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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0167445) in view of Purkayastha et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0225457) and further in view of Kim et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0349088).
Regarding claim 1, Wang et al. discloses a terminal apparatus (see terminal in para. 0118) that communicates with a base station apparatus (read as access network device in para. 0118), the terminal apparatus comprising:
a processor (see processing unit 1101 in fig. 11) configured to perform communication using an MCG and an SCG (see fig. 3b, MN in communication with MCG and SN in communication with SCG; fig. 9, UE in communication with MN and SN); and
a receiver (see transceiver unit 1102 in fig. 11), wherein the MCG includes at least a PCell (see para. 0101; when MCG includes only one cell, the cell is a primary cell (primary cell, PCell) of the terminal), the SCG includes at least a PSCell (see para. 0101; When the SCG includes only one cell, the cell is a primary secondary cell (primary secondary cell, PSCell) of the terminal),
the receiver is configured to receive, from the base station apparatus, an RRC message indicating deactivation of the SCG and including information indicating whether to perform radio link monitoring on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see step 401 in fig. 4; step 902 in fig. 9; para. 0006, 0018, 0118, 0121, 0124, 0126-0130, 0144, 0229-0231; S401. A terminal receives a deactivation (deactivation) indication from an access network device, where the deactivation indication is used to indicate that a PSCell in an SCG is in a deactivated state. In para. 0126, the message/signaling may be physical layer signaling such as an RRC message. In para 0121, The deactivation indication in this application may also be referred to as a deactivation command (command) Deactivation may mean that the terminal temporarily stops transmitting data by using a communication link of the SCG). Thus, the terminal receives an RRC message indicating deactivation indication/command of the SCG and including information indicating whether to perform possible implementation operation(s) on the SCG such as stopping radio link failure detect;
the processor is configured to deactivate the SCG in accordance with the RRC message indicating deactivation of the SCG (Wang et al. see step 402 in fig. 4; step 904 in fig. 9; para. 0008, 0121, 0127, 0237; In para. 0127, S402. The terminal performs a deactivation operation on the secondary cell group according to the deactivation indication). The terminal deactivates the SCG based on the deactivation indication by stopping transmitting data using the SCG,
determine whether the information indicates performing radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0018, 0144; the performing a deactivation operation on the secondary cell group according to the deactivation indication includes: stopping radio link failure (radio link failure, RLF) detection on the primary secondary cell, or stopping channel state information-reference signal (channel state information-reference signal, CSI-RS)-based radio link monitoring (radio link monitoring, RLM).). Based on the received deactivation indication, the terminal determines whether to perform radio link monitoring, RLM,
perform radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the SCG in a deactivated state of the SCG in a case of determining that the information indicates performing radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0144; performs RLM based on a synchronization signal block (synchronization signal and PBCH block), to perform RLF determining). The terminal performs RLM based on SSB, to perform RLF determining, and
not perform radio link monitoring and beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in the deactivated state of the SCG in a case of determining that the information indicates not performing radio link monitoring and beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0144; Operation 6: Optionally, the terminal stops performing radio link failure (radio link failure, RLF) detection on the PSCell.). The terminal stops performing RLF detection and beam failure detection on the PSCell,
the receiver is configured to receive, from the base station apparatus, an RRC message indicating activation of the SCG (Wang et al. see step 601 in fig. 6; step 906 in fig. 9; para. 0156, 0160, 0240; S601. A terminal receives an activation (activation) indication from an access network device, where the activation indication indicates that a PSCell in an SCG is in an activated state. In para. 0160, The activation indication may be included in a MAC CE, an RRC message). The terminal receives an RRC message indicating activation of the SCG, and
the processor is configured to activate the SCG in accordance with the RRC message indicating activation of the SCG (Wang et al. see step 602 in fig. 6; step 908 in fig. 9; para. 0158, 0159, 0243; S602. The terminal activates (activate) the secondary cell group according to the activation indication), and
resume radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that radio link monitoring is not being performed (Wang et al. see para. 0032, 0159, 0172, 0173; The terminal restarts RLF detection on the PSCell.). The RLF detection on the PSCell is restarted based on the activation indication from deactivation state.
However, Wang et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG; to determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG; and to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed.
Purkayastha et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG (Purkayastha et al. see para. 0073; the RRC reconfiguration may include an information element (IE) associated with performing RLM measurements, performing BFD measurements, and/or reporting of measurement results including beam measurements based at least in part on detection of the PSCell RLF or the BFD while the UE is operating in the SCG deactivated state). The RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a SCG deactivated state;
to determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Purkayastha et al. see fig. 4, steps 410, 420; para. 0065, 0085, 0086; the UE may perform BFD reference signal measurements on the PSCell while the UE is operating in the SCG deactivated state). The UE determines and performs BFD on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Wang et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Purkayastha et al. wherein the RRC message includes information indicating beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG and to determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
However, Purkayastha et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed.
Kim et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed (Kim et al. see para. 0198-0203; resume performing radio link monitoring on the SCG, if previously stopped… indicate to lower layers to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell, if previously stopped). Thus, the beam failure detection on the PSCell is resume when the beam failure detection was previously stopped or not performed.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Wang et al. in view of Purkayastha et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Kim et al. to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG when the beam failure detection was previously stopped.
The motivation would be to provide better beam management.
Regarding claim 2, Wang et al. discloses a base station apparatus (read as access network device in para. 0118), that communicates with a terminal apparatus (see terminal in para. 0118), the base station apparatus comprising:
a processor (see processor 1201 in fig. 12) configured to communicate with the terminal apparatus; and
a transmitter (see transceiver 1205 in fig. 12), wherein an SCG configured for the terminal apparatus includes at least a PSCell (see para. 0101; When the SCG includes only one cell, the cell is a primary secondary cell (primary secondary cell, PSCell) of the terminal),
the transmitter is configured to cause the terminal apparatus to deactivate the SCG by transmitting, to the terminal apparatus, an RRC message indicating deactivation of the SCG and including information indicating whether to perform radio link monitoring on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see step 401 in fig. 4; step 902 in fig. 9; para. 0006, 0018, 0118, 0121, 0124, 0126-0130, 0144, 0229-0231; S401. A terminal receives a deactivation (deactivation) indication from an access network device, where the deactivation indication is used to indicate that a PSCell in an SCG is in a deactivated state. In para. 0126, the message/signaling may be physical layer signaling such as an RRC message. In para 0121, The deactivation indication in this application may also be referred to as a deactivation command (command) Deactivation may mean that the terminal temporarily stops transmitting data by using a communication link of the SCG). Thus, the access network device transmits, to the terminal, an RRC message indicating deactivation indication/command of the SCG and including information indicating whether to perform possible implementation operation(s) on the SCG such as stopping radio link failure detect,
the base station apparatus is configured to, through the information indicating that radio link monitoring and beam failure detection are not performed on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0124, 0144; The network side may provide the configuration of the PSCell for the UE by using a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message.). Thus, the access network device provides configuration of the PSCell for the UE for performing deactivation operation(s) such as operation 6: …the terminal stops performing radio link failure (radio link failure, RLF) detection on the PSCell. The beam failure detection is also not performed,
cause the terminal apparatus to determine not to perform radio link monitoring and beam failure detection on the PSCell in a deactivated state of the SCG, and cause the terminal apparatus not to perform radio link monitoring and beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in the deactivated state of the SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0144; Operation 6: Optionally, the terminal stops performing radio link failure (radio link failure, RLF) detection on the PSCell.). The terminal determines and stops performing RLF detection on the PSCell based on the deactivation indication/command. In addition, the beam failure detection is also not performed,
the base station apparatus is configured to, through the information indicating that radio link monitoring is performed on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0124, 0144; The network side may provide the configuration of the PSCell for the UE by using a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message.). Thus, the access network device provides configuration of the PSCell for the UE for performing deactivation operation(s) such as operation 6: …performs RLM based on a synchronization signal block (synchronization signal and PBCH block), to perform RLF determining,
cause the terminal apparatus to determine to perform radio link monitoring on the PSCell in the deactivated state of the SCG, and cause the terminal apparatus to perform radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the SCG in the deactivated state of the SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0144; performs RLM based on a synchronization signal block (synchronization signal and PBCH block), to perform RLF determining). The terminal determines and performs RLM based on SSB, to perform RLF determining based on the deactivation indication/command, and
the base station apparatus causes the terminal apparatus to activate the SCG by transmitting an RRC message indicating activation of the SCG to the terminal apparatus (Wang et al. see step 601 in fig. 6; step 906 in fig. 9; para. 0156, 0158, 0160, 0240; The SN sends an activation indication to the UE. In para. 0160, The activation indication may be included in a MAC CE, an RRC message). The access network device transmits an RRC message indicating activation of the SCG, and
the base station apparatus causes the terminal apparatus to initiate (resume) radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the terminal apparatus is not performing radio link monitoring on the PSCell of the SCG (Wang et al. see para. 0032, 0159, 0172, 0173; The terminal restarts RLF detection on the PSCell.). The RLF detection on the PSCell is restarted based on the activation indication from deactivation state.
However, Wang et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature to wherein the RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG; the base station apparatus is configured, through the information, indicating that beam failure detection is performed on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG; to cause the terminal to determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG; and to cause the terminal to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed.
Purkayastha et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG (Purkayastha et al. see para. 0073; the RRC reconfiguration may include an information element (IE) associated with performing RLM measurements, performing BFD measurements, and/or reporting of measurement results including beam measurements based at least in part on detection of the PSCell RLF or the BFD while the UE is operating in the SCG deactivated state). The RRC message includes information indicating whether to perform beam failure detection on a PSCell of a SCG deactivated state;
the base station apparatus is configured, through the information, indicating that beam failure detection is performed on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Purkayastha et al. see para. 0071, 0073; the RRC reconfiguration may include an information element (IE) associated with performing RLM measurements, performing BFD measurements, and/or reporting of measurement results including beam measurements based at least in part on detection of the PSCell RLF or the BFD while the UE is operating in the SCG deactivated state.). The base station (e.g., master node) indicates, through the RRC reconfiguration, indicating that beam failure detection is performed on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG;
cause the terminal determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG (Purkayastha et al. see fig. 4, steps 410, 420; para. 0065, 0085, 0086; the UE may perform BFD reference signal measurements on the PSCell while the UE is operating in the SCG deactivated state). The UE determines and performs BFD on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Wang et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Purkayastha et al. wherein the RRC message includes information indicating beam failure detection on a PSCell of a deactivated SCG and to determine and perform beam failure detection on the PSCell of the deactivated SCG.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
However, Purkayastha et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature to cause the terminal to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed.
Kim et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature to cause the terminal to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG in a case that the beam failure detection is not being performed (Kim et al. see para. 0198-0203; resume performing radio link monitoring on the SCG, if previously stopped… indicate to lower layers to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell, if previously stopped). Thus, the beam failure detection on the PSCell is resume when the beam failure detection was previously stopped or not performed.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Wang et al. in view of Purkayastha et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Kim et al. to resume beam failure detection on the PSCell of the SCG when the beam failure detection was previously stopped.
The motivation would be to provide better beam management.
Claim 3 is rejected similarly to claim 2.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Awoniyi-Oteri et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0232259) discloses a BS configured as a master node (MN) of a master cell group (MCG) acts as a relay for at least downlink C-Plane communications from a secondary node (SN) of a secondary cell group (SCG) to a UE during a period where the SCG is dormant with downlink and uplink U-Plane communications disabled.
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.
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/KAN YUEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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