DETAILED ACTION
I. This office action is response to the correspondence filed on December 13, 2024. Claims 1-20 are pending and being examined.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
II. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Allowable Subject Matter
III. Claim 3 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but may be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 4-7 are dependent on claim 3 and are objected to for the same reasons given above regarding claim 3.
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but may be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 9 contains allowable subject matter because Cui, Qiao, and Yu do not teach receiving, from the core network via a first serving node, a first congestion level of the first serving node during a last system cycle of a first coverage period; receiving, from the core network via a second serving node, a second congestion level of the second serving node during an earliest system cycle of a second coverage period, wherein the second coverage period is separated from the first coverage period by a coverage gap during which the electronic device is unable to communicate with the core network; and transmitting, to the core network via the second serving node, an uplink signal during a system cycle of the second coverage period that is probabilistically selected, by the electronic device, based on the first congestion level when the first congestion level is greater than the second congestion level.
Claims 10-17 are dependent on claim 9 and contain allowable subject matter for the same reasons given above regarding claim 9.
Claim 18 contains allowable subject matter because Cui, Qiao, and Yu do not teach transmitting, via a first satellite in the constellation during a first coverage period, a first broadcast message that identifies a first congestion level of a first signal beam of the first satellite, the first signal beam overlapping the UE device; transmitting, via a second satellite in the constellation during a second coverage period, a second broadcast message that identifies a second congestion level of a second signal beam of the second satellite, the second signal beam overlapping the UE device, and the second coverage period being separated from the first coverage period by a coverage gap during which the core network is unable to communicate with the UE device; and receiving an earliest reverse link transmission of the UE device after the coverage gap, the earliest reverse link transmission being received via the second signal beam of the second satellite during a system cycle that is probabilistically selected, by the UE device, based on a higher of the first congestion level and the second congestion level.
Claims 19-20 are dependent on claim 18 and contain allowable subject matter for the same reasons given above regarding claim 18.
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.
IV. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cui et al. (US 2016/0112931 A1) in view of Qiao et al. (EP 4123921 A1).
Regarding claim 1 Cui teaches a method of operating a user equipment (UE) device to communicate with a core network via network nodes (see paragraph [0020], A mobile device is configured to connect and communicate with one or more radio access network for voice and/or data communication. This reads on a method of operating a user equipment (UE) device to communicate with a core network via network nodes), the method comprising: receiving, from the core network via a first network node, a first broadcast message that identifies a first congestion level of the first network node (see paragraphs [0044] & [0048] and Fig. 1, The base station 108 collects local load information 106 regarding the base station 108. The base station 108 generates a cell broadcast message 104 including at least a portion of the local load information 106 from the base station 108 and sends it to one or more mobile devices. This reads on receiving, from the core network via a first network node, a first broadcast message that identifies a first congestion level of the first network node); receiving, from the core network via a second network node, a second broadcast message that identifies a second congestion level of the second network node (see paragraphs [0045] & [0048] – [0049] and Fig. 1, The base station learns the load information 112 from one or more neighbor base stations 114. The base station 108 generates a cell broadcast message 104 including at least a portion of the local load information 112 from the one or more neighbor base stations and sends it to one or more mobile devices. The mobile devices can receive one or more cell broadcast messages that provide insight into the signaling load conditions of the various RANs so that multiple broadcast messages can be utilized. This reads on receiving, from the core network via a second network node, a second broadcast message that identifies a second congestion level of the second network node); and transmitting a reverse link message to the core network via the second network node (see paragraphs [0049] & [0052], The mobile device uses the load information 106 and load information 112 received in the broadcast message(s) at least in part to select one or more RAN. The mobile device selects the RAN and connects to the selected RAN. This reads on transmitting a reverse link message to the core network via the second network node).
Cui does not teach that the network nodes are a first and second satellite of a constellation of satellites; and transmitting, based on a higher of the first congestion level and the second congestion level, the reverse link message.
Qiao teaches a first and second satellite of a constellation of satellites (see paragraph [0063], The UE receives a plurality of signals in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of satellites, and each signal is sent by a corresponding satellite in a broadcast manner. This reads on a first and second satellite of a constellation of satellites); and based on a higher of the first congestion level and the second congestion level selecting a second satellite (see paragraph [0073], A load of satellite 1 is large, and a load of satellite 2 is small. In this case the satellite 2 is selected to balance the loads of the satellites. This reads on based on a higher of the first congestion level and the second congestion level selecting a second satellite).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the network nodes in Qiao adapt to include a first and second satellite of a constellation of satellites because it is well known that a constellation of satellites can service as non-terrestrial network nodes for communication between the UE and core network (see Qiao, paragraph [0053]) and can implemented into the network in Cui using known techniques (see Qiao, paragraph [0053]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make transmitting, after selecting the network, the reverse link message to the core network via the second network node in Qiao adapt to include being based on a higher of the first congestion level and the second congestion level because this is well known mechanism to balance network loading (see Qiao, paragraph [0073]) and Cui suggests utilizing one or more factors or policies may be used to select or prioritize one network over the over (see Cui, paragraphs [0050] & [0052]).
V. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cui et al. (US 2016/0112931 A1) in view of Qiao et al. (EP 4123921 A1) in view of Yu et al. (US 2021/0289339 A1).
Regarding claim 2 Cui and Qiao the method of claim 1 except for wherein receiving the first broadcast message during a last system cycle of a first coverage period associated with visibility of the first satellite to the UE device.
Yu teaches receiving the first broadcast message during a last system cycle of a first coverage period associated with visibility of the first satellite to the UE device (see paragraphs [0147] - [0148]; Table 1 and Fig. 1, The satellite(s) broadcast messages during the end of a system cycle of an mth period. The end of the mth period corresponding to the beginning of the nth period. A coverage period is associated with the UE having visibility with the satellite (see Fig. 1). This reads on wherein receiving the first broadcast message during a last system cycle of a first coverage period associated with visibility of the first satellite to the UE device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the Cui and Qiao combination adapt to include wherein receiving the first broadcast message during a last system cycle of a first coverage period associated with visibility of the first satellite to the UE device because it would allow for an efficient mechanism for transmitting signaling information (see Yu, paragraph [0004]).
Conclusion
VI. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Huang et al. Pub. No.: US 2024/0397401 A1 discloses a method for estimating cell load rate and adjusting communication service, and corresponding electronic device including when the load rate exceeds a predefined cell congestion threshold, the UE initiates a request to hand over the UE to another cell (see paragraphs [0057] – [0058]).
Perras et al. Pub. No.: US 2015/0319664 A1 discloses systems and/or methods for anchor node selection in networks using distributed mobility management (DMM) including an anchor node having more or a higher amount of load compared to another anchor node that may be close to the device and may using such knowledge to reduce or avoid undesirable handovers (see paragraph [0089]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON J MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-7869. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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/BRANDON J MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
August 1, 2026
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