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 filed on 3/26/2024 complies with 37 CFR 1.97. Therefore, the information referred therein has been considered.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-10, 12, 14-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US 2020/0077352).
Regarding claim 1, Yu discloses a method comprising: receiving, by a first base station from a second base station of a network ([0142], “As shown in FIG. 2, optionally, in step S230, the third communications device (e.g., second base station) sends first information to the first communications device (e.g., first base station).”), a first message ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) indicating whether the second base station performs traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”); and sending, by the first base station to a wireless device and based on the first message, a second message indicating that the network provides traceability to UTC ([0148], “S220. The first communications device provides time information for the second communications device based on the authorization information. Optionally, the time information is used by the second communications device (e.g., wireless device) to perform the time synchronization.”).
Regarding claim 2, Yu discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the first base station to the second base station, a third message comprising a first parameter indicating whether the first base station performs traceability to UTC ([0172], “The first information may be authorization information, quality of service information, network slice information, or the like. Optionally, the first communications device may feed back a response message to the third communications device, where the response message indicates that the first communications device obtains the first information.”).
Regarding claim 3, Yu discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the third message comprises one of: a handover request; or a secondary node addition request ([0172], “It should be understood that an interaction procedure in which the third communications device sends the first information to the first communications device and the first communications device feeds back the response message to the third communications device may exist in a context establishment procedure, or may exist in a context resume procedure, or may exist in a path switch procedure initiated by a base station, or may exist in a handover procedure initiated by a core network, or may exist in a procedure of handover between a source gNB and a target gNB, or the like.”).
Regarding claim 5, Yu discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first message received from the second base station ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) comprises a network provides traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to UTC indication ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”).
Regarding claim 7, Yu discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the second base station comprises at least one of ([0173], “The third communications device may be a core network device or a core network node, for example, an SMF node, an AMF node, or an MME, or may be a base station.”): a base station central unit (BS-CU); or a base station distribute unit (BS-DU) ([0142], “Optionally, in this embodiment of this application, a first communications device may be a radio access network device or node (for example, a base station (base station, BS), a gNB, an eNB, a centralized unit (centralized unit, CU), or a distributed unit (distributed unit, DU)), and a second communications device may be a terminal device, UE, a D2D device, a BS, a gNB, an eNB, a CU, or a DU.”).
Regarding claim 8, Yu discloses a first base station comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first base station to ([0279], “a processor 901, a memory 902, and a transceiver 903.”): receive, from a second base station of a network ([0142], “As shown in FIG. 2, optionally, in step S230, the third communications device (e.g., second base station) sends first information to the first communications device (e.g., first base station).”), a first message ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) indicating whether the second base station performs traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”); and send, to a wireless device and based on the first message, a second message indicating that the network provides traceability to UTC ([0148], “S220. The first communications device provides time information for the second communications device based on the authorization information. Optionally, the time information is used by the second communications device (e.g., wireless device) to perform the time synchronization.”).
Regarding claim 9, Yu discloses the first base station of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the first base station to send, to the second base station, a third message comprising a first parameter indicating whether the first base station performs traceability to UTC ([0172], “The first information may be authorization information, quality of service information, network slice information, or the like. Optionally, the first communications device may feed back a response message to the third communications device, where the response message indicates that the first communications device obtains the first information.”).
Regarding claim 10, Yu discloses the first base station of claim 9, wherein the third message comprises one of: a handover request; or a secondary node addition request ([0172], “It should be understood that an interaction procedure in which the third communications device sends the first information to the first communications device and the first communications device feeds back the response message to the third communications device may exist in a context establishment procedure, or may exist in a context resume procedure, or may exist in a path switch procedure initiated by a base station, or may exist in a handover procedure initiated by a core network, or may exist in a procedure of handover between a source gNB and a target gNB, or the like.”).
Regarding claim 12, Yu discloses the first base station of claim 8, wherein the first message received from the second base station ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) comprises a network provides traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to UTC indication ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”).
Regarding claim 14, Yu discloses the first base station of claim 8, wherein the second base station comprises at least one of ([0173], “The third communications device may be a core network device or a core network node, for example, an SMF node, an AMF node, or an MME, or may be a base station.”): a base station central unit (BS-CU); or a base station distribute unit (BS-DU) ([0142], “Optionally, in this embodiment of this application, a first communications device may be a radio access network device or node (for example, a base station (base station, BS), a gNB, an eNB, a centralized unit (centralized unit, CU), or a distributed unit (distributed unit, DU)), and a second communications device may be a terminal device, UE, a D2D device, a BS, a gNB, an eNB, a CU, or a DU.”).
Regarding claim 15, Yu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first base station to ([0280], “The processor 901, the memory 902, and the transceiver 903 communicate with each other through an internal connection path, to transmit a control and/or data signal.”): receive, from a second base station of a network ([0142], “As shown in FIG. 2, optionally, in step S230, the third communications device (e.g., second base station) sends first information to the first communications device (e.g., first base station).”), a first message ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) indicating whether the second base station performs traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”); and send, to a wireless device and based on the first message, a second message indicating that the network provides traceability to UTC ([0148], “S220. The first communications device provides time information for the second communications device based on the authorization information. Optionally, the time information is used by the second communications device (e.g., wireless device) to perform the time synchronization.”).
Regarding claim 16, Yu discloses the computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the first base station to send, to the second base station, a third message comprising a first parameter indicating whether the first base station performs traceability to UTC ([0172], “The first information may be authorization information, quality of service information, network slice information, or the like. Optionally, the first communications device may feed back a response message to the third communications device, where the response message indicates that the first communications device obtains the first information.”).
Regarding claim 17, Yu discloses the computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the third message comprises one of: a handover request; or a secondary node addition request ([0172], “It should be understood that an interaction procedure in which the third communications device sends the first information to the first communications device and the first communications device feeds back the response message to the third communications device may exist in a context establishment procedure, or may exist in a context resume procedure, or may exist in a path switch procedure initiated by a base station, or may exist in a handover procedure initiated by a core network, or may exist in a procedure of handover between a source gNB and a target gNB, or the like.”).
Regarding claim 19, Yu discloses the computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first message received from the second base station ([0143], “S210. The first communications device obtains authorization information, where the authorization information indicates that the second communications device is a device that needs to perform time synchronization.”) comprises a network provides traceability ([0144], “It should be understood that in this embodiment of this application, the time synchronization may be time synchronization between a base station and a terminal, or may be time synchronization between terminals, or may be time synchronization between a terminal and a reference clock, or may be that a terminal needs to obtain time information provided by an access network device.”) to UTC indication ([0151], “The reference clock may be a coordinated universal time (coordinated universal time, UTC) time, or a global positioning system (global position system, GPS) time, or a local time of a base station, or a local time of a device with which the second communications device needs to perform time synchronization.”).
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, 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 4, 11, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2020/0077352) in view of Eyuboglu et al. (US 2018/0295591).
Regarding claim 4, Yu does not disclose the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. Eyuboglu discloses the method of claim 2, wherein: the third message comprises at least one of: a second parameter indicating a request of UTC time; or a third parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI); and the requested time KPI comprises at least one of: a requested accuracy of time service; a requested interval of time service; or a requested coverage area of time service ([0250], “The CU can also acquire timing and frequency synchronization through other means, for example from a network server or by listening to signals transmitted by a macro cell base station nearby. In some implementations, a timing transport protocol is used to carry a stable absolute timing phase and frequency reference that is traceable to coordinated universal time (UTC/GPS) from the CU to the RUs.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Eyuboglu to have the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. The motivation would have been to improve accuracy (e.g., Eyuboglu [0250]).
Regarding claim 11, Yu does not disclose the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. Eyuboglu discloses the first base station of claim 9, wherein: the third message comprises at least one of: a second parameter indicating a request of UTC time; or a third parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI); and the requested time KPI comprises at least one of: a requested accuracy of time service; a requested interval of time service; or a requested coverage area of time service ([0250], “The CU can also acquire timing and frequency synchronization through other means, for example from a network server or by listening to signals transmitted by a macro cell base station nearby. In some implementations, a timing transport protocol is used to carry a stable absolute timing phase and frequency reference that is traceable to coordinated universal time (UTC/GPS) from the CU to the RUs.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Eyuboglu to have the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. The motivation would have been to improve accuracy (e.g., Eyuboglu [0250]).
Regarding claim 18, Yu does not disclose the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. Eyuboglu discloses the computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein: the third message comprises at least one of: a second parameter indicating a request of UTC time; or a third parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI); and the requested time KPI comprises at least one of: a requested accuracy of time service; a requested interval of time service; or a requested coverage area of time service ([0250], “The CU can also acquire timing and frequency synchronization through other means, for example from a network server or by listening to signals transmitted by a macro cell base station nearby. In some implementations, a timing transport protocol is used to carry a stable absolute timing phase and frequency reference that is traceable to coordinated universal time (UTC/GPS) from the CU to the RUs.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Eyuboglu to have the second parameter indicating UTC time in the third message. The motivation would have been to improve accuracy (e.g., Eyuboglu [0250]).
Claims 6, 13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2020/0077352) in view of Li et al. (US 2023/0362741).
Regarding claim 6, Yu does not disclose the RRC reconfiguration message. Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the second message comprises a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message ([0085], “If a random-access-less handover or reconfiguration method is used, the first entity sends information such as TA offset, frequency offset compensation, uplink grant and/or transmission power control etc. to the UE. The TA offset may be a TA value carrying with multiple time stamps, and the information may be transferred by, for example, RRC reconfiguration, wherein the TA offset may also be broadcast by a system information.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Li to have the RRC reconfiguration message. The motivation would have been to reduce random access conflicts (e.g., Li [0087]).
Regarding claim 13, Yu does not disclose the RRC reconfiguration message. Li discloses the first base station of claim 8, wherein the second message comprises a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message [0085], “If a random-access-less handover or reconfiguration method is used, the first entity sends information such as TA offset, frequency offset compensation, uplink grant and/or transmission power control etc. to the UE. The TA offset may be a TA value carrying with multiple time stamps, and the information may be transferred by, for example, RRC reconfiguration, wherein the TA offset may also be broadcast by a system information.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Li to have the RRC reconfiguration message. The motivation would have been to reduce random access conflicts (e.g., Li [0087]).
Regarding claim 20, Yu discloses the computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second message comprises a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message ([0085], “If a random-access-less handover or reconfiguration method is used, the first entity sends information such as TA offset, frequency offset compensation, uplink grant and/or transmission power control etc. to the UE. The TA offset may be a TA value carrying with multiple time stamps, and the information may be transferred by, for example, RRC reconfiguration, wherein the TA offset may also be broadcast by a system information.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu in view of Li to have the RRC reconfiguration message. The motivation would have been to reduce random access conflicts (e.g., Li [0087]).
Conclusion
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/NICK ANON SUNDARA/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479