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 .
The preliminary amendment filed on 06/21/2024 has been entered. Claims 2, 7, 9-14, 16-26 are cancelled. Claims 27-39 are added new. Claims 1, 3-6, 8, 15 are amended. Therefore, claims 1, 3-6, 8, 15, 27-39 are pending and addressed below.
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 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)(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.
(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, 4-6, 27, 29-30, 32-34, 37 and 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WANG; Daet al US 20250350981 A1, hereinafter WANG.
Regarding claim 1, 27, 30 and 37, WANG teaches, a method for wireless communication, comprising:
modifying, by a first network node, at least one candidate cell (CC) for an inter-cell mobility by: sending, by the first network node, a CC modification message to a second network node, the CC modification message comprising a modified CC list (WANG Fig. 1D, [76] describes inter-cell mobility; Fig. 2, Fig. 3; “CU-Initiated Configuration for Intra-DU Scenario” and [88] “As shown in FIG. 2, the CU 141 may transmit 210, to a source DU (e.g., the DU 151), a message (for convenience, also referred to as a first message herein) for initializing, modifying or cancelling of a configuration for a lower-layer signaling based cell change or addition (i.e., L1/L2 based mobility). For example, the first message may be a UE context modification request message.”, [89] “In some embodiments, the first message may comprise first L1/L2 based mobility information (also referred as information L1/L2 based intra-DU mobility information). In some embodiments, the first L1/L2 based mobility information may comprise an indication of the initialization, modification or cancellation of the configuration for L1/L2 based mobility. In other words, the indication indicates whether the first message concerns an initialization of L1/L2 based mobility, a modification of L1/L2 based mobility, or a cancellation of L1/L2 based mobility. In some embodiments, the first message may comprise ID information of a set of candidate cells of the DU 151 for L1/L2 based mobility.”, [92] “the first message concerns a modification of L1/L2 based mobility, …”; “CU-Initiated Configuration for Inter-DU Scenario” and [97], teaches, modifying candidate cell list for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility by sending a modification request message by CU (=a first network node) to DU (=a second network node), see [77] for network device).
With respect to claim 27, claim recites the identical features of claim 1 for a corresponding apparatus. Therefore, it is subjected to the same rejection.
With respect to claim 30, claim recites the identical features of claim 1 for a corresponding inter-working receiving side. Therefore, it is subjected to the same rejection.
With respect to claim 37, claim recites the identical features of claim 1 for a corresponding inter-working receiving side apparatus. Therefore, it is subjected to the same rejection.
Regarding claims 4, 29, 32 and 39, WANG teaches the method/node/apparatus, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 27, 30 and 37.
WANG further teaches, wherein: the inter-cell mobility comprises a layer 1 or layer 2 signaling based mobility (L1/L2 mobility) (WANG [0057] “In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide solutions for preparing candidate cells for L1/L2 based mobility under a CU-DU scenario.”).
Regarding claims 5 and 33, WANG teaches the methods, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 30.
WANG further teaches, wherein: the CC modification message comprises the modified CC list; or the first network node sends a second message to the second network node, the second message comprising the modified CC list (see WANG [92] implying modified message having a modified candidate list. Satisfies “or” criteria of the claim).
Regarding claims 6 and 34, WANG teaches the methods, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 30.
WANG further teaches, wherein: the CC modification message belongs to an F1 interface message (WANG [73] “The gNB-CU terminates a F1 interface connected with the gNB-DU.”, [93], [98] teaches, F1 interface between CU and DU, that carries modification message disclosed in [88]); and
the modified CC list comprises at least one of the following: a to-be-cancelled CC list, a to-be-added CC list, a DU-suggested CC list (WANG [89] “In some embodiments, the first message may comprise first L1/L2 based mobility information (also referred as information L1/L2 based intra-DU mobility information). In some embodiments, the first L1/L2 based mobility information may comprise an indication of the initialization, modification or cancellation of the configuration for L1/L2 based mobility. In other words, the indication indicates whether the first message concerns an initialization of L1/L2 based mobility, a modification of L1/L2 based mobility, or a cancellation of L1/L2 based mobility. In some embodiments, the first message may comprise ID information of a set of candidate cells of the DU 151 for L1/L2 based mobility.”).
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3, 8, 15, 28, 31, 35-36 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG, in view of Da Silva; Icaro Leonardo et al US 20250351040 A1, hereinafter Da Silva.
Regarding claims 3, 28, 31 and 38, WANG teaches the method/node/apparatus, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 27, 30 and 37.
WANG does not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, Da Silva teaches, wherein:
in response to the inter-cell mobility belonging to an intra-distributed unit (intra-DU) inter-cell mobility, the first network node comprises a distributed unit of a base station (gNB- DU); and the second network node comprises a control unit of the base station (gNB-CU) (Da Silva [0026] “These exemplary methods can include sending, to a CU of the RAN node, configurations associated with each of at least one candidate cell for L1/L2-based inter-cell mobility by a UE from a serving cell provided by a first DU of the RAN node.”, [74] “… FIGS. 1 and 3-4, including for intra-DU and inter-DU/intra-CU cell changes …”).
in response to the inter-cell mobility belonging to an inter-distributed unit (inter-DU) inter-cell mobility, the first network node comprises a source gNB-DU (Da Silva [0023] “These exemplary methods include receiving, from a second DU of the RAN node, configurations associated with each of at least one candidate cell for L1/L2-based inter-cell mobility by a UE from a serving cell provided by a first DU of the RAN node. The at least one candidate cell is provided by the second DU”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of WANG to include the features as taught by Da Silva above in order to improving mobility of user equipment (UEs) across multiple cells in a wireless network, specifically to cells provided by different distributed units (DUs) that may be associated with a single centralized unit (CU) (Da Silva [0001]).
Regarding claims 8 and 35, WANG teaches the methods, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 30.
WANG further teaches, wherein: the inter-cell mobility belongs to an intra-DU inter-cell mobility (see WANG “CU-Initiated Configuration for Intra-DU Scenario” and [88]).
WANG does not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, Da Silva teaches, in response to receiving the CC modification message from the first network node, the second network node sends a modified RRCReconfiguration message to the first network node, the modified RRCReconfiguration message comprising a modified CC configuration based on the modified CC list; the first network node forwards the modified RRCReconfiguration message to a user equipment (UE) (The limitation is interpreted as sending a RRC configuration with a candidate cell list by a network node via another network node to the UE. Da Silva [74] “… FIGS. 1 and 3-4, including for intra-DU and inter-DU/intra-CU cell changes …”; [201] teaches, RRC reconfiguration message from a network node via another network node to UE); and
the first network receives a modified RRCReconfigurationComplete message from the UE and forwards the modified RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the second network node (Da Silva [202] “In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of blocks 1180, where the CU can receive, from the first DU, a reconfiguration complete message (e.g., RRCReconfigurationComplete) transmitted by the UE in response to the reconfiguration message.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of WANG to include the features as taught by Da Silva above in order to improving mobility of user equipment (UEs) across multiple cells in a wireless network, specifically to cells provided by different distributed units (DUs) that may be associated with a single centralized unit (CU) (Da Silva [0001]).
Regarding claims 15 and 36, WANG teaches the methods, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 30.
WANG further teaches, wherein: the inter-cell mobility belongs to an intra-CU inter-DU inter-cell mobility between the first network node and a third network node (see WANG “CU-Initiated Configuration for Inter-DU Scenario” and [97]).
WANG does not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, Da Silva teaches, in response to receiving the CC modification message from the first network node, the second network node sends a modified RRCReconfiguration message to the first network node, the modified RRCReconfiguration message comprising a modified CC configuration based on the modified CC list; the first network node forwards the modified RRCReconfiguration message to a UE (The limitation is interpreted as sending a RRC configuration with a candidate cell list by a network node via another network node to the UE. Da Silva [74] “… FIGS. 1 and 3-4, including for intra-DU and inter-DU/intra-CU cell changes …”; [201] teaches, RRC reconfiguration message from a network node via another network node to UE),
and the first network receives a modified RRCReconfigurationComplete message from the UE and forwards the modified RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the second network node (Da Silva [202] “In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of blocks 1180, where the CU can receive, from the first DU, a reconfiguration complete message (e.g., RRCReconfigurationComplete) transmitted by the UE in response to the reconfiguration message.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of WANG to include the features as taught by Da Silva above in order to improving mobility of user equipment (UEs) across multiple cells in a wireless network, specifically to cells provided by different distributed units (DUs) that may be associated with a single centralized unit (CU) (Da Silva [0001]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Da Silva; Icaro Leonardo US 20250365594 A1, CONFIGURING LAYER 1 AND LAYER 2 MOBILITY BASED ON MEASUREMENT REPORTS WHILE IN A CONNECTED STATE.
Guo; Yi US 20230388871 A1, MOBILITY FEATURES FOR NEXT GENERATION CELLULAR NETWORKS.
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/MAHBUBUL BAR CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475
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