DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/681512 filed on 02/05/2024 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Claims 1-17, 19 are pending. Claim 18 was cancelled.
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 . 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 16, 17 are objected to because of the following informality:
In this case, claims 16, 17 each recites limitation for performing certain step(s) only if a specific condition is satisfied (Conditional Statement). Such limitations are considered as optional limitations since they are not performed until specific conditions are met. Applicant should change the word “if” to “responsive to determining that…..” in order to alter an optional limitation to a required limitation. For the purpose of examination, claimed limitations will be considered as optional limitations since they are not performed until specific conditions are met.
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 1-17, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Da Silva et al. (US 2023/0363027 A1)
As per claim 1, Da Silva discloses “A method implemented in a master node (MN) for managing a conditional procedure that involves a user equipment (UE), a candidate secondary node (C-SN), and the MN, the method comprising: transmitting, by the MN to the C-SN, a request to perform the conditional procedure related to the C-SN and the UE,” [(par. 0293), At step 1 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as Master Node (MN) 20 for a UE 30 operating in MR-DC decides to configure CPA for the UE 30 based on, for example, measurements reports received from the UE 30. Upon determining to configure CPA, the MN sends to the T-SN 40 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message including an indication that the request is for CPA (i.e., it is not for a PSA to be performed immediately as in previous approaches for PSA) The S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message also contains information regarding the execution condition(s) to be considered when the SN 40 generates the CPA configuration.] “the conditional procedure associated with a condition and a conditional configuration according to which the UE connects to the C-SN when the condition is satisfied;” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.] “receiving, by the MN from the C-SN, a response to the request, the response including an SN-to-MN container; and retrieving, by the MN, the conditional configuration from the SN-to-MN container” [(par. 0136), FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates an example signalling diagram of CPA (Conditional PSCell Addition) in which the SN defines the conditions. (par. 0297), At step 2 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as candidate SN (candidate T-SN) 40 sends to the MN 20 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including an RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration*), which includes the CPA configuration generated by the SN 40 and to be applied upon reception by the UE 30. (par. 0159), RRC Reconfiguration is included in an RRC container like the CG-Config. (par. 0304), At step 3 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, upon reception of the acknowledge message (S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE) from the candidate SN 40, the MN 20 generates a new RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g. denoted RRCReconfiguration) to be provided to the UE 30. (par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.]
As per claim 2, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein retrieving the conditional configuration includes: retrieving the conditional configuration from a CG-Config information element (IE) included in the SN-to-MN container” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
As per claim 3, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein retrieving the conditional configuration includes: retrieving, from the response, one or more conditional configurations, the conditional configuration included in the one or more conditional configurations, wherein the UE connects to the C-SN in accordance with a particular conditional configuration of the one or more conditional configurations when a respective condition of one or more conditions is satisfied” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions,]
As per claim 4, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 3,” as [see rejection of claim 3.] “wherein retrieving the one or more conditional configurations includes: retrieving the one or more conditional configurations from a respective one or more CG-Config information elements (IEs) included in the response” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions,]
As per claim 5, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein receiving the response: receiving an SN Addition Request Acknowledge message” [(par. 0136), FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates an example signalling diagram of CPA (Conditional PSCell Addition) in which the SN defines the conditions. (par. 0297), At step 2 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as candidate SN (candidate T-SN) 40 sends to the MN 20 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including an RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration*), which includes the CPA configuration generated by the SN 40 and to be applied upon reception by the UE 30. (par. 0304), At step 3 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, upon reception of the acknowledge message (S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE) from the candidate SN 40.]
As per claim 6, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein retrieving the conditional configuration includes: retrieving the conditional configuration from an S-NG-RAN node to M-NG-RAN node Container or an SgNB to MeNB Container” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308),Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
As per claim 7, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the conditional procedure is a conditional primary secondary cell (PSCell) addition or change (CPAC) procedure or a conditional SN addition or change (CSAC) procedure” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
As per claim 8, Da Silva discloses “A method implemented in a candidate secondary node (C-SN) for managing a conditional procedure that involves a user equipment (UE), a master node (MN), and the C-SN, the method comprising: receiving, by the C-SN from the MN, a request to perform the conditional procedure related to the C-SN and the UE,” as [(par. 0293), At step 1 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as Master Node (MN) 20 for a UE 30 operating in MR-DC decides to configure CPA for the UE 30 based on, for example, measurements reports received from the UE 30. Upon determining to configure CPA, the MN sends to the T-SN 40 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message including an indication that the request is for CPA (i.e., it is not for a PSA to be performed immediately as in previous approaches for PSA) The S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message also contains information regarding the execution condition(s) to be considered when the SN 40 generates the CPA configuration.] “the conditional procedure associated with a condition and a conditional configuration according to which the UE connects to the C-SN when the condition is satisfied;” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.] “generating, by the C-SN, a response to the request, the response including an SN-to-MN container including the conditional configuration; and transmitting, by the C-SN to the MN, the response” [(par. 0136), FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates an example signalling diagram of CPA (Conditional PSCell Addition) in which the SN defines the conditions. (par. 0297), At step 2 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as candidate SN (candidate T-SN) 40 sends to the MN 20 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including an RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration*), which includes the CPA configuration generated by the SN 40 and to be applied upon reception by the UE 30. (par. 0159), RRC Reconfiguration is included in an RRC container like the CG-Config. (par. 0304), At step 3 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, upon reception of the acknowledge message (S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE) from the candidate SN 40, the MN 20 generates a new RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g. denoted RRCReconfiguration) to be provided to the UE 30. (par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.]
As per claims 9-14, as [see rejections of claims 2-7.]
As per claim 15, Da Silva discloses “A method implemented in a master node (MN) for managing a conditional procedure configuration related to a user equipment (UE) able to communicate in dual connectivity (DC) with the MN and a secondary node (SN), the method comprising: transmitting, by the MN to the SN, a request to perform a procedure related to communication between the UE and the SN;” [(par. 0293), At step 1 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as Master Node (MN) 20 for a UE 30 operating in MR-DC decides to configure CPA for the UE 30 based on, for example, measurements reports received from the UE 30. Upon determining to configure CPA, the MN sends to the T-SN 40 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message including an indication that the request is for CPA (i.e., it is not for a PSA to be performed immediately as in previous approaches for PSA) The S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST message also contains information regarding the execution condition(s) to be considered when the SN 40 generates the CPA configuration.] “receiving, by the MN from the SN, a response to the request, the response including an SN-to-MN container;” [(par. 0136), FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates an example signalling diagram of CPA (Conditional PSCell Addition) in which the SN defines the conditions. (par. 0297), At step 2 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as candidate SN (candidate T-SN) 40 sends to the MN 20 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including an RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration*), which includes the CPA configuration generated by the SN 40 and to be applied upon reception by the UE 30. (par. 0159), RRC Reconfiguration is included in an RRC container like the CG-Config. (par. 0304), At step 3 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, upon reception of the acknowledge message (S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE) from the candidate SN 40, the MN 20 generates a new RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g. denoted RRCReconfiguration) to be provided to the UE 30. (par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308),Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.] “and determining, by the MN, whether the procedure is a conditional procedure based on a content of the SN-to-MN container” [(par. 0136), FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates an example signalling diagram of CPA (Conditional PSCell Addition) in which the SN defines the conditions. (par. 0297), At step 2 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, the node operating as candidate SN (candidate T-SN) 40 sends to the MN 20 an S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including an RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration*), which includes the CPA configuration generated by the SN 40 and to be applied upon reception by the UE 30. (par. 0304), At step 3 of the example embodiment of FIG. 5A, upon reception of the acknowledge message (S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE) from the candidate SN 40, the MN 20 generates a new RRC Reconfiguration message (e.g. denoted RRCReconfiguration) to be provided to the UE 30. (par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration. (par. 0314), At this point, the conditional reconfiguration may be considered as configured. During this preparation phase, the UE 30 monitors the execution conditions, (par. 0315), after the UE 30 is configured with conditional reconfiguration, the UE 30 starts to monitor the execution condition(s) associated to the target candidate's RRC Reconfiguration. (par. 0320), the SN 40 is the node determining the execution conditions. In other words, the MN 20 in the SN Addition Request would not need to provide the configurations of execution conditions, but that would be determined by the SN 40, and set by the SN 40 in the CPA configuration to be provided to the UE 30.]
As per claim 16, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 15,” as [see rejection of claim 15.] “wherein if the SN-to-MN container is empty, then a result of the determining is that the procedure is conditional and the MN retrieves the conditional procedure configuration from another container or another message” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
As per claim 17, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 15,” as [see rejection of claim 15.] “wherein if the SN-to-MN container includes more than one SN-UE-communication configurations, then a result of the determining is that the procedure is conditional and the conditional procedure configuration is among the more than one SN-UE-communication configurations” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
As per claim 19, Da Silva discloses “The method of claim 15,” as [see rejection of claim 15.] “wherein the SN-to-MN container a CG-Config IE” [(par. 0305), After generating the wrapper RRCReconfiguration message the MN 20 sends the message to the UE 30. In other words, the message received by the MN 20 is set within the RRC Reconfiguration in MN format. An example is shown below for the nested messages and IEs/fields: (par. 0308), Conditional Reconfiguration (for CPA, generated by SN); (par. 0310), For each candidate PSCell, execution condition configuration.]
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)(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, 8, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by OPPO, “Discussion on conditional PSCell addition”, R2-2100847, Jan 25 – Feb 5, 2021. (From Applicant’s IDS)
As per claim 1, OPPO discloses “A method implemented in a master node (MN) for managing a conditional procedure that involves a user equipment (UE), a candidate secondary node (C-SN), and the MN, the method comprising: transmitting, by the MN to the C-SN, a request to perform the conditional procedure related to the C-SN and the UE,” as [(fig. 1), Trigger conditional SN/PSCell addition (p.2), 2.1 the procedure of PSCell addition: In the figure 1, MN determines the candidate SN based on the measurement results provided by the UE, and then forwards the conditional SN addition Request towards the candidate SN.] “the conditional procedure associated with a condition and a conditional configuration according to which the UE connects to the C-SN when the condition is satisfied;” [(p.1), 2.1 the procedure of PSCell addition: (p.2), In addition, the MN should generate and transmit the conditional configuration message consisting of the execution conditions and the RRCReconfiguration provided by the candidate PSCells to the UE. (p.3), After reception of such RRCReconfiguration message, UE starts to evaluate whether or not the measurement results of the target PSCells meet the condition. Once the condition is met, the UE will perform RACH access towards the corresponding target PSCell.] “receiving, by the MN from the C-SN, a response to the request, the response including an SN-to-MN container; and retrieving, by the MN, the conditional configuration from the SN-to-MN container” [(fig. 1 and p.2), RRCReconfiguration message consisting of the execution condition set per target PSCell and the configuration provided by the candidate SN Addition Request ACK msg could be sent by the UE in the step 3.]
As per claims 8, 15, as [see rejections of claims 1.]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANG HANG YEUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-7319. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rebecca Song can be reached on (571) 270-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANG HANG YEUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463