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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/24/2025 has been considered by examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5, 10, 15, and 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the mobility management function network element" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the mobility management function network element" in lines 4-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the mobility management function network element" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the mobility management function network element" in lines 4-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, 9, 11-12, 14-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 3GPP'23.700 (3GPP TR 23.700-28 V0.2.1) (IDS, 23 pages).
Regarding Claim 1, 3GPP'23.700 discloses A communication method, comprising: receiving, by a terminal device, first indication information (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling…"),
wherein the first indication information indicates the terminal device to notify a network when the terminal device is about to leave a satellite service range (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling…" and step 2, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., UE uses the satellite ephemeris as an indication to notify the AMF of leaving a satellite service range.));
determining, by the terminal device, that the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling. The UE determines how long the UE is still covered by the serving cell." (i.e., UE determines how long its covered by the cell.));
and sending, by the terminal device, second indication information to the network, wherein the second indication information indicates that the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (page 19, step 2, Fig.6.6.2-1, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., sending a message to AMF of unreachability period because of satellite movement.)),
wherein the terminal device accesses the network through a satellite (page 19, Fig.6.6.2-1, step 1, “…The UE determines how long the UE is still covered by the serving cell.” And page 15, Figure 6.3.1-1. (i.e., UE using satellite to access the network. Figure 6.3.1.-1 also shows UE accessing.)),
and (pages 19-20, step 5, Fig.6.6.2-1, "5. UE is not reachable due to coverage gap caused by discontinuous coverage." (i.e., UE is not reachable.)).
Regarding Claim 2, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 1.
3GPP'23.700 further discloses wherein the determining, by the terminal device, that the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range comprises: determining, by the terminal device based on location information of the terminal device, that the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (page 13, 6.3.1, Power Saving Mode (PSM), paragraph 1, "The UE determines based on its knowledge of its location and the satellite ephemeris data when it will have coverage and when it will not have coverage." (i.e., UE using its location and ephemeris data to determine leaving the satellite coverage.)).
Regarding Claim 4, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 1.
3GPP'23.700 further discloses wherein the sending, by the terminal device, the second indication information comprises: sending, by the terminal device, the second indication information to the access network device and/or the mobility management function network element (page 19, step 2, Fig.6.6.2-1, step 2, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., sending to AMF reads on the access network device.)).
Regarding Claim 5, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 1.
3GPP'23.700 further wherein the sending, by the terminal device, the second indication information comprises: sending, by the terminal device, the second indication information to the access network device and/or the mobility management function network element (page 19, step 2, Fig.6.6.2-1, step 2, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., the step 2 is reading as UE sending the Registration Request to AMF through NG-RAN.)).
Regarding Claim 6, 3GPP'23.700 discloses A communication method, comprising: sending, by an access network device (page 19, step 1, NG-RAN), first indication information to a terminal device (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling…"),
wherein the first indication information indicates the terminal device to notify a network (page 19, step 2, AMF) when the terminal device is about to leave a satellite service range (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling…" and step 2, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., UE uses the satellite ephemeris as an indication to notify the AMF of leaving a satellite service range.));v
and receiving, by the access network device, second indication information from the terminal device, wherein the second indication information indicates that the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (page 19, step 2, Fig.6.6.2-1, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., sending a message to AMF of unreachability period because of satellite movement. The UE would need to send it to the access network for the AMF to receive the notification of unreachability period.)),
wherein the terminal device accesses the network through a satellite (page 19, Fig.6.6.2-1, step 1, “…The UE determines how long the UE is still covered by the serving cell.” And page 15, Figure 6.3.1-1. (i.e., UE using satellite to access the network. Figure 6.3.1.-1 also shows UE accessing.)),
and (pages 19-20, step 5, Fig.6.6.2-1, "5. UE is not reachable due to coverage gap caused by discontinuous coverage." (i.e., UE is not reachable.)).
Regarding Claim 7, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 6.
3GPP'23.700 further discloses further comprising: sending, by the access network device, the second indication information to a mobility management function network element (page 19, step 2, Fig.6.6.2-1, "2. UE includes Unreachability Period in its Registration Request. The Unreachability Period tells the AMF the foreseen unreachability period caused by discontinuous satellite coverage in the UE location." (i.e., network device forwards the UE message to AMF.)).
Regarding Claim 9, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 6.
3GPP'23.700 further discloses or determining, by the access network device, that the terminal device is in the satellite service range (page 16, step 1; 3b, Fig.6.4.2-1, "1. In the case of satellite access, before sending the UE Context Release Command message to the RAN, the AMF may initiate the Location Reporting procedure to ask for the last known location of the UE. The RAN provides all broadcast TAIs for the selected PLMN to the AMF as part of the ULL The RAN also reports the TA where the UE is geographically located if this TA can be determined. The RAN may also report the coverage information (e.g. ephemeris data) to the AMF in Location Reporting procedure." (i.e., RAN sharing TA of the UE geographically located reading as determining the access network the UE is within satellite range.)),
and receiving information indicating that the terminal device needs to release an access network (AN) connection (page 16, step 2-4; 3b, Fig.6.4.2-1, "2-4. The AMF initiates the UE Context Release procedure." (i.e., AMF sending RAN UE context release command.)).
Regarding Claim 11, which is similar in scope to claim 1, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 12, which is similar in scope to claim 1, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 14, which is similar in scope to claim 4, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 15, which is similar in scope to claim 5, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 16, which is similar in scope to claim 6, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 17, which is similar in scope to claim 7, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 19, which is similar in scope to claim 9, thus rejected under the same rationale.
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.
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) 3, 10, 13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP'23.700 (3GPP TR 23.700-28 V0.2.1) (IDS, 23 pages) in view of Edge (US 20250016721 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 1.
However, 3GPP'23.700 does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information comprises: receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information from a mobility management function network element
Edge discloses wherein the receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information comprises: receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information from a mobility management function network element (paragraph [0124], Fig.8:815, "At 815, entity 180 may send, transmit, or otherwise provide satellite coverage data to UE 115 via gNB 106/202/307, NTN Gateway 104 and SV 102/202/302. Entity 180 may identify, obtain, or otherwise determine the satellite coverage data based on a current location of UE 115 and/or receive the satellite coverage data from an operations and maintenance server (e.g., within the core network). A current location of UE 115 may correspond to a current geodetic location of UE 115, a current coverage area of a serving satellite cell for UE 115, an area of a current fixed cell for UE 115 or an area of a current fixed tracking area for UE 115." and paragraph [0127], Fig.8:820, "At 820, the UE 115 (e.g. an AS or NAS layer of UE 115) may identify or otherwise determine a first time T1 when satellite cell coverage will become unavailable for a current location of the UE 115 and a second time T2 when satellite cell coverage will become available again for the current location of the UE 115." and paragraph [0131], Fig.8:825, "At 825, UE 115 may optionally transmit or otherwise provide an indication of the determined T1/T2 values to the entity 180. For example, UE 115 may transmit the indication in one or more NAS layer messages to entity 180 via SV 102/202/302 and gNB 106/202/307." (i.e., AMF or MME providing satellite coverage serving as an indicator for the UE to calculate unavailable and to send a message Fig.8:825 to the AMF or MME of the amount of unreachability before losing coverage, see Fig.8:815-830.)).
3GPP'23.700 and Edge are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field wireless communications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified 3GPP'23.700 to implement the method of Edge exchanging messages of satellite coverage as there is a need to know when satellite coverage will and will not be available at a particular location and Edge discloses of new techniques needed to provide more accurate and reliable satellite coverage information to entities like UE and AMF (Edge, paragraph [0102], “It may be beneficial for entities in a communication system (e.g. a UE 115 and/or AMF 122 in communication system 100, 200 or 300) to know when satellite coverage will and will not be available at a particular location (e.g. a current location of a UE 115)… Therefore, new techniques may be needed to provide more accurate and reliable satellite coverage information to entities like a UE 115 and AMF 122.”).
Regarding Claim 10, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 6.
However, 3GPP'23.700 does not explicitly disclose wherein before sending the first indication information to the terminal device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the access network device, fourth indication information from the mobility management function network element, wherein the fourth indication information indicates the access network device to request the terminal device to notify the network when the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range.
Edge discloses wherein before sending the first indication information to the terminal device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the access network device, fourth indication information from the mobility management function network element (paragraph [0124], Fig.8:815, "At 815, entity 180 may send, transmit, or otherwise provide satellite coverage data to UE 115 via gNB 106/202/307," (i.e., AMF can send information to gNB in order to forward to the UE.)),
wherein the fourth indication information indicates the access network device to request the terminal device to notify the network when the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (paragraph [0124], Fig.8:815, "At 815, entity 180 may send, transmit, or otherwise provide satellite coverage data to UE 115 via gNB 106/202/307, NTN Gateway 104 and SV 102/202/302. Entity 180 may identify, obtain, or otherwise determine the satellite coverage data based on a current location of UE 115 and/or receive the satellite coverage data from an operations and maintenance server (e.g., within the core network). A current location of UE 115 may correspond to a current geodetic location of UE 115, a current coverage area of a serving satellite cell for UE 115, an area of a current fixed cell for UE 115 or an area of a current fixed tracking area for UE 115." and paragraph [0127], Fig.8:820, "At 820, the UE 115 (e.g. an AS or NAS layer of UE 115) may identify or otherwise determine a first time T1 when satellite cell coverage will become unavailable for a current location of the UE 115 and a second time T2 when satellite cell coverage will become available again for the current location of the UE 115." and paragraph [0131], Fig.8:825, "At 825, UE 115 may optionally transmit or otherwise provide an indication of the determined T1/T2 values to the entity 180. For example, UE 115 may transmit the indication in one or more NAS layer messages to entity 180 via SV 102/202/302 and gNB 106/202/307." (i.e., AMF or MME providing satellite coverage serving as an indicator for the UE to calculate unavailable and to send a message Fig.8:825 to the AMF or MME of the amount of time of unreachability before losing coverage, see Fig.8:815-830.)).
3GPP'23.700 and Edge are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field wireless communications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified 3GPP'23.700 to implement the system of Edge exchanging messages of satellite coverage as there is a need to know when satellite coverage will and will not be available at a particular location and Edge discloses of new techniques needed to provide more accurate and reliable satellite coverage information to entities like UE and AMF (Edge, paragraph [0102], “It may be beneficial for entities in a communication system (e.g. a UE 115 and/or AMF 122 in communication system 100, 200 or 300) to know when satellite coverage will and will not be available at a particular location (e.g. a current location of a UE 115)… Therefore, new techniques may be needed to provide more accurate and reliable satellite coverage information to entities like a UE 115 and AMF 122.”).
Regarding Claim 13, which is similar in scope to claim 3, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 20, which is similar in scope to claim 10, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Claim(s) 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP'23.700 (3GPP TR 23.700-28 V0.2.1) (IDS, 23 pages) in view of Linhai HE (US 20200413476 A1).
Regarding Claim 8, 3GPP'23.700 discloses all the limitation of claim 6.
3GPP'23.700 further discloses and the first message further comprises at least one of the following information: service range assistance information, wherein the service range assistance information is used to assist the terminal device in determining whether the terminal device is about to leave the satellite service range (page 19, step 1, Fig.6.6.2-1, "1. NG-RAN informs the UE of the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell in RRC signalling. The UE determines how long the UE is still covered by the serving cell." (i.e., UE receiving ephemeris data. Examiner reading “at least one” and based on application specification paragraphs 271, and 283, limitation as optional.)).
However, 3GPP'23.700 does not explicitly disclose wherein the first indication information is carried in a first message indicating the terminal device to release an access network (AN) connection.
Linhai HE discloses wherein the first indication information is carried in a first message indicating the terminal device to release an access network (AN) connection (paragraph [0073], Fig.5, "At 512, the UE may move or transition from the RRC connected state to one of the RRC inactive state or the RRC idle state. For example, 512 may be performed by move component 6650 of apparatus 602. In some aspects, the UE may move from the RRC connected state to one of the RRC inactive state or RRC idle state based on the RRC release message received from the base station." (i.e., Using 3GPP'23.700 Fig.6.6.2-1 step 1, UE is connected to the NG-RAN receiving first indication information, and Linhai HE discloses of release AN connection by having the UE going to RRC idle, then in Using 3GPP'23.700 Fig.6.6.2-1 step 2 UE performing RRC connection.)).
3GPP'23.700 and Linhai HE are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field wireless communications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified 3GPP'23.700 to implement the method of Linhai HE sending a message to release AN connection to the UE in order to reduce power consumption, as well as reduce signaling resources (Linhai HE, paragraph [0007], “The present disclosure allows a UE to assist in its transition to a different RRC state when the RRC connection is released, such that the UE may optimize their transition from RRC connected to either the RRC idle state or RRC inactive state, which may reduce the amount of resources that the base station needs to release the RRC connection. The UE may indicate to the base station its preferred RRC state to transition to when releasing the RRC connection, which may reduce the power consumption of the UE.”).
Regarding Claim 18, which is similar in scope to claim 8, thus rejected under the same rationale.
Other Pertinent References
The Following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Nuggehalli; Pavan et al. "DISCONTINUOUS COVERAGE IN NR NTN AND IOT NTN SYSTEMS." (US 20240032139 A1), Filed 2021-08-04.
Patil; Sudhakar Reddyet al. "SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPTIMIZING USER EQUIPMENT REACHABILITY NOTIFICATIONS." (US 20190069235 A1), Filed 2017-08-25.
KUMAR; Lalith et al. "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CO-ORDINATING UNAVAILABILITY PERIOD PARAMETER OF UE IN WIRELESS NETWORK." (US 20230012328 A1), Filed 2022-07-06, Priority date 2021-07-07.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Erkin S. Abdullaev whose telephone number is (571)272-4135. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571)272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ERKIN S. ABDULLAEV
Examiner
Art Unit 2648
/ERKIN ABDULLAEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2648
/WESLEY L KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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