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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 6-8, 10, 12, 24-26, 29-31, 33 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hong (US 2024/0205783 A1), hereinafter “HONG”.
Regarding claim 1, HONG teaches, ‘A method by a source network node for handover of a wireless device in a Non-Terrestrial Network to a target network node,’ (Paragraph [0001], This disclosure relates to controlling the mobility of a user equipment (UE) in a non-terrestrial network
situation. Paragraph [0102], The following describes a mobility control method between a non-terrestrial network (NTN) and terrestrial network (TN). Paragraph [0104], the disclosure focuses on the target base station and the source base station, the embodiments also encompass UE operations and configuration),
‘the method comprising: transmitting, to the target network node, time information for performing, by the wireless device, the handover to a target cell associated with the target network node.’ ([Abstract], receiving handover request information for a handover of the terminal, from a source base station or a core network entity… and determining whether or not the reserved radio resource is to be released, by means of serving cell availability time information. Paragraph [0109], the handover request information may include handover window information for handover of the UE. The handover window information indicates the period during which the target base station may serve the UE's handover. Accordingly, the handover window information indicates a time range in
which the UE may proceed with related procedures to perform handover. Paragraph [0127], the handover request information may include handover window information for handover of the UE. The handover window information indicates a period (e.g., duration) which the target base station may serve the UE's handover… absolute time (e.g., UTC, coordinated universal time) may be used as the
time. Paragraph [0130], The source base station may perform the step of transmitting handover request information to the target base station or core network entity).
Regarding claims 2 and 25, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, ‘wherein the time information comprises at least one of: a start time of a time window,’ (Paragraph [0109], the handover window information may include at least one of a duration and a service start time in which the UE may provide service through the target base station. Or, the handover window information may include window start time and window end time. The service start time may correspond to the windows start time. Paragraph [0154], target cell service available time… may include one or more pieces of information among… start SFN, start subframe number, slot offset… and start absolute time ( e.g., UTC, coordinated universal time, timeinfoUTC) information),
‘an end time of a time window,’ (Paragraph [0109], Or, the handover window information may include window start time and window end time. Paragraph [0110], The serving cell available time information may be configured in various forms, such as duration type or end time information),
‘a time window duration,’ (Paragraph [0109], the handover window information may include at least one of a duration and a service start time. Paragraph [0127], the handover window information may include at least one of duration and service start time in which the UE may provide service through the target base station. Paragraph [0154], duration/period/effective time when service is possible through the cell, time when execution of conditional handover to the cell is allowed/available/possible),
‘and a serving cell stop time.’ (Paragraph [0110], the handover request information may include serving cell available time information. For example, the handover request information
may include information about the remaining serviceable time of the serving cell to which the UE is currently connected. Paragraph [0116], For example, if it is determined that the serving cell service time according to the serving cell available time information has ended, the target base station may determine to release the reserved radio resources).
Regarding claims 3 and 26, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, ‘wherein the handover comprises a conditional handover, CHO.’ (Paragraph [0108], The handover of the UE may be i) handover through the core network entity or ii) handover between base stations. Further, the UE's handover may be conditional handover. The conditional handover is handover performed by the UE if preset conditions are met. Paragraph [0111], The conditional handover information request information may include one or more of conditional handover (CHO) trigger estimated arrival probability information. Paragraph [0113], In accordance with an embodiment, the target base station may reserve radio resources for handover of the UE if the handover request information is received from the source base station or core network entity. For example, the target base station may reserve specific radio resources for conditional handover for the UE. Paragraph [0124], For example, the source base station may transmit handover configuration information to the UE to control handover of the UE… The UE's handover may be conditional handover that is performed by the UE when preset conditions are met. Paragraph [0170], Conditional handover used in typical NR technology is defined as handover performed in the UE when one or more handover execution conditions are met… execution condition evaluation begins when receiving a conditional handover (CHO) configuration).
Regarding claims 6 and 29, HONG teaches, The method of any Claim 1, ‘wherein the time information is transmitted to the target network node in at least one of: a handover configuration,’ (Paragraph [0126], The handover request information may include necessary information transferred to the target base station to support handover of the UE. Paragraph [0176], the expected candidate target cell order may be indicated for the conditional handover configuration
by specifically utilizing/limiting existing information elements in the conditional handover configuration information),
‘a Handover Preparation message, an initial Handover Preparation message,’ (Paragraph [0147], The source base station may initiate handover preparation and transmit a handover request (Handover Required) message including handover request information to the core network entity (e.g., AMF, S-AMF). Paragraph [0171], The information may be included in a handover request message/handover request acknowledge message and transmitted/received with one or more candidate target cells/base stations during the mobility procedure),
a X2AP HANDOVER REQUEST message’,
‘a XnAP HANDOVER REQUEST message,’ (Paragraph [0107], For example, the target base station may receive the UE's handover request information from the source base station through an Xn interface. The handover request information may be included in a handover request message. Paragraph [0142], the non-terrestrial network base station and the terrestrial network base station may be connected through the Xn interface. In this case, Xn-based handover may be performed),
‘a NGAP HANDOVER REQUIRED message, a NGAP HANDOVER REQUEST message,’ (Paragraph [0143], NG-based handover (interface-based handover between the base station and the core network, N2-based handover) may be performed. Paragraph [0146], The operations described below
focus on NG interface-based handover but may be similarly applied to Xn interface-based handover. Paragraph [0149], The core network entity (e.g., AMF, T-AMF) may transmit a handover request message to the target base station. Paragraph [0166], As another example, a UE CONTEXT
RELEASE message may be used as the message),
‘a S1AP HANDOVER REQUIRED message, and a S1AP HANDOVER REQUEST message.’
Regarding claims 7 and 30, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, ‘wherein the time information or another message transmitted to the target network node indicates that the target network node can release at least one resource reserved for the wireless device at an expiration of a time window duration.’ ([Abstract], reserving a radio resource for the handover of the terminal on the basis of the handover request information; and determining whether or not the reserved radio resource is to be released, by means of serving cell availability time information included in the handover request information. Paragraph [0007], The present embodiments may provide a method for controlling handover of a UE by a target base station, comprising determining whether to release a reserved radio resource using serving cell available time information included in handover request information. Paragraphs [0114]-[0115], The target base station may perform the step of determining whether to release the reserved radio resources using the serving cell available time information included in the handover request information (S930). In accordance with an embodiment, if the serving cell available time information is included in the handover request information, the target base station may determine whether to release the reserved radio resources using the serving cell available time information. Paragraph [0118], As further another example, the target base station
may determine to release the reserved radio resources when the serving cell available time expires without the UE successfully completing handover to the target cell of the target base station. Paragraph [0121], Further, the target base station may release the radio resources reserved for the UE if a specific time elapses using information included in the handover request information. Thus, it is possible to prevent unnecessary long-term reservation of radio resources. Paragraph [0150], the target base station may maintain radio resource reservation for handover of the UE only for a specific time using serving cell available time information included in the handover request information. If the time according to the serving cell available time information elapses, the target base station may release the reserved radio resources).
Regarding claims 8 and 31, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, comprising: ‘based on the target network node having received the time information,’ (Paragraph [0115], if the serving cell available time information is included in the handover request information, the target base station may determine whether to release the reserved radio resources using the serving cell available time information. Paragraph [0150], the target base station may maintain radio resource reservation for handover of the UE only for a specific time using serving cell available time information included in the handover request information),
‘determining not to transmit a handover cancel message to at least one other target network node.’ (Paragraph [0195], If the conditional handover cancel message is received for the above-described cause, the source base station may not initiate the handover cancel procedure to another candidate target base station node or another signaling connection for the UE. For example, the source base station may skip the handover cancel procedure.).
Regarding claims 10 and 33, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, comprising: ‘determining that at least one other target network node received a serving cell stop time for a source cell associated with the source network node;’ (Paragraph [0128], According to another embodiment, the handover
request information may include serving cell available time. For example, the handover request information may include information about the remaining serviceable time of the serving cell to which the UE is currently connected. The serving cell available time may be configured in various forms, such as duration type or end time information. Paragraph [0171], The candidate target cell/base station order/time information for the physical/geographic location/area/region where the UE is located may be stored in UE context information. The information may be included in a handover request message/handover request acknowledge message and transmitted/received with one or more candidate target cells/base stations during the mobility procedure);
‘based on the at least one other target network node having received the serving cell stop time for the source cell, determining not to transmit a handover cancel message to the at least one other target network node.’ (Paragraph [0195], If the conditional handover cancel message is received for the above-described cause, the source base station may not initiate the handover cancel procedure to
another candidate target base station node or another signaling connection for the UE. For example, the source base station may skip the handover cancel procedure).
Regarding claim 11, HONG teaches, A method by a target network node during handover of a wireless device in a Non-Terrestrial Network from a source network node to the target network node,’ (Paragraph [0007], In an aspect, the present embodiments may provide a method for controlling handover of a UE by a target base station. Paragraph [0001], This disclosure relates to controlling the mobility of a user equipment (UE) in a non-terrestrial network situation),
‘the method comprising: receiving, from the source network node, time information for performing, by the wireless device, the handover to a target cell associated with the target network node.’ (Paragraph [0007], The method may include receiving handover request information for the handover of the UE from a source base station or a core network entity. Paragraph [0127], According to an embodiment, the handover request information may include handover window information for
handover of the UE. The handover window information indicates a period (e.g., duration) which the target base station may serve the UE's handover. Accordingly, the handover window information indicates a time range in which the UE may proceed with related procedures to perform handover).
Regarding claim 24, HONG teaches, ‘A source network node for handover of a wireless device in a Non-Terrestrial Network to a target network node,’ (Paragraph [0010], In another aspect, the present embodiments may provide a source base station controlling handover of a UE. Paragraph [0001], This disclosure relates to controlling the mobility of a user equipment (UE) in a non-terrestrial network
Situation),
‘the source network node comprising processing circuitry configured to:’ (Paragraph [0010], The source base station may include a controller configuring conditional handover to the UE and configuring handover request information. Paragraph [0216], Referring to FIG. 13, a source base station 1300 controlling handover of a UE may include a controller 1310 configured to configure conditional handover to the UE and configure handover request information):
‘transmit, to the target network node, time information for performing, by the wireless device, the handover to a target cell associated with the target network node.’ (Paragraph [0127], According to an embodiment, the handover request information may include handover window information for
handover of the UE. The handover window information indicates a period (e.g., duration) which the target base station may serve the UE's handover. Accordingly, the handover window information indicates a time range in which the UE may proceed with related procedures to perform handover).
Regarding claim 35, HONG teaches, ‘A target network node during handover of a wireless device in a Non-Terrestrial Network from a source network node to the target network node,’ (Paragraph [0009], In another aspect, the present embodiments may provide a target base station controlling handover of a UE. Paragraph [0001], This disclosure relates to controlling the mobility
of a user equipment (UE) in a non-terrestrial network situation),
‘the target network node comprising processing circuitry configured to:’ (Paragraph [0009], The
target base station may include a controller reserving a radio resource for the handover of the UE based on handover request information and determining whether to release the reserved radio resource. Paragraph [0199], Referring to FIG. 12, a target base station 1200 controlling handover of a UE may include a receiver 1230 configured to receive handover request information… and a controller 1210 configured to reserve a radio resource for handover of the UE based on the handover request information):
‘receive, from the source network node, time information for performing, by the wireless device, the handover to a target cell associated with the target network node.’ (Paragraph [0009], The target base station may include a receiver receiving handover request information for the handover of the UE from a source base station or a core network entity. Paragraph [0199], a target base station 1200 controlling handover of a UE may include a receiver 1230 configured to receive handover request information for handover of the UE from a source base station or a core network entity. Paragraph [0109], In accordance with an embodiment, the handover request information may include handover window information for handover of the UE. The handover window information indicates the period during which the target base station may serve the UE's handover. Accordingly, the handover window information indicates a time range in which the UE may proceed with related procedures to perform handover. Paragraph [0127], According to an embodiment, the handover request information may include handover window information for handover of the UE. The handover window information
indicates a period (e.g., duration) which the target base station may serve the UE's handover. Accordingly, the handover window information indicates a time range in which the UE may proceed with related procedures to perform handover).
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.
Claims 9, 11, 32 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HONG in view of MolavianJazi et al. (US 2022/0095309 A1), hereinafter “MOLAVIANJAZI”
Regarding claims 9 and 32, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, HONG further teaches, comprising: ‘determining that at least one other target network node received the time information associated with the handover of the wireless device;’ (Paragraph [0171], The candidate target cell/base station order/time information
for the physical/geographic location/area/region where the UE is located may be stored in UE context information. The information may be included in a handover request message/handover request acknowledge message and transmitted/received with one or more candidate target cells/base stations during the mobility procedure);
‘…and based on the remaining time left before the expiration of the time window duration being greater than a minimum threshold, determining to transmit, to the at least one other target network node, a handover cancel message to trigger a release of at least one resource reserved for handover of the wireless device by the at least one other target network node.’ (Paragraph [0132], Meanwhile, if necessary, the source base station may receive a handover complete message from the UE and transmit a handover cancel message to the target base station to which the UE has not handed over. Paragraph [0166], The source base station may transmit a Handover Cancel message to the core network entity… to cancel the conditional handover for the UE (release conditional handover configuration, release resources) to the candidate target base station).
HONG does not explicitly teach but MOLAVIANJAZI teaches, ‘determining whether a remaining time left before an expiration of a time duration window is greater than a minimum threshold;’ (MOLAVIANJAZI – Paragraph [0217], The first gNB determines an interference protection level i, 1 ≤i≤M, for each time/frequency/spatial resource when a transmission activity in that resource is within a range [τi-1, τi-]. Paragraph [0189], with a transmission power level below a first threshold and/or transmission duration below a second threshold and/or transmission periodicity longer than a third threshold);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of MOLAVIANJAZI with HONG because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor. HONG notes that Non-Terrestrial Network environments suffer from excessive control-plane signaling peaks during multi-cell handovers, implementing a threshold-evaluation loop to check if the ‘remaining time left’ is greater than a minimum threshold allows the source node to suppress redundant cancellation messages. MOLAVIANJAZI uses mathematically defined boundary parameters to trigger alternative node actions is a known, efficient optimization method. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of MOLAVIANJAZI into HONG is that MOLAVIANJAZI provides this threshold calculation to prevent clogging backhaul interfaces with explicit cancel messages when a target node’s internal timers are already on the verge of self-expiration (See paragraph [0078], [0200] and [0217], MOLAVIANJAZI)
Regarding claims 11 and 34, HONG teaches, The method of Claim 1, comprising: HONG further teaches, ‘determining that at least one other target network node received a serving cell stop time for a source cell associated with the source network node;’ (Paragraph [0128], According to another embodiment, the handover request information may include serving cell available time. For example, the handover request information may include information about the remaining serviceable time of the serving cell to which the UE is currently connected. The serving cell available time may be configured in various forms, such as duration type or end time information. Paragraph [0171], The candidate target cell/base station order/time information for the physical/geographic location/area/region where the UE is located may be stored in UE context information. The information may be included in a handover request message/handover request acknowledge message and transmitted/received with one or more candidate target cells/base stations during the mobility procedure);
‘…and based on the remaining time left before the expiration of the serving cell stop time being greater than a minimum threshold, determining to transmit, to the at least one other target network node, a handover cancel message to trigger a release of at least one resource reserved for handover of the wireless device by the at least one other target network node.’ (Paragraph [0132], Meanwhile, if necessary, the source base station may receive a handover complete message from the UE and transmit a handover cancel message to the target base station to which the UE has not handed over. Paragraph [0166], The source base station may transmit a Handover Cancel message to the core network entity… to cancel the conditional handover for the UE (release conditional handover configuration, release resources) to the candidate target base station).
HONG does not explicitly teach but MOLAVIANJAZI teaches, ‘determining whether a remaining time left before an expiration of the serving cell stop time is greater than a minimum threshold;’ (MOLAVIANJAZI – Paragraph [0217], The first gNB determines an interference protection level i, 1 ≤i≤M, for each time/frequency/spatial resource when a transmission activity in that resource is within a range [τi-1, τi-]. Paragraph [0189], with a transmission power level below a first threshold and/or transmission duration below a second threshold and/or transmission periodicity longer than a third threshold);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of MOLAVIANJAZI with HONG because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor. HONG notes that Non-Terrestrial Network environments suffer from excessive control-plane signaling peaks during multi-cell handovers, implementing a threshold-evaluation loop to check if the ‘remaining time left’ is greater than a minimum threshold allows the source node to suppress redundant cancellation messages. MOLAVIANJAZI uses mathematically defined boundary parameters to trigger alternative node actions is a known, efficient optimization method. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of MOLAVIANJAZI into HONG is that MOLAVIANJAZI provides this threshold calculation to prevent clogging backhaul interfaces with explicit cancel messages when a target node’s internal timers are already on the verge of self-expiration (See paragraph [0078], [0200] and [0217], MOLAVIANJAZI)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAESHIL J CHOI whose telephone number is (703)756-5409. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday ET.
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/HAESHIL JESSICA CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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