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 .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim 20220182810.
As to claim 1, Kim discloses (see paragraph [0126] to paragraph [0146], and
paragraph [0226] to paragraph [0246]) a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (see figure 11, ref. MUSIM device 1110) configured to operate in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
establishing a connection with a first network (see figure 14, ref. S1401, "[0228] Referring to FIG. 14, in step S1401, the UE may initiate/perform an RRC connection establishment procedure with a network on SIM_A (i.e., network A). The UE may be in a non-connected mode for a network on SIM_B (i.e., network B)");
receiving, from the first network, a release message comprising information for a frequency list (see figure 14, ref. S1403," [0230] The UE may receive an RRC release message from the network A. The UE may enter RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE state in the network A. The UE may be configured with the logged measurement configuration with event-based out-of-service coverage information (i.e., logged measurement configuration including a configuration for event-triggered logging with event type set to out-of-service) by the network A. The logged measurement configuration may be provided by a dedicated RRC signalling from the network A after the RRC connection establishment, e.g., via RRC Release message or LoggedMeasurementConfiguration message. The logged measurement configuration may include at least one of logging period, logging interval, logging objectives (e.g. frequencies or cells)");
obtaining measurement results for frequencies in the frequency list, after releasing or suspending the connection with the first network (see paragraph [0132] to paragraph [0133], "[0132] In step S1005, the UE may transit to the RRC idle mode/RRC inactive mode and then log the measurement information based on the MDT configuration while the validity timer is running. [0133] For example, if a periodic logging is configured (i.e., MDT configuration comprises a configuration for periodic logging), the UE may log MDT measurement information (i.e., perform a logging or store / generate logging information) at regular time intervals defined by the logging interval in the configuration for periodic logging.");
establishing a connection with a second network (see figure 14, ref. S1407," [0238] In step S1407, the UE may initiate/perform an RRC connection establishment procedure with the network B. The UE may be in a non-connected mode for the network A."); and
based on at least one first frequency in the frequency list conflicting the serving frequency of the second network, transmitting, to the first network, a message comprising measurement results for at least one second frequency other than the at least one first frequency in the frequency list. (upon reconnecting with the first network, the UE sends the logged measurement report to the first network, which will include all measured frequencies, at least the non-conflicting measurements that could be carried out," [0142] In the above examples, the MDT measurement information may comprise at least one of a cell identifier, a signal quality of a cell, a signal strength, a measurement time or a measurement location. The signal quality/signal strength may comprise reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), received signal code power (RSCP), and/or Ee/No. [0143] In step S1007, if there are the logged MDT measurement information, the UE may send an availability of the logged measurement information to a RAN node when the UE transits from the RRC idle mode/RRC inactive mode to the RRC connection mode. The UE may send the availability of the logged measurement information to the network when the RRC connection is established, re-established, or re-configured. [0144] In step S1009, the RAN node which receives that the logged MDT measurement information exists from the UE may request the UE to transmit the logged MDT measurement information. The
network which learns about the logged measurement information may transmit an information request (e.g., UE information request) for requesting the reporting of the logged measurement information to the UE. [0145] In step S1001, after/upon receiving the request to report the logged measurement information, the UE may transmit a logged measurement report comprising the logged measurement information to the RAN node. "). Kim does not explicitly recite performing operations on a serving frequency of the second network based on the connection with the second network; however, since Kim discloses performing operations on the second network, it is implicit and/or required a serving frequency for the connection of the second network, since it measures at least the serving and neighbour cells of the second network. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention that a serving frequency it is implicit and/or required in order to receive communication for the simple purpose measuring neighbour cells of the second network to see if it provides better service or connection than the serving cell.
As to claim 2, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first frequency conflicting the serving frequency of the second network comprises a capability of the UE being not able to support simultaneously performing operations on the at least one first frequency and operations on the serving frequency of the second network [UE may simultaneously receive or transmit on one or multiple CCs depending on its capabilities] (see par. 0111, 0240). It is noted that the claim describes the conflict instead of the method. Is the method doing something with or about the conflict? Details about the conflict do not necessarily distinguish the method from the prior art.
As to claims 3-4, Kim discloses everything as explained above except the specific conflicts or discarding measurements. However, the conflict does not seem to change the method in any measurable way. Anyway, OFFICIAL NOTICE IS TAKEN THAT frequency interference is a common and well-known problem and discarding not used information is a common and well-known technique. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to discard not needed information for the simple purpose of maximizing storage and frequency interference or conflict is common and well-known issue which can be added to Kim’s reporting for the simple purpose of avoiding communication interference; thereby, maintaining the quality of the communication.
As to claim 5, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the message further comprises at least one of: measurement results for the at least one first frequency; or a conflict indication for each of the at least one first frequency (upon reconnecting with the first network, the UE sends the logged measurement report to the first network, which will include all measured frequencies, at least the non-conflicting measurements that could be carried out," [0142].
As to claim 6, Kim discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the message further comprises a cause of the conflict indication set to a multiple universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) operation associated with the first network and the second network (see par. 0240).
As to claim 7, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the message comprising the measurement results for the at least one second frequency is transmitted during a UE information procedure [e.g., via the UEInformationResponse message] (see par. 0246).
As to claim 8, Kim discloses the method of claim 7, further comprising:
releasing the connection with the first network upon receiving the release message from the first network (see par. 0121, 0229);
receiving, from the first network, radio resource control (RRC) setup message (see par. 0245);
transmitting, to the first network, an RRC setup complete message comprising an availability of measurement results stored in the UE [The UE may indicate to the network that the logged measurement report is available. The indication may be included in RRCSetupComplete message.] (see par. 0246); and
receiving, from the first network during the UE information procedure, a UE information request message comprising a request to report measurement results stored in the UE, wherein the transmitting of the message comprises transmitting, to the first network during the UE information procedure, a UE information response message comprising the measurement results for the at least one second frequency [The network which learns about the logged measurement information may transmit an information request (e.g., UE information request) for requesting the reporting of the logged measurement information to the UE.] (see fig. 9-10, 14; par. 0121, 0128, 0144, 0245).
As to claim 9, Kim discloses the method of claim 7, further comprising:
suspending the connection with the first network upon receiving the release message from the first network (see par. 0121, 0229);
receiving, from the first network, radio resource control (RRC) resume message (see par. 0121, 0229);
transmitting, to the first network, an RRC resume complete message comprising an availability of measurement results stored in the UE [The UE may indicate to the network that the logged measurement report is available. The indication may be included in RRCSetupComplete message.] (see par. 0246); and
receiving, from the first network during the UE information procedure, a UE information request message comprising a request to report measurement results stored in the UE, wherein the transmitting of the message comprises transmitting, to the first network during the UE information procedure, a UE information response message comprising the measurement results for the at least one second frequency [The network which learns about the logged measurement information may transmit an information request (e.g., UE information request) for requesting the reporting of the logged measurement information to the UE.] (see fig. 9-10, 14; par. 0121, 0128, 0144, 0245).
As to claim 10, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the message comprising the measurement results for the at least one second frequency is transmitted during a radio resource control (RRC) resume procedure (see par. 0121, 0229).
As to claim 11, Kim discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising:
suspending the connection with the first network [S1403] upon receiving the release message from the first network (see par. 0121, 0229);
receiving, from the first network during the RRC resume procedure, a radio resource control (RRC) resume message comprising a request to report measurement results stored in the UE wherein the transmitting of the message comprises transmitting, to the first network during the RRC resume procedure, a RRC resume complete message comprising the measurement results for the at least one second frequency [The network which learns about the logged measurement information may transmit an information request (e.g., UE information request) for requesting the reporting of the logged measurement information to the UE.] (see fig. 9-10, 14; par. 0121, 0128, 0144, 0245).
As to claim 12, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the UE is a multiple universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) UE equipped with USIMs comprising a first SIM and a second SIM further comprising: registering to the first network based on subscription information stored in the first SIM; and registering to the second network based on subscription information stored in the second SIM [The operation on network A may comprise a connected mode operation/inactive mode operation/idle mode operation performed on the network A based on the SIM_A. The operation on network B may comprise a connected mode operation/inactive mode operation/idle mode operation performed on the network B based on the SIM_B.] (see par. 0227, 0255).
As to claim 13, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the UE is in communication [1125] with at least one of a mobile device, a network, or autonomous vehicles (see fig. 11; par. 0063-0065, 0181).
Regarding claims 14 and 16, they are the corresponding user equipment and network node claims of method claim 1. Therefore, claims 14 and 16 are ejected for the same reasons as shown above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCOS L TORRES whose telephone number is (571)272-7926. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM M-F.
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MARCOS L. TORRES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/MARCOS L TORRES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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