and performing data transmission by using the first cell (see “Communications at operation 916 after beam switching could be with the same serving base station BS1 904 or another base station in the same cell for intra-cell mobility” [par 94] which suggests that beams may be switched in the same serving base station/cell).
Regarding claim 6, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 5, further comprising:
communicating with the first cell in a beam direction indicated by the beam information of the first cell (see “Communications at operation 916 after beam switching could be with the same serving base station BS1 904 or another base station in the same cell for intra-cell mobility” [par 94] which suggests that beams may be switched in the same serving base station/cell).
Regarding claim 7, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one piece of beam information comprises downlink beam indication information and/or uplink beam indication information (see “After the TCI State update at operation 720, the UE 702 communicates, with the target gNB 706, a data transmission and a control signal transmission using the respective data channel (PDSCH) and control channel (PDCCH), at operations 722, 724” [par 87] and “-to ensure that, whenever the UE has a PDSCH-Config, it includes a tci-Stateld for the POSCH transmission to be received; - to ensure that, whenever the UE has a ControlResourceSet, it includes a tciStateld for the PDCCH transmission to be received” [par 104] which suggests that the TCI State update received by the UE comprises “downlink beam indication information” since it enables communication using PDSCH and PDCCH).
Regarding claim 8, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising:
receiving activation indication information from the access network device, wherein the activation indication information indicates to activate a reference signal of the first cell and a reference signal of the second cell (see The higher-layer configuration includes not only a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station, but also the communication resource for the second reference signal associated with a second base station” [par 63] which suggests “activation indication information” since the reference signals associated with the base stations are available or activated for the UE to detect/measure).
Regarding claim 9, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising:
receiving first configuration information from the access network device to which the first cell belongs, wherein the first configuration information comprises a group of configuration information corresponding to the first cell and a group of configuration information corresponding to the second cell; and
each group of configuration information comprises one or more of the following information of a corresponding cell:
reference signal configuration information (see “The higher-layer configuration includes not only a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station, but also the communication resource for the second reference signal associated with a second base station” [par 63]),
measurement reporting configuration information,
beam configuration information (see TCI-State group [par 112]), or
quasi co-location (QCL) information (see “…the purpose of which is
to maintain a record such as a list of communication resources for beam management and a record such as a list of QCL assumptions linking reference signals together” [par 133]).
Regarding claim 10, Jassal teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein the measurement reporting configuration information comprises one or more of a reference signal measurement and reporting period, a condition, a resource (see “The higher-layer configuration includes not only a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station, but also the communication resource for the second reference signal associated with a second base station” [par 63]), a hysteresis factor, and result filtering information.
Claims 11 and 21 recite subject matter similar to claim 1 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 13 recites subject matter similar to claim 3 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 14 recites subject matter similar to claim 4 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 15 recites subject matter similar to claim 5 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 16 recites subject matter similar to claim 6 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 17 recites subject matter similar to claim 7 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 18 recites subject matter similar to claim 8 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 19 recites subject matter similar to claim 9 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 20 recites subject matter similar to claim 10 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim(s) 2 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jassal et al. (WO 2020/200131) in view of Awoniyi-Oteri et al. (US 2020/0329405 hereinafter “Awon”), in view of Guo (US 2024/0080087), as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Chen et al. (US 2023/0086334).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Jassal, Awon, and Guo does not explicitly teach sending an uplink reference signal of the first cell and an uplink reference signal of the second cell to the access network device. In an analogous prior art reference, Chen teaches sending an uplink reference signal of the first cell and an uplink reference signal of the second cell to the access network device (see “In (1-1-1), network side configuration information or indication information is sent to the terminal, and the network side configuration information or indication information is used for indicating the terminal to send an uplink signal for beam quality measurement” [par 139] and “In (1-1-2), the uplink signal and/or terminal location information sent by the terminal is received [par141]). 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 combination of Jassal, Awon, and Guo to allow the terminal device to send an uplink reference signal of the first cell and an uplink reference signal of the second cell to the access network device in order to reduce beam overhead and time delay caused by beam sweeping.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12 and 14-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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 Nam T Huynh whose telephone number is (571)272-5970. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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/NAM T HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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