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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s response filed 02/09/2026 is silent with respect to the priority section in the office action mailed on 11/14/2025. Therefore, the current benefit accords to the PCT application with filing date 04/22/2022 because the PCT application, PCT/JP2022/018584, provides adequate support or enablement for the subject matter of the claims.
Applicant’s corrections to the drawings have been considered and the drawing objection filed on 11/14/2025 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendment filed 02/09/2026 with respect to the double patenting rejection for claim(s) 1 and 3 made on 11/14/2025 has been considered and the double patenting rejection to the claims is withdrawn because claims 1 and 3 are no longer obvious variations of the claim(s) 1 and 7 in co-pending application 18/518057 in view of Bao et al. (US 2021/0337617 A1).
Applicant's arguments filed 02/09/2026 with respect to claim(s) 1 and 3 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection under 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 2021/0337617 A1) in view of Wu et al. (US 2010/0159928 1).
Priority
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) -(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action, 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application. See MPEP 2304.01(c).
In particular, the Examiner is unable to find subject matter support in the following foreign application(s): JP2021-089633. With regard to foreign application, JP2021-089633, the Examiner is unable to locate a suitable English translation of the document. An English translation of JP2021-089633 is required to obtain the priority date associated with said application number.
Thus, the current benefit accords to the PCT application with filing date 04/22/2022 because the PCT application, PCT/JP2022/018584, provides adequate support or enablement for the subject matter of the claims.
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 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 and 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 2021/0337617 A1) in view of Wu et al. (US 2010/0159928 1).
Regarding claim 1, Bao discloses A communication control method used in a mobile communication system comprising a network node and a wireless terminal configured to perform wireless communication with the network node, the communication control method comprising (Fig. 1, [0114]: The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more base stations 105, one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. [0121]: The UEs 115 and the base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate with one another via one or more communication links 125 over one or more carriers):
establishing, by a first wireless terminal, a wireless connection with a network node, the first wireless terminal being a wireless terminal configured to control a first device configured to change a propagation state of a radio wave from the network node (Fig. 11, [0193]: the UE 115-e may transmit a random-access preamble (e.g., PRACH) to the base station 105-e to initiate a random-access procedure to connect to the base station 105-e… the UE 115-e includes the IRS. Fig. 4, [0156]: The IRS in FIG. 4 may be an energy efficient environment controller and may reflect incoming signals 405 from one device (e.g., a base station 105) to another device (e.g., a UE 115 or a base station 105). The IRS may control the angle of reflected signals 410 and may cast and extend the signal to an uncovered region in a wireless communications system);
transmitting, by the first wireless terminal to the network node, first wireless terminal information indicating that the wireless terminal itself is the first wireless terminal configured to control the first device, when establishing the wireless connection with the network node (Fig. 11, [0193]: the UE 115-e may transmit a random-access preamble (e.g., PRACH) to the base station 105-e to initiate a random-access procedure to connect to the base station 105-e. At 1110, the UE 115-e may then transmit an indication to the base station 105-e that the UE 115-e includes an IRS. In some cases, the random-access preamble may indicate that the UE 115-e includes the IRS … In such cases, the UE 115-e may be configured with one or more random-access preambles reserved for indicating that the UE 115-e includes the IRS. In other cases, the UE 115-e may transmit the indication that the UE 115-e includes the IRS in a first random-access message (e.g., MsgA) in a two-step random-access procedure. In yet other cases, the UE 115-e may transmit the indication that the UE 115-e includes the IRS in a third random-access message (e.g., Msg3) in a four-step random-access procedure. Fig. 21, [0259]: a device 2105 that supports random-access procedure for low-power and simplified transceiver in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 2105 may be an example of aspects of a device 2005, or a UE 115 as described herein. [0262]: The random-access manager 2120 may initiate a random-access procedure to connect to a base station. The capability manager 2125 may transmit, to the base station, an indication that the UE includes a reflective surface for forwarding signals from the base station to a device in a wireless network);
Bao does not disclose, but Wu discloses receiving, by the first wireless terminal, access restriction information broadcast from the network node to restrict an access from a wireless terminal configured to perform wireless communication with the network node ([0014]: an E-UTRAN changes a cell status from the "not barred" status to the "barred" status for operation and maintenance purpose. In that cell, the UEs in the RRC_Idle mode select other cells to camp on. On the other hand, some UEs in the RR_Connected mode are determined to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception due to implementation criteria of UE manufacturers. [0046]: The UEs in the RRC_Connected mode receive a broadcast message from the serving cell and reads cell status and reservation information included in the broadcast message. Based on the cell status and the reservation information, the UE determines that the serving cell is barred); and
ignoring, by the first wireless terminal, the access restriction information to maintain wireless communication with the network node ([0014]: an E-UTRAN changes a cell status from the "not barred" status to the "barred" status for operation and maintenance purpose. In that cell, the UEs in the RRC_Idle mode select other cells to camp on. On the other hand, some UEs in the RR_Connected mode are determined to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception due to implementation criteria of UE manufacturers).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the base station and the UE, as taught by Bao, to transmit and receive a broadcast indicating a change in cell status from “not barred” status to “barred” status, respectively, as taught by Wu, and further program the UE, as taught by Bao, to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception when the UE is in RRC_Connected mode, as taught by Wu.
Doing so allows the RRC_Connected mode UEs to stay for data transmission and reception (Wu: [0014]).
Regarding claim 3, Bao discloses A wireless terminal for performing wireless communication with a network node in a mobile communication system, the wireless terminal comprising (Fig. 1, [0114]: The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more base stations 105, one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. [0121]: The UEs 115 and the base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate with one another via one or more communication links 125 over one or more carriers):
a controller configured to control a first device configured to change a propagation state of a radio wave from a network node (Fig. 12, [0197]: The device 1205 may be an example of aspects of a UE 115 as described herein. The device 1205 may also include a processor. Fig. 11, [0193]: the UE 115-e may transmit a random-access preamble (e.g., PRACH) to the base station 105-e to initiate a random-access procedure to connect to the base station 105-e… the UE 115-e includes the IRS. Fig. 4, [0156]: The IRS in FIG. 4 may be an energy efficient environment controller and may reflect incoming signals 405 from one device (e.g., a base station 105) to another device (e.g., a UE 115 or a base station 105). The IRS may control the angle of reflected signals 410 and may cast and extend the signal to an uncovered region in a wireless communications system);
a transmitter configured to transmit, to the network node, wireless terminal information indicating that the wireless terminal itself is a wireless terminal configured to control the first device, when establishing a wireless connection with the network node (Fig. 12, [0197]: device 1205 may be an example of aspects of a UE 115 as described herein. The device 1205 may include … a transmitter 1220. Fig. 11, [0193]: the UE 115-e may transmit a random-access preamble (e.g., PRACH) to the base station 105-e to initiate a random-access procedure to connect to the base station 105-e. At 1110, the UE 115-e may then transmit an indication to the base station 105-e that the UE 115-e includes an IRS. In some cases, the random-access preamble may indicate that the UE 115-e includes the IRS … In such cases, the UE 115-e may be configured with one or more random-access preambles reserved for indicating that the UE 115-e includes the IRS. In other cases, the UE 115-e may transmit the indication that the UE 115-e includes the IRS in a first random-access message (e.g., MsgA) in a two-step random-access procedure. In yet other cases, the UE 115-e may transmit the indication that the UE 115-e includes the IRS in a third random-access message (e.g., Msg3) in a four-step random-access procedure. Fig. 21, [0259]: a device 2105 that supports random-access procedure for low-power and simplified transceiver in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 2105 may be an example of aspects of a device 2005, or a UE 115 as described herein. [0262]: The random-access manager 2120 may initiate a random-access procedure to connect to a base station. The capability manager 2125 may transmit, to the base station, an indication that the UE includes a reflective surface for forwarding signals from the base station to a device in a wireless network); and
Bao does not disclose, but Wu discloses a receiver configured to receive access restriction information broadcast from the network node to restrict an access from wireless terminals configured to perform wireless communication with the network node ([0014]: an E-UTRAN changes a cell status from the "not barred" status to the "barred" status for operation and maintenance purpose. In that cell, the UEs in the RRC_Idle mode select other cells to camp on. On the other hand, some UEs in the RR_Connected mode are determined to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception due to implementation criteria of UE manufacturers. [0046]: The UEs in the RRC_Connected mode receive a broadcast message from the serving cell and reads cell status and reservation information included in the broadcast message. Based on the cell status and the reservation information, the UE determines that the serving cell is barred);
wherein the controller is configured to ignore the access restriction information to maintain wireless communication with the network node ([0014]: an E-UTRAN changes a cell status from the "not barred" status to the "barred" status for operation and maintenance purpose. In that cell, the UEs in the RRC_Idle mode select other cells to camp on. On the other hand, some UEs in the RR_Connected mode are determined to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception due to implementation criteria of UE manufacturers).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the base station and the UE, as taught by Bao, to transmit and receive a broadcast indicating a change in cell status from “not barred” status to “barred” status, respectively, as taught by Wu, and further program the UE, as taught by Bao, to continue staying in the call for data transmission and reception when the UE is in RRC_Connected mode, as taught by Wu.
Doing so allows the RRC_Connected mode UEs to stay for data transmission and reception (Wu: [0014]).
Regarding claim 4, Bao in view of Wu discloses A system comprising the wireless terminal according to claim 3 and a network node for performing wireless communication with the wireless terminal (Bao: Fig. 1, [0114]: The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more base stations 105, one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. [0121]: The UEs 115 and the base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate with one another via one or more communication links 125 over one or more carriers. See claim mapping of claim 3 for limitations of the wireless terminal).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THE HY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3813. The examiner can normally be reached on Mo-Fr: 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino, can be reached on (571) 272-3905. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THE HY NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
TheHy.Nguyen@USPTO.gov