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 12/21/2023, 06/12/2025 and 10/13/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
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 2, 5-6, 9, 12, 24, 27-28, 31 and 34 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 2 recites the broad recitation “wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a candidate beam set or a candidate BWP set”, and the claim also recites “a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set when the configuration information comprises the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "wherein obtaining the target beam and the target BWP indicated by the base station…" in lines 1-2. It not clear if this claim limitation refers to the claim limitation “obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station…” in lines 1-2 of claim 4 to which claim 5 depends upon. If they are related, Applicant is advised to revise the claim limitation of claim 5 to show "wherein obtaining the target beam [[and]] or the target BWP indicated by the base station…" If they are not related, Applicant is advised to revise the entirety of the claim limitation to clarify what is meant to be claimed. In addition, Applicant is also advised that the revisions to be made also avoids the presence of a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim). See rejection of claim 2.
In the examination of the claims, the claim limitation of claim 5 has been interpreted as being related to the claim limitation of claim 4.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "wherein obtaining the target beam and the target BWP indicated by the base station…" in lines 1-2. It not clear if this claim limitation refers to the claim limitation “obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station…” in lines 1-2 of claim 4 to which claim 6 depends upon. If they are related, Applicant is advised to revise the claim limitation of claim 6 to show "wherein obtaining the target beam [[and]] or the target BWP indicated by the base station…" If they are not related, Applicant is advised to revise the entirety of the claim limitation to clarify what is meant to be claimed. In addition, Applicant is also advised that the revisions to be made also avoids the presence of a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim). See rejection of claim 2.
In the examination of the claims, the claim limitation of claim 6 has been interpreted as being related to the claim limitation of claim 4.
Regarding claims 9 and 12, these claims are rejected by virtue of their respective dependency on claim 5.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 24 recites the broad recitation “wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a candidate beam set or a candidate BWP set”, and the claim also recites “a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set when the configuration information comprises the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claim 27 recites the limitation "wherein obtaining the target beam and the target BWP indicated by the base station…" in lines 1-2. It not clear if this claim limitation refers to the claim limitation “obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station…” in lines 1-2 of claim 26 to which claim 27 depends upon. If they are related, Applicant is advised to revise the claim limitation of claim 27 to show "wherein obtaining the target beam [[and]] or the target BWP indicated by the base station…" If they are not related, Applicant is advised to revise the entirety of the claim limitation to clarify what is meant to be claimed. In addition, Applicant is also advised that the revisions to be made also avoids the presence of a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim). See rejection of claim 2.
In the examination of the claims, the claim limitation of claim 27 has been interpreted as being related to the claim limitation of claim 26.
Claim 28 recites the limitation "wherein obtaining the target beam and the target BWP indicated by the base station…" in lines 1-2. It not clear if this claim limitation refers to the claim limitation “obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station…” in lines 1-2 of claim 26 to which claim 28 depends upon. If they are related, Applicant is advised to revise the claim limitation of claim 28 to show "wherein obtaining the target beam [[and]] or the target BWP indicated by the base station…" If they are not related, Applicant is advised to revise the entirety of the claim limitation to clarify what is meant to be claimed. In addition, Applicant is also advised that the revisions to be made also avoids the presence of a narrow limitation that falls within the broad limitation (in the same claim). See rejection of claim 2.
In the examination of the claims, the claim limitation of claim 28 has been interpreted as being related to the claim limitation of claim 26.
Regarding claims 31 and 34, these claims are rejected by virtue of their respective dependency on claim 27.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9, 12, 23-28, 31, 34 and 42-45 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ma et al. (US 2022/0007346; hereinafter). Note: Subject matter relied upon in the rejections are fully-supported in the disclosure of provisional application 63/047,515 of Ma.
Regarding claim 1, Ma shows a beam switching method (Figure 9 shows a method performed in part by a satellite UE of Figures 1 and 3.), performed by a satellite user equipment (UE) and comprising:
obtaining at least one of a target beam or a target bandwidth part (BWP) corresponding to the satellite UE indicated by a base station (Figure 9; Par. 0101-0102, 0127, 0130; receiving a BWP configuration that indicates one or more BWPs associated with at least one beam (block 910). The one or more BWPs includes at least a first BWP and a second BWP, wherein the second BWP as a target BWP for switching.); and
performing a service beam switching based on at least one of the target beam or the target BWP (Figure 9; Par. 0101-0102; switching, based at least in part on the BWP configuration, from the first BWP of the one or more BWPs as an active BWP to the second BWP of the one or more BWPs as the active BWP.).
Regarding claim 2, Ma shows receiving configuration information sent by the base station, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a candidate beam set or a candidate BWP set; wherein in case that a binding relationship is present between a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set when the configuration information comprises the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, the configuration information further comprises the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP (Par. 0066; the BWP configuration may indicate one or more BWPs associated with at least one beam. For example, as shown, the BWP configuration may indicate a number of BWPs (shown as UL BWP UL BWP 2, DL BWP 1, and DL BWP 2) corresponding to a first beam 515, a number of BWPs (shown as UL BWP 3, UL BWP 4, DL BWP 3, and DL BWP 4) corresponding to a second beam 520, and/or the like.).
Regarding claim 3, Ma shows obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station via a downlink control information (DCI) signaling (Par. 0104; the BWP configuration is carried in at least one of an RRC message, DCI, a MAC-CE, an SIB, or a combination thereof.).
Regarding claim 4, Ma shows obtaining at least one of the target beam or the target BWP indicated by the base station via a dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0158; receiving DCI having a dedicated DCI format corresponding to inter-beam BWP switching.) or a common DCI signaling.
Regarding claim 5, Ma shows wherein obtaining the target beam and the target BWP indicated by the base station via the dedicated DCI signaling comprises one of:
obtaining the target beam and the target BWP which are explicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Par. 0132; the BWP configuration is carried in DCI comprising a BWP ID field having a maximum number of bits that is greater than two.);
obtaining the target beam explicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling and the target BWP implicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling; or
obtaining the target BWP explicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling and the target beam implicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling.
Regarding claim 6, Ma shows obtaining the target beam indicated by a first information field of the dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0149; the beam ID indicates a target beam identified based at least in part on a determination that the UE is likely to intercept the target beam.) and the target BWP indicated by a second information field of the dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0132; the BWP configuration is carried in DCI comprising a BWP ID field having a maximum number of bits that is greater than two.).
Regarding claim 9, Ma shows wherein obtaining the target beam explicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling and the target BWP implicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling comprises: obtaining the target beam explicitly indicated by a third information field of the dedicated DCI signaling, and obtaining the target BWP implicitly indicated by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) or a scrambling sequence in the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner submits that the claimed subject matter presented in this claim refers to the claimed subject matter that was not elected for prosecution in the rejection of dependent claim 5 due to the presence of alternative language. Therefore, this claim is also rejected based on the same reasoning as already presented in the rejection of claim 5.).
Regarding claim 12, Ma shows wherein obtaining the target BWP explicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling and the target beam implicitly indicated by the dedicated DCI signaling comprises: obtaining the target BWP explicitly indicated by a third information field of the dedicated DCI signaling, and obtaining the target beam implicitly indicated by an RNTI or a scrambling sequence in the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner submits that the claimed subject matter presented in this claim refers to the claimed subject matter that was not elected for prosecution in the rejection of dependent claim 5 due to the presence of alternative language. Therefore, this claim is also rejected based on the same reasoning as already presented in the rejection of claim 5.).
Regarding claim 23, Ma shows a beam switching method (Figure 9 shows a method performed in part by a base station of Figures 1 and 3.), performed by a base station and comprising:
indicating at least one of a target beam or a target BWP corresponding to a satellite UE to the satellite UE (Figure 10; Par. 0127, 0130, 0168; transmitting, to a UE, a BWP configuration that indicates one or more BWPs associated with at least one beam (block 1010). The one or more BWPs includes at least a first BWP and a second BWP, wherein the second BWP as a target BWP for switching. UE applied in an NTN embodiment and thus, UE is a satellite UE.).
Regarding claim 24, Ma shows sending configuration information to the satellite UE, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a candidate beam set or a candidate BWP set; wherein in case that a binding relationship is present between a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set when the configuration information comprises the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, the configuration information further comprises the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP (Par. 0066; the BWP configuration may indicate one or more BWPs associated with at least one beam. For example, as shown, the BWP configuration may indicate a number of BWPs (shown as UL BWP 1, UL BWP 2, DL BWP 1, and DL BWP 2) corresponding to a first beam 515, a number of BWPs (shown as UL BWP 3, UL BWP 4, DL BWP 3, and DL BWP 4) corresponding to a second beam 520, and/or the like.).
Regarding claim 25, Ma shows indicating at least one of the target beam or the target BWP to the satellite UE via a DCI signaling (Par. 0104; the BWP configuration is carried in at least one of an RRC message, DCI, a MAC-CE, an SIB, or a combination thereof.).
Regarding claim 26, Ma shows indicating at least one of the target beam or the target BWP to the satellite UE via a dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0158; receiving DCI having a dedicated DCI format corresponding to inter-beam BWP switching.) or a common DCI signaling.
Regarding claim 27, Ma shows wherein indicating the target beam and the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling comprises one of:
explicitly indicating the target beam and the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Par. 0132; the BWP configuration is carried in DCI comprising a BWP ID field having a maximum number of bits that is greater than two.);
explicitly indicating the target beam to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling, and implicitly indicating the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling; or
explicitly indicating the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling, and implicitly indicating the target beam to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling.
Regarding claim 28, Ma shows indicating the target beam via a first information field of the dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0149; the beam ID indicates a target beam identified based at least in part on a determination that the UE is likely to intercept the target beam.), and indicating the target BWP via a second information field of the dedicated DCI signaling (Par. 0132; the BWP configuration is carried in DCI comprising a BWP ID field having a maximum number of bits that is greater than two.).
Regarding claim 31, Ma shows wherein explicitly indicating the target beam to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling and implicitly indicating the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling comprise: explicitly indicating the target beam via a third information field of the dedicated DCI signaling, and implicitly indicating the target BWP via an RNTI or a scrambling sequence in the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner submits that the claimed subject matter presented in this claim refers to the claimed subject matter that was not elected for prosecution in the rejection of dependent claim 27 due to the presence of alternative language. Therefore, this claim is also rejected based on the same reasoning as already presented in the rejection of claim 27.).
Regarding claim 34, Ma shows wherein explicitly indicating the target BWP to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling and implicitly indicating the target beam to the satellite UE via the dedicated DCI signaling comprise: explicitly indicating the target BWP via a third information field of the dedicated DCI signaling, and implicitly indicating the target beam via an RNTI or a scrambling sequence in the dedicated DCI signaling (Examiner submits that the claimed subject matter presented in this claim refers to the claimed subject matter that was not elected for prosecution in the rejection of dependent claim 27 due to the presence of alternative language. Therefore, this claim is also rejected based on the same reasoning as already presented in the rejection of claim 27.).
Regarding claim 42, Ma shows a user equipment (Figure 2 shows a UE performing the method of Figure 9.), comprising:
a transceiver (Figure 2; Par. 0046; UE includes a transceiver.);
a memory (Figure 2; UE includes a memory.); and
a processor, wherein the processor is connected to the transceiver and the memory respectively (Figure 2; UE includes a processor connected to the transceiver and memory and configured to perform the disclosed method.), and configured to:
obtain at least one of a target beam or a target bandwidth part (BWP) corresponding to a satellite UE indicated by a base station (Figure 9; Par. 0101-0102, 0127, 0130; receiving a BWP configuration that indicates one or more BWPs associated with at least one beam (block 910). The one or more BWPs includes at least a first BWP and a second BWP, wherein the second BWP as a target BWP for switching.); and
perform a service beam switching based on at least one of the target beam or the target BWP (Figure 9; Par. 0101-0102; switching, based at least in part on the BWP configuration, from the first BWP of the one or more BWPs as an active BWP to the second BWP of the one or more BWPs as the active BWP.).
Regarding claim 43, Ma shows a base station (Figure 2 shows a base station performing the method of Figure 10.), comprising:
a transceiver (Figure 2; Par. 0047; base station includes a transceiver.);
a memory (Figure 2; base station includes a memory.); and
a processor, wherein the processor is connected to the transceiver and the memory respectively, and configured to perform the method according to claim 23 (Figure 2; base station includes a processor connected to the transceiver and memory and configured to perform the disclosed method.).
Regarding claim 44, Ma shows a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable the method according to claim 1 to be implemented (Par. 0048; UE implemented to include software stored in memory and executed by a processor to perform the disclosed method.).
Regarding claim 45, Ma shows a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable the method according to claim 23 to be implemented (Par. 0048; base station implemented to include software stored in memory and executed by a processor to perform the disclosed method.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20230142792 A1 - This application provides an information indication method and apparatus for a non-terrestrial communication network.
US 20220408389 A1 - This application provides a method and an apparatus for updating a timing offset, and is particularly applicable to an NTN network such as satellite communication.
US 20220321314 A1 - relate to wireless communication and to techniques and apparatuses for performing inter-cell mobility using bandwidth part switching.
US 20220174508 A1 - The UE may determine to switch the first beam based on a first value for a beam parameter associated with a second beam, from the set of candidate beams, satisfying a condition.
US 20220109496 A1 - Aspects relate to mechanisms for wireless communication devices to update satellite and beam specific information.
US 20220085874 A1 - A user equipment (UE) selects or reselects a target cell of a non-terrestrial network or resumes connectivity with the target cell after a satellite handover for a permanently fixed low Earth orbit (LEO) cell.
US 20220046504 A1 - The method also includes determining, by the UE, a plurality of potential satellites for selecting a first cell to camp on, the first cell associated with a first satellite. The method includes performing cell reselection, by the UE, to select a cell associated with a second satellite using a selection condition.
US 20160080997 A1 - The present invention belongs to the field of communications, and discloses a cell handover method and a device.
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/REDENTOR PASIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413