DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Cross Reference to Related Applications
2. The current application is a U.S. National Phase application of the International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2022/087517, filed April 18, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
Claims status
3. This office action is a response to an application filed on October 25, 2024 in which claims 1-3, 810, 13-19, 21-22, 27, 31 and 34-35 are pending for examination.
Based on the Preliminary Amendment filed on October 25, 2024, the listing of claims replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The Examiner has considered the reference(s) listed on the Information Disclosure Statements submitted on October 18, 2024 and August 04, 2025.
Drawings
5. The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on October 25, 2024 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Claim Objections (minor informalities)
6. Claims 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 34 and 35 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claims 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31 and 34, the claims have multiple recitations of “cell group activation” and it appears that multiple recitations of “cell group activation” are referring back to previously (first time) recited “cell group activation” of independent claims. If it is true, In order to avoid antecedent basis issue, it is suggested to amend multiple recitations of “…cell group activation” from 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31 and 34 to “…the cell group activation”.
If applicant is of the opinion that multiple recitations of “cell group activation” from claims 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31 and 34 are not referring back to previously recited “cell group activation”, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regrading claims 2, 3 and 22, the claims recite “…about a to-be-activated…” and “…about a cell group…”. The term “about” is not a positive recitation. The specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The term may raise a question as to the limiting effect of the language in a claim. Further clarification is requested.
Regarding claim 35, the claim recites “A network side device, comprising… wherein the processor is configured to perform the method of claim 21”. For clarity and consistency, it is suggested to incorporate steps/processes recited in claim 21 into claim 35.
For the purpose of examinations, the examiner will interpret the claims as best understood.
Further clarification is requested to understand what applicant is trying to accomplish.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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 of this title, 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.
8. Claims 1, 8-10, 13-17, 21, 27-28, 31 and 34-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2022/0167445 A1), hereinafter “Wang” in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0046522 A1; as submitted by the applicant with IDS dated August 04, 2025), hereinafter “Kim”.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a cell activation method, performed by a user equipment (UE) (Figs. 1, 6, 8, application relates to the communications field to reduce energy consumption of a terminal and a network-side device during DC communication), comprising:
obtaining information for mobility management configured by a network device wherein the information for mobility management is used for at least one mobility management operation (Figs. 1, 6, 8, paragraphs [0156]-[0160], [0209]-[0224], activation (activation) indication from an access network device, where the activation indication indicates that a PSCell in an SCG is in an activated state) ; and
configuring or updating information for cell group activation based on the information for mobility management (Figs. 1, 6, 8, paragraphs [0156]-[0160], [0209]-[0224], activates (activate) the secondary cell group according to the activation indication).
While Wang implicitly refers to “determining indication information, wherein the indication information is contained in the information for mobility management and is used to indicate whether or not the information for mobility management is used for cell group activation, the cell group activation is executed after a primary secondary cell (PSCell) change, or a PCell change based on pre-configured configuration without reconfiguration and re-initiation of cell group activation”, Kim from the same or similar field of endeavor explicitly discloses determining indication information, wherein the indication information is contained in the information for mobility management (Fig. 6, paragraphs [0262]-[0265], [0442]-[0489], configuration information for a PCell, a PSCell, or multiple SCells, and multiple bandwidth parts may be configured for each of the cells (PCell, PSCell, or SCells)) and is used to indicate whether or not the information for mobility management is used for cell group activation, the cell group activation is executed after a primary secondary cell (PSCell) change, or a PCell change based on pre-configured configuration without reconfiguration and re-initiation of cell group activation (Fig. 6, paragraphs [0262]-[0265], [0442]-[0489], no indicator (e.g., ReconfigurationWithSync indicator or mobilitycontrolInfo indicator) indicating handover, cell group addition, or cell group change if the RRC message (e.g., RRCReconfiguration message) includes an indicator for suspending a cell group, and it is proposed to include an indicator (e.g., ReconfigurationWithSync indicator or mobilitycontrolInfo indicator) indicating handover, cell group addition, or cell group change if the RRC message includes an indicator for resuming a cell group or configuration information for configuring a cell group).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “determining indication information, wherein the indication information is contained in the information for mobility management and is used to indicate whether or not the information for mobility management is used for cell group activation, the cell group activation is executed after a primary secondary cell (PSCell) change, or a PCell change based on pre-configured configuration without reconfiguration and re-initiation of cell group activation” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses the information for cell group activation comprises at least one configuration item for cell group activation, and each configuration item in the at least one configuration item is used to activate one or more cell groups, wherein the configuration item for cell group activation comprises one or more of a configuration identity (ID), an activation condition for cell group activation, condition identification information corresponding to the activation condition, or configuration information about a to-be-activated cell group (Figs. 1, 6, 8, paragraphs [0156]-[0160], [0209]-[0224], activation (activation) indication from an access network device, where the activation indication indicates that a PSCell in an SCG is in an activated state).
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses the determining the indication information comprises: obtaining indication information transmitted by the network device, the indication information comprising a configuration ID corresponding to at least one entry in the information for mobility management, the indication information being used to explicitly indicate whether or not the entry in the information for mobility management corresponding to the configuration ID in the indication information is used for cell group activation; or obtaining indication information in an entry in the information for mobility management, the indication information being used to explicitly indicate whether or not the entry is used for cell group activation (Figs. 1, 6, 8, paragraphs [0026], [0058]-[0059], [0156]-[0160], [0209]-[0224], activation (activation) indication from an access network device, where the activation indication indicates that a PSCell in an SCG is in an activated state; retained configuration of the secondary cell group may be used in dual connectivity communication between the secondary node and the terminal).
Regarding claim 9, Wang discloses the determining the indication information comprises: obtaining indication information transmitted by the network device, the indication information comprising a configuration ID corresponding to at least one entry in the information for mobility management, the indication information being used to explicitly indicate that the entry in the information for mobility management corresponding to the configuration ID in the indication information is capable of being used for cell group activation; or obtaining indication information in an entry in the information for mobility management, the indication information being used to explicitly indicate that the entry is capable of being used for cell group activation (Figs. 1, 6, 8, paragraphs [0026], [0058]-[0059], [0156]-[0160], [0209]-[0224], activation (activation) indication from an access network device, where the activation indication indicates that a PSCell in an SCG is in an activated state; deactivation indication or the activation indication described in the foregoing aspects may be included in physical layer signaling, or included in a MAC control element (control element, CE), or included in a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message).
Regarding claim 10, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 1.
Kim further discloses the determining the indication information comprises: in response to determining that information comprised in the entry in the information for mobility management comprises information specific for cell group activation, determining the information specific for cell group activation as the indication information, wherein the indication information is used to implicitly indicate that the entry is used for cell group activation (paragraph [0134], channel measurement configuration information (e.g., configuration information for a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a synchronization signal block (SSB), or a radio resource or reference signal (RS)) for measuring a signal of the cell (PSCell, PCell, or SCell) of the cell group may be included in the cell group configuration information, previously configured cell group configuration information, or a message (e.g., RRC message or RRCReconfiguration message) indicating cell group activation or resumption).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the determining the indication information comprises: in response to determining that information comprised in the entry in the information for mobility management comprises information specific for cell group activation, determining the information specific for cell group activation as the indication information, wherein the indication information is used to implicitly indicate that the entry is used for cell group activation” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 13, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 1.
Kim further discloses the updating the information for cell group activation based on the information for mobility management comprises at least one of: performing an addition operation on the information for cell group activation based on the addition information; performing a deletion operation on the information for cell group activation based on the deletion information; performing a modification operation on the information for cell group activation based on the modification information; or performing an addition-modification operation on the information for cell group activation based on the addition-modification information (paragraphs [0263]-[0264], [0709], indicator indicating handover, cell group addition, or cell group change (e.g., ReconfigurationWithSync indicator or mobilitycontrolInfo indicator); configuration, releasing, addition, deactivation, activation, resumption, changing, reconfiguration, or suspension of the cell group (e.g., secondary cell group) or cell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the updating the information for cell group activation based on the information for mobility management comprises at least one of: performing an addition operation on the information for cell group activation based on the addition information; performing a deletion operation on the information for cell group activation based on the deletion information; performing a modification operation on the information for cell group activation based on the modification information; or performing an addition-modification operation on the information for cell group activation based on the addition-modification information” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 14, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 13.
Kim further discloses the information for cell group activation comprises at least one of: configuration information for master cell group activation, used for activating a master cell group; configuration information for secondary cell group activation, used for activating a secondary cell group; or configuration information for master cell group activation and secondary cell group activation, used for activating the master cell group and the secondary cell group simultaneously, or activating the master cell group or the secondary cell group (paragraphs [0793]-[0796], [0798], activates a cell group (e.g., master cell group or secondary cell group) or a cell (e.g., PSCell or SCell) according to an indication of an RRC message, activation of the cell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the information for cell group activation comprises at least one of: configuration information for master cell group activation, used for activating a master cell group; configuration information for secondary cell group activation, used for activating a secondary cell group; or configuration information for master cell group activation and secondary cell group activation, used for activating the master cell group and the secondary cell group simultaneously, or activating the master cell group or the secondary cell group” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 15, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 13.
Kim further discloses the addition operation comprises: in response to determining that the addition information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, adding each entry in the addition information into the information for cell group activation (paragraphs [0263]-[0264], [0709], indicator indicating handover, cell group addition, or cell group change (e.g., ReconfigurationWithSync indicator or mobilitycontrolInfo indicator); configuration, releasing, addition, deactivation, activation, resumption, changing, reconfiguration, or suspension of the cell group (e.g., secondary cell group) or cell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the addition operation comprises: in response to determining that the addition information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, adding each entry in the addition information into the information for cell group activation” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 16, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 13.
Kim further discloses the deletion operation comprises: in response to determining that the deletion information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, deleting a configuration item for cell group activation in the information for cell group activation corresponding to a configuration ID comprised in each entry in the deletion information (paragraphs [0263]-[0264], [0709], indicator indicating handover, cell group addition, or cell group change (e.g., ReconfigurationWithSync indicator or mobilitycontrolInfo indicator); configuration, releasing, addition, deactivation, activation, resumption, changing, reconfiguration, or suspension of the cell group (e.g., secondary cell group) or cell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the deletion operation comprises: in response to determining that the deletion information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, deleting a configuration item for cell group activation in the information for cell group activation corresponding to a configuration ID comprised in each entry in the deletion information” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 17, Wang in view of Kim disclose the method according to claim 13.
Kim further discloses the modification operation comprises: in response to determining that the modification information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, modifying a configuration item for cell group activation in the information for cell group activation corresponding to a configuration ID comprised in each entry in the modification information (paragraphs [0263]-[0264], [0709], a new indicator may be defined from an existing message (e.g., SN addition request message, SN modification request message, SN release request message, or the like) so as to indicate (or request) to configure, clear, add, deactivate, activate, resume, change, reconfigure, or suspend a cell group (secondary cell group), or a cell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the modification operation comprises: in response to determining that the modification information is used for updating the information for cell group activation, modifying a configuration item for cell group activation in the information for cell group activation corresponding to a configuration ID comprised in each entry in the modification information” as taught by Kim, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide a need for a method for using carrier aggregation or dual connectivity in a next-generation mobile communication system (Kim, paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 21, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 1 from perspective of a network device .
Regarding claim 27, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 8 from the perspective of the network device.
Regarding claim 28, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 9 from the perspective of the network device.
Regarding claim 31, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 10 from the perspective of a network device.
Regarding claim 34, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 35, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 21.
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 3, 18-19 and 22 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable contingent upon or subject to the following conditions: (1) that the claims are rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims as presented by applicant and referenced herein, (2) after clarifying the issues related with claim objections as stated above, (3) that the subject limitation(s) are not taken alone but in view of the entirety of the claim language including any preceding claim limitation, any proceeding claim limitations, and any intervening claim limitations, and (4) that all independent claims were amended with similar features and the amendments were submitted in a formal response.
Conclusion
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SITHU KO whose telephone number is 571-272-8647. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Friday 8:30am-5:00pmEST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edan Orgad can be reached on 571-272-7884. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SITHU KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
Prosecution Insights