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 § 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 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Niu et al (US 2024/0064858, hereinafter NIU).
Regarding claim 1, NIU discloses a method for neighbor cell measurement in a non-terrestrial network (NTN), applicable to a terminal, the method comprising: initiating measurement of neighbor cells based on whether at least one of a distance or a distance variation between the terminal and a serving cell reference point meets a terminal position-based evaluation criterion (the location relationship between the UE and a reference point relative to the satellite or cell center, Para [0057], UE triggers neighbor cell measurement in NTN based on a location relationship, such as distance or elevation angle, Para [0071], distance greater than a threshold can trigger neighbor cell measurement, Para [0072]).
Regarding claim 17, NIU discloses a terminal (wireless terminal, Para [0009]), comprising: a processor; wherein the processor is configured to initiate measurement of neighbor cells based on whether at least one of a distance or a distance variation between the terminal and a serving cell reference point meets a terminal position-based evaluation criterion (processor, Para [0009], the location relationship between the UE and a reference point relative to the satellite or cell center, Para [0057], UE triggers neighbor cell measurement in NTN based on a location relationship, such as distance or elevation angle, Para [0071], distance greater than a threshold can trigger neighbor cell measurement, Para [0072]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Maattanen et al (US 2024/0049092, hereinafter Maattanen).
Regarding claim 9, Maattanen discloses a method for neighbor cell measurement in a non-terrestrial network (NTN), applicable to a terminal, the method comprising: initiating measurement of neighbor cells prior to a cell service stop time, wherein the cell service stop time indicates a time when a serving cell in which the terminal is located stops providing services to a coverage area (if Tservice is running out the UE performs intra-frequency measurements in NTN, Para [0072], Tservice is the time until the satellite goes out of coverage, Para [0069]).
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.
Claims 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maattanen and in view of Shrestha et al (US 2022/0085874, hereinafter Shrestha).
Regarding claim 15, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 9, but not explicitly further comprising: receiving the cell service stop time from a network device. Shrestha discloses cell stop time may be broadcasted, Para [0090]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Shrestha in the system of Maattanen in order to reduce unnecessary signaling, and allow multiple satellite architectures to coexist.
Regarding claim 16, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 15, wherein the cell service stop time is transmitted over system broadcast or terminal-specific signaling. Shrestha discloses cell stop time may be broadcasted, Para [0090].
Regarding claim 10, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein the cell service stop time is one of: a time parameter for a terminal in a radio resource control (RRC) non-connected state to initiate radio resource management (RRM) measurement of neighbor cells; or a dedicated time parameter for a terminal in an RRC connected state to initiate RRC measurement of non-serving cells (Tservice is the remaining service time parameter, Para [0080], neighbor cells measurements in the RRC connected state or idle or inactive state, Para [0040]).
Regarding claim 11, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein initiating the measurement of the neighbor cells prior to the cell service stop time comprises: initiating, regardless of whether the terminal meets a neighbor cell measurement initiation criterion, the measurement of the neighbor cells prior to the cell service stop time (criteria for performing measurements is satisfied may comprise determining that Tservice is below a threshold remaining service time value (regardless of the signal quality of the serving cell, Para [0075]).
Regarding claim 12, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein the neighbor cell measurement initiation criterion comprises at least one of: a mobility state evaluation criterion; or an s-measure criterion (criteria for performing measurements is satisfied may comprise determining whether the wireless device is located within a designated coverage area, determining whether the wireless device is located within a threshold distance of a center of the serving cell, determining whether the wireless device is located within a threshold distance of an edge of the serving cell, determining whether the wireless device is located within a threshold distance of a center of a neighbor cell, Para [0077]).
Regarding claim 13, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the mobility state evaluation criterion comprises at least one of: a first criterion, wherein the first criterion is a terminal position-based mobility state evaluation criterion; or a second criterion, wherein the second criterion is a channel quality-based mobility state evaluation criterion (cell selection or reselection criteria is based on a signal quality of a serving cell and a relationship between the wireless device and a satellite or spot beam of the NTN, Para [0074]).
Regarding claim 14, Maattanen discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the s-measure criterion comprises at least one of: a third criterion, wherein the third criterion is a terminal position-based s-measure criterion; or a fourth criterion, wherein the fourth criterion is a channel quality-based s-measure criterion (cell selection or reselection criteria is based on a signal quality of a serving cell and a relationship between the wireless device and a satellite or spot beam of the NTN, Para [0074]).
Claims 2-8 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Niu.
Regarding claims 2 and 18, NIU discloses the method/terminal according to claim 1/17, wherein initiating the measurement of the neighbor cells based on whether at least one of the distance or the distance variation between the terminal and the serving cell reference point meets the terminal position-based evaluation criterion comprises: initiating the measurement of the neighbor cells in a case that the distance between the terminal and the serving cell reference point does not meet a third criterion; wherein the third criterion is a terminal position-based s-measure criterion (obvious variation, where embodiments can be combined, UE can use distance and elevation angle to trigger neighbor cell measurement, Para [0080], UE determines angle based on position of itself and satellite, Para [0060], performing neighbor cell measurement if elevation angle fails to be above a threshold, Para [0074]).
Regarding claims 3 and 19, NIU discloses the method/terminal according to claim 2/18, wherein the third criterion corresponds to a third threshold, and the method further comprises: in a case that the distance between the terminal and the serving cell reference point is less than or equal to the third threshold, determining that the terminal meets the third criterion (distance is greater than a threshold triggers cell measurement, Para [0072], therefore when distance is below a threshold the third condition is met).
Regarding claims 4 and 20, NIU discloses the method/terminal according to claim 2/18, wherein initiating the measurement of the neighbor cells in the case that the distance between the terminal and the serving cell reference point does not meet the third criterion comprises: initiating the measurement of the neighbor cells in a case that the terminal does not meet a measurement initiation condition corresponding to an s-measure criterion; wherein the s-measure criterion comprises at least one of the third criterion or a fourth criterion, wherein the fourth criterion is a channel quality-based s-measure criterion (RSRP/RSRQ value may be compared to a threshold to determine whether to trigger neighbor cell measurement, Para [0072], if RSRP/RSRQ being greater than a threshold triggers the cell measurement, then it did not meet the condition of being below the threshold).
Regarding claim 5, NIU discloses the method according to claim 4, wherein the terminal not meeting the measurement initiation condition corresponding to the s-measure criterion comprises at least one of the following items: the distance between the terminal and the serving cell reference point does not meet the third criterion; the terminal does not meet the fourth criterion; or the distance between the terminal and the serving cell reference point does not meet the third criterion and the terminal does not meet the fourth criterion (RSRP/RSRQ value may be compared to a threshold to determine whether to trigger neighbor cell measurement, Para [0072], if RSRP/RSRQ being greater than a threshold triggers the cell measurement, then it did not meet the fourth condition of being below the threshold).
Regarding claim 6, NIU discloses the method according to claim 5, wherein the measurement initiation condition corresponding to the s-measure criterion adopted by the terminal is configured by a network device (the distance, angle and timing advance thresholds can be configurable by the network, Para [0073, 75, 79]).
Regarding claim 7, NIU discloses the method according to claim 2, further comprising: receiving the third criterion from a network device and receiving at least one of a fourth criterion or the serving cell reference point from the network device, wherein the fourth criterion is a channel quality-based s-measure criterion (base station can send configuration of one of more thresholds for RSRP/RSRQ, Para [0067], the distance, angle and timing advance thresholds can be configurable by the network, Para [0073, 75, 79]).
Regarding claim 8, NIU discloses the method according to claim 7, wherein the third criterion comprises a third threshold (base station can send configuration of one of more thresholds for RSRP/RSRQ, Para [0067], the distance, angle and timing advance thresholds can be configurable by the network, Para [0073, 75, 79]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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