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 . Claims 1-4, 7, 9-10, 12-13, 15-18, 21, 23-24, 26-27, 31-32 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-3, 9-10, 12, 15-18, 21, 23-24, 26, 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al. (US# 2024/0349110 hereinafter referred to as Yamamoto).
RE Claim 1, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, performed by user equipment (UE) (See Yamamoto FIGs 1, 3 - UE), comprising:
determining, based on a configuration of a network-side device, at least one of at least one available measurement gap configuration (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – MN sends configuration to UE for configuring plurality of measurement gap patterns) or an association between each available measurement gap configuration and one or more specific to-be- measured parameters for indication (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – determining measurement gap patterns corresponding to measurement objects to be measured).
RE Claim 2, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprise at least one of the following:
a measurement object (See Yamamoto [0067] – i.e. measurement objects to be measured);
a to-be-measured frequency (See Yamamoto [0061], [0113] – measurement object can be frequency);
a to-be-measured cell;
a to-be-measured satellite; or
a synchronization signal block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) configuration.
RE Claim 3, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein determining, based on the configuration of the network-side device, at least one of the at least one available measurement gap configuration or the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters for indication comprises:
determining, based on the configuration of the network-side device, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102], [0109] – determining measurement gap patterns corresponding to measurement objects to be measured based on MN configuration gap information); or
determining the at least one available measurement gap configuration based on the configuration of the network-side device (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102], [0109] – determining measurement configuration based on MN configuration gap information).
RE Claim 9, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein determining the at least one available configuration of the measurement gap based on the configuration of the network-side device comprises:
receiving third configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the third configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap (See Yamamoto Summary; [0064] – receiving measurement gap configuration information); and
determining the at least one available measurement gap configuration based on the third configuration information (See Yamamoto Summary; [0064] – receiving MN configuration gap information indicating a configuration of each of a plurality of measurement gap patterns configured in the UE by the MN from the MN via a network interface).
RE Claim 10, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 9 above, wherein the third configuration information comprises at least one of:
a measurement gap length (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgl);
a measurement gap period (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgrp);
a measurement gap timing advance (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgta);
a first offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the first offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including gapOffset);
at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset; or
a second offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the second offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset and at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset.
RE Claim 12, Yamamoto discloses a method, as set forth in claim 1 above.
further comprising:
acquiring an update message sent by the network-side device; and updating the available measurement gap configuration based on the update message (See Yamamoto [0070]-[0071] – MeasGapToAddModList – modifying (updating) measurement gap configuration).
RE Claim 15, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, performed by network-side device (See Yamamoto FIGs 1, 3 – Base station), comprising:
configuring for user equipment (UE) at least one of at least one available measurement gap configuration (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – MN sends configuration to UE for configuring plurality of measurement gap patterns) or an association between each available measurement gap configuration and one or more specific to-be-measured parameters for indication (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – determining measurement gap patterns corresponding to measurement objects to be measured).
RE Claim 16, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 15 above, wherein the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprise at least one of the following:
a measurement object (See Yamamoto [0067] – i.e. measurement objects to be measured);
a to-be-measured frequency (See Yamamoto [0061], [0113] – measurement object can be frequency);
a to-be-measured cell;
a to-be-measured satellite; or
a synchronization signal block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) configuration.
RE Claim 17, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 15 above, wherein configuring for the UE at least one of the at least one available measurement gap configuration or the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters for indication comprises:
configuring for the UE the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102], [0109] – determining measurement gap patterns corresponding to measurement objects to be measured based on MN configuration gap information); or
configuring for the UE the at least one available measurement gap configuration (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102], [0109] – determining measurement configuration based on MN configuration gap information).
RE Claim 18, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein determining for the UE the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprises one of:
sending first configuration information to the UE, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters associated with each measurement gap offset;
sending a configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters and either at least one measurement gap offset or at least one measurement gap offset identifier to the UE, wherein the configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprises an association between the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters and either the measurement gap offset or the measurement gap offset identifier; or
sending second configuration information to the UE, wherein the second configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap (See Yamamoto [0064] – MeasGapConfig).
RE Claim 21, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 18 above, wherein the second configuration information comprises at least one of the following:
a first offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the first offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap offset);
at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset; or
a second offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the second offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset and at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset;
an association between the measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters;
an association between the measurement gap offset identifier and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters;
an association between the measurement gap offset and one or more identifiers of the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters; or
an association between the measurement gap offset identifier and one or more identifiers of the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters.
RE Claim 23, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein configuring for the UE the at least one available measurement gap configuration comprises:
sending third configuration information to the UE, wherein the third configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap (See Yamamoto [0064], [0070]-[0071] –measurement gap configuration information; or MeasGapToAddModList – modifying (updating) measurement gap configuration).
RE Claim 24, Yamamoto discloses an information configuration method, as set forth in claim 23 above, wherein the third configuration information comprises at least one of:
a measurement gap length (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgl);
a measurement gap period (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgrp);
a measurement gap timing advance (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including mgta);
a first offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the first offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset (See Yamamoto [0064] – measurement gap configuration including gapOffset);
at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset; or
a second offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the second offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset and at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset.
RE Claim 26, Yamamoto discloses a method, as set forth in claim 15 above.
further comprising:
sending an update message to the UE (See Yamamoto [0070]-[0071] – MeasGapToAddModList – modifying (updating) measurement gap configuration).
RE Claim 31, Yamamoto discloses a communication device, comprising:
a processor, and a memory, storing a computer program executable by the processor (See Yamamoto FIGs 1, 3, 11 - UE), wherein the processor is configured to:
determine, based on a configuration of a network-side device, at least one of at least one available measurement gap configuration (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – MN sends configuration to UE for configuring plurality of measurement gap patterns) or an association between each available measurement gap configuration and one or more specific to-be- measured parameters for indication (See Yamamoto [0067], [0073]-[0075], [0102] – determining measurement gap patterns corresponding to measurement objects to be measured).
RE Claim 32, Yamamoto discloses a communication device, comprising:
a processor, and a memory, storing a computer program executable by the processor (See Yamamoto FIGs 1, 3, 12 – base station), wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 15 (See Claim 15).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 4, 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto et al. (US# 2024/0349110 hereinafter referred to as Yamamoto) in view of Tang et al. (US# 2024/0373305 hereinafter referred to as Tang).
RE Claim 4, Yamamoto discloses a method, as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein determining, based on the configuration of the network-side device, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprises one of:
acquiring first configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one measurement gap offset (See Yamamoto [0057], [0060], [0064] – MeasGapConfig including gap offset);
acquiring a configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be- measured parameters and either at least one measurement gap offset or at least one measurement gap offset identifier sent by the network-side device (See Yamamoto [0057], [0060], [0064] – MeasGapConfig including gap offset; configuration also including identification of measurement objects to be measured); and
acquiring second configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the second configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap (See Yamamoto [0057], [0060], [0064] – MeasGapConfig including gap offset).
Yamamoto does not specifically disclose acquiring first configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters associated with each measurement gap offset; determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the first configuration information, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance; or
wherein the configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprises an association between the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters and either the at least one measurement gap offset or the at least one measurement gap offset identifier; and determining the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters based on a previous measurement gap configuration, either the at least one measurement gap offset or the at least one measurement gap offset identifier, and the configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance; or
determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the second configuration information, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance.
However, Tang teaches of
acquiring first configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters associated with each measurement gap offset (See Tang [0006], [0028], [0031], [0111], [0114] - measGapConfig (which includes gap offset and specific to-be-measured parameter (i.e. gapFR1))); determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the first configuration information (See Tang [0006], [0028], [0031], [0111], [0114] - determined based on current MG pattern and measGapConfig (which includes gap offset)), the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters (See Tang [0028], [0031], [0111], [0114] - UE performs a transformation from a current configured Measurement Gap, MG, pattern to a corresponding Network Controlled Small Gap, NCSG, pattern or from a current configured NCSG pattern to a corresponding MG pattern autonomously; the UE determines parameters of the corresponding NCSG pattern or the corresponding MG pattern based on a mapping rule between MG patterns and NCSG patterns or from indication information received from the network node), wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length (See Tang [0101] – measurement gap length), a measurement gap period (See Tang [0036] – measurement gap repetition period), and a measurement gap timing advance (See Tang [0030], [0049] – measurement gap timing advance); and
acquiring second configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the second configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap (See Tang Background; Summary; [0006] – Table – MeasGapConfig), determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the second configuration information (See Tang [0006], [0028], [0031], [0111], [0114] - determined based on current MG pattern and measGapConfig (which includes gap offset)), the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters (See Tang [0028], [0031], [0111], [0114] - UE performs a transformation from a current configured Measurement Gap, MG, pattern to a corresponding Network Controlled Small Gap, NCSG, pattern or from a current configured NCSG pattern to a corresponding MG pattern autonomously; the UE determines parameters of the corresponding NCSG pattern or the corresponding MG pattern based on a mapping rule between MG patterns and NCSG patterns or from indication information received from the network node), wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length (See Tang [0101] – measurement gap length), a measurement gap period (See Tang [0036] – measurement gap repetition period), and a measurement gap timing advance (See Tang [0030], [0049] – measurement gap timing advance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the measurement gap configuration system, as disclosed in Yamamoto, comprising acquiring first configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters associated with each measurement gap offset, determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the first configuration information, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance; or
wherein the configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters comprises an association between the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters and either the at least one measurement gap offset or the at least one measurement gap offset identifier; and determining the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters based on a previous measurement gap configuration, either the at least one measurement gap offset or the at least one measurement gap offset identifier, and the configuration corresponding to the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance; or
acquiring second configuration information sent by the network-side device, wherein the second configuration information is configured to configure a measurement gap, determining, based on a previous measurement gap configuration and the second configuration information, the at least one available measurement gap configuration and the association between each available measurement gap configuration and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters, wherein the previous measurement gap configuration comprises one or more of a measurement gap length, a measurement gap period, and a measurement gap timing advance, as taught in Tang. One is motivated as such in order to improve signaling and configuration for the UE (See Tang Background; Summary).
RE Claim 7, Yamamoto, modified by Tang, discloses a method, as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the second configuration information comprises at least one of the following:
a first offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the first offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset (See Yamamoto [0064] – measGapConfig including gapOffset; Tang Background; [0006] – Table – measGapConfig including gap offset);
at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset; or
a second offset list of the measurement gap, wherein the second offset list comprises at least one measurement gap offset and at least one measurement gap offset identifier for indicating the at least one measurement gap offset;
an association between the measurement gap offset and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters;
an association between the measurement gap offset identifier and the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters (See Tang Background; [0006] – Table – measGapConfig including gap offset and corresponding frequency to be measured (i.e. gapFR1));
an association between the measurement gap offset and one or more identifiers of the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters; or
an association between the measurement gap offset identifier and one or more identifiers of the one or more specific to-be-measured parameters.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto et al. (US# 2024/0349110 hereinafter referred to as Yamamoto) in view of Roy et al. (US# 2022/0225132 hereinafter referred to as Roy).
RE Claim 27, Yamamoto, discloses a method, as set forth in claim 26 above. Yamamoto does not specifically disclose wherein the update message comprises:
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and one or more measurement gap offsets; or
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and a deletion indication.
However, Zhang teaches of wherein the update message comprises:
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and one or more measurement gap offsets (See Roy [0010], [0012], [0061], [0088]-[0089] – measurement gap configuration update including update to gap offset as well as identification of cell that offset is applied to); or
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and a deletion indication.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the measurement gap configuration system, as disclosed in Yamamoto, wherein the update message comprises:
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and one or more measurement gap offsets; or
one or more measurement gap offset identifiers and a deletion indication, as taught in Roy. One is motivated as such in order to improve efficiency and reduce overhead (See Roy Background; Summary; [0051], [0100]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is 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. (US# 2024/0406811 – which teaches of measurement gap configuration updates).
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/STEVE R YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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