DETAILED ACTION
This office action in response to an application filing received July 12, 2024. The Application Data Sheet received on July 12, 2024 has been considered.
Claims 1-8 are pending.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed July 12, 2024 has been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-8, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 4, 7 and 8 recites the limitation "the UE has moved apart by a specified distance" in Pg. 1, line 13; Pg. 2, line 3; Pg. 2, line 26 and Pg. 8, line 26 respectively. It is unclear from the scope of the claim wherein UE has moved apart with reference to what or which element of the network. Since it is unclear how the claim is being impacted by the recited claim language, the metes and bounds of claims 1, 4, 7 and 8 are unclear which renders the claims indefinite.
Claims 3 and 6 recites the limitation "combination of elapsed time and UE position". It is unclear from the scope of the claim wherein elapsed time is with reference to what or from which point in time. Since it is unclear how the claim is being impacted by the recited claim language, the metes and bounds of claims 3 and 6 are unclear which renders the claims indefinite.
Claims 2-3 dependents from claim 1 are indefinite for the same rationale.
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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5 and 7-8, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitra et al., US 20180077619 A1, (hereinafter Bitra), in view of Ulupinar et al., US 20160323800 A1, (hereinafter Ulupinar).
Regarding claim 1 and 7, Bitra teaches a method performed by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
receiving from an infrastructure equipment:
a first indication of a first condition to be met before the UE should transmit assistance information to the infrastructure equipment, (see Fig. 7, step 88, ¶ [0068] - [0069], e.g., At stage 88, the method 7 includes sending an indication to the mobile device 10 that the mobile device 10 is likely to lose the connection to the wireless network 21. The indication may be in the form of a message that requests the location information at a time before the scheduled time. At stage 89, the method 7 includes receiving the location information from the mobile device before a scheduled time.),
the first condition including that the UE has moved to a specified position (see ¶ [0055], e.g., Determining that loss of the connection to the wireless network 21 is likely may also be based on positioning information and historical data. information about the locations where network connections are likely to be lost may be used to determine if the mobile device 10 is likely to lose a connection to the network based on the current location of the mobile device 10, and possibly also the direction and/or speed of travel.),
the infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a base station and a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) part (see ¶ [0028], e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 10 is able to communicate with various devices within an environment 2, which includes a wireless network 21 and a satellite positioning system (SPS) 30 including SPS satellites 31. … The wireless communication network 21 includes the mobile device 10, a base station 22, a local transceiver 25, a network 28, and the location server 20. The network 28, while not necessarily wireless itself, may comprise cellular communication network infrastructure and is therefore considered part of the wireless communication network 21.), and
a second indication of a second condition to be met before the UE should transmit assistance information to the infrastructure equipment, (see ¶ [0072], e.g., As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a function or operation is “based on” an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition and may be based on one or more items and/or conditions in addition to the stated item or condition.),
determining both of the first condition and the second condition are met; and transmitting the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment upon both of the first condition and the second condition being met (see ¶ [0005] - ¶ [0006], e.g., Sending at least a portion of the information from the mobile device to the server before the scheduled time may include sending the first information to the LTE network before the scheduled time. The method may also include sending the second information to the non-LTE network after sending the first information; see ¶ [0057], e.g., At stage 73, method 5 includes sending, by the mobile device 10, at least a portion of the information from the mobile device to the server, in response to determining that the trigger condition is met before the scheduled time … the information may be location information; see ¶ [0072], e.g., As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a function or operation is “based on” an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition and may be based on one or more items and/or conditions in addition to the stated item or condition),
wherein the assistance information includes measurement information (see ¶ [0005] - ¶ [0006], e.g., The information may include location information regarding the location of the mobile device. The location information may include reference signal time difference (RSTD) measurement data. For example, the location information may be the raw RSTD measurements made by the mobile device 10 … Other types of location measurements may also be sent, such as Wi-Fi-based positioning measurements, SPS positioning measurements or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) measurements.);
however, it does not explicitly teach the second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance.
Ulupinar teaches the second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance (see ¶ [0130], e.g., Some implementations may employ thresholds for location tolerance. Some implementations may employ GEO fencing. For example, if a UT is beyond a designated boundary relative to a satellite and/or an SNP (e.g., the UT is a certain distance away), the UT may be configured to send a location update to the SNP.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting by the UE the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment on meeting condition of Bitra to incorporate the teachings of Ulupinar to include second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance. Doing so would facilitate in achieving informing UE of the location drift allowed before a new location update message is needed as suggested by Ulupinar (see ¶ [0129], e.g., Also, via location-related signaling, the UT may be informed of the location drift allowed before a new location update message is needed.).
Regarding claim 2, Bitra as combined with Ulupinar teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
Bitra further teaches, wherein the infrastructure equipment comprises at least one of: the non-terrestrial network part, or the base station (see ¶ [0028], e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 10 is able to communicate with various devices within an environment 2, which includes a wireless network 21 and a satellite positioning system (SPS) 30 including SPS satellites 31. … The wireless communication network 21 includes the mobile device 10, a base station 22, a local transceiver 25, a network 28, and the location server 20. The network 28, while not necessarily wireless itself, may comprise cellular communication network infrastructure and is therefore considered part of the wireless communication network 21.).
Regarding claim 4 and 8, Ulupinar teaches a method performed by an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a base station and a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) part, the method comprising (see ¶ [0028], e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 10 is able to communicate with various devices within an environment 2, which includes a wireless network 21 and a satellite positioning system (SPS) 30 including SPS satellites 31. … The wireless communication network 21 includes the mobile device 10, a base station 22, a local transceiver 25, a network 28, and the location server 20. The network 28, while not necessarily wireless itself, may comprise cellular communication network infrastructure and is therefore considered part of the wireless communication network 21.):
transmitting to a User Equipment (UE):
a first indication of a first condition to be met before the UE should transmit assistance information to the infrastructure equipment, (see Fig. 7, step 88, ¶ [0068] - [0069], e.g., At stage 88, the method 7 includes sending an indication to the mobile device 10 that the mobile device 10 is likely to lose the connection to the wireless network 21. The indication may be in the form of a message that requests the location information at a time before the scheduled time. At stage 89, the method 7 includes receiving the location information from the mobile device before a scheduled time.),
the first condition including that the UE has moved to a specified position (see ¶ [0055], e.g., Determining that loss of the connection to the wireless network 21 is likely may also be based on positioning information and historical data. information about the locations where network connections are likely to be lost may be used to determine if the mobile device 10 is likely to lose a connection to the network based on the current location of the mobile device 10, and possibly also the direction and/or speed of travel.),
the infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a base station and a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) part (see ¶ [0028], e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 10 is able to communicate with various devices within an environment 2, which includes a wireless network 21 and a satellite positioning system (SPS) 30 including SPS satellites 31. … The wireless communication network 21 includes the mobile device 10, a base station 22, a local transceiver 25, a network 28, and the location server 20. The network 28, while not necessarily wireless itself, may comprise cellular communication network infrastructure and is therefore considered part of the wireless communication network 21.), and
a second indication of a second condition to be met before the UE should transmit assistance information to the infrastructure equipment, (see ¶ [0072], e.g., As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a function or operation is “based on” an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition and may be based on one or more items and/or conditions in addition to the stated item or condition.),
determining both of the first condition and the second condition are met; and transmitting the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment upon both of the first condition and the second condition being met (see ¶ [0005] - ¶ [0006], e.g., Sending at least a portion of the information from the mobile device to the server before the scheduled time may include sending the first information to the LTE network before the scheduled time. The method may also include sending the second information to the non-LTE network after sending the first information; see ¶ [0057], e.g., At stage 73, method 5 includes sending, by the mobile device 10, at least a portion of the information from the mobile device to the server, in response to determining that the trigger condition is met before the scheduled time … the information may be location information; see ¶ [0072], e.g., As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a function or operation is “based on” an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition and may be based on one or more items and/or conditions in addition to the stated item or condition),
wherein the assistance information includes measurement information (see ¶ [0005] - ¶ [0006], e.g., The information may include location information regarding the location of the mobile device. The location information may include reference signal time difference (RSTD) measurement data. For example, the location information may be the raw RSTD measurements made by the mobile device 10 … Other types of location measurements may also be sent, such as Wi-Fi-based positioning measurements, SPS positioning measurements or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) measurements.);
however, it does not explicitly teach the second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance.
Ulupinar teaches the second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance (see ¶ [0130], e.g., Some implementations may employ thresholds for location tolerance. Some implementations may employ GEO fencing. For example, if a UT is beyond a designated boundary relative to a satellite and/or an SNP (e.g., the UT is a certain distance away), the UT may be configured to send a location update to the SNP.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting by the UE the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment on meeting condition of Bitra to incorporate the teachings of Ulupinar to include second condition including that the UE has moved apart by a specified distance. Doing so would facilitate in achieving informing UE of the location drift allowed before a new location update message is needed as suggested by Ulupinar (see ¶ [0129], e.g., Also, via location-related signaling, the UT may be informed of the location drift allowed before a new location update message is needed.).
Regarding claim 5, Bitra as combined with Ulupinar teaches the limitations of Claim 4.
Bitra further teaches, wherein the infrastructure equipment comprises at least one of: the non-terrestrial network part, or the base station (see ¶ [0028], e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 10 is able to communicate with various devices within an environment 2, which includes a wireless network 21 and a satellite positioning system (SPS) 30 including SPS satellites 31. … The wireless communication network 21 includes the mobile device 10, a base station 22, a local transceiver 25, a network 28, and the location server 20. The network 28, while not necessarily wireless itself, may comprise cellular communication network infrastructure and is therefore considered part of the wireless communication network 21.).
Claim(s) 3 and 6, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitra in view of Ulupinar and in further view of HASSAN HUSSEIN et al., US 20200178137 A1, (hereinafter HASSAN HUSSEIN).
Regarding claim 3, Bitra as combined with Ulupinar teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
Bitra as improved by Ulupinar does not teach but HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches, wherein first condition is a combination of elapsed time and UE position (see ¶ [0193], e.g., data sent by the user equipment, for example: measurement reports (CQI, RSRP etc.), speed and direction of movement, navigation information and a list of base-stations, preferred by or at least known to the user equipment; see ¶ [0089] - ¶ [0091], e.g., the car speed is, for example, reported or computed. The position of the user equipment—e.g. the car—is depending on the embodiment actively monitored and/or reported to the coordinator unit. Further, the position is tracked in an embodiment along the traveling time of the moving vehicle…The eNB may be associated with a time stamp indicating a time or time interval in which the user equipment is expected to be in range of the eNB, indicating the start of the attention mode respectively; also see Claim 25. wherein a base station of the at least two base-stations or the coordinator unit is configured to receive information about a position and/or a velocity and/or a direction of a movement and/or a possible travel route of the user equipment; wherein the user equipment is configured to connect, by sending data, during a handover and while being connected to a source base-station, to a first and a second base station of the set of coordinated base stations; wherein the coordinator unit is configured to feedback to the user equipment possible time stamps, T1, T2, of the handover and advantageously one or more of a handover component carrier ID).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment on meeting first condition of Bitra as improved by Ulupinar to incorporate the teachings of HASSAN HUSSEIN to include first condition is a combination of elapsed time and UE position. Doing so would facilitate in achieving seamless and automated handover as suggested by HASSAN HUSSEIN (see ¶ [0193], e.g., This is followed by data sent by the user equipment, for example: measurement reports (CQI, RSRP etc.), speed and direction of movement, navigation information and a list of base-stations, preferred by or at least known to the user equipment. By predetermining the handover, an automated handover may be performed. The pre-scheduling of the handover may further allow for reserving/blocking resource elements (such as time frequency/code/frame) used by the user equipment from a base station before the handover user at a base station to serve the user equipment after the handover. This may allow a seamless handover, as the user equipment may simply continue transmitting and/or receiving.).
Regarding claim 6, Bitra as combined with Ulupinar teaches the limitations of Claim 4.
Bitra as improved by Ulupinar does not teach but HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches, wherein first condition is a combination of elapsed time and UE position (see ¶ [0193], e.g., data sent by the user equipment, for example: measurement reports (CQI, RSRP etc.), speed and direction of movement, navigation information and a list of base-stations, preferred by or at least known to the user equipment; see ¶ [0089] - ¶ [0091], e.g., the car speed is, for example, reported or computed. The position of the user equipment—e.g. the car—is depending on the embodiment actively monitored and/or reported to the coordinator unit. Further, the position is tracked in an embodiment along the traveling time of the moving vehicle…The eNB may be associated with a time stamp indicating a time or time interval in which the user equipment is expected to be in range of the eNB, indicating the start of the attention mode respectively; also see Claim 25. wherein a base station of the at least two base-stations or the coordinator unit is configured to receive information about a position and/or a velocity and/or a direction of a movement and/or a possible travel route of the user equipment; wherein the user equipment is configured to connect, by sending data, during a handover and while being connected to a source base-station, to a first and a second base station of the set of coordinated base stations; wherein the coordinator unit is configured to feedback to the user equipment possible time stamps, T1, T2, of the handover and advantageously one or more of a handover component carrier ID).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting the assistance information to the infrastructure equipment on meeting first condition of Bitra as improved by Ulupinar to incorporate the teachings of HASSAN HUSSEIN to include first condition is a combination of elapsed time and UE position. Doing so would facilitate in achieving seamless and automated handover as suggested by HASSAN HUSSEIN (see ¶ [0193], e.g., This is followed by data sent by the user equipment, for example: measurement reports (CQI, RSRP etc.), speed and direction of movement, navigation information and a list of base-stations, preferred by or at least known to the user equipment. By predetermining the handover, an automated handover may be performed. The pre-scheduling of the handover may further allow for reserving/blocking resource elements (such as time frequency/code/frame) used by the user equipment from a base station before the handover user at a base station to serve the user equipment after the handover. This may allow a seamless handover, as the user equipment may simply continue transmitting and/or receiving.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 9918264 B1 issued to Bitra et al.
US 20070287473 A1 issued to Dupray
US-11044623-B2 issued to Wong et al.
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/POONAM SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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