DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/871463 filed on 12/03/2024 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Claims 19, 21-28 were cancelled. Claims 1-18, 20 and 29 are pending.
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 . 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 for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection.
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.
Claims 1-11, 14-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1).
As per claim 1, Sun discloses “A method comprising:” as [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “receiving a conditional configuration for a target cell from a network, wherein the conditional configuration includes configuration parameters for the target cell,” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “and wherein the configuration parameters include i) a configuration of the target cell,” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.] “ii) a first execution condition for Conditional Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Addition (CPA)” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “and iii) a second execution condition for Conditional PSCell Change (CPC);” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “selecting one execution condition from the first execution condition and the second execution condition based on whether a PSCell is configured or not;” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.] “evaluating the one execution condition of the target cell;” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “and applying the configuration of the target cell which fulfils the one execution condition.” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.]
As per claim 2, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the first execution condition is selected for the one execution condition based on the PSCell not being configured.” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.]
As per claim 3, Sun discloses “The method of claim 2,” as [see rejection of claim 2.] “wherein evaluating the one execution condition of the target cell comprises determining whether to execute the CPA based on the first execution condition selected for the one execution condition.” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.]
As per claim 4, Sun discloses “The method of claim 2,” as [see rejection of claim 2.] “wherein applying the configuration of the target cell comprises executing the CPA with the target cell which fulfils the first execution condition.” par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.]
As per claim 5, Sun discloses “The method of claim 2,” as [see rejection of claim 2.] “wherein the first execution condition is considered valid, and the second execution condition is considered invalid.” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 6, Sun discloses “The method of claim 2,” as [see rejection of claim 2.] “wherein the first execution condition selected for the one execution condition is only evaluated, and the second execution condition not selected for the one execution condition is not evaluated.” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 7, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the second execution condition is selected for the one execution condition based on the PSCell being configured” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.]
As per claim 8, Sun discloses “The method of claim 7,” as [see rejection of claim 7.] “wherein evaluating the one execution condition of the target cell comprises determining whether to execute the CPC based on the second execution condition selected for the one execution condition” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.]
As per claim 9, Sun discloses “The method of claim 7,” as [see rejection of claim 7.] “wherein applying the configuration of the target cell comprises executing the CPC with the target cell which fulfils the second execution condition” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.]
As per claim 10, Sun discloses “The method of claim 7,” as [see rejection of claim 7.] “wherein the second execution condition is considered valid, and the first execution condition is considered invalid” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 11, Sun discloses “The method of claim 7,” as [see rejection of claim 7.] “wherein the second execution condition selected for the one execution condition is only evaluated, and the first execution condition not selected for the one execution condition is not evaluated” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 14, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the first execution condition belongs to a first set of execution conditions.” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 15, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the second execution condition belongs to a second set of execution conditions.” [(par. 0236), The processing unit 702 is further configured to add a PSCell that meets the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell in the second PSCell list as the target PSCell or change from the original PSCell to the target PSCell based on the second configuration information.]
As per claim 16, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.] “wherein the method is performed by a wireless device, and wherein the wireless device is connected to both a Master Node (MN) and a Secondary Node (SN) in a Dual Connectivity (DC)” [(par. 0107), The terminal 103 is dual-connected to the network device 101 and the network device 102, the network device 101 is an MN, the network device 102 is an SN, and the terminal 103 is to perform CPC. ]
As per claim 17, Sun discloses “The method of claim 16,” as [see rejection of claim 16.] “wherein a Master Cell Group (MCG) comprises a Primary Cell (PCell) and optionally one or more SCells is associated with the MN”
As per claim 18, Sun discloses “The method of claim 16,” as [see rejection of claim 16.] “wherein a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) comprises the PSCell and optionally one or more SCells is associated with the SN”
As per claim 20, as [see rejection of claim 1.]
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 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.
Claim 12-13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1) in view of Kim (US 2024/0215104 A1).
As per claim 12, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.]
Sun does not explicitly disclose “wherein the first execution condition comprises at least one of CondEvent A4 or CondEvent B1.”
However, Kim discloses “wherein the first execution condition comprises at least one of CondEvent A4 or CondEvent B1.” as [(par. 0112), A condEventId IE is defined for each of the following conditional event types. (par. 0113), CondEvent A3: Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes amount of offset better than PCell/PSCell; (par. 0114), CondEvent A4: Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes better than absolute threshold; (par. 0115), CondEvent A5: PCell/PSCell becomes worse than absolute threshold1 AND Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes better than another absolute threshold2.]
Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1) and Kim (US 2024/0215104 A1) are analogous art because they are the same field of endeavor of network communication. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kim’s teaching into Sun’s teaching. The motivation for making the above modification would be to reduce the long propagation delay in the NTN. (Kim, par. 0004)
As per claim 13, Sun discloses “The method of claim 1,” as [see rejection of claim 1.]
Sun does not explicitly disclose “wherein the second execution condition comprises at least one of CondEvent A3 or CondEvent A5.”
However, Kim discloses “wherein the second execution condition comprises at least one of CondEvent A3 or CondEvent A5” as [(par. 0112), A condEventId IE is defined for each of the following conditional event types. (par. 0113), CondEvent A3: Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes amount of offset better than PCell/PSCell; (par. 0114), CondEvent A4: Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes better than absolute threshold; (par. 0115), CondEvent A5: PCell/PSCell becomes worse than absolute threshold1 AND Conditional reconfiguration candidate becomes better than another absolute threshold2.]
Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1) and Kim (US 2024/0215104 A1) are analogous art because they are the same field of endeavor of network communication. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kim’s teaching into Sun’s teaching. The motivation for making the above modification would be to reduce the long propagation delay in the NTN. (Kim, par. 0004)
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 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.
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE, “Discussion on CPA and CPC”, R3-210183, 25 Jan - 4 Feb 2021 (From Applicant’s IDS) in view of Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1).
As per claim 29, ZTE discloses “A base station comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising” [(2.5.1 Conditional PScell addition), MN.] “requesting target candidate Secondary Nodes (SNs) to allocate resources;” [(2.5.1 Conditional PScell addition), 3. The MN sends multiple SN addition request messages to one or more candidate target SNs. Each SN addition request message includes CPA indicator for each candidate target SN. 4. Each candidate SN decides for the one or more candidate PSCells and other related candidate SCG SCells and provides the new SCG radio resource configuration to the MN within an SN RRC configuration message contained in the SN Addition Request Acknowledge message.] “receiving, via the at least one transceiver, new corresponding Secondary Cell Group (SCG) radio resource configuration from at least one target candidate SN of the target candidate SNs;” [(2.5.1 Conditional PScell addition), 4. Each candidate SN decides for the one or more candidate PSCells and other related candidate SCG SCells and provides the new SCG radio resource configuration to the MN within an SN RRC configuration message contained in the SN Addition Request Acknowledge message. The Acknowledge message from each candidate SN is sent for all of candidate PScell(s) and corresponding Scell(s).]
ZTE does not explicitly disclose “transmitting, via the at least one transceiver, a conditional configuration for a target cell to a wireless device, wherein the conditional configuration includes configuration parameters for the target cell, wherein the configuration parameters include i) a configuration of the target cell, ii) a first execution condition for Conditional Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Addition (CPA) and iii) a second execution condition for Conditional PSCell Change (CPC), wherein one execution condition is selected from the first execution condition and the second execution condition based on whether a PSCell is configured or not, and wherein the configuration of the target cell which fulfils the one execution condition is applied.”
However, Sun discloses “transmitting, via the at least one transceiver, a conditional configuration for a target cell to a wireless device,” as [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “wherein the conditional configuration includes configuration parameters for the target cell,” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.] “wherein the configuration parameters include i) a configuration of the target cell,” [(par. 0111), the configuration and the addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell generally include much information. For example, the configuration of the candidate PSCell includes: an identifier of the configuration of the candidate PSCell.] “ii) a first execution condition for Conditional Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Addition (CPA)” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “and iii) a second execution condition for Conditional PSCell Change (CPC),” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.] “wherein one execution condition is selected from the first execution condition and the second execution condition based on whether a PSCell is configured or not,” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal.] “and wherein the configuration of the target cell which fulfils the one execution condition is applied.” [(par. 0110), After establishing an RRC connection to the terminal 103, the target MN may reconfigure one or more candidate PSCells for the terminal 103, and send, to the terminal 103, configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal to perform CPAC by the terminal, where the configuration information of the one or more candidate PSCells configured by the target MN for the terminal includes a configuration and a an addition/change condition of the candidate PSCell.]
ZTE, “Discussion on CPA and CPC”, R3-210183, 25 Jan - 4 Feb 2021 (From Applicant’s IDS) and Sun et al. (US 2023/0007552 A1) are analogous art because they are the same field of endeavor of network communication. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Sun’s teaching into ZTE’s teaching. The motivation for making the above modification would be to reduce air interface overheads for performing CPAC by a target master base station and the terminal. (Sun, par. 0005)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Publications:
Lee (US 2020/0229054 A1) [(par. 0229), The network may configure the UE with conditional reconfiguration (i.e., conditional handover and/or conditional PSCell addition/change) including per candidate target cell an RRCConnectionReconfiguration (i.e., conditional mobility command) to only be applied upon the fulfillment of an associated execution condition (i.e., mobility condition).]
NPL
Ericsson, “Support of conditional PSCell change/addition”, R3-212358, 17-27 May 2021 (From Applicant’s IDS)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANG HANG YEUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-7319. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rebecca Song can be reached on (571) 270-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANG HANG YEUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2417
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