METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOBILITY ENHANCEMENT IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

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 . Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 30 July 2024 is being considered by the examiner. Claims 16-27 are pending. Figure 4B of the application illustrates the claimed invention. PNG media_image1.png 724 1018 media_image1.png Greyscale 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)(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. Claim(s) 16-17, 19-20, 22-23 and 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by (WO 2021/206826). Regarding claims 16, 19, 22 and 25, (WO 2021/206826) discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (UE 102) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a message including a first indication, wherein the first indication indicates that candidate primary secondary cells (PSCells) for subsequent conditional PSCell addition or change (CPAC) are configured; determining a target cell from the candidate PSCells; and performing a cell access (claims 16 and 22); A method performed by a network node (MN 104) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a first message including a first indication, wherein the first indication indicates that candidate primary secondary cells (PSCells) for subsequent conditional PSCell addition or change (CPAC) are configured; and receive, from the UE, a second message (claims 19 and 25), see figures 3A and 3B). ([0011]: “To configure a conditional procedure, the RAN provides the condition to the UE, along with a configuration (e.g., one or more random-access preambles, etc.) that will enable the UE to communicate with the appropriate base station, or via the appropriate cell, when the condition is satisfied. For a conditional addition of a base station as an SN or a candidate cell as a PSCell, for example, the RAN provides the UE with a condition to be satisfied before the UE can add that base station as the SN or that candidate cell as the PSCell, and a configuration that enables the UE to communicate with that base station or PSCell after the condition has been satisfied.”), ([0015]: “In a conditional PSCell addition or change procedure, the RAN (i.e., MN or SN) transmits an RRC reconfiguration message including multiple configuration parameters to the UE and the UE attempts to connect to a candidate PSCell configured by the RRC reconfiguration message. After the UE successfully connects to the SN via the candidate PSCell, the UE communicates with the SN on the candidate PSCell using the multiple configuration parameters and security key(s) associated to the candidate PSCell and derived from one or more security configuration parameters in the RRC reconfiguration message.”), ([0056]: “In general, the techniques of this disclosure allow a first base station to configure the UE to use multiple conditional configurations related to multiple candidate cells of a second base station (which can be the same or different form the first base station), along with one or more conditions to be satisfied before the UE connects to the particular candidate cell. The techniques also enable the base station to determine which conditional configuration and associated security key(s) to apply to communicate with the UE on the particular candidate cell. The conditional procedure can be, for example, a conditional handover procedure, a conditional SN addition or change procedure, or a conditional PSCell addition or change procedure.”). PNG media_image2.png 910 698 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 758 587 media_image3.png Greyscale Regarding claims 17, 20, 23 and 26, (WO 2021/206826) teaches wherein the message includes a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message. ([0015]: “transmits an RRC reconfiguration message including multiple configuration parameters to the UE and the UE attempts to connect to the candidate PSCell configured by the RRC reconfiguration message.”). Claim(s) 16-17, 19-20, 22-23 and 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by (WO 2021/064032 A1). Regarding claims 16, 19, 22 and 25, (WO 2021/064032 A1) discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a message including a first indication, wherein the first indication indicates that candidate primary secondary cells (PSCells) for subsequent conditional PSCell addition or change (CPAC) are configured; determining a target cell from the candidate PSCells; and performing a cell access (claims 16 and 22); A method performed by a network node in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a first message including a first indication, wherein the first indication indicates that candidate primary secondary cells (PSCells) for subsequent conditional PSCell addition or change (CPAC) are configured; and receive, from the UE, a second message (claims 19 and 25), see figures 3A and 3B). (WO 2021/064032) discloses a method performed by a wireless device for determining security keys. The method comprises, for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by the wireless device for dual connectivity, receiving, from a network node, a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell. The method also comprises determining, for each of at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell, where the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective value associated with the candidate PSCell.”) PNG media_image4.png 461 805 media_image4.png Greyscale PNG media_image5.png 458 835 media_image5.png Greyscale Regarding claims 17, 20, 23 and 26, (WO 2021/064032) teaches wherein the message includes a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message. ([0015]: “transmits an RRC reconfiguration message including multiple configuration parameters to the UE and the UE attempts to connect to the candidate PSCell configured by the RRC reconfiguration message.”). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 18, 21, 24 and 27 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. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant disclosure: WO 2021/146286 discloses a user equipment (UE) receives, from a radio access network (RAN) conditional configuration information including (i) a configuration related to a base station or a cell and (ii) a condition to be satisfied before the UE applies the configuration (2102). The UE determines a procedure to which the conditional information pertains (2104). The UE applies, during the determined procedure, the configuration if the condition is satisfied (2106). PNG media_image6.png 778 503 media_image6.png Greyscale WO 2021/067236 A1 discloses devices may be configured to perform conditional handover and/or conditional second cell group reconfigurations including primary secondary cell additions or changes. The devices may exchange information with a network while performing the conditional reconfiguration and/or conditional handovers. The devices may be configured with rules to handle concurrent handover and reconfiguration tasks. PNG media_image7.png 541 672 media_image7.png Greyscale WO 2021/075844 A1 discloses a method performed by a wireless device in a wireless communication system comprises: receiving from a network, a plurality of conditional mobility commands, each of the plurality of conditional mobility commands comprising a respective trigger type; identifying, among the plurality of conditional mobility commands, one or more conditional mobility command comprising a trigger type corresponding to a secondary cell group (SCG) configuration status of the wireless device, and performing an evaluation of one or more target cells related to the one or more conditional mobility commands. PNG media_image8.png 307 589 media_image8.png Greyscale WO 2021/146697 A1 discloses a radio access network (RAN) for configuring a user equipment (UE) transmits, to the UE, (i) a conditional configuration related to a base station operating in the RAN, and (ii) a condition to be satisfied before the UE applies the conditional configuration during a conditional procedure (1802), determines subsequently to the transmitting, that the UE is to perform an immediate procedure related to the RAN (1804), and provides, to the UE, an indication that the UE is to release the conditional configuration (1806). PNG media_image9.png 533 680 media_image9.png Greyscale WO2021/162870 A1 discloses a method includes operating in dual connectivity (DC) with a master node (MN) via a primary cell and a secondary node (SN) via a primary secondary cell, the MN and the SN operating in a radio access network (RAN) 1702). The method further include receiving, from the RAN a conditional configuration related to a candidate primary secondary cell, the conditional configuration during a conditional procedure (1704). The method also includes, in response to the detecting, suspending the conditional procedure. See figure 7. PNG media_image10.png 715 489 media_image10.png Greyscale WO 2021/201758 A1 discloses a method performed by a wireless device (12) comprises receiving, from a first network node (14), conditional configuration (16-1...16-N) of candidate target cells (18-1...18-N) that are respectively provided by candidate target network node (22-1...22-N). The method also comprises transmitting, to the first network node (14), a message (20) and an identifier associated with one of the candidate target network node (22-1...22-N) to which the message (2) is destined. PNG media_image11.png 688 690 media_image11.png Greyscale Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDA H PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3135. The examiner can normally be reached 571-272-3135. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. BRENDA H. PHAM Primary Examiner Art Unit 2412 /BRENDA H PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412