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 arguments filed April 23, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding independent claim 1, Applicant asserts on page 11 that Cheng “neither discloses nor suggests that the PDCCH is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits through higher layer and is used for indicating an index of the target cell.” Applicant further asserts that “”one or more bits” disclosed by Cheng “is a generic expression and cannot be equated with the specific ‘1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits’“ and that “in the field of communications, any DCI necessarily includes ‘one or more bits’, which is a broad description of at the level of common general knowledge in the art, and is completely different from the specifically limited length of ‘1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits’ as explicitly defined in the present application.” Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner submits that the language of claim 1 only requires that Cheng teach a DCI that is configured to have 1 bit, or 2 bits, or 3 bits. Examiner maintains that Cheng’s teaching in paragraph [0033] that a DCI may consist of one or more bits meets the limitation recited in claim 1 of “the PDCCH DCI is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits”, and that the language of claim 1 does not place any further requirements on the DCI other than that it is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits. Further, claim 1 fails to include a recitation that places a limit on the number of bits of the DCI. Accordingly, Examiner maintains that Cheng teaches this limitation of claim 1.
Applicant further asserts on page 11 that in Cheng “the specific 1 or 2 bits are mainly used for indicating a failure of network connection, rather than an index of a target cell” and that “when Cheng refers to the DCI used for indicating a candidate target cell, the number of bits disclosed is different from that of the present application, and lacks the mechanism of being configured through higher layer. In particular, Applicant asserts that paragraph [0085] of Cheng describes that “the DCI may include 1-5 information bits to indicate a target cell”, and argues that “not only does the bit range (1-5) not completely overlap with that of the present application (1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits), more importantly, Chen does not disclose anywhere that the bits for indicating the target cell are configured through higher layer.” However, Cheng is not relied upon to teach a specific purpose for configuring the DCI, rather it is being relied upon to teach a DCI configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits. Park is being relied upon to teach that the DCI bits are used for indicating an index of a target cell. Further, there is no requirement in the language of the claim that the relied upon Cheng teaching that the DCI may have one or more bits is required to have a “bit range” that does “completely overlap” with the claimed 1 bit, 2 bits , or 3 bits. Further, Examiner takes the position that it was well known to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that DCI formats may be configured through higher layer.
Applicant further asserts on pages 11-12 that Park [0040] teaches an existing DCI format 1C having 8 bits and that if a person skilled in the art were to combine Cheng and Park, the teaching obtained would be to use the DCI format 1C with up to 8 bits to carry the index of the target cell, which is contrary to the technical direction of the present application that compresses the length to “1 bit, 2 bits, or bits” through higher layer configuration. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Cheng is being relied upon in the rejection to teach having a DCI of 1 bits, 2 bits, or 3 bits, and Park is being relied upon to teach that bits of a DCI may be used for indicating an index of the target cell. The rejection does not require that Park also teach a DCI having 1 bits, 2 bits, or 3 bits as found in claim 1, as that teaching is again provided by Cheng.
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, the motivation to combine Cheng and Park is that provided in the previous rejection and maintained in the current rejection, that is: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the PDCCH DCI indicating information of a target cell consisting of one or more bits, as taught by Cheng, to indicate an index of the target cell, as taught by Park. Doing so allows for assigning a unique identifier to the target cell to provide for more efficient handover signaling (Park: [¶0043]).
For the foregoing reasons, the rejections of claims 1-7, 9-15, 17, and 20-22 are maintained as further discussed below.
Drawings
The objection to the drawings is withdrawn in view of the amendments made to Fig. 6.
Specification
The objections to the specification are withdrawn in view of the amendments made to paragraph [0087] of the specification.
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) 1, 3-7, 9, 11-15, 17, and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng (US 2020/0077310 A1)(hereinafter “Cheng”) in view of Park et al. (US 2012/0327904 A1)(hereinafter “Park”)(submitted with IDS filed 8/14/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Cheng discloses a cell indication method, comprising:
generating Downlink Control Information (DCI), wherein the DCI is used for indicating information of a target cell ([¶0084]: the network connection failure indication could be transmitted from a gNB-remote/DU to a UE by using a DCI. The DCI may indicate information of a candidate target cell.); and
sending the DCI to a terminal device ([¶0075]: in step S906, the first gNB-remote/DU transmits the network connection failure indication which includes the DCI to a UE.);
wherein the DCI comprises Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) DCI ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message. [¶0085]: the DCI could be a DCI for PDCCH or PDSCH.), the PDCCH DCI is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits through higher layer… ([¶0033]: The DCI may consist of one or more bits. The DCI could be a DCI for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)).
Cheng does not specifically disclose wherein the PDCCH DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell. However, Park discloses wherein the DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell ([¶0040]: the DCI format 1C scrambled with the C-RNTI according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a CoMP cell index of the target cell to instruct the cell reselection/HO to the target cell.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the PDCCH DCI indicating information of a target cell consisting of one or more bits, as taught by Cheng, to indicate an index of the target cell, as taught by Park. Doing so allows for assigning a unique identifier to the target cell to provide for more efficient handover signaling (Park: [¶0043]).
Regarding claim 3, Cheng discloses all features of claim 1 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the DCI further comprises Media Access Control Control Element (MAC- CE) information ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message. [¶0085]: the DCI could be a DCI for PDCCH or PDSCH.).
Regarding claim 4, Cheng discloses all features of claim 1 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the information of the target cell comprises at least one of: a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of the target cell ([¶0079]: the information of at least one candidate target cell may include, for example, cell identity associated with the candidate target cell. The cell identity could be, for example, a physical cell ID (PCI)); a Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) of the target cell ([¶0085]: the DCI could be scrambled by cell-RNTI (C-RNTI)); a target cell set ([¶0060]: the indication of the target cell could be a bitmap used to indicate multiple candidate target cells.); or an index of the target cell.
Regarding claim 5, Cheng discloses all features of claim 4 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the PCI comprises a PCI field value or a PCI index ([¶0079]: the information of at least one candidate target cell may include, for example, cell identity associated with the candidate target cell. The cell identity could be, for example, a physical cell ID (PCI). The PCI is inherently comprised of a value within a field.).
Regarding claim 6, Cheng discloses all features of claim 4 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the C-RNTI comprises a C-RNTI field value or a C-RNTI index ([¶0085]: the DCI could be scrambled by cell-RNTI (C-RNTI). The C-RNTI is inherently comprised of a value within a field.).
Regarding claim 7, Cheng discloses all features of claim 4 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the target cell set is sent through an RRC message or a MAC CE message ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication including the information of the at least one candidate target cell could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message.); and
the RRC message is an existing information element or a newly added information element ([¶0060]: The identity associated with the candidate target cell could be configured via a downstream node specific RRC message before the occurrence of the network connection failure. [¶0084]: the DCI may indicate information of a candidate target cell by including, for example, the identity associated with the candidate target cell which may be configured via a UE/downstream node specific RRC message before the occurrence of the network connection failure as each candidate target cell is associated with an identity which is unique for each gNB-remote. The RRC message is inherently either an existing information element or a newly added information element.).
Regarding claim 9, Cheng discloses a cell handover method, comprising:
receiving Downlink Control Information (DCI), wherein the DCI is used for indicating information of a target cell ([¶0084]: The network connection failure indication could be transmitted from a gNB-remote/DU to a UE by using a DCI. The DCI may indicate information of a candidate target cell. [¶0075]: in step S906, the first gNB-remote/DU transmits the network connection failure indication which includes the DCI to a UE.); and
performing a handover from a serving cell to the target cell according to the DCI ([¶0076]: in step S908, after receiving the network connection failure indication from the first gNB-remote/DU, the downstream node would perform a connection change. The downstream node may apply an indication provided in the network connection failure indication to perform a handover procedure to change its connection from the first gNB-remote/DU to a candidate target cell (e.g. second gNB-remote/DU) assuming that the configuration for the UE to change to the candidate target cell remains valid.);
wherein the DCI comprises Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) DCI ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message. [¶0085]: the DCI could be a DCI for PDCCH or PDSCH.), the PDCCH DCI is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits through higher layer… ([¶0033]: The DCI may consist of one or more bits. The DCI could be a DCI for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)).
Cheng does not specifically disclose wherein the PDCCH DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell. However, Park discloses wherein the DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell ([¶0040]: the DCI format 1C scrambled with the C-RNTI according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a CoMP cell index of the target cell to instruct the cell reselection/HO to the target cell.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the PDCCH DCI indicating information of a target cell consisting of one or more bits, as taught by Cheng, to indicate an index of the target cell, as taught by Park. Doing so allows for assigning a unique identifier to the target cell to provide for more efficient handover signaling (Park: [¶0043]).
Regarding claim 11, Cheng discloses all features of claim 9 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the DCI further comprises Media Access Control Control Element (MAC- CE) information ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message. [¶0085]: the DCI could be a DCI for PDCCH or PDSCH.).
Regarding claim 12, Cheng discloses all features of claim 9 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the information of the target cell comprises at least one of: a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of the target cell ([¶0079]: the information of at least one candidate target cell may include, for example, cell identity associated with the candidate target cell. The cell identity could be, for example, a physical cell ID (PCI)); a Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) of the target cell ([¶0085]: the DCI could be scrambled by cell-RNTI (C-RNTI)); a target cell set ([¶0060]: the indication of the target cell could be a bitmap used to indicate multiple candidate target cells.); or an index of the target cell.
Regarding claim 13, Cheng discloses all features of claim 12 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the PCI comprises a PCI field value or a PCI index ([¶0079]: the information of at least one candidate target cell may include, for example, cell identity associated with the candidate target cell. The cell identity could be, for example, a physical cell ID (PCI). The PCI is inherently comprised of a value within a field.).
Regarding claim 14, Cheng discloses all features of claim 12 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the C-RNTI comprises a C-RNTI field value or a C-RNTI index ([¶0085]: the DCI could be scrambled by cell-RNTI (C-RNTI). The C-RNTI is inherently comprised of a value within a field.).
Regarding claim 15, Cheng discloses all features of claim 12 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein the target cell set is sent through an RRC message or a MAC CE message ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication including the information of the at least one candidate target cell could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message.); and
the RRC message is an existing information element or a newly added information element ([¶0060]: The identity associated with the candidate target cell could be configured via a downstream node specific RRC message before the occurrence of the network connection failure. [¶0084]: the DCI may indicate information of a candidate target cell by including, for example, the identity associated with the candidate target cell which may be configured via a UE/downstream node specific RRC message before the occurrence of the network connection failure as each candidate target cell is associated with an identity which is unique for each gNB-remote. The RRC message is inherently either an existing information element or a newly added information element.).
Regarding claim 17, Cheng discloses all features of claim 9 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses wherein performing a handover from a serving cell to the target cell according to the DCI comprises:
performing a handover from an uplink serving cell and a downlink serving cell to the target cell within a specified time according to the DCI; or
performing a handover from a downlink serving cell to the target cell within a specified time according to the DCI (Claim 18: wherein the pre-configured handover configuration is associated with a predetermined time limit, and performing the handover procedure based on the pre-configured handover configuration further comprising connecting to the candidate target cell in response to the pre-configured handover configuration being within the predetermined time limit. The handover is preformed to a candidate target cell based on the candidate target cell information received in the DCI. Therefore, the handover is “according to the DCI”.).
Regarding claim 20, Cheng discloses a serving node (Fig 7, [¶0052]: network access node), comprising a memory ([¶0052]: non-transitory storage medium 703), a processor ([¶0052]: processor 701), and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out a cell indication method ([0052]: the exemplary network access node would include not limited to a processor 701 electrically connected to a transceiver 702 and a non-transitory storage medium 703 and configured to and configured at least for implementing the connection re-direction method used by a remote access node as well as its exemplary embodiments and alternative variations.), comprising:
generating Downlink Control Information (DCI), wherein the DCI is used for indicating information of a target cell ([¶0084]: the network connection failure indication could be transmitted from a gNB-remote/DU to a UE by using a DCI. The DCI may indicate information of a candidate target cell.); and
sending the DCI to a terminal device ([¶0075]: in step S906, the first gNB-remote/DU transmits the network connection failure indication which includes the DCI to a UE.);
wherein the DCI comprises Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) DCI ([¶0083]: in step S906, the network connection failure indication could be transmitted by means including MAC CE, DCI, and RRC message. [¶0085]: the DCI could be a DCI for PDCCH or PDSCH.), the PDCCH DCI is configured to have 1 bit, 2 bits, or 3 bits through higher layer… ([¶0033]: The DCI may consist of one or more bits. The DCI could be a DCI for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)).
Cheng does not specifically disclose wherein the PDCCH DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell. However, Park discloses wherein the DCI is used for indicating an index of the target cell ([¶0040]: the DCI format 1C scrambled with the C-RNTI according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a CoMP cell index of the target cell to instruct the cell reselection/HO to the target cell.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the PDCCH DCI indicating information of a target cell consisting of one or more bits, as taught by Cheng, to indicate an index of the target cell, as taught by Park. Doing so allows for assigning a unique identifier to the target cell to provide for more efficient handover signaling (Park: [¶0043]).
Regarding claim 21, Cheng discloses all features of claim 9 as outlined above.
Cheng also discloses a terminal device (Fig. 5, [¶0040]: a UE), comprising a memory (non-transitory storage medium 503), a processor ([¶0040]: processor 501), and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out the cell handover method of claim 9 ([¶0040]: The exemplary UE would include not limited to a processor 501 electrically connected to a transceiver 502 and a non-transitory storage medium 503 and configured at least for implementing the connection re-direction method described in FIG. 4 as well as its exemplary embodiments and alternative variations.).
Regarding claim 22, Cheng discloses all features of claim 1 as outlined above.
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ([¶0052]: non-transitory storage medium 703), storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor ([¶0052]: processor 701), causes the processor to carry out the cell indication method of claim 1 ([0052]: the exemplary network access node would include not limited to a processor 701 electrically connected to a transceiver 702 and a non-transitory storage medium 703 and configured to and configured at least for implementing the connection re-direction method used by a remote access node as well as its exemplary embodiments and alternative variations.).
Claims 2 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Park and further in view of Tang et al. (US 2018/0213457 A1)(hereinafter “Tang”).
Regarding claim 2, Cheng in view of Park discloses all features of claim 1 as outlined above.
Cheng in view of Park does not disclose wherein the DCI is generated according to measurement information reported by the terminal device. However, Tang discloses wherein the DCI is generated according to measurement information reported by the terminal device (Fig. 1, [¶0005]: a UE completes neighboring cell measurement information according to a configuration of a source eNB and feeds back a measurement report to the source eNB. The source eNB determines whether handover should be performed according to a signal strength of a neighboring cell and a signal strength of a local cell.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to generate the DCI, as taught by Cheng, according to measurement information reported by a terminal device for the purpose of determining whether handover should be performed, as taught by Tang. Doing so allows for handover to a cell having an improved signal strength (Tang: [¶0005]).
Regarding claim 10, Cheng in view of Park discloses all features of claim 9 as outlined above.
Cheng in view of Park does not disclose reporting measurement information, wherein the DCI is generated according to the measurement information. However, Tang discloses reporting measurement information, wherein the DCI is generated according to the measurement information (Fig. 1, [¶0005]: a UE completes neighboring cell measurement information according to a configuration of a source eNB and feeds back a measurement report to the source eNB. The source eNB determines whether handover should be performed according to a signal strength of a neighboring cell and a signal strength of a local cell.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to generate the DCI, as taught by Cheng, according to measurement information reported by a terminal device for the purpose of determining whether handover should be performed, as taught by Tang. Doing so allows for handover to a cell having an improved signal strength (Tang: [¶0005]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Grossman et al. (US 2023/0125672 A1) – Methods and Apparatuses For Enhancing The Reliability and Performance Of The Physical Downlink Control Channel In A Wireless Communications Network – discloses higher layer configuration of DCI (See [0267]).
Ying et. al. (US 2021/0345366 A1) – User Equipment, and Methods For Uplink Multiplexing – discloses configuring a higher layer DCI format parameter to monitor for PDCCH candidates for a particular DCI format (See [0086]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL W MADDOX whose telephone number is (571)272-5834. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am-5:00pm, 1st F 7:30am-4:00pm, 2nd F off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad M Nawaz can be reached at 571-272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL WAYNE MADDOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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