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 statements (IDS) submitted on 25 January 2024 and 27 February 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-16 and 19 - 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication No. 20160302128 (Anchan et al).
Regarding claim 1, Anchan et al. discloses: “a method performed by a network node (FIG. 7A: “UE 730”) for handling configuration of a data connection for a user equipment, UE (FIG. 7A: “UE 710”), in a communication network, the method comprising: estimating a probability of a handover of the UE (FIG. 7A: 710, 720, 750, 755; [0091]: “As shown by reference number 755, UE 710 may identify a potential handoff (e.g., from source RAT 720 to target RAT 750) during the communication”; [0092]: “UE 710 may transmit message 760 (e.g., a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) message) indicating the potential handoff to UE 730 (e.g., via source RAT 720 and eNB740)”) from a source node (FIG. 7A: “Source RAT 720”) to a target node (FIG. 7A: “Target RAT 750”); estimating a handover latency (E) of the UE (FIG. 7A: “UE 710”, UE 730”; [0096]: “the UE 730 may receive the information indicating the potential handoff for UE 710. In some aspects, the information indicating the potential handoff may include information associated with …. a predicted handoff time, a predicted handoff duration, a predicted handoff type, or the like”); and at a time based on the estimated probability, modifying (702) the configuration of the data connection to accommodate for a handover interruption time delay based on the estimated handover latency (E)” ([0092]: “As shown by reference number 765, based on message 760, UE 730 may adjust a second communication parameter or a second communication rate. For example, UE 730 may utilize a rate adaptation algorithm to adjust a downlink communication rate associated with the communication with UE 710. In this way, UE 730 may pre-emptively adjust the communication rate of the communication, which may result in a lesser degradation of performance during the handoff”; [0097]: “the UE may adjust, based on the information indicating the potential handoff, communication parameter or a communication rate associated with the communication before the potential handoff occurs.”; “In some aspects, UE 730 may determine, based on the information indicating the potential handoff in message 760, an expected time for the potential handoff. In this case, UE 730 may adjust the communication rate before the expected time for the potential handoff”).
Regarding claim 9, Anchan et al. discloses: “a network node (FIG. 7A: “UE 730”) for handling configuration of a data connection for a user equipment, UE (FIG. 7A: “UE 730”), in a communication network, the network node being configured to: estimate a probability of a handover of the UE (FIG. 7A: 710, 720, 750, 755; [0091]: “As shown by reference number 755, UE 710 may identify a potential handoff (e.g., from source RAT 720 to target RAT 750) during the communication”; [0092]: “UE 710 may transmit message 760 (e.g., a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) message) indicating the potential handoff to UE 730 (e.g., via source RAT 720 and eNB740)”) from a source node (FIG. 7A: “Source RAT 720”) to a target node (FIG. 7A: “Target RAT 750”); estimate a handover latency (E) of the UE (FIG. 7A: “UE 710”, UE 730”; [0096]: “the UE 730 may receive the information indicating the potential handoff for UE 710. In some aspects, the information indicating the potential handoff may include information associated with …. a predicted handoff time, a predicted handoff duration, a predicted handoff type, or the like”); and at a time based on the estimated probability, modify the configuration of the data connection to accommodate for a handover interruption time delay based on the estimated handover latency (E)” ([0092]: “As shown by reference number 765, based on message 760, UE 730 may adjust a second communication parameter or a second communication rate. For example, UE 730 may utilize a rate adaptation algorithm to adjust a downlink communication rate associated with the communication with UE 710. In this way, UE 730 may pre-emptively adjust the communication rate of the communication, which may result in a lesser degradation of performance during the handoff”; [0097]: “the UE may adjust, based on the information indicating the potential handoff, communication parameter or a communication rate associated with the communication before the potential handoff occurs.”; “In some aspects, UE 730 may determine, based on the information indicating the potential handoff in message 760, an expected time for the potential handoff. In this case, UE 730 may adjust the communication rate before the expected time for the potential handoff”).
With respect to claims 2 and 10, Anchan et al. discloses: “modifying the configuration of the data connection is associated to one or more of: a lowering of a target latency (T) of link adaptation of the transmission of the data, a lowering of a block error rate, BLER, target and/or a packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, duplication” ([0103]: “UE 730 may maintain the communication rate. For example, after adjusting the communication rate based on receiving the indication of the potential handoff, UE 730 may receive information indicating an amount of jitter, a packet delay, or the like that is associated with triggering a rate adaptation algorithm to cause the communication rate to be adjusted”).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Anchan et al. discloses: “the target latency (T) of link adaptation of the transmission of the data is based on (O) - (E), wherein (O) is an original target
latency and (E) is the estimated handover latency” ([0103]: “UE 730 may reject an alteration to the communication rate, and may maintain the communication rate, based on pre-emptively adjusting the communication rate and based on receiving the identification of the potential handoff from UE 710”).
With respect to claims 4, 12 and 19, Anchan et al. discloses: “the estimating the probability of the handover is based on one or both handover related measurements and mobility predictions” ([0091]: “UE 710 may identify the potential handoff based on motion processor information…., based on signal strength information”).
Regarding claims 5, 13 and 20, Anchan et al. discloses: “the estimating the handover latency is based on pre-configured knowledge” ([0104]: “For example UE 730 may utilize a data structure (e.g., a table) storing delay characteristics for handoff types, and may determine a delay characteristic for a particular handoff type of the potential handoff”).
With respect to claims 6, 14 and 21, Anchan et al. discloses: “the estimated handover latency (E) (FIG. 7A: “UE 710”, UE 730”; [0096]: “the UE 730 may receive the information indicating the potential handoff for UE 710. In some aspects, the information indicating the potential handoff may include information associated with …. a predicted handoff time, a predicted handoff duration, a predicted handoff type, or the like”) is indicated from the source node (FIG. 7A: “Source RAT 720”) to the target node” (FIG. 7A: “Target RAT 750”).
Regarding claims 7, 15 and 22, Anchan et al. discloses: “a type of the handover is identified ([0096]: “the handoff type may indicate an inter-RAT handoff, an intra-RAT handoff, or the like”) to determine the corresponding handover interruption time” ([0100]: “UE 730 may determine a handoff duration associated with the potential handoff based on information identifying a handoff type for the potential handoff”).
With respect to claims 8 and 16, Anchan et al. discloses: “the type of the handover is identified based on capabilities of one or both of the UE and the communication network” ([0096]: “the handoff type may indicate an inter-RAT handoff, an intra-RAT handoff, or the like. For example, UE 730 may receive the message 760 and may determine that UE 710 is undergoing a Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi handoff, a Wi-Fi to LTE handoff, or the like”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MYRON K WYCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-3390. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Myron Wyche/ 07 January 2026
Primary Examiner AU2644