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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 17, claim recites, “transmit data signaling to the UE via the communication link based at least in part on the tracking area”; and “transmit paging signaling to the UE via a second non-terrestrial network entity that serves a second cell corresponding to a set of tracking areas based at least in part on the set of tracking areas comprising the tracking area”.
However, this is ambiguous. Specifically , its very confusing to examiner as to what exactly second cell corresponds because the claim recites, “second cell corresponding to a set of the tracking areas based on at least in part on the set of the tracking areas comprising the tracking areas”. here, which “tracking areas” applicant is referring to. Whether “a set of tracking areas” of second cell is part of “the tracking area” of the “at least in part on the set of tracking areas” or is it different ? Applicant is suggested here to change to for example, “first set of tracking area...”, “second set of tracking areas…” to define second cell and to be clearer as to how the "second cell" is identified and its relationship to the "set of tracking areas.
Claim 22 is rejected for the same reason claim 17 is rejected.
Claims 18-21 and 23-29 are rejected because of directly or indirectly dependent upon claims 17 and 22 respectively and claims 17 and 22 are rejected.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 and 30 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art, Wu et al. (US 2025/0254657) discloses A user equipment (UE) performs a method for monitoring paging from a non-terrestrial network (NTN). The UE receives via the NTN (i) a configuration for the UE to monitor paging messages from the NTN during a paging time window (PTW) while the UE operates in a non-connected state, and (ii) an PTW extension indication indicating that the UE is allowed to adjust the PTW. The UE modifies the PTW based on at least one NTN coverage time interval during which the UE has NTN coverage. The UE then modifies the PTW based on at least one NTN coverage time interval during which the UE has NTN coverage, however, the Wu reference does not explicitly disclose communication between UE, first NTN and second NTN. Specifically, establish a first communication link with a first non-terrestrial network entity, at least a first receiver of a set of receivers of the UE corresponding to the first communication link; establish a second communication link with a second non-terrestrial network entity based at least in part on registering with the second non-terrestrial network entity, the registering being based at least in part on one or more measurements associated with a network availability of the second non-terrestrial network entity; monitor the second communication link for paging signaling from the second non-terrestrial network entity via a second receiver of the set of receivers of the UE; and receive the paging signaling from the second non-terrestrial network entity based at least in part on monitoring the second communication link for the paging signaling.
The closest prior art, Tao et al. (US 2025/0106798) discloses in abstract, A UE receives, from a non-terrestrial network (NTN), a measurement configuration that indicates (i) a timing pattern according to which a signal source associated with the NTN transmits a synchronization signal and (ii) a timing parameter related to a change in timing alignment between the UE and the signal source. The UE receives, from the signal source, the synchronization signal in accordance with the timing pattern and the timing parameter. para [0094] After the UE 102 completes 1010 the measurements, the UE 102 can determine 1051 that the cell reselection criteria for selecting a cell of the neighbor satellite 306 are satisfied (e.g., the cell served by the satellite 306 becomes the highest ranked cell according to the cell-ranking criterion). The UE 102 then initiates 1092 a procedure for reselecting to the cell of the neighbor satellite 306. The procedure can include (i) synchronizing with the gNB 106 and obtaining a PBCH from the gNB 106, (ii) acquiring SIB1 broadcast by the gNB 106, and in some cases (iii) performing a tracking area update or a RAN-based notification area update procedure, if the cell served by the satellite 306 belongs to a different tracking area or a different RAN-based notification area than the camped-upon satellite 304.
Chen (US 2025/0048246) discloses UE, network access node in which abstract discloses a user equipment (UE) receives an indication that a change of tracking area identifiers has occurred with respect to a current cell of the UE. The UE determines whether to obtain a tracking area identifier list associated with the cell based on the indication and at least one of: information identifying whether the cell is configurable to associate with a plurality of tracking areas (e.g. when the cell employs soft tracking area change); a mobility parameter associated with the UE; and a time parameter indicating a time elapsed since the UE obtained the tracking area identifier list from system information signaling or since the UE reselected to the cell. Para [0041], [0041] However, the inventor has realized that in some scenarios it may be impossible to reach a particular UE if the UE is not aware of the TAC change (and has not performed a RAU) whilst camping on an NTN cell which has entered a new tracking area. Specifically, if a UE remains registered with a TAC that has been removed from a cell in a recent system information update, and the UE (e.g. UE/IoT device configured with DRX or eDRX) has not received a notification or a paging message indicating this change, the UE may become unreachable since the UE's current (NTN) cell no longer belongs to any of the UE's currently registered tracking areas. This problem may affect those UEs in particular that are moving in the same direction as the NTN cell since they remain in that cell's coverage relatively longer than other UEs but enter a new tracking area sooner. In summary, when system information update notification is provided for TAC change (e.g. removal), for most UEs it is unnecessary to perform system information acquisition since they would still be reachable using the TAC known to the core network (unless this is a TAC that has been removed). On the other hand, when system information update notification is not provided for a TAC change (e.g. removal) or when it is not received by a UE (moving in the same direction as the satellite), the UE may not perform a RAU in a timely manner when it relies on a validity timer or similar means since the UE may have left the tracking area known to the core network before its TAC has been removed from the cell system information.
Wigard et al. (US 2025/0056499) discloses paging a user device in a non-terrestrial network in which para [0008], a user device for non-terrestrial network communication may comprise at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user device at least to: receive a paging message from a first network device associated; and in response to the paging message, initiate a random access procedure with a second network device associated with a second non-terrestrial network to establish a radio resource connection with the second network device.
The closet prior art, Agarwal et al. (US2025/0220766) discloses randomized signaling during discontinuous coverage area in satellite access network in which In Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), continuous satellite coverage can be characterized by the fact that an Uu interface is available for the UE (100), at a given position for 100% of the time. [0044] b. Discontinuous Coverage (DC): In Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), Discontinuous satellite coverage can be characterized by the fact that Uu interface is available for the UE (100), at a given position, less than 100% of the time, due to predictable lack of satellite coverage. Due to the Discontinuous coverage, the UE (100) may have access to satellite service coverage only at specific time and places. [0045] c. Satellite ephemeris Information: Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites transmit information about their location (current and predicted), timing and “health” via what is known as ephemeris data. This data is used by the GPS receivers to estimate location relative to the satellites and thus position on earth. The Ephemeris data can also be used to predict future satellite conditions (for a given place and time) providing a tool for planning when (or when not) to schedule GPS data collection.
The closest prior art, Monolakos et al. (US 2025/0008468) discloses positioning method for uplink power limited user equipment in which abstract discloses a user equipment (UE) may send, to a first entity, first information indicating a maximum number of positioning signal transmissions or a maximum power for positioning signal transmissions that the UE can support. The UE may receive, from the first entity, configuration information for changing a positioning mode of the UE to a positioning mode selected from a first positioning mode and a second positioning mode. The UE may perform a positioning operation according to the selected positioning mode. In some aspects, the first positioning mode is a normal positioning mode in which the UE sends UL positioning reference signals to a plurality of TRPS, and the second positioning mode is a UL power-limited mode in which the UE sends UL positioning reference signals to only one or a small number of TRPs.
But, the closest prior arts, alone or in combination fail to explicitly discloses, establish a first communication link with a first non-terrestrial network entity, at least a first receiver of a set of receivers of the UE corresponding to the first communication link; establish a second communication link with a second non-terrestrial network entity based at least in part on registering with the second non-terrestrial network entity, the registering being based at least in part on one or more measurements associated with a network availability of the second non-terrestrial network entity; monitor the second communication link for paging signaling from the second non-terrestrial network entity via a second receiver of the set of receivers of the UE; and receive the paging signaling from the second non-terrestrial network entity based at least in part on monitoring the second communication link for the paging signaling, render the claims allowable over prior arts.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/DHAVAL V PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
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