DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230093240 A1 (Geng), in further view of 3GPP TR 38.821 V16.1.0 (D2) and in further view of 3GPP R3-206276 (D3).
Regarding Claims 1, 15 and 29-30:
A method of wireless communication by a network entity, comprising: communicating with a user equipment (UE) and a core network; and sending or receiving radio paging information indicating at least one of cell coverage information or an identifier associated with a geographic area in which the UE is located, wherein the geographic area is in a coverage path of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) (Geng: Figs. 1-4, system configuration for TN and NTN communication networks and interactions between TN and NTN).
Geng does not illustrate explicitly on claim limitations as claimed. However D2 and D3 teaches (D2: 8.2., e.g., Figure 8.2.1.1-1, UE location based paging method that comprises UE, gNB1-n, and AMF (i.e., a core network); UE location info is transmitted to AMF through corresponding gNB; AMF stores the UE location info, and any other assistance info, e.g., UE type, speed info, time stamp info; AMF decides where to page the UE according to the store info; AMF selects gNB(s) according to the stored location info; and the gNB may decide which satellite(s) or beam(s) to be paged and page the UE accordingly; If the location based paging is failed (implies paging indication between the gNB and AMF), AMF may extend the paging area and re-send the UE according to its paging policy, e.g. re-send the paging in the whole registration area of the UE; Figures 7.3.1.3.1-1 and 7.3.1.3.1-2; geographic areas are identified through PLMN ID and TAC; In addition, D3: Fig. 1, illustrates UE location and associated info is transmitted to and stored in AMF upon be released other than UE reports the location info).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify Geng with specific claim limitations as further taught by D2 and D3. The advantage of doing so is to enhance product features and ensure market compatibility.
Regarding Claims 2 and 17, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein sending the radio paging information comprises sending, to the core network, the radio paging information when the UE is released from a connected state (D2: Fig. 1).
Regarding Claims 3 and 18, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the core network, a paging message for the UE or a paging arrival indication for the UE with further indication of the identifier; detecting that the UE is in an out-of-coverage state with a cell in the geographic area; and performing one or more actions in response to the paging message or the paging arrival indication with the identifier and the detection (D1: 8.2.2; various methods of paging handling that e.g., 8.2.2.1 the AMF replies with registration accept message that indicates timing/duration of covered cells based on the ephemeris info of the satellites, and location of the UE, in terms of TAC/NTN beam ID of UE's current or last 3GPP access);
Regarding Claims 4 and 16, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein performing one or more actions comprises: storing the paging message while the UE is in the out-of-coverage state; and transmitting the paging message to the UE when the UE is in an in-coverage state with the NTN (D1: e.g., Fig. 8.2.2-1, UE location info for paging is stored in AMF, updated when UE is an in-coverage area for subsequent paging operation).
Regarding Claims 5 and 19, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 4, wherein performing one or more actions comprise: sending, to the core network, an indication whether the network entity will attempt to send the paging message to the UE when the UE is in the in-coverage state with the NTN (D1: e.g., 8.2.2.1, paging (TAC with timestamp) as in Fig. 8.2.2.-1)
Regarding Claims 6 and 20, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein performing one or more actions comprise sending, to the core network, an indication that the UE is in the out-of-coverage state (D1: 8.2.1.1; If the location based paging is failed (implies paging indication between the gNB and AMF), AMF may extend the paging area and re-send the UE according to its paging policy, e.g. re-send the paging in the whole registration area of the UE).
Regarding Claim 7, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein performing one or more actions comprise sending, to the core network, an indication of one or more cells that are expected to be in communication with the UE when the UE is in an in-coverage state with the NTN (D1: e.g., 8.2.2.2, Step 5: UE measures and records the observed TAI list of the best cells with respect to time; Step 6: UE compares the TAI list assigned by AMF with the observed TAI from Step 5 and determines whether it is still within the registration area or not; Step 7: If UE concludes that it has left the registration area, it initiates the Registration Update procedure and reports the observed TAI list to AMF by which AMF may assign a new UE-specific TAI list. The determination of the observed TAI list in UE including adding or deleting a TAI is possible alternative).
Regarding Claims 8, 22 and 26, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein performing one or more actions comprise sending, to the core network, an indication of when the UE is expected to be in an in- coverage state with the NTN (D1: 8.2.2.1, AMF knows the UE's last location and will be served by NTN beam#2 with TAC#2 during 10:11-10:20. AMF sends the Paging message with TAC#2 to the NG-RAN).
Regarding Claims 9 and 25, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein the radio paging information includes an indication of a duration of an out-of-coverage state between the UE and a cell (D1: 8.2.2.1, The REGISTRATION ACCEPT message includes enhanced Registration Area information, consisting of a list of TAIs with timing information (in this example, AMF would like the UE to initiate a Registration Update 10-min later)
+ TAC#1 with (10:05 – 10:10)
+ TAC#2 with (10:11 – 10:15)).
Regarding Claims 10 and 24, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein performing one or more actions comprise sending, to the core network, an indication that a cell will refrain from sending the paging message (D1: 8.7.1.3, e.g., the gNB may continue to broadcast system information while the switch is ongoing, but refrain from scheduling any users, i.e., cell refrains from sending user/UE scheduling).
Regarding Claims 11 and 23, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, to the core network, an indication of when the UE will be in an in-coverage state with a cell to send a paging message to the UE (D1: 8.2.2.1, The REGISTRATION ACCEPT message includes enhanced Registration Area information, consisting of a list of TAIs with timing information (in this example, AMF would like the UE to initiate a Registration Update 10-min later)
+ TAC#1 with (10:05 – 10:10)
+ TAC#2 with (10:11 – 10:15)).
Regarding Claims 12 and 27, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, to the core network, an indication of when the UE was last in an in-coverage state with the NTN (D1: 8.2.2.1. during registration; D2: Fig. 1, when UE is released).
Regarding Claim 13, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the UE, capability information indicating that the UE will be in a power saving state during an out-of- coverage state between the UE and a cell (D1: p132, definition of additional assistance information for cell selection/reselection (e.g. using UE location information, satellite Ephemeris information); Use earth-fixed tracking area to avoid frequent TAU in idle mode; 7.2.1.2.1: e.g., using drx-Inactivity-Timer) .
Regarding Claims 14 and 28, Geng as modified further teaches:
The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the UE, capability information indicating that the UE will be reachable after exiting an out-of-coverage state between the UE and a cell (Geng: e.g., par. ” network device obtains capability information of the terminal device, where the capability information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports the NTN cell and/or the TN cell”).
Regarding Claim 21, all limitations are taught by Claims 7-8. Therefore, Claim 21 is rejected for the same reasons as Claims 7-8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHITONG CHEN whose telephone number is (571) 270-1936. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9:30am - 5pm.
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/ZHITONG CHEN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649