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 .
Applicant’s amendment filed 6/29/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1,19,23,29, and 30 are amended.
Claims 9,10, and 22 are cancelled.
Claims 1-8,11-21, and 23-30 are 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) 19,20,26-28, and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 20210059015) in view of Uesaka (US 20210068075).
Re claim 19:
Luo discloses a serving cell, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to (Fig.7 ref. 704/706 and Fig.3 shows a processor coupled with memory):
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a first set of one or more signals indicating a first physical cell identifier (PCI) of the serving cell (Fig.7 ref. 701 Use 1st PCI and ref. 703a/b are received signals);
transmit, subsequent to transmission of the first set of one or more signals, a control message indicating that the first PCI of the serving cell is changing to a second PCI (Fig.7 ref. 709 Indication of PCI change and Para.[0069] The IAB node 704 may determine, at 705 a PCI change for an IAB node serving the UE 702a or the MT 702b. The PCI change may be for IAB node 704 itself or may be for another IAB node, e.g., IAB node 706, serving the UE 702a or the MT 702b);
communicate one or more messages with the UE based at least in part on the second PCI (Para.[0074] In some aspects, a SIB message may include an indication of the PCI change for the serving IAB node. For example, a serving cell may first page inactive UE(s) or MT(s) and may provide an indication about a SIB modification. Then, the SIB may be provided, according to the SIB modification, that includes an indication of the PCI change for the serving IAB node. The UE 702a or MT 702b may receive the paging message 707 and determine the SIB modification. The UE or MT may use the SIB modification to monitor for a SIB and may determine the PCI change from the received SIB (e.g., indication 709 may be comprised in the SIB)).
Luo does not explicitly disclose transmit, to the UE, a master information block and a system information block, wherein the master information block comprises a first portion of a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value and the system information block comprises a second portion of the subset of the CGI value.
Uesaka discloses transmit, to the UE, a master information block and a system information block, wherein the master information block comprises a first portion of a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value and the system information block comprises a second portion of the subset of the CGI value (Para.[0073] In order to acquire the CGI of C2 the UE first acquires the MIB-NB to obtain at least a system frame number (SFN) and scheduling information used for transmitting SIB1-NB in C2, and use them to acquire the CGI by reading SIB1-NB. Network node B can use this information, e.g., to resolve PCI confusion when multiple cells have the same PCI, or for building automatic neighbor relations (ANR)).
Luo and Uesaka are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Luo to include receiving CGIs values on an MIB and SIB as taught by Uesaka in order to resolved PCI confusion or build ANRs (Uesaka Para.[0073]).
Re claim 20:
Luo discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: transmit a second set of one or more signals indicating the second PCI based at least in part on the control message (Para.[0074] he UE 702a or MT 702b may receive the paging message 707 and determine the SIB modification. The UE or MT may use the SIB modification to monitor for a SIB and may determine the PCI change from the received SIB (e.g., indication 709 may be comprised in the SIB)); and
communicate one or more messages with the serving cell based at least in part on the second PCI (Fig.7 ref. 719 Use New PCI and ref. 721 a/b shows communications using the second PCI – Examiner Note: the New PCI is the “second PCI”).
Re claim 26:
Luo discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: communicate one or more messages, wherein at least a portion of the one or more messages is scrambled according the first PCI prior to a time indicated in the control message for changing of the first PCI to the second PCI (Para.[0058] The PCI value may be used to determine a scrambling sequence that is applied to physical signals and/or channels that are transmitted by a particular IAB node and Para.[0071] The indication message may indicate a switch time for the new PCI, e.g., informing the UE or MT when to use the new PCI with the serving IAB node and Para.[0072] The predefined behavior may include updating the scrambling sequence used to decode communication from the IAB node based on the new PCI value. – Examiner Note: Luo shows updating the scrambling sequence based on the new PCI value, thus the first PCI is used prior to the update).
Re claim 27:
Luo discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: communicate one or more messages, wherein at least a portion of the one or more messages is scrambled according the second PCI after a time indicated in the control message for changing of the first PCI to the second PCI (Para.[0058] node 420, may use a PCI value. The PCI value may serve as an identifier for that IAB donor 410 or IAB node 420. The PCI value may be used to determine a scrambling sequence that is applied to physical signals and/or channels that are transmitted by a particular IAB node and Para.[0071] The indication message may indicate a switch time for the new PCI, e.g., informing the UE or MT when to use the new PCI with the serving IAB node and Para.[0072] The predefined behavior may include updating the scrambling sequence used to decode communication from the IAB node based on the new PCI value.).
Re claim 28:
Luo discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: communicate one or more messages, wherein at least a portion of the one or more messages is scrambled according the second PCI, a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value of the serving cell, a hash of the CGI value, or any combination thereof (Para.[0072] The predefined behavior may include updating the scrambling sequence used to decode communication from the IAB node based on the new PCI value).
Re claim 30: Claim 30 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 19.
Claim(s) 21 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 20210059015) in view of Uesaka (US 20210068075) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Cheng (US 20210120481).
Re claim 21:
As discussed above, Luo in view of Uesaka meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Luo does not explicitly disclose the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: receive a report from the UE indicating at least the subset of the CGI value or the hash of the CGI value.
Cheng discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: receive a report from the UE indicating at least the subset of the CGI value or the hash of the CGI value (Para.[0048] For example, in cases where SSBs from a neighbor cell are received in synchronization raster, the UE (e.g., the UE that receives the SSB) may directly identify SIB1 of the SSB (e.g., or in some cases may identify another SSB that includes SIB1, where the another SSB may be indicated by a previously-received SSB) and report the global cell ID to the network (e.g., the UE may identify CGI from SIB1 of the SSB associated with the neighbor cell, and report the CGI to the serving base station).).
Luo and Cheng are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Luo to include receiving and reporting a CGI as taught by Cheng in order to improve neighbor relation functionality (Cheng Para.[0006]).
Re claim 25:
As discussed above, Luo in view of Uesaka meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Luo does not explicitly disclose the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: receive a mobile history report from the UE comprising at least a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value or a hash of the CGI value.
Cheng discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: receive a mobile history report from the UE comprising at least a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value or a hash of the CGI value (Para.[0048] For example, in cases where SSBs from a neighbor cell are received in synchronization raster, the UE (e.g., the UE that receives the SSB) may directly identify SIB1 of the SSB (e.g., or in some cases may identify another SSB that includes SIB1, where the another SSB may be indicated by a previously-received SSB) and report the global cell ID to the network (e.g., the UE may identify CGI from SIB1 of the SSB associated with the neighbor cell, and report the CGI to the serving base station).).
Luo and Cheng are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Luo to include receiving and reporting a CGI as taught by Cheng in order to improve neighbor relation functionality (Cheng Para.[0006]).
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 20210059015) in view of Uesaka (US 20210068075) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Zhang (US 20140080468).
Re claim 23:
As discussed above, Luo in view of Uesaka meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Luo does not explicitly disclose the serving cell of claim 19, wherein, to transmit the control message, the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: transmit, to the UE, the master information block indicating that the first PCI of the serving cell is changing to the second PCI.
Zhang discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein, to transmit the control message, the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: transmit, to the UE, the master information block indicating that the first PCI of the serving cell is changing to the second PCI (Fig.5 ref. System Information Update (MIB (old PCI, new PCI)) and Para.[0112] the RN informs the forthcoming change of the PCI…Such information of the new PCI and optionally the old PCI may be accomplished by way of a dedicated information element (IE) in the system information update, specifically in the master information block or system information block).
Luo and Zhang are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Luo to include using an MIB to send a PCI change as taught by Zhang in order to enable efficient cell reconfiguration and allow the UE to update the PCI to cell mapping (Zhang Para.[0024,0112]).
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 20210059015) in view of Uesaka (US 20210068075) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Ahlstrom (US 20210037435).
Re claim 24:
As discussed above, Luo meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Luo discloses the serving cell of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the serving cell to: (Para.[0065] The use of a same PCI value by IAB nodes within proximity of each other may be referred to as a PCI collision. PCI collision may lead to issues with timing synchronization and channel estimation, and may further cause decoding failures for data traffic transmitted from at least one of these two neighboring cells and Para.[0077] The method enables the a UE or an MT to handle a PCI change of an IAB node to avoid PCI collisions between IAB nodes Examiner Note: Luo teaches PCI collision occurs when PCI matches and therefore the control message for a PCI change is sent).
Luo does not explicitly disclose receive a report from the UE indicating at least a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value or a hash of the CGI value, wherein the control message is received based at least in part on the report indicating matching PCI and frequency information and mismatching subsets of CGI values.
Ahlstrom discloses receive a report from the UE indicating at least a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value or a hash of the CGI value, wherein the control message is received based at least in part on the report indicating matching PCI and frequency information and mismatching subsets of CGI values (Para.[0088] The measurement reporting configuration information element may include different event triggers with at least one event trigger having the one or more cells for which to report CGI or the one or more cells for which not to report the CGI. The one or more cells for which to report CGI may include a cell having physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion or a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell. PCI confusion may occur between a detected cell and a neighboring cell if the two cells have a same frequency and PCI and if a reference signal received power (RSRP) of the two cells is at least a handover threshold. The method may include reporting, for each of the one or more cells in the list, a CGI of the cell – Examiner note: PCI confusion is analogous to PCI collision of Luo and as discussed above, Luo shows a control message based on matching PCI values).
Luo and Ahlstrom are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Luo to include reporting a CQI and matching PCI and frequency as taught by Ahlstrom in order to address PCI confusion (Ahlstrom Para.[0004]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8,11-18, and 29 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remarks, Applicant contends Uesaka does not disclose any portion of a CGI value being carried in MIB-NB, much less a first portion of a CQI subset in MIB-NB and a second portion of that CGI subset in SIB1-NB.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Uesaka reads on the limitation as claimed. Uesaka discloses the master information block comprises a first portion of a subset of a cell global identity (CGI) value and the system information block comprises a second portion of the subset of the CGI value (Para.[0073] In order to acquire the CGI of C2 the UE first acquires the MIB-NB to obtain at least a system frame number (SFN) and scheduling information used for transmitting SIB1-NB in C2, and use them to acquire the CGI by reading SIB1-NB. Network node B can use this information, e.g., to resolve PCI confusion when multiple cells have the same PCI, or for building automatic neighbor relations (ANR)).
The SFN acquired from the MIB-NB is a first portion of a subset of CGI values because the SFN is used to read the CGI in the SIB-NB. The CGI in the SIB-NB is a second portion of the subset of the CGI value. The claim does not define what the first portion of the CGI value is. Given the broadest reasonable interpretation, the SFN reads on a first portion of CGI value because the value of the SFN is used to acquire further information about CGI. For example, the first portion of the CGI values is the SFN and the second portion of the CGI value is the CGI in the SIB.
The Examiner recommends further amending the claim to limit the first portion and the second portion being the same type of information, e.g. as mentioned in paragraph 0111 of the published specification (Para.[0111] “In some examples, a first portion of CGI may be carried in MIB, and a second portion of the CGI may be carried in SIB, and together the two portions may be combined (e.g., concatenated) to form the entire CGI”).
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 MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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