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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55, application number. CN202210011193.5 filed 01/05/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/31/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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, 3, 5-8, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deenoo et al. (WO 2021/067236 A1, reference provided by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Deenoo discloses a conditional handover method, comprising: evaluating, by a terminal, a master cell group (MCG) execution condition and at least one of the following (Paragraphs 0069, 0072-0073, 0075 discloses MCG execution condition): a secondary cell group (SCG) execution condition or a conditional primary secondary cell addition or change (CPAC) execution condition (Paragraph 0149 discloses the WTRU may be configured to receive and/or store the CPAC and CHO configurations, and to monitor the trigger conditions associated with both CPAC and CHO configurations); and performing, by the terminal, conditional handover based on an evaluation result (Paragraph 0151 discloses WTRU may prioritize a CHO over a CPAC. For example, the WTRU may be configured to prioritize a CHO over a CPAC if one or more trigger conditions associated with both CHO and CPAC are satisfied (e.g., at the same time). In examples, the WTRU may abort an ongoing CPAC action, for example, if one or more trigger conditions for a CHO are satisfied. The WTRU may be configured to release one or more (e.g. all) CPAC configurations and/or to stop monitoring trigger conditions associated with CPAC configurations).
Regarding claim 18, claim 18 comprises substantially limitations as claimed above in claim 1, claimed as a terminal, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or instructions executable on the processor, and the program or instructions, when executed by the processor (Paragraph 0028 discloses WTRU comprises processor 118 and memory 130, 132, cause the terminal to perform the steps of claim 1).
Regarding claim 14, Deenoo discloses a conditional handover method, comprising: sending, by a network-side device, a conditional handover message to a terminal (Paragraph 0192 discloses The WTRU may receive a RRC message (from MCG) such as an RRCReconfiguration message that includes an SCG configuration or reconfiguration (e.g., a conditional SCG configuration or reconfiguration) for a candidate SCG1 and a trigger condition for the configuration or reconfiguration. The WTRU may store the SCG configuration or reconfiguration and may start monitoring the trigger condition associated with SCG1. Such a reconfiguration may correspond to an SCG change procedure. The WTRU may also receive an RRC reconfiguration message that includes a conditional MCG configuration or reconfiguration, e.g., corresponding to a handover to a candidate MCG. The WTRU may also receive a conditional SCG configuration or reconfiguration, e.g., corresponding to an addition of SCG2 that is linked to the candidate MCG. In terms of monitoring for the conditional reconfigurations), wherein the conditional handover message comprises at least one target execution condition, and a target execution condition comprises at least one of the following: a secondary cell group (SCG) execution condition (Paragraph 0195 discloses a WTRU may be configured with a conditional reconfiguration information element (IE) (e.g., conditionalReconfiguration) in an RRC message such as an RRCReconfiguration message. Such an IE may carry information about a target PCell (e.g., for MCG reconfiguration) and/or a target PSCell (e.g,, for SCG reconfiguration) with respective associated trigger conditions. The WTRU may receive a conditional reconfiguration IE (e.g., such as conditionalReconfiguation) associated with a PSCell change via SRB3 and a conditional reconfiguration IE associated with a PCell change via SRB1. The WTRU may be configured to ensure one (e.g., only one) conditional reconfiguration IE associated with an MCG or an SCG is active); duration of a first timer, wherein the first timer is used to control duration of evaluating the SCG execution condition; or an SCG evaluation indication, wherein the SCG evaluation indication is used to indicate whether to evaluate the SCG execution condition (Paragraphs 0114, 0117 disclose a WTRU may, for example, start a timer based on a trigger of an indication to the SCG. A WTRU may move the SCG to an activated state and perform procedures related to the activated state (e.g., normal connected mode procedures), for example, if the WTRU receives an activation command. A WTRU may stop procedures related to an SCG warmup period, and may perform procedures related to SCG dormant state, for example, if the timer expires. Further paragraph 0141 discloses a WTRU may determine whether it is allowed to access an SCG prior to a resume procedure to an MCG (e.g., prior to transmitting a resume request or initiating a resume operation) according to one or more of the following conditions. The WTRU may determine whether it is allowed to access an SCG based on a condition related to the time criticality of data arriving at the WTRU).
Regarding claim 20, claim 20 comprises substantially limitations as claimed above in claim 14, claimed as a network-side device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or instructions executable on the processor, and when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the steps of the conditional handover method (Paragraph 0028 discloses network device comprises processor 118 and memory 130, 132, cause the terminal to perform the steps of claim 14).
Regarding claim 3, Deenoo discloses wherein the performing, by the terminal, conditional handover based on an evaluation result comprises at least one of the following: if the MCG execution condition is met, performing first conditional handover or second conditional handover (Paragraph 0075 discloses a WTRU may be configured with a plurality of conditional reconfigurations where one or more conditional reconfigurations associated with a secondary cell group may be linked to a conditional reconfiguration of a master cell group. The WTRU may apply a conditional reconfiguration associated with the master cell group if a first trigger condition is satisfied. The WTRU may apply the conditional reconfiguration associated with the secondary cell group that is linked to a currently activated master cell group if a second trigger condition is satisfied. Paragraph 0075 discloses a WTRU may be configured to apply an SCG configuration if a preconfigured condition is satisfied); if the MCG execution condition is met and a first timer expires, performing the second conditional handover, wherein the first timer is used to control duration of evaluating the SCG execution condition; if the MCG execution condition and the SCG execution condition are met, performing the first conditional handover; if the MCG execution condition is met but the SCG execution condition is not met, performing the second conditional handover; in a case that execution of the first conditional handover or the second conditional handover is supported, performing the first conditional handover; or in a case that a plurality of candidate PCells meet the MCG execution condition, selecting a candidate PCell corresponding to a conditional reconfiguration that meets the SCG execution condition as a target PCell, or selecting a candidate PCell corresponding to a conditional reconfiguration that comprises a strongest candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) as the target PCell; wherein the first conditional handover comprises: performing conditional handover to hand over to the target PCell, and applying a target SCG configuration; and the second conditional handover comprises: performing conditional handover to hand over to the target PCell.
Regarding claim 5, Deenoo discloses wherein in a case that the second conditional handover is performed, the method further comprises: sending, by the terminal, a conditional handover complete message, wherein the conditional handover complete message comprises at least one of the following: an SCG failure indication; SCG failure type information; an SCG measurement result; or a measurement result of at least one target PSCell (Paragraph 0097 discloses A WTRU may be configured to apply an SCG configuration if the WTRU is unable to comply with a RRCReconfiguration message received over SRB3, e.g., possibly if the PSCell associated with a stored SCG configuration meets a measurement and/or suitability criterion. [0098] A trigger condition may be associated with SCG failure. A WTRU may be configured to apply a SCG configuration if a SCG failure is detected. The SCG configuration may correspond to an SN change. The SCG failure may be detected if one or more of the following conditions are met. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a radio link failure for the SCG. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a reconfiguration with sync failure of the SCG. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a SCG configuration failure).
Regarding claim 6, Deenoo discloses wherein before the evaluating, by a terminal, an MCG execution condition, the method further comprises: receiving, by the terminal, a conditional handover message, wherein the conditional handover message comprises at least one target execution condition, and a target execution condition comprises at least one of the following: the MCG execution condition; the SCG execution condition; duration of a first timer, wherein the first timer is used to control duration of evaluating the SCG execution condition; or an SCG evaluation indication, wherein the SCG evaluation indication is used to indicate whether to evaluate the SCG execution condition (Paragraphs 0073, 0087 discloses WTRU may receive signaling and/or identification of a linkage, for example, from higher layers. The WTRU may receive explicit signaling of such linkage during MCG and/or SCG conditional HO execution. he WTRU may be configured with plurality of conditions to trigger a reconfiguration. For example, a first condition may be applied if there is a linkage between a candidate cell associated with the reconfiguration and a serving cell (e.g., a serving cell associated with the MCG and/or the SCG), and a second condition may be applied if there is no linkage between a candidate cell associated with the reconfiguration and a serving cell (e.g., a serving cell associated with the MCG and/or the SCG).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Deenoo discloses wherein a configuration related to the SCG execution condition comprises at least one of the following: a first measurement identifier (ID), wherein the first measurement ID is associated with the SCG execution condition (Paragraph 0087 discloses The WTRU may receive, for each PCell CHO candidate, a list of allowed or linked PSCells and/or applicable SCG configuration(s) if a CHO is performed to a candidate (e.g., to each candidate). The WTRU may receive, for example, for a PSCell candidate (e.g., for each PSCell candidate), a list of allowed or linked PCells and/or applicable MCG configuration(s) if conditional SCG reconfiguration is performed. The WTRU may receive an identifier with a cell configuration (e.g., with each cell configuration). The WTRU may assume a linkage between an MCG and an SCG, e.g., if they have the same identifier or related identifiers. The WTRU may receive a table of linked PCells and/or PSCells (e.g., such as a table of cell IDs); a second measurement ID, wherein after a measurement event corresponding to the second measurement ID is triggered, it is considered that the SCG execution condition is met; a first measurement event, wherein the first measurement event is applied to a source primary secondary cell (PSCell) and/or a target PSCell; a second measurement event, wherein a serving cell in the second measurement event is a target PSCell; a third measurement event, wherein a neighboring cell in the third measurement event is a target PSCell; a target threshold, wherein after a signal quality measurement value of a target PSCell is better than the target threshold, it is considered that the SCG execution condition is met; or the duration of the first timer, wherein the first timer is used to control the duration of evaluating the SCG execution condition.
Regarding claims 8 and 16, Deenoo discloses wherein a configuration related to the SCG execution condition is comprised in at least one of the following: an SCG configuration in a conditional radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration (Paragraphs 0192, 0197 disclose receive a radio resource control (RRC) message from a network entity, wherein the RRC message indicates a conditional reconfiguration to be applied by the WTRU and a condition for application of the conditional reconfiguration; responsive to receiving the RRC message, transmit a first message to the network entity, wherein the first message indicates that the WTRU has received the RRC message; determine that the condition for application of the conditional reconfiguration is satisfied; and transmit a second message to the network entity, wherein the second message indicates that the condition for application of the conditional reconfiguration is satisfied); the MCG execution condition (Paragraph 0073); or a conditional reconfiguration (Paragraphs 0192, 0197).
Regarding claim 17, Deenoo discloses wherein after the sending, by a network-side device, a conditional handover message to a terminal, the method further comprises: receiving, by the network-side device, a conditional handover complete message sent by the terminal, wherein the conditional handover complete message comprises at least one of the following: an SCG failure indication; SCG failure type information; an SCG measurement result; a measurement result of at least one target primary secondary cell (PSCell); or a measurement result of a conditional primary secondary cell addition or change (CPAC) candidate cell (Paragraph 0097 discloses A WTRU may be configured to apply an SCG configuration if the WTRU is unable to comply with a RRCReconfiguration message received over SRB3, e.g., possibly if the PSCell associated with a stored SCG configuration meets a measurement and/or suitability criterion. [0098] A trigger condition may be associated with SCG failure. A WTRU may be configured to apply a SCG configuration if a SCG failure is detected. The SCG configuration may correspond to an SN change. The SCG failure may be detected if one or more of the following conditions are met. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a radio link failure for the SCG. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a reconfiguration with sync failure of the SCG. The SCG failure may be detected in response to detecting a SCG configuration failure).
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 of this title, 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.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deenoo et al. (WO 2021/067236 A1) in view of Yan et al. (US 2024/0306049 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Deenoo does not specifically disclose wherein the second conditional handover further comprises: in a case that a conditional reconfiguration corresponding to the target PCell comprises the target SCG configuration, skipping applying the target SCG configuration.
In an analogous art, Yan discloses wherein the second conditional handover further comprises: in a case that a conditional reconfiguration corresponding to the target PCell comprises the target SCG configuration, skipping applying the target SCG configuration (Paragraph [0143] If the SN decides to perform the intra-SN PSCell change procedure or the AI/ML-based intra-SN PSCell change action, in step 505, the SN transmits the SN Change Required message to the MN to indicate that it is intra-SN PSCell change. The step 506 does not exist, but the MN can update SCG configuration with the target SN (i.e. S—SN). In step 507, the MN transmits the intra-SN PSCell change command to the UE. After receiving this command, in step 508, the UE performs a RACH procedure with the target PSCell (i.e. cell in the S—SN), step 508 is performed optionally, sometimes it can be skipped).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Yan to the modified system of Deenoo to provide a method and an apparatus for performing a Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) change procedure (Abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 9-13, 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zhang et al. (WO 2021/109394 A1, reference provided by applicant) discloses the system and method include receiving, by a target master wireless communication node (MN) from a source master wireless communication node (MN), a handover request to begin a handover procedure; and transmitting, by the target MN to a target secondary wireless communication node (SN), a first message to inform the target SN about a type of SN addition or change procedure to perform the handover request, wherein the first message causes the target SN to send a second message to the target MN to inform the target MN of one or more configured primary secondary (PSCells).
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/ROMANI OHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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