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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2,4-8,10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by over Hong (US 20250071648).
Regarding claim 1, Hong discloses:
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: ([0098] Referring to FIG. 8, in a method of performing a cell change operation, the UE may perform the step of receiving an upper layer message including one or more candidate target cell configuration information for an LTM operation (S810).)
receiving, from a base station of a serving cell, a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message comprising a configuration of one or more candidate target cells associated with layer 1 (L1) or layer 2 (L2) triggered mobility (LTM); ([0099] According to an embodiment, the UE may receive an RRC message including one or more candidate target cell configuration information from a base station or a TRP; [0118] the base station may perform the step of transmitting a higher layer message including one or more pieces of candidate target cell configuration information for an L1/L2-triggered mobility (LTM) operation (S910).)
transmitting, to the base station, a RRC reconfiguration complete message; ([0140] The UE may transmit an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the base station)
transmitting, to the base station, a report for a L1 measurement associated with the one or more candidate target cells; ([0102] The UE may perform the step of transmitting the L1 measurement result for the candidate target cell based on the higher layer message (S820))
and receiving, from the base station, a cell switch command message associated with the LTM, via medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) signaling ([0107] According to an embodiment, when the base station determines to change the cell of the corresponding UE based on the L1 measurement result information received from the UE, the base station may indicate the same through the MAC CE; [0108] According to an embodiment, the UE may receive instruction information instructing to perform the LTM operation included in the MAC CE; [0109] Through the MAC CE, the UE should obtain information about the target cell to instruct to perform an LTM operation and to perform the cell change.), wherein the cell switch command message comprises random access information on a target cell. ([0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; [0110] The UE may perform a cell change operation without RRC reconfiguration by applying the candidate target cell configuration information for the target cell based on the MAC CE (S840); Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL), and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
Regarding claims 2,8,12, Hong discloses:
further comprising: initiating a random access procedure towards the target cell based on the cell switch command message triggering to a change from the serving cell to the target cell. ([0076] In general, a contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE makes initial access to a cell, and a non-contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE performs random access for beam failure recovery (BFR). [0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; [0110] The UE may perform a cell change operation without RRC reconfiguration by applying the candidate target cell configuration information for the target cell based on the MAC CE (S840))
Regarding claim 4, Hong discloses:
wherein the cell switch command message further indicates synchronization signal block (SSB) information, a preamble index, and a random access occasion mask index for the random access procedure. ([0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; Claim 26. the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.))
Regarding claim 5, Hong discloses:
wherein initiating the random access procedure comprises:
selecting an uplink (UL) carrier for the random access procedure; (Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL))
selecting a synchronization signal block (SSB) based on the SSB information and a preamble corresponding to the preamble index; (Claim 26…and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
selecting a random access channel occasion (RO) corresponding to the SSB from ROs configured by the RRC reconfiguration message; (Claim 26…and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
and transmitting, to the target cell, the preamble in selected RO. (Fig. 6, [0076]: UE transmits a random access preamble for random access to the base station. The random access preamble is transmitted over a PRACH… In general, a contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE makes initial access to a cell, and a non-contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE performs random access for beam failure recovery (BFR); Claim 26. wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
Regarding claim 6, Hong discloses:
wherein the cell switch command message further comprises information indicating the UL carrier, wherein, in case that the information indicating the UL carrier indicates a supplementary UL (SUL) carrier, the SUL carrier is selected as the UL carrier, and wherein, in case that the information indicating the UL carrier indicates a normal UL (NUL) carrier, the NUL carrier is selected as the UL carrier. ([0184] The SUL indicates/denotes whether the MAC CE (or any field included in the MAC CE) is applied to the NUL carrier or the SUL carrier (it is set to 1 for the SUL carrier configuration and to 0 for the NUL carrier configuration); Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL), and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
Regarding claim 7, Hong discloses:
A method performed by a base station of a source cell in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: (0117] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for describing operations of a base station according to an embodiment.)
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message comprising a configuration of one or more candidate target cells associated with layer 1 (L1) or layer 2 (L2) triggered mobility (LTM); ([0118] the base station may perform the step of transmitting a higher layer message including one or more pieces of candidate target cell configuration information for an L1/L2-triggered mobility (LTM) operation (S910).)
receiving, from the UE, a RRC reconfiguration complete message; ([0140] The UE may transmit an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the base station)
receiving, from the UE, a report for a L1 measurement associated with the one or more candidate target cells; ([0124] Thereafter, the base station receives the measurement result reporting including the L1 measurement result transmitted by the UE.)
and transmitting, to the UE, a cell switch command message associated with the LTM, via medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) signaling ([0130] According to an embodiment, the base station may include instruction information to instruct to perform the LTM operation in the MAC CE and transmit the same.), wherein the cell switch command message comprises random access information on a target cell. ([0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; [0110] The UE may perform a cell change operation without RRC reconfiguration by applying the candidate target cell configuration information for the target cell based on the MAC CE (S840); Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL), and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
Regarding claims 10, 13, Hong discloses:
wherein the cell switch command message further comprises: information indicating an uplink (UL) carrier for the random access procedure, synchronization signal block (SSB) information, a preamble index, and a random access occasion mask index for the random access procedure. ([0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL), and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
Regarding claim 11, Hong discloses:
A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE (FIG. 14, [0254]: a UE 1400) comprising: a transceiver (FIG. 14, [0254]: a UE 1400 performing a cell change operation may include a receiver 1430 and a transmitter 1420); and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to: ([0281] both the application that is running in a controller or a processor and the controller or the processor may be components. One or more components may be provided in a process and/or an execution thread, and the components may be provided in a single device (e.g., a system, a computing device, etc.), or may be distributed over two or more devices.)
Regarding claim 14, Hong discloses:
A base station of a source cell in a wireless communication system, the base station ([0265], FIG. 15: a base station 1500) comprising: a transceiver (FIG. 15, [0265] a receiver 1530; [0266] The transmitter 1520); and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to: ([0281] both the application that is running in a controller or a processor and the controller or the processor may be components. One or more components may be provided in a process and/or an execution thread, and the components may be provided in a single device (e.g., a system, a computing device, etc.), or may be distributed over two or more devices.)
Regarding claim 15, Hong discloses:
wherein a random access procedure towards the target cell is initiated based on the cell switch command message triggering to a change from a serving cell to the target cell ([0076] In general, a contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE makes initial access to a cell, and a non-contention-based random access procedure is performed when the UE performs random access for beam failure recovery (BFR). [0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; [0110] The UE may perform a cell change operation without RRC reconfiguration by applying the candidate target cell configuration information for the target cell based on the MAC CE (S840).), and wherein the cell switch command message further comprises: information indicating an uplink (UL) carrier for the random access procedure, synchronization signal block (SSB) information, a preamble index, and a random access occasion mask index for the random access procedure. ([0188] RACH-only configuration information (rach-ConfigDedicated, e.g., RA occasion for contention free random access, msgA-PUSCH-Resource-Index, ra-PreambleIndex, SSB-index, etc.) indicates random access configuration information used for cell change; Claim 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the MAC CE includes a field for indicating whether a contention free random access resource and a carrier to transmit the contention free random access resource is a supplementary uplink (SUL) or a normal uplink (NUL), and wherein the contention free random access resource includes a random access preamble index, a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, and random access occasion information.)
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 3,9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US 20250071648) in view of Kung et al. (US 20230199638; provisional no. 63290869 is used for mapping; hereinafter “Kung”).
Regarding claims 3, 9, Hong discloses:
wherein in case that a timing advance is maintained for the target cell ([0109] Through the MAC CE, the UE should obtain information about the target cell to instruct to perform an LTM operation and to perform the cell change. To that end, the MAC CE may include at least one of … the timing advance command; [0188] The Timing Advance command indicates the index value used to control the amount of timing adjustment to be applied to the corresponding MAC entity. (The Timing Advance Command field indicates the index value TA used to control the amount of timing adjustment that the MAC entity has to apply in TS 38.213).
Hong does not disclose:
a time alignment timer associated with the target cell is not running, the random access procedure is initiated
Kung discloses:
a time alignment timer associated with the target cell is not running, the random access procedure is initiated (Page 44: The UE may initiate a random access procedure on the cell when (and/or after) adding the cell in the TAG if (and/or when) the time alignment timer associated with the TAG is not running.)
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings
of Hong with the teachings of Kung to include a time alignment timer associated with the target cell is not running, the random access procedure is initiated. The motivation would have been to be able to do serving cell change via Ll/L2 signalling with such low latency, low overhead and low interruption time. (Kung Page 2)
Conclusion
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/NHU PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479