DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . The instant First Office Action on the merits is in response to claims filed on 8/12/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 13 and 17 are the base independent claims.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted was filed before the mailing of a first Office action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97(b). Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged.
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.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koskinen et al (US 2024/0098538) in view of Thangarasa et al (US 2025/0039708).
Regarding claim 1, Koskinen discloses a measurement method, performed by a terminal device, comprising:
acquiring a measured value of a target measurement, wherein the target measurement comprises a beam quality threshold (par 92-93; in more general terms, the reported information can include one or more indications of radio resource control measurement relaxation level, or radio link monitoring measurement level…or whether a threshold (e.g., a cell quality threshold or a beam quality threshold) for controlling whether the UE is required to perform measurements on non-serving cells is fulfilled or not);
determining a target state of the terminal device (fig. 4, par 92; e.g. UE 110 can determine if a relaxed measurement state can be applied) according to the measured value (par 48, 59; e.g. RRM measurement) and reference information corresponding to the target measurement (par 63; serving cell reference value), wherein the target state comprises a relaxation state or a non-relaxation state (par 99; e.g. activity, e.g., either UE is relaxing or not relaxing the measurement; also par 123); and
sending the target state to a network device (par 123-125, par 158; e.g. the network determines based on the measurement activity information reported by the UE).
The reference does not explicitly disclose:
a beam failure detection (BFD) (emphasis added).
In view of Thangarasa, it is obvious that a beam quality threshold can be used in beam failure detection because Thangarasa disclose in par 103, examples of requirements include measurement time, beam failure detection (BFD) evaluation period, and etc.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Thangarasa with the electronic system of Koskinen. One is motivated as such to further improve measurement control (Thangarasa, par 114).
Regarding claim 2, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein acquiring the measured value of the target measurement comprises: measuring a downlink reference signal of a serving cell of the terminal device to obtain the measured value (par 6; e.g. measurement downlink (DL) and/or uplink (UL) reference signal (RS) of one or more cells).
Regarding claim 3, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein the reference information is sent by the network device and is applicable to at least one of a primary serving cell or a secondary serving cell (par 136, 138; e.g. UE may obtain information about the RMC based on a message received from the network node).
Regarding claim 4, Thangarasa discloses:
further comprising: determining a serving cell to which the reference information is applicable (par 155; e.g. determine whether the serving carrier is subject to CCA or not).
Regarding claim 5, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein determining the target state of the terminal device according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining whether the terminal device meets a low movability metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement; in response to the terminal device meeting the low movability metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the relaxation state; or in response to the terminal device not meeting the low movability metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the non-relaxation state (par 152-153; e.g. For example, if the UE is configured with low mobility criterion (e.g. RMC1), then the UE evaluates whether the low mobility criterion is met or not; also par 138).
Regarding claim 6, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein the reference information comprises a target period and a first difference threshold, and the measured value comprises at least one first reference signal receiving power (RSRP) obtained by measuring a downlink reference signal at least one time within the target period or obtained by measuring at least one downlink reference signal within the target period (par 153; e.g. received signal level measured by the UE in a cell is below certain threshold (S2) over certain time period (D2); otherwise, low mobility criterion is not met);
and wherein determining whether the terminal device meets the low movability metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining a first difference between each of the at least one first RSRP and a corresponding reference value; wherein the reference value corresponding to the first RSRP is measured by the terminal device before measuring the first RSRP; and in response to the first difference corresponding to each of the at least one first RSRP being less than the first difference threshold, determining that the terminal device meets the low movability metric (par 83-90; e.g. The received signal from a cell (e.g. serving cell) is static or quasi-static if it does not change by more than certain margin over certain time period, e.g., the variance of the measured signal levels is within a certain threshold).
Regarding claim 7, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein the reference information is applicable to a primary serving cell (par 83; e.g. received signal from a serving cell).
Regarding claim 8, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein determining the target state of the terminal device according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining whether the terminal device meets a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement;
in response to the terminal device meeting the good cell signal quality metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the relaxation state; or in response to the terminal device not meeting the good cell signal quality metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the non-relaxation state (par 153-154; e.g. Examples of received signal level include signal strength, signal quality; also see par 92).
Regarding claim 9, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein the measured value comprises a plurality of first signal to interference plus noise ratios (SINRs) obtained by measuring a plurality of downlink reference signals, and the reference information comprises threshold indication information;
and wherein determining whether the terminal device meets a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining a first quality threshold according to the threshold indication information; and in response to the plurality of first SINRs all being greater than the first quality threshold, determining that the terminal device meets the good cell signal quality metric; or in response to at least one of the plurality of first SINRs being greater than the first quality threshold, determining that the terminal device meets the good cell signal quality metric (par 153-154; e.g. Examples of received signal level include signal strength, signal quality; also see par 92).
Regarding claim 10, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein the measured value comprises a plurality of first SINRs obtained by measuring a plurality of downlink reference signals, and the reference information comprises threshold indication information;
and wherein determining whether the terminal device meets a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining a second quality threshold according to the threshold indication information; and in response to at least one of the plurality of first SINRs being less than or equal to the second quality threshold, determining that the terminal device does not meet the good cell signal quality metric; or in response to the plurality of first SINRs all being less than or equal to the second quality threshold, determining that the terminal device does not meet the good cell signal quality metric (par 153-154; e.g. Examples of received signal level include signal strength, signal quality; also see par 92).
Regarding claim 11, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein determining the target state of the terminal device according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
determining whether the terminal device meets a low movability metric and a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement;
in response to the terminal device not meeting at least one of the low movability metric or the good cell signal quality metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the non-relaxation state; or in response to the terminal device meeting both the low movability metric and the good cell signal quality metric, determining that the target state of the terminal device is the relaxation state (par 153-154, par 163-164; e.g. low mobility criterion is not met provided that the magnitude of the variation of the received signal level measured by the UE in a cell is equal to or larger than certain threshold (S2) over certain time period (D2)).
Regarding claim 12, Thangarasa discloses:
wherein determining the target state of the terminal device according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement comprises:
in response to the terminal device being located in a primary service cell, determining whether the terminal device meets at least one of a low movability metric or a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement; or in response to the terminal device being located in a secondary service cell, determining whether the terminal device meets a good cell signal quality metric according to the measured value and the reference information corresponding to the target measurement (par 81-83; e.g. the received signal from a cell ( e.g. serving cell) is static or quasi-static if it does not change by more than certain margin over certain time period, e.g., the variance of the measured signal levels is within a certain threshold).
Regarding claim 13, Koskinen discloses a measurement method, performed by a network device, comprising:
receiving a target state sent by a terminal device (par 123-125, par 158; e.g. the network determines based on the measurement activity information reported by the UE), wherein the target state is determined (fig. 4, par 92; e.g. UE 110 can determine if a relaxed measurement state can be applied) according to a measured value (par 48, 59; e.g. RRM measurement) of a target measurement and reference information corresponding to the target measurement (par 63; serving cell reference value), the target measurement comprises a beam quality threshold (par 92-93; in more general terms, the reported information can include one or more indications of radio resource control measurement relaxation level, or radio link monitoring measurement level…or whether a threshold (e.g., a cell quality threshold or a beam quality threshold) for controlling whether the UE is required to perform measurements on non-serving cells is fulfilled or not), and the target state comprises a relaxation state or a non-relaxation state (par 99; e.g. activity, e.g., either UE is relaxing or not relaxing the measurement; also par 123).
The reference does not explicitly disclose:
a beam failure detection (BFD) (emphasis added).
In view of Thangarasa, it is obvious that a beam quality threshold can be used in beam failure detection because Thangarasa disclose in par 103, examples of requirements include measurement time, beam failure detection (BFD) evaluation period, and etc.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Thangarasa with the electronic system of Koskinen. One is motivated as such to further improve measurement control (Thangarasa, par 114).
Regarding claim 14, Thangarasa discloses:
sending the reference information to the terminal device, wherein the reference information carries indication information, wherein the indication information indicates a serving cell to which the reference information is applicable (par 136, 138; e.g. UE may obtain information about the RMC based on a message received from the network node).
Regarding claim 15, Thangarasa discloses:
in response to the target state being the relaxation state, sending a relaxation instruction to the terminal device, wherein the relaxation instruction is used to control the terminal device to enter the relaxation state (par 136, 138; e.g. When criteria for MO1 is met, then the UE performs measurements according to MO1 and in which case the UE is allowed to perform relaxed measurements i.e. the UE can enter into the relaxed measurement mode; also par 128-133).
Regarding claim 16, Thangarasa discloses:
before sending the reference information to the terminal device, sending a notification to the terminal device, wherein the notification indicates a serving cell in which the target measurement is to be performed (par 126; e.g. the UE may further be configured to perform one or more measurements on another cell, third cell).
Regarding claims 17 and 19, Koskinen in view of Thangarasa also discloses a measurement apparatus for performing the method of claim 1 or the method of claim 13 similarly as above (also see Koskinen par 287).
Regarding claims 18 and 20, Koskinen in view of Thangarasa also discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to cause the method of claim 1 or the method of claim 13 (also see Koskinen par 288).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YAOTANG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4023. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-18:00 ET (M, W, TH & alternate F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HADI ARMOUCHE can be reached at 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOTANG WANG/SCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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