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 Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filled on 07/28/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 4-5, 8-9, 12-13, and 16 are amended.
Claims 2, 6, 10, and 14 are cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant arguments filed on 07/28/2026 have been fully considered and but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection(s)
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1,3-4,9,11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MARTIN to (WO 2024178349 A1) in view of “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM” from IDS
Regarding claims 1,9, MARTIN teaches a method, a terminal in a communication system, the terminal comprising: a transceiver; and at least one processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to([0035] FIG.1B is a system diagram illustrating an example WTRU 102. As shown in FIG.1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, a speaker/microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display/touchpad 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power source 134, a global positioning system (GPS) chipset 136, and/or other peripherals [0036] The processor 118 may be a general purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors) receive, from a gNodeB (gNB), a radio resource control (RRC) message including at least one layer 1/layer 2 triggered mobility (LTM) candidate configuration,( [0145] discloses a network entity (e.g., a gNB or a CU in case of CU/DU split architecture) may configure potential LTM candidates using RRC signaling. The WTRU may receive the LTM candidate configurations using an RRC reconfiguration message (e.g., during the “LTM preparation” phase shown in FIG.6). The WTRU may store the LTM candidate configurations. [0119] The L1/L2 triggered mobility (LTM) may involve a gNB configuring target candidate cells based on a WTRU detecting and reporting RRC measurements) receive, from the gNB, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) triggering an LTM cell switch, ([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6)), and apply an LTM candidate configuration for the LTM cell switch in case that the LTM candidate configuration includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration ([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6). gNB may decide to use LTM. The gNB may initiate LTM candidate preparation. At 2, the gNB may transmit an RRCReconfiguration message to the WTRU including the configuration of one or multiple LTM candidate target cells. At 3, the WTRU may store the configuration of LTM candidate target cell(s) and may transmit an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the gNB), but does not explicitly teach RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration
However, “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM” teaches RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration (Page.8, Proposal 6, The reference configuration can be modified or released by the network. Proposal 7, The UE, upon the execution of an LTM cell switch, is aware on whether the LTM candidate cell configuration that is applying is a full or a delta configuration)
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Martin to include RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration, as suggested by “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM”. This modification would benefit the system to facilitate a reliable handover procedure.
Regarding claims 3,11, MARTIN teaches wherein the information is configured for each of the at least one LTM candidate configuration([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6). gNB may decide to use LTM. The gNB may initiate LTM candidate preparation).
Regarding claims 4, 12, MARTIN teaches wherein the LTM reference configuration is received from the gNB([0128] As used herein, an “L1 measurement” may refer to a measurement, performed by a WTRU, of RSRP, RSRP, RSSI, etc., of a cell, beam, set of cells, or set of beams. Such L1 measurement may be similar to L3 measurements reported in radio resource management (RRM), with differences in the filtering, reference signals measured, reporting mechanisms, etc. [0129] L1 measurement may apply to RRM reporting. [0130] As used herein, “measurements” refers to L1 measurements for LTM. Feature(s) described herein may similarly apply to RRM/L3 measurements, as well as other measurements (e.g., measurements of speed, location, height, traffic, etc).
Claim(s) 5,7,8, 13,15,16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MARTIN to (WO 2024178349 A1) in view of Guo to (US 20230388871 A1) further in view of in view of “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM” from IDS
Regarding claims 5,13, MARTIN teaches a method, a central unit (CU) associated with a gNodeB (gNB), the CU comprising: ( [0145] discloses a network entity (e.g., a gNB or a CU in case of CU/DU split architecture) may configure potential LTM candidates using RRC signaling) a transceiver; and at least one processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to: and transmit, to a terminal, a radio resource control (RRC) message including the at least one LTM candidate configuration, ( [0145] discloses a network entity (e.g., a gNB or a CU in case of CU/DU split architecture) may configure potential LTM candidates using RRC signaling. The WTRU may receive the LTM candidate configurations using an RRC reconfiguration message (e.g., during the “LTM preparation” phase shown in FIG.6). The WTRU may store the LTM candidate configurations. [0119] The L1/L2 triggered mobility (LTM) may involve a gNB configuring target candidate cells based on a WTRU detecting and reporting RRC measurements) and transmit, to the terminal, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for triggering an LTM cell switch, ([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6)), wherein an LTM candidate configuration for the LTM cell switch is applied in case that the LTM candidate configuration includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration ([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6). gNB may decide to use LTM. The gNB may initiate LTM candidate preparation. At 2, the gNB may transmit an RRCReconfiguration message to the WTRU including the configuration of one or multiple LTM candidate target cells. At 3, the WTRU may store the configuration of LTM candidate target cell(s) and may transmit an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the gNB)
MARTIN does not explicitly teach transmit, to a distributed unit (DU) associated with the gNB, a context setup request message, receive, from the DU, a response message including at least one layer 1/layer 2 triggered mobility (LTM) candidate configuration as a response to the context setup request message
However, Guo teaches transmit, to a distributed unit (DU) associated with the gNB, a context setup request message, ([0197] discloses multiple candidate cell configurations with DU 5731 over F1, parallel preparation signalling each for each candidate cell via the UE Context Modification procedure is used, where DU 5731 is able to accept/reject the request for each candidate cell basis and also able to provide lower-layer configuration separately for each candidate cell) receive, from the DU, a response message including at least one layer 1/layer 2 triggered mobility (LTM) candidate configuration as a response to the context setup request message([0286] … contained in the L1L2 Inter-DU Mobility Information IE included in the UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message, then the gNB-DU may use the information to allocate necessary resources for the UE.[0287] If the ul-GapFR2-Config IE is contained in the DU to CU RRC Information IE that is included in the UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message, the gNB-CU uses it as described in [TS 38331], if supported. The content and various other aspects of the UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message…)
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Martin to include transmit, to a distributed unit (DU) associated with the gNB, a context setup request message, receive, from the DU, a response message including at least one layer 1/layer 2 triggered mobility (LTM) candidate configuration as a response to the context setup request message, as suggested by Guo. This modification would benefit the system to facilitate a reliable handover procedure.
The combination of Martin and Guo does not explicitly teach RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration
However, “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM” teaches RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration (Page.8, Proposal 6, The reference configuration can be modified or released by the network. Proposal 7, The UE, upon the execution of an LTM cell switch, is aware on whether the LTM candidate cell configuration that is applying is a full or a delta configuration)
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of The combination of Martin and Guo to include RRC message includes information indicating that the LTM candidate configuration is a complete configuration, as suggested by “Discussion on RRC aspects for LTM”. This modification would benefit the system to facilitate a reliable handover procedure.
Regarding claims 7, 15 , MARTIN teaches wherein the information is configured for each of the at least one LTM candidate configuration([0145] discloses The WTRU may (e.g., later) apply the LTM candidate configurations upon receiving (e.g., using L1/L2 signaling, for example, a MAC CE), an indication to perform a cell switch (e.g., during the “LTM execution” phase shown in FIG.6). gNB may decide to use LTM. The gNB may initiate LTM candidate preparation).
Regarding claims 8,16, MARTIN teaches wherein the LTM reference configuration is configured by the gNB([0128] As used herein, an “L1 measurement” may refer to a measurement, performed by a WTRU, of RSRP, RSRP, RSSI, etc., of a cell, beam, set of cells, or set of beams. Such L1 measurement may be similar to L3 measurements reported in radio resource management (RRM), with differences in the filtering, reference signals measured, reporting mechanisms, etc. [0129] L1 measurement may apply to RRM reporting. [0130] As used herein, “measurements” refers to L1 measurements for LTM. Feature(s) described herein may similarly apply to RRM/L3 measurements, as well as other measurements (e.g., measurements of speed, location, height, traffic, etc).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZEWDU A BEYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZEWDU A BEYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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