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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 are have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 14-16, 18 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Monteiro (2024/0251258) in view of Da Silva (2024/0040461).
Regarding claim 1, Monteiro discloses an apparatus (105) for wireless communication at a user equipment comprising: at least one memory (Figure 14; 1403); and at least one processor (Figure 14; 1401) coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor is configured to: obtain information related to at least one of a plurality of candidate cells and a source cell, a plurality of SSBs, or a plurality of references signals (RSs) to measure in association with UE mobility (para 18-22, UE centric prediction model uses RSRP/RSRQ, or SSB or next cell information). Monteiro discloses perform, based on the information, a set of measurements of at least one of the candidate cells/source cell, SSBs, or RSs (para 83, use of MPM configuration and real values, as well as measurement report from the UE, para 86-88), and transmit, for a first network device, a set of predictions related to at least one potential handover operation with at least one candidate cell based on the set of measurements performed by the UE and associated with the UE mobility (use of MPM model for handover, para 90-95). Monteiro fails to explicitly disclose performing a handover operation based on the set of predictions but mentions the MPM data can be used for updated handover processes.
However, Da Silva teaches a UE based prediction model (UE predicted mobility information, abstract) where based on measurements/mobility predictions performed by a UE( 503-504), are sent to a network node (network node 403) and mobility decisions (such as handover) are performed based on the data from the UE (step 506, Figure 5 and para 117, predicting target cells, or base stations that are used in handover, para 450-470, best neighbor cells), also Figure 19, steps 1901-1910. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE predictions for handover in order to provide efficient mobility procedures in a wireless network.
Regarding claim 14, Monteiro discloses a method for wireless communication at a user equipment (105) comprising: obtaining information related to at least one of a plurality of candidate cells and a source cell, a plurality of SSBs, or a plurality of references signals (RSs) to measure in association with UE mobility (para 18-22, UE centric prediction model uses RSRP/RSRQ, or SSB or next cell information). Monteiro discloses performing, based on the information, a set of measurements of at least one of the candidate cells/source cell, SSBs, or RSs (para 83, use of MPM configuration and real values, as well as measurement report from the UE, para 86-88), and transmitting, for a first network device, a set of predictions related to at least one potential handover operation with at least one candidate cell based on the set of measurements performed by the UE and associated with the UE mobility (use of MPM model for handover, para 90-95). Monteiro fails to explicitly disclose performing a handover operation based on the set of predictions but mentions the MPM data can be used for updated handover processes.
However, Da Silva teaches a UE based prediction model (UE predicted mobility information, abstract) where based on measurements/mobility predictions performed by a UE( 503-504), are sent to a network node (network node 403) and mobility decisions (such as handover) are performed based on the data from the UE (step 506, Figure 5 and para 117, predicting target cells, or base stations that are used in handover, para 450-470, best neighbor cells), also, Figure 19, steps 1901-1910. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE predictions for handover in order to provide efficient mobility procedures in a wireless network.
Regarding claim 15, Monteiro discloses an apparatus (105) for wireless communication at a user equipment comprising: at least one memory (Figure 14; 1403); and at least one processor (Figure 14; 1401) coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor is configured to: obtain information related to at least one of a plurality of candidate primary cells and a source PScell, a plurality of SSBs, or a plurality of references signals (RSs) to measure in association with UE mobility (para 18-22, UE centric prediction model uses RSRP/RSRQ, or SSB or next cell information, also see para 90, 108 – related to PSCell addition or changes). Monteiro discloses perform, based on the information, a set of measurements of at least one of the PSCells, SSBs, or RSs (para 83, use of MPM configuration and real values, as well as measurement report from the UE, para 86-88), and transmit, for a first network device, a set of predictions related to at least one potential handover operation with at least one candidate cell based on the set of measurements performed by the UE and associated with the UE mobility (use of MPM model for handover, para 90-95). Also see Figure 11, step 1102, use of information of PSCell Addition procedures and SCG configurations. Monteiro fails to explicitly disclose performing a handover operation based on the set of predictions but mentions the MPM data can be used for updated handover processes.
However, Da Silva teaches a UE based prediction model (UE predicted mobility information, abstract) where based on measurements/mobility predictions performed by a UE( 503-504), are sent to a network node (network node 403) and mobility decisions (such as handover) are performed based on the data from the UE (step 506, Figure 5 and para 117, predicting target cells, or base stations that are used in handover, para 450-470, best neighbor cells), also Figure 19, steps 1901-1910. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE predictions for handover in order to provide efficient mobility procedures in a wireless network.
Regarding claim 2-3, 16, Monteiro further teaches generating using a machine learning model (para 17, machine learning model for AI/ML model) where inputs to the model are the received measurements and outputs are the predictions related to the handover (para 18-20).
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Montiero further discloses wherein the set of predictions comprises at least one of a seat of beam measurement predictions (para 117 and para 122, use of a set of beam measurements, or beam failure detection), one or more predictions of measurement events related to mobility or radio link failure (para 117, MPM relates to RLF or handover, which are mobility events and radio link failure events).
Claim(s) 4, 6-8, 17, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Montiero and Da Silva as applied to claim1 above, and further in view of Martin (WO 2024/178346).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, the combination of Montiero and Da Silva disclose all the particulars of the claim except for the probability of failure associated with a particular candidate cell. However, Martin teaches that in a predictive AI/ML model, Figure 8, in which a particular candidate cell set determines probability of failure (para 136-139, reducing handover failure is a goal of the AI model). Martin also teaches that the use of PScell operations are used in the system as well (para 125). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include models which minimize failure and use PSCell selection in order to prevent loss of communication during a communication.
Regarding claims 6-8 and 19-20, Martin further teaches the use of a transceiver (120) to transmit a subset of the set of measurements to the first network device (step 0b and 3, Figure 8, also para 158), detecting based on the set of measurements, a handover related event (para 161-163). Martin also teaches obtaining, based on the set of predictions, updated information related to the plurality of candidate cells, wherein handover is based upon the updated information (para 166-168, supplementary information is used in the handover process).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Montiero and Da Silva as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wu (WO 2024/2508686).
Regarding claim 9, The combination of Monteiro and Da Silva discloses all the particulars except for determining a probability of handover failure and selecting a different candidate cell if the initial selection is not suitable comparable to a threshold. However, Wu further teaches performing handover based on a set of predictions (para 71, prediction for handover failure and candidate cells). Wu also discloses the use of thresholds in the model (para 104-107) and also cancelling a handover (para 126). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include different candidates and thresholds for operation/cancellation based on measurements in order to optimize the model for the greatest success.
Claim(s) 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Montiero and Da Silva as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Martin and Sheoran (2025/0126532).
Regarding claim 10-12, the combination of Monteiro and Da Silva disclose all the particulars of the claim except for the handoff including a second indication that the handover has been rejected by the UE and obtaining a second candidate cell for handover based on the predictions. Da Silva discloses that the mobility information is related to conditional handover (CHO – para 856-864). However, Martin teaches in an analogous art, handover based on a set of predictions (Figure 8, para 139) wherein the processor obtains a first indication to perform handover (initial report, para 162-164), obtain a third indication to perform with a second candidate (para 165-168, updated candidate cell set). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include different candidates based on measurements in order to optimize the model for the greatest success. Martin fails to disclose the handover operation being rejected by the UE.
Sheoran teaches a handoff policy in which the fact whether the user equipment (UE) has rejected the handover is taken into account. (para 65, 73, tracking rejected handoffs for UE). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include UE tracking of rejected handoffs in order to provide proper training to the machine learning models for greater accuracy in the model.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Monteiro and Da Silva ‘461 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Dasilva( 2023/0363027).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Monteiro and Da Silva ‘461 disclose all the particulars of the claim except for the monitoring of a timer expiration associated with RRC messaging in the handover process and initiating a RRC reestablishment or conditional handoff recovery. However, Dasilva teaches a handoff system in which timers are used in RRC reconfiguration or conditional handoff (para 263-279, use of specific timers which stop based on an RRC Reconfiguration process as well as conditional handover) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include RRC reconfiguration in order to allow for proper control signaling based on the user equipment’s circumstances.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chen (WO 2025/035367) discloses UE mobility management with AI/ML models.
Song (2024/0422629) discloses cell handover using AI models with UE reporting to a network device.
Zhu (2023/0413152) discloses UE based mobility predictions with respect to handover decisions.
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WILLIAM GEORGE TROST IV
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/WILLIAM G TROST IV/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
