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.
Claim(s) 21-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gursu et al. (Gursu), U.S. Publication No. 2025/0220521.
Regarding Claims 21 and 25, Gursu discloses a terminal device comprising:
a receiving unit configured to receive, from a base station device currently
connected to the terminal device, preconfiguration information for the terminal device to autonomously select and switch a cell serving as a connection destination (i.e., the MN sends to the UE a conditional (re-)configuration containing the CPC configurations of the candidate target PSCell(s) along with the CPC execution conditions; see paragraph [0088] therefore, disclosing a receiving unit),
wherein for each cell included as a first cell that is a candidate for a primary cell
serving as a handover destination or as a second cell that is a candidate for a secondary cell in a case where the first cell serves as the primary cell, the preconfiguration information includes first information indicating a condition for connecting to the cell and a communication parameter to be used when connecting to the cell (i.e., conditional (re-)configuration containing the CPC configurations of the candidate target PSCell(s) along with the CPC execution conditions… CPC execution condition refers to a measurement ID in a measurement configuration that is provided by the initiating node; see paragraphs [0088] and [0094]), and
in a case where a communication parameter is present which is common to
different combinations of the primary cell and the secondary cell indicated by second information (see figure 2), the second information indicating a combination of the first cell that is a candidate for a primary cell serving as a handover destination and the second cell that is a candidate for a secondary cell in a case where the first cell serves as the primary cell, a common communication parameter that is common to a plurality of the combinations is omitted for a subset, but not all of the plurality of the combinations and a different communication parameter different for each of the plurality of the combinations are included in the preconfiguration information, or the common communication parameter and the different communication parameter are separately included in the preconfiguration information (i.e., the source SN preparing 3 CPCs for the UE. UE is currently being served by PSCell 0-1 (the first index 0 indicates the ID of the SN controlling PSCell, and the second index 1 indicates the ID of the PSCell in the SN, in other words PSCell 1 of SN 0 is indicated as PSCell 0-1. The RAN node controlling the serving PSCell 1 of the UE, triggers the preparation of three target PSCells each associated with a CPC configuration: CPC 1-1 configuration for prepared target PSCell 1-1 from SN1, CPC 2-1 configuration for prepared target PSCell 2-1 and CPC 2-2 configuration for PSCell 2-2, both PSCells from SN2; see paragraphs [0095]-[0097]),
wherein the terminal device further comprises:
a determining unit configured to determine whether a first condition for
connecting to the first cell that is a candidate for a primary cell (for example, CPC execution condition from PSCell 1-1 to PSCell 2-1; see paragraph [0209]), and a second condition for connecting to the second cell that is a candidate for a secondary cell (for example, CPC execution condition from PSCell 1-1 to PSCell 2-2; see paragraph [0210]), are met at the same time (in other words, UE is already prepared with CPC execution condition for a potential cell change in case of bad radio conditions from new serving cell PSCell 1-1 towards PSCell 2-1 or PSCell 2-2; see paragraph [0213] therefore, disclosing a determining unit); and
an execution unit configured to execute a connection with the first cell and the second cell when the determining unit determines that the first condition and the second condition are met (in other words, UE uses config 3 to monitor CPC execution condition from PSCell 1-1 to other prepared target PSCells 2-1 and 2-2. [0227] The CPC configurations (Config 1, 2, 3) are sent to the UE; see paragraphs [0226] and [0227] therefore, disclosing an execution unit), and
wherein when a first condition pertaining to the primary cell is met, the handover
destination is connected to while maintaining a second condition pertaining to a candidate for a secondary cell associated with the primary cell and configuration information (in other words, CPC execution condition for a potential cell change in case of bad radio conditions from new serving cell PSCell 1-1 towards PSCell 2-1 or PSCell 2-2; see paragraph [0213]).
Regarding Claim 22, Gursu discloses wherein in a case where the second information indicates a combination of each of a plurality of the second cells serving as candidates for a secondary cell with one of the first cells serving as a candidate for a primary cell, the first information indicates the communication parameter of the one of the first cells only once (see figure 2).
Regarding Claim 23, Gursu discloses wherein in a case where the second information indicates a combination of each of a plurality of the first cells serving as candidates for a primary cell with one of the second cells serving as a candidate for a secondary cell, the first information indicates the communication parameter of the one of the second cells only once (see figure 2).
Regarding Claim 24, Gursu discloses wherein the receiving unit receives the preconfiguration information from the base station device through a radio resource control (RRC) message (see paragraph [0156]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu et al., U.S. Publication No. 2025/0274836 discloses method and apparatus
for compliance check in communication system
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANTELL LAKETA HEIBER whose telephone number is (571)272-0886. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Addy, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-7795. 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 Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/SHANTELL L HEIBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
September 28, 2026
Prosecution Insights