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) 1-20 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.
However, upon further review of the Applicant’s amendments and/or arguments, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant’s arguments because of the following reasons:
First, the Applicant’s newly amended independent claim 1 states that:
“A method for handling a cell reselection procedure performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving, from a camped cell, information related to the cell reselection procedure, the information indicating one or more frequency ranges and one or more network operations corresponding, respectively, to the one or more frequency ranges, each network operation being a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation or a Terrestrial Network (TN) operation; determining whether the camped cell operates on a first frequency range among the one or more frequency ranges for the NTN operation; and performing a measurement, for the cell reselection procedure for selecting a suitable cell, based on the information related to the cell reselection procedure upon determining that the camped cell operates on the first frequency range for the NTN operation.” (Emphasis Added).
As highlighted above, the amended limitations at least in part recited optional and/or alternate limitations (i.e. denoted by “or”), thus the at least limitations would be given its broadest reasonable interpretations.
The phrase "or" refers to alternatives. When a claim covers several alternatives, the claim may be unpatentable if any of the alternatives within the scope of the claim are taught by the prior art. See Brown V. 3M, 265 F.3d 1349, 1351 (Fed. Cir. 2001).
The broadest reasonable interpretation of the clause in the amended claim requires “information indicating one or more frequency ranges and one or more network operations corresponding, respectively, to the one or more frequency ranges, each network operation being a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation or a Terrestrial Network (TN) operation”.
Contrary to the Applicant’s arguments, limitations directed to and/or associated with the alternative limitations (e.g. “Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation” or “for NTN operation”) would not be given any patentable weight and/or given its broadest reasonable interpretations during examination.
Secondly, in response to the Applicant’s arguments that the prior art reference (Cheng) does not teach “one or more frequency ranges and one or more network operations corresponding, respectively, to the one or more frequency ranges, each network operation being a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation or a Terrestrial Network (TN) operation”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant’s arguments because the claim does not uniquely and/or particularly define the term "information indicating…one or more network operations" so as to distinguish from the applied prior art. During patent examination, the claims must be given their broadest reasonable interpretation. See also MPEP §2111. The term or limitation "information indicating…one or more network operations" is broadly claimed, therefore, is fairly characterized as information transmitted and/or received from a network. Therefore, the network (TN or NTN) is operating by transmitting information and/or receiving information from the network.
Thus, the information encompassed by the term “network operations” is broad, vague, and/or unclear so as to overcome Cheng’s teaching in e.g. fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0055, and pp0058.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-10, and 12-19, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng (US Publication No. 20210068013) in view of Hu et al. (US Publication No. 20120302239).
As to claims 1 and 12, Cheng teaches a method and a user equipment (UE) for handling a cell reselection procedure, comprising: one or more processors; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to at least one of the one or more processors, and storing one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one of the one or more processors (fig. 2, fig. 3), cause the UE to: receive, from a camped cell, information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0008, pp0034, transmit the location information of reference points to the UE within the coverage of the serving cell of NTN gNB. Therefore, the UE may be configured to determine whether or when to perform cell search for cell reselection (e.g., according to the frequency or frequencies included in the configuration of cell search information) according to the received location information of reference points); determine whether the camped cell operates on a first frequency range (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0055, pp0058, determine whether the frequency of the serving cell (i.e. NTN camped on) is associated with a priority according to the frequency priority information) for a (NTN) operation; and perform a measurement (i.e. perform cell search), for the cell reselection procedure for selecting a suitable cell, based on the information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0069, according to the location information of reference points, the UE may further determine whether to search the frequency of a neighboring cell of a second network (e.g., the TN cell), and determine whether to start the cell search for cell reselection of the TN cell) upon determining that the camped cell operates on the first frequency range (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0068, the serving cell on which the UE is camped is in an NTN, there may be a frequency of TN cell having higher priority than the NTN cell if the cell search for cell reselection information broadcasted by the NTN gNB indicates there is a neighboring TN cell within the coverage of this NTN cell) for the NTN operation. However, Cheng fails to explicitly teach the information indicating one or more frequency ranges and one or more network operations corresponding, respectively, to the one or more frequency ranges, each network operation being a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation or a Terrestrial Network (TN) operation
In an analogous field of endeavor, Hu teaches the concept wherein the information indicating one or more frequency ranges (fig. 1, pp0043, pp0050, and pp0062, in cases where target cell 114 is GSM-compliant, reselection information 112 can include a carrier frequency range) and one or more network operations corresponding, respectively, to the one or more frequency ranges (fig. 1, pp0043, pp0050, and pp0062, in cases where target cell 114 is GSM-compliant, reselection information 112 can include a carrier frequency range and a base station identity code (BSIC). With this information, in GSM systems, target cell 114 can be uniquely identified), each network operation being a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) operation or a Terrestrial Network (TN) (i.e. GSM) operation (fig. 1, pp0043, pp0050, frequency range and BSIC information for GSM target cells). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cheng with the teachings of Hu to achieve the goal of efficiently and reliably providing information for enhancing performance in a communication system (Hu, pp0001).
As to claims 2 and 13, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein: the measurement is performed every time period (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0055, UE may start to perform cell search evaluation process periodically, and the evaluation of cell search for cell reselection based on the cell search for cell reselection information and/or the location information of reference points, and pp0073), and the time period is determined based on the information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0055, UE may start to perform cell search evaluation process periodically, and the evaluation of cell search for cell reselection based on the cell search for cell reselection information and/or the location information of reference points, and pp0073).
As to claim 3, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the time period is determined based on a density level (i.e. power) of a TN deployment indicated by the information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0022, a UE preferring TN cells (e.g., by configuration of the home/visiting/registered PLMN, or by manual configuration) may usually consider that a TN cell has a higher priority than an NTN cell for example by considering that the terrestrial system may be preferable due to less power consumption).
As to claims 4 and 14, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the time period is determined based on area information of a neighboring cell indicated by the information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 2, pp0025, the UE should be able to acquire the location information associated with the possible TN cells and their frequencies, pp0037, the location information of reference points may be expressed as an identity that uniquely identifies an area of a geographic location. For example, each one of the location information of reference points may be, but is not limited to, a physical cell ID (PCI) of a TN cell, and pp0073, time information, which may be provided associated with the cell search for cell reselection information received from a camped network,).
As to claims 6 and 15, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the information related to the cell reselection procedure further indicates at least one of: a density level of a TN deployment, area information of a neighboring cell (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0068, cell reselection information broadcasted by the NTN gNB indicates there is a neighboring TN cell within the coverage of this NTN cell), a serving time of the camped cell,.
As to claims 7 and 16, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the measurement is performed on at least one of the one or more frequency ranges that is for the TN operation (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0068, a frequency of TN cell having higher priority than the NTN cell if the cell search for cell reselection information broadcasted by the NTN gNB indicates there is a neighboring TN cell within the coverage of this NTN cell).
As to claims 8 and 17, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein: the measurement is performed on at least one of the one or more frequency ranges that has a priority higher than a first priority of the first frequency range (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0068, a frequency of TN cell having higher priority than the NTN cell if the cell search for cell reselection information broadcasted by the NTN gNB indicates there is a neighboring TN cell within the coverage of this NTN cell).
As to claims 9 and 18, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the first frequency range is for the NTN operations, wherein: the one or more frequency ranges further include a second frequency range that is for the TN operation, and a second priority of the second frequency range is higher than a first priority of the first frequency range (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0068, a frequency of TN cell having higher priority than the NTN cell if the cell search for cell reselection information broadcasted by the NTN gNB indicates there is a neighboring TN cell within the coverage of this NTN cell, and pp0022).
As to claims 10 and 19, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. Cheng further teaches wherein the information related to the cell reselection procedure is received via system information (SI) broadcast by the camped cell (fig. 2, fig. 5, pp0035, the gNB may broadcast the location information of reference points through a system information block (SIB) (e.g., SIB2). The SIB provides common information for every type of cell reselection).
Claim(s) 5, 11, and 20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng (US Publication No. 20210068013) in view of Hu et al. (US Publication No. 20120302239) and further in view of Gao et al. (US Publication No. 20230388875).
As to claim 5, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. However, fails to explicitly teach wherein the time period is determined based on a serving time of the camped cell indicated by the information related to the cell reselection procedure.
In an analogous field of endeavor, Gao teaches wherein the time period is determined based on a serving time of the camped cell indicated by the information related to the cell reselection procedure (fig. 1, pp0059, upon reception of configuration information, UE performs cell reselection based on one or more criteria including serving time, and pp0071, e.g. serving time of a cell is broadcast from the network (e.g., NTN)). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cheng and Hu with the teachings of Gao to achieve the goal of efficiently and accurately identifying cell and performing cell reselection easily in a communication system (Gao, pp0003).
As to claims 11 and 20, Cheng in view of Hu teaches the limitations of the independent claims as discussed above. However, fails to explicitly teach wherein the information related to the cell reselection procedure is received via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
In an analogous field of endeavor, Gao teaches wherein the information related to the cell reselection procedure is received via radio resource control (RRC) signaling (fig. 1, Abs, cell selection or reselection based on ephemeris and/or configuration information, clm. 5, configuration information is broadcast as system information or provided via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cheng and Hu with the teachings of Gao to achieve the goal of efficiently and accurately identifying cell and performing cell reselection easily in a communication system (Gao, pp0003).
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.
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/OMONIYI OBAYANJU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
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