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 .
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, 3-5, 9, 11-13, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cheng et al (US 2022/0248277) (hereinafter Cheng).
Regarding claim 1, Cheng discloses a method for communication, performed by a terminal device (e.g., UE 302), the method comprising: obtaining one or more early measurement results of one or more target cells (see Chang, Fig. 3, cells 1-2, Fig. 4, p. [0052], e.g., the UE maintains one log file (e.g., VarMeasEarlyReport) to store the early measurements of multiple RATs (e.g., LTE and 5G NR)), wherein each of the one or more early measurement results comprises respective location-related information (see Cheng, p. [0046-0048], e.g., The early measurement configuration 306 may indicate the validity area where the UE performs early measurements); and transmitting the one or more early measurement results to a network device (see Cheng, p. [0052], e.g., the UE may report measurements of both LTE and 5G NR to the network as early measurements 316 (e.g., UEInformationResponse) upon reception of an early measurements request 314 (e.g., UEInformationRequest)).
Regarding claim 3, Cheng discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: before obtaining the one or more early measurement results of the one or more target cells, receiving measurement configuration information from the network device (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB), or other suitable messages); and performing a measurement based on the measurement configuration information to obtain the one or more early measurement results of the one or more target cells (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0048], e.g., Based on the early measurement configuration 306, the UE may perform early measurements 307 of cells configured in the validity area).
Regarding claim 4, Cheng discloses the method of claim 3, wherein receiving the measurement configuration information from the network device comprises: receiving a system information block (SIB) message from the network device and obtaining the measurement configuration information based on the SIB message (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB), or other suitable messages); or receiving a radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network device, and obtaining the measurement configuration information based on the RRC signaling.
Regarding claim 5, Cheng discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises at least one of: location reporting assistance information; or location reporting condition information (see Cheng, p. [0048-0051], e.g., The early measurement configuration 306 may indicate the validity area where the UE performs early measurements).
Regarding claim 9, Cheng discloses a network device, comprising: a transceiver, configured to receive, from a terminal device (e.g., UE 302), one or more early measurement results of one or more target cells (see Chang, Fig. 3, cells 1-2, Fig. 4, p. [0052], e.g., the UE maintains one log file (e.g., VarMeasEarlyReport) to store the early measurements of multiple RATs (e.g., LTE and 5G NR)), wherein each of the one or more early measurement results comprises respective location-related information (see Cheng, p. [0046-0048], e.g., The early measurement configuration 306 may indicate the validity area where the UE performs early measurements); and a processor, configured to determine, based on the one or more early measurement results, one or more to-be-configured (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0048], e.g., Based on the early measurement configuration 306, the UE may perform early measurements 307 of cells configured in the validity area) or to-be-activated cells in the one or more target cells.
Regarding claim 11, Cheng discloses the network device of claim 9, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit measurement configuration information to the terminal device before receiving, from the terminal device, the one or more early measurement results of the one or more target cells (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB).
Regarding claim 12, Cheng discloses the network device of claim 10, wherein the transceiver is further configured to: transmit a system information block (SIB) message to the terminal device, wherein the SIB message comprises the measurement configuration information (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB); or transmit a radio resource control (RRC) signaling to the terminal device, wherein the RRC signaling comprises the measurement configuration information.
Regarding claim 13, Cheng discloses a terminal device (e.g., UE 302), comprising: a processor, configured to obtain one or more early measurement results of one or more target cells (see Chang, Fig. 3, cells 1-2, Fig. 4, p. [0052], e.g., the UE maintains one log file (e.g., VarMeasEarlyReport) to store the early measurements of multiple RATs (e.g., LTE and 5G NR)), wherein each of the one or more early measurement results comprises respective location-related information (see Cheng, p. [0046-0048], e.g., The early measurement configuration 306 may indicate the validity area where the UE performs early measurements); and a transceiver, configured to transmit the one or more early measurement results to a network device (see Cheng, p. [0052], e.g., the UE may report measurements of both LTE and 5G NR to the network as early measurements 316 (e.g., UEInformationResponse) upon reception of an early measurements request 314 (e.g., UEInformationRequest)).
Regarding claim 15, Cheng discloses the terminal device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to: before obtaining the one or more early measurement results of the one or more target cells, receive, through the transceiver, measurement configuration information from the network device (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB), or other suitable messages); and perform a measurement based on the measurement configuration information to obtain the one or more early measurement results of the one or more target cells (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0048], e.g., Based on the early measurement configuration 306, the UE may perform early measurements 307 of cells configured in the validity area).
Regarding claim 16, Cheng discloses the terminal device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, through the transceiver, a system information block (SIB) message from the network device and obtain the measurement configuration information based on the SIB message (see Cheng, Fig. 3, p. [0046], e.g., the first cell may transmit the early measurement configuration 306 in a radio resource configuration (RRC) release message, system information block (SIB), or other suitable messages); or receive, through the transceiver, a radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network device and obtain the measurement configuration information based on the RRC signaling.
Regarding claim 17, Cheng discloses the terminal device of claim 15, wherein the measurement configuration information comprises at least one of: location reporting assistance information; or location reporting condition information (see Cheng, p. [0048-0051], e.g., The early measurement configuration 306 may indicate the validity area where the UE performs early measurements).
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 2, 6-8, 10, 14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Tseng et al (US 2023/0344508) (hereinafter Tseng).
Regarding claim 1, Cheng does not expressly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the location-related information comprises at least one of: a distance from the terminal device to a satellite; a distance from the terminal device to a ground reference point of a cell; a timing advance (TA) value from the terminal device to the cell; a round-trip time (RTT) value from the terminal device to the cell; a RTT value from the terminal device to the satellite; or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) location of the terminal device.
Tseng discloses the above recited limitations. In particular, Tseng discloses the location-related information comprises at least one of: a distance from the terminal device to a satellite (see Tseng, Fig. 3, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) assistance information, and p. [0100], e.g., table 1, e.g., (2) location information of at least one geographical reference point (e.g., a geographical location of an NTN Gateway (NTN GW) or other reference points) may be configured in the NTN assistance information).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Tseng and Chen to use NTN assistance information to assist UEs to estimate a timing advance (TA) values as suggested by Tseng.
Regarding claim 6, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the method of claim 5, wherein the location reporting assistance information comprises at least one of: ephemeris information of a satellite associated with one or more cells; or one or more ground reference points of the one or more cells (see Tseng, Fig. 3, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) assistance information, and p. [0100], e.g., table 1, e.g., (2) location information of at least one geographical reference point (e.g., a geographical location of an NTN Gateway (NTN GW) or other reference points) may be configured in the NTN assistance information).
Regarding claim 7, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the method of claim 5, wherein the location reporting condition information comprises at least one of: a first distance threshold from the terminal device to a satellite; a second distance threshold from the terminal device to a ground reference point of a cell (see Tseng, p. [0094], e.g., the UE 502 may send a measurement report(s) to the source base station 504 when a measurement event criterion is met (e.g., when an event is triggered by a lower threshold set for a neighboring cell(s))); a TA threshold from the terminal device to the cell; a first RTT threshold from the terminal device to the cell; or a second RTT threshold from the terminal device to the satellite.
Regarding claim 8, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the following applies:
when the location reporting condition information comprises the first distance threshold, a distance from the terminal device to a satellite associated with the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the first distance threshold; when the location reporting condition information comprises the second distance threshold, a distance from the terminal device to one or more ground reference points of the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the second distance threshold ((see Tseng, p. [0094], e.g., the UE 502 may send a measurement report(s) to the source base station 504 when a measurement event criterion is met (e.g., when an event is triggered by a lower threshold set for a neighboring cell(s))); when the location reporting condition information comprises the TA threshold, a TA value from the terminal device to the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the TA threshold; when the location reporting condition information comprises the first RTT threshold, a RTT value from the terminal device to the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the first RTT threshold; or
when the location reporting condition information comprises the second RTT threshold, a RTT value from the terminal device to the satellite associated with the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the second RTT threshold.
Regarding claim 10, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the network device of claim 9, wherein the location-related information comprises at least one of: a distance from the terminal device to a satellite (see Tseng, Fig. 3, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) assistance information, and p. [0100], e.g., table 1, e.g., (2) location information of at least one geographical reference point (e.g., a geographical location of an NTN Gateway (NTN GW) or other reference points) may be configured in the NTN assistance information); a distance from the terminal device to a ground reference point of a cell; a timing advance (TA) value from the terminal device to the cell; a round-trip time (RTT) value from the terminal device to the cell; a RTT value from the terminal device to the satellite; or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) location of the terminal device.
Regarding claim 14, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the terminal device of claim 13, wherein the location-related information comprises at least one of: a distance from the terminal device to a satellite (see Tseng, Fig. 3, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) assistance information, and p. [0100], e.g., table 1, e.g., (2) location information of at least one geographical reference point (e.g., a geographical location of an NTN Gateway (NTN GW) or other reference points) may be configured in the NTN assistance information); a distance from the terminal device to a ground reference point of a cell; a timing advance (TA) value from the terminal device to the cell; a round-trip time (RTT) value from the terminal device to the cell; a RTT value from the terminal device to the satellite; or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) location of the terminal device.
Regarding claim 18, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the terminal device of claim 17, wherein the location reporting assistance information comprises at least one of: ephemeris information of a satellite associated with one or more cells; or one or more ground reference points of one or more cells (see Tseng, Fig. 3, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) assistance information, and p. [0100], e.g., table 1, e.g., (2) location information of at least one geographical reference point (e.g., a geographical location of an NTN Gateway (NTN GW) or other reference points) may be configured in the NTN assistance information).
Regarding claim 19, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the terminal device of claim 17, wherein the location reporting condition information comprises at least one of: a first distance threshold from the terminal device to a satellite; a second distance threshold from the terminal device to a ground reference point of a cell (see Tseng, p. [0094], e.g., the UE 502 may send a measurement report(s) to the source base station 504 when a measurement event criterion is met (e.g., when an event is triggered by a lower threshold set for a neighboring cell(s))); a TA threshold from the terminal device to the cell; a first RTT threshold from the terminal device to the cell; or a second RTT threshold from the terminal device to the satellite.
Regarding claim 20, the combined teaching of Cheng and Tseng disclose the terminal device of claim 19, wherein at least one of the following applies: when the location reporting condition information comprises the first distance threshold, a distance from the terminal device to a satellite associated with the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the first distance threshold; when the location reporting condition information comprises the second distance threshold, a distance from the terminal device to one or more ground reference points of the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the second distance threshold (see Tseng, p. [0094], e.g., the UE 502 may send a measurement report(s) to the source base station 504 when a measurement event criterion is met (e.g., when an event is triggered by a lower threshold set for a neighboring cell(s))); when the location reporting condition information comprises the TA threshold, a TA value from the terminal device to the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the TA threshold; when the location reporting condition information comprises the first RTT threshold, a RTT value from the terminal device to the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the first RTT threshold; or when the location reporting condition information comprises the second RTT threshold, a RTT value from the terminal device to the satellite associated with the one or more target cells is less than or equal to the second RTT threshold.
Conclusion
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/MINH TRANG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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