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.
Claims 1, 5, 12-13, 15 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) in view of ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu)
Regarding Claim 1, Kung teaches a handover processing method, comprising: obtaining, by a terminal, first signaling and second signaling
(Kung [0005, line 2] In an example from the perspective of a User Equipment (UE), the UE receives, from a first cell, a first signaling indicative of one or more random access resources of a second cell. The UE receives, from the first cell, a second signaling indicative of switching a Special Cell (SpCell) of the UE to the second cell, wherein the second signaling comprises at least one of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling or a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).)
wherein the first signaling is used for indicating configuration information of at least one second object
(Kung [0057, line and FIG. 6, 608] The source gNB configures the UE measurement procedures and the UE reports according to the measurement configuration.)
and the second signaling is used for indicating information related to a first operation
(Kung [0369, line 15] The second information may indicate to (e.g., instruct) the UE to initiate a mobility procedure on the second cell. The UE may consider the second cell to be a Special Cell (SpCell), a Primary Cell (PCell), or a target cell (and/or a target SpCell) of the UE based on the second information (and/or in response to receiving the second information).
(Note: Second information in the reference reads onto the second signaling of the claim language. Kung [0370] The first information and the second information may be transmitted in different signalings (e.g., the first information may be transmitted via a first signaling and/or the second information may be transmitted via a second signaling). The term “signaling” as used herein may correspond to at least one of a signal, a set of signals, a transmission, a message, etc.)
But Kung fails to teach wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
However, in a similar endeavor, Zhu teaches wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
(Zhu [0091] Based at least in part on location information, channel conditions, and/or other parameters, the UE 335 may be configured to perform a redirection and/or handover operation to handover a network connection to a neighbor cell (e.g., the second cell 320 or the third cell 330)).
(Note: Claim language stipulates that the terminal is handed over from the first object to the third object. Here, second object is composed of second cell and third cell. Thus, according to the claim limitation, the third object is the second cell which is one of the second object. And the reference satisfies the claim limitation.)
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
(Zhu [0092, line 5] The UE 335 may determine (e.g., based at least in part on measurements associated with the third cell 330) that the third cell 330 is the preferred target cell for the redirection and/or handover operation. The first base station 305 may initiate a redirection and handover to the third cell 330.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to already hold target-object configuration and the turn the handover message into a target-selection trigger.
Regarding Claim 5, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 1 and Kung further teaches performing, by the terminal, transmission and reception of data based on to a first transmission mode within a first time period;
(Kung [0099] ra-Response Window: the time window to monitor RA response(s) (SpCell only))
But Kung does not teach wherein the first transmission mode comprises at least one of the following:
the terminal does not monitor a downlink channel of the first object and/or the third object, or the terminal does not expect the first object and/or the third object to transmit a downlink channel within the first time period, or the terminal monitors the downlink channel of the first object and/or the third object;
the terminal does not transmit an uplink channel of the first object and/or the third object, or the terminal transmits an uplink channel of the first object and/or the third object;
the terminal does not transmit a second reference signal of the first object and/or the third object, wherein the second reference signal is a reference signal other than a preset reference signal, or the terminal transmits all reference signals of the first object and/or the third object; wherein the preset reference signal comprises at least one of a reference signal for L1 measurement, a reference signal for L3 measurement, and a network-configured reference signal;
the terminal does not transmit an uplink signal and/or channel of a fourth object, or the terminal transmits an uplink signal and/or channel of the fourth object, wherein the fourth object is an object different from the third object in the at least one second object; and
the terminal does not monitor a downlink signal and/or channel of the fourth object, or the terminal does not expect the fourth object to transmit a downlink signal and/or channel within the first time period, or the terminal monitors a downlink signal and/or channel of the fourth object.
However, in a similar endeavor, Zhu teaches wherein the first transmission mode comprises at least one of the following:
the terminal does not monitor a downlink channel of the first object and/or the third object, or the terminal does not expect the first object and/or the third object to transmit a downlink channel within the first time period,
or the terminal monitors the downlink channel of the first object and/or the third object;
(Zhu [0071] At UE 120, antennas 252a through 252r may receive the downlink signals from base station 110 and/or other base stations and may provide received signals to demodulators (DEMODs) 254a through 254r, respectively.)
the terminal does not transmit an uplink channel of the first object and/or the third object,
or the terminal transmits an uplink channel of the first object and/or the third object;
(Zhu [0074] On the uplink, at UE 120, a transmit processor 264 may receive and process data from a data source 262 and control information (e.g., for reports that include RSRP, RSSI, RSRQ, and/or CQI) from controller/processor 280.)
the terminal does not transmit a second reference signal of the first object and/or the third object, wherein the second reference signal is a reference signal other than a preset reference signal, or the terminal transmits all reference signals of the first object and/or the third object; wherein the preset reference signal comprises at least one of a reference signal for L1 measurement, a reference signal for L3 measurement, and a network-configured reference signal;
the terminal does not transmit an uplink signal and/or channel of a fourth object, or the terminal transmits an uplink signal and/or channel of the fourth object, wherein the fourth object is an object different from the third object in the at least one second object; and
the terminal does not monitor a downlink signal and/or channel of the fourth object, or the terminal does not expect the fourth object to transmit a downlink signal and/or channel within the first time period, or the terminal monitors a downlink signal and/or channel of the fourth object.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to identify the actual destination object.
Regarding Claim 12, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 1 and Zhu further teaches performing, by the terminal, data transmission according to a first rule during handover from the first object to the third object or after handover to the third object;
(Zhu [0092, line 5] The UE 335 may determine (e.g., based at least in part on measurements associated with the third cell 330) that the third cell 330 is the preferred target cell for the redirection and/or handover operation.)
wherein the first rule comprises at least one of the following:
the terminal transmits at least part of channels and/or signals of the third object according to second indication information carried in the second signaling;
the terminal transmits at least part of channels and/or signals of the third object according to an uplink signal resource indication carried in the second signaling; and
the terminal transmits at least part of channels and/or signals of the third object based on network-configured and/or indicated beam information.
(Zhu [0086, line 8] A UE may be configured to communicate via a network operator associated with one or more of the first cell 310, the second cell 320, and/or the third cell 330.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the system to separate configuration from handover control.
Regarding Claim 13, Kung teaches sending, by a network-side device, first signaling and second signaling,
(Kung [0064] 6. The source gNB triggers the Uu handover by sending an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE, containing the information required to access the target cell: at least the target cell ID.)
wherein the first signaling is used for indicating configuration information of at least one second object
(Kung [0057, line and FIG. 6, 608] The source gNB configures the UE measurement procedures and the UE reports according to the measurement configuration.)
and the second signaling is used for indicating information related to a first operation
(Kung [0369, line 15] The second information may indicate to (e.g., instruct) the UE to initiate a mobility procedure on the second cell. The UE may consider the second cell to be a Special Cell (SpCell), a Primary Cell (PCell), or a target cell (and/or a target SpCell) of the UE based on the second information (and/or in response to receiving the second information).
(Note: Second information in the reference reads onto the second signaling of the claim language. Kung [0370] The first information and the second information may be transmitted in different signalings (e.g., the first information may be transmitted via a first signaling and/or the second information may be transmitted via a second signaling). The term “signaling” as used herein may correspond to at least one of a signal, a set of signals, a transmission, a message, etc.)
But Kung fails to teach wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
However, in a similar endeavor, Zhu teaches wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
(Zhu [0091] Based at least in part on location information, channel conditions, and/or other parameters, the UE 335 may be configured to perform a redirection and/or handover operation to handover a network connection to a neighbor cell (e.g., the second cell 320 or the third cell 330)).
(Note: Claim language stipulates that the terminal is handed over from the first object to the third object. Here, second object is composed of second cell and third cell. Thus, according to the claim limitation, the third object is the second cell which is one of the second object. And the reference satisfies the claim limitation.)
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
(Zhu [0092, line 5] The UE 335 may determine (e.g., based at least in part on measurements associated with the third cell 330) that the third cell 330 is the preferred target cell for the redirection and/or handover operation. The first base station 305 may initiate a redirection and handover to the third cell 330.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to already hold target-object configuration and the turn the handover message into a target-selection trigger.
Regarding Claim 15, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 13 and Kung further teaches wherein the information indicated by the second signaling comprises at least one of the following:
identification information of at least one first object;
at least one piece of second indication information, wherein the second indication information is transmission configuration indicator state information;
at least one time advance TA value; and
indication information of at least one RACH resource.
(Kung [0064, line 6] It can also include a set of dedicated RACH resources, the association between RACH resources and SSB(s), the association between RACH resources and UE-specific CSI-RS configuration(s), common RACH resources, and system information of the target cell, etc.)
(Note: Claim language requires examiner to identify at least one limitation. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Regarding Claim 17, Kung teaches a Terminal comprising a processor [FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, 310] and a memory [FIG. 3, 312], wherein a program or instructions executable [FIG.3, 308] on the processor are stored in the memory, and when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor, a handover processing method is implemented, wherein the handover processing method comprises:
obtaining first signaling and second signaling
(Kung [0005, line 2] In an example from the perspective of a User Equipment (UE), the UE receives, from a first cell, a first signaling indicative of one or more random access resources of a second cell. The UE receives, from the first cell, a second signaling indicative of switching a Special Cell (SpCell) of the UE to the second cell, wherein the second signaling comprises at least one of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling or a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).)
wherein the first signaling is used for indicating configuration information of at least one second object
(Kung [0057, line and FIG. 6, 608] The source gNB configures the UE measurement procedures and the UE reports according to the measurement configuration.)
and the second signaling is used for indicating information related to a first operation
(Kung [0369, line 15] The second information may indicate to (e.g., instruct) the UE to initiate a mobility procedure on the second cell. The UE may consider the second cell to be a Special Cell (SpCell), a Primary Cell (PCell), or a target cell (and/or a target SpCell) of the UE based on the second information (and/or in response to receiving the second information).
(Note: Second information in the reference reads onto the second signaling of the claim language.
Kung [0370] The first information and the second information may be transmitted in different signalings (e.g., the first information may be transmitted via a first signaling and/or the second information may be transmitted via a second signaling). The term “signaling” as used herein may correspond to at least one of a signal, a set of signals, a transmission, a message, etc.)
But Kung fails to teach wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
However, in a similar endeavor, Zhu teaches wherein the first operation comprises that the terminal is handed over from the first object to a third object, and the third object is an object in the at least one second object;
(Zhu [0091] Based at least in part on location information, channel conditions, and/or other parameters, the UE 335 may be configured to perform a redirection and/or handover operation to handover a network connection to a neighbor cell (e.g., the second cell 320 or the third cell 330)).
(Note: Claim language stipulates that the terminal is handed over from the first object to the third object. Here, second object is composed of second cell and third cell. Thus, according to the claim limitation, the third object is the second cell which is one of the second object. And the reference satisfies the claim limitation.)
performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling
(Zhu [0092, line 5] The UE 335 may determine (e.g., based at least in part on measurements associated with the third cell 330) that the third cell 330 is the preferred target cell for the redirection and/or handover operation. The first base station 305 may initiate a redirection and handover to the third cell 330.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to already hold target-object configuration and the turn the handover message into a target-selection trigger.
Regarding Claim 18, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 13 and Kung further teaches a network-side device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or instructions executable on the processor, wherein when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor
(Kung [0630, line 4] A software module (e.g., including executable instructions and related data) and other data may reside in a data memory such as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of computer-readable storage medium known in the art.)
Regarding Claim 19, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 1 and Kung further teaches a readable storage medium, wherein the readable storage medium stores a program or instructions, and when the program or the instructions are executed by a processor
(Kung [0630, line 4] A software module (e.g., including executable instructions and related data) and other data may reside in a data memory such as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of computer-readable storage medium known in the art.
a processor [FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, 310] and a memory [FIG. 3, 312], wherein when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor [FIG.3, 308])
Regarding Claim 20, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 13 and Kung further teaches a readable storage medium, wherein the readable storage medium stores a program or instructions, and when the program or the instructions are executed by a processor
(Kung [0630, line 4] A software module (e.g., including executable instructions and related data) and other data may reside in a data memory such as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of computer-readable storage medium known in the art.
a processor [FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, 310] and a memory [FIG. 3, 312], wherein when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor [FIG.3, 308])
Claims 2, 3-4, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) in view of ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) and in further view of Matsumura et al. (US 20250125933 A1, hereinafter Matsumura)
Regarding Claim 2, Kung and Zhu teaches the method of Claim 1 but fails to teach
wherein the configuration information indicated by the first signaling comprises at least one of the following:
higher-layer configuration information; and
physical layer related configuration information; or
information indicated by the second signaling comprises at least one of the following:
identification information of at least one first object;
at least one piece of second indication information, wherein the second indication information is transmission configuration indicator state information;
at least one time advance TA value; and
indication information of at least one RACH resource.
However, in a similar endeavor, Matsumura teaches wherein the configuration information indicated by the first signaling comprises at least one of the following:
higher-layer configuration information; and
(Matsumura [0111] In the present disclosure, radio resource control (RRC), an RRC parameter, an RRC message, a higher layer parameter, an information element (IE), a configuration, and the like may be interchangeably interpreted.)
physical layer related configuration information; or
(Matsumura [0030, line 4] The TCI state may be configured (indicated) by higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling, or a combination of these.)
information indicated by the second signaling comprises at least one of the following:
identification information of at least one first object;
at least one piece of second indication information, wherein the second indication information is transmission configuration indicator state information;
at least one time advance TA value; and
indication information of at least one RACH resource.
(Note: Claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated two and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung and Zhu by incorporating Matsumura to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to have higher-layer and physical-layer configuration information.
Regarding Claim 3 and as applied to Claim 2, Zhu further teaches wherein the performing, by the terminal, the first operation according to the first signaling and the second signaling comprises: performing handover from the first object to the third object in a case that at least one of the first signaling and the second signaling meets a first condition.
(Zhu [0091] Based at least in part on location information, channel conditions, and/or other parameters, the UE 335 may be configured to perform a redirection and/or handover operation to handover a network connection to a neighbor cell (e.g., the second cell 320 or the third cell 330).
Zhu [0092, line 5] The UE 335 may determine (e.g., based at least in part on measurements associated with the third cell 330) that the third cell 330 is the preferred target cell for the redirection and/or handover operation. The first base station 305 may initiate a redirection and handover to the third cell 330.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung and Matsumura by incorporating Zhu to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal for a handover efficiently in a faster way without interrupting source-cell transmission.
Regarding Claim 4 and as applied to Claim 3, Kung further teaches wherein the first condition comprises at least one of the following:
the second signaling comprises target information;
(Kung [0369, line 14] The UE may consider the second cell to be a Special Cell (SpCell), a Primary Cell (PCell), or a target cell (and/or a target SpCell) of the UE based on the second information (and/or in response to receiving the second information)).
the first indication information indicates that the third object is usable as a target object for handover;
the third indication information indicates to perform handover;
second indication information comprised in the second signaling is associated with the third object, and the second indication information is used to indicate a control resource set CORESET#0 or a transmission configuration indicator state and/or spatial relation of CORESET#0 and a channel related to CORESET#0;
the second indication information is associated with the third object; and
the second indication information is used to indicate a transmission configuration indicator state and/or spatial relation after handover; wherein
the target information comprises at least one of the following: an identifier of the third object;
(Kung [0064] 6. The source gNB triggers the Uu handover by sending an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE, containing the information required to access the target cell: at least the target cell ID.)
identification information of at least one first object;
at least one time advance TA value;
indication information of at least one uplink signal resource;
indication information of at least one RACH resource;
indication information of at least one aperiodic RS resource; and
indication information of at least one aperiodic CSI reporting.
(Note: Claim language requires examiner to identify at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Regarding Claim 14, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim but fail to teach
wherein the configuration information indicated by the first signaling comprises at least one of the following:
higher-layer configuration information; and
physical layer related configuration information;
However, in a similar endeavor, Matsumura teaches wherein the configuration information indicated by the first signaling comprises at least one of the following:
higher-layer configuration information; and
(Matsumura [0111] In the present disclosure, radio resource control (RRC), an RRC parameter, an RRC message, a higher layer parameter, an information element (IE), a configuration, and the like may be interchangeably interpreted.)
physical layer related configuration information; or
(Matsumura [0030, line 4] The TCI state may be configured (indicated) by higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling, or a combination of these.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Kung and Zhu by incorporating Matsumura to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to have higher-layer and physical-layer configuration information.
Claims 6, 7, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over the combined teachings of Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) and ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) in view of Pedersen et al. (US 10383013 B2, hereinafter Pedersen) and in further view of Kangude et al. (US 8218500 B2, hereinafter Kangude)
Regarding Claim 6 and as applied to Claim 5, the combination of Kung and Zhu fail to teach wherein
a starting time point of the first time period is a first time point, and/or an ending time point of the first time period is a second time point; wherein
the first time point comprises at least one of the following:
a time point corresponding to the X1-th time unit after a slot in which the terminal feeds back an acknowledgement ACK of the second signaling; and
the second time point comprises at least one of the following:
a corresponding time point obtained by adding a first preset time period to the starting time point of the first time period, wherein the first preset time period is a pre-specified or pre-configured time period or a time period indicated by preset signaling; and
a time point of transmitting or receiving a first-type channel, or a time point associated with the time point of transmitting or receiving the first-type channel.
However, in a similar endeavor, Pedersen teaches a starting time point of the first time period is a first time point, and/or an ending time point of the first time period is a second time point;
(Pedersen [FIG 11, 1110] elaborates this limitation.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung and Zhu and by incorporating Pedersen to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the system to judge the success of handover using timers, measurements etc.
But the combination of Kung, Zhu and Pedersen fail to teach the first time point comprises at least one of the following:
a time point corresponding to the X1-th time unit after a slot in which the terminal feeds back an acknowledgement ACK of the second signaling; and
However, in a similar endeavor, Kangude teaches a time point corresponding to the X1-th time unit after a slot in which the terminal feeds back an acknowledgement ACK of the second signaling; and
(Kangude [Col. 5, line 51] Before user equipment 109 can move to the target base station 102 though, it has to complete any formalities of breaking from the source base station 101. This may include possibly sending RLC status report, which includes sending pending RLC ACKs for successfully received DL data, and possibly sending an ACK for the handover command itself. Note that HARQ ACKs will cause some additional delay. This time is known as handover breaking latency.)
the second time point comprises at least one of the following:
a corresponding time point obtained by adding a first preset time period to the starting time point of the first time period, wherein the first preset time period is a pre-specified or pre-configured time period or a time period indicated by preset signaling; and
a time point of transmitting or receiving a first-type channel, or a time point associated with the time point of transmitting or receiving the first-type channel.
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung, Zhu and Pedersen and by incorporating Kangude to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the system to judge the success of handover using timers, measurements etc.
Regarding Claim 7 and as applied to Claim 6, Pedersen further teaches wherein a time length of the first preset time period is determined based on at least one of the following:
a processing delay of higher-layer handover preparation for the terminal; and
(Pedersen [Col. 14, line 33] Current time advance value towards source cell/source BS 132=TA1=2*T1. In other words, a time advance value for a user device or UE may be set to twice the propagation delay with respect to such BS. Thus, both TA1 and T1 are known by user device. Also, the user device 134 is able to measure a time difference in signals received from the source cell/source BS 132 and the target cell/target BS 142, since the user device 134 is capable of measuring radio link measurements.)
a time-frequency synchronization time.
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung and Zhu and by incorporating Pedersen to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to have precise understanding of timing for efficient handover.
Regarding Claim 10 and as applied to Claim 6, Zhu further teaches wherein the first-type channel comprises at least one of the following:
a signal and/
or channel of the third object received or sent by the 1st terminal.
(Zhu [0086, line 8] A UE may be configured to communicate via a network operator associated with one or more of the first cell 310, the second cell 320, and/or the third cell 330.)
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to have efficient handover.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over the combined teachings of Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) and ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) in view of Pedersen et al. (US 10383013 B2, hereinafter Pedersen)
Regarding Claim 8, Kung and Zhu teach the method of Claim 1 and Zhu further teaches, in a case that a second condition is met, determining, by the terminal, that handover from the first object to the third object is successful;
(Zhu [0092, line 9] The first base station 305 may initiate a redirection and handover to the third cell 330.)
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to finalize handover efficiently.
But combined teachings of Kung and Zhu fail to disclose wherein the second condition comprises at least one of the following:
within a second time period, a measured value of a third reference signal meets a third condition;
within the second time period, the number of times the terminal sends a preamble to the third object is less than N, wherein a value of N is configured by a network or specified by a protocol;
within the second time period, the terminal successfully accesses the third object; and
the first timer has not expired at an ending time point of the second time period.
However, in a similar endeavor, Pedersen teaches wherein the second condition comprises at least one of the following:
within a second time period, a measured value of a third reference signal meets a third condition;
within the second time period, the number of times the terminal sends a preamble to the third object is less than N, wherein a value of N is configured by a network or specified by a protocol;
within the second time period, the terminal successfully accesses the third object; and
(Pedersen [Col. 2, line 13] a second time advance value for use in transmitting signals from the user device to the target BS.)
the first timer has not expired at an ending time point of the second time period.
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung and Zhu and by incorporating Pedersen to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal to have a thorough understanding about timing for handover.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over the combined teachings of Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) and ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) in view of Pedersen et al. (US 10383013 B2, hereinafter Pedersen) and in further view of Flore et al. (US 9247515 B2, hereinafter Flore)
Regarding Claim 9 and as applied to Claim 8, the combined teachings of Kung, Zhu, Pedersen fail to teach wherein the third condition comprises at least one of the following:
an average measured value of the third reference signal within the second time period is greater than a first threshold;
all measured values of the third reference signal within the second time period are greater than a second threshold;
at least one measured value of the third reference signal within the second time period is greater than a third threshold; and
measured values of the third reference signal within the second time period are greater than measured values of all or part of reference signals of the first object.
However, in a similar endeavor, Flore teaches wherein the third condition comprises at least one of the following:
an average measured value of the third reference signal within the second time period is greater than a first threshold;
(Flore [Col. 7, line 8] The UE may perform uplink synchronization with only the strongest cell in the candidate set, with each cell in the candidate set having signal quality above a first threshold.)
all measured values of the third reference signal within the second time period are greater than a second threshold;
at least one measured value of the third reference signal within the second time period is greater than a third threshold; and
measured values of the third reference signal within the second time period are greater than measured values of all or part of reference signals of the first object.
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung, Zhu and Pedersen and by incorporating Flore to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the terminal for pre-configuration and synchronization before handover.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over the combined teachings of Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) and ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) in further view of Matsumura et al. (US 20250125933 A1, hereinafter Matsumura) and in further view of Flore et al. (US 9247515 B2, hereinafter Flore)
Regarding Claim 11 and as applied to Claim 2, the combination of Kung, Zhu and Matsumura fail to teach wherein the second indication information in the second signaling further comprises an uplink power control parameter, and the uplink power control parameter comprises at least one of a path loss reference signal, a closed-loop power control configuration parameter, a transmit power basic point, and a path loss compensation factor.
However, in a similar endeavor, Flore teaches wherein the second indication information in the second signaling further comprises an uplink power control parameter, and the uplink power control parameter comprises at least one of a path loss reference signal, a closed-loop power control configuration parameter, a transmit power basic point, and a path loss compensation factor.
(Flore [Col. 4, line 64] In general, uplink synchronization update may cover update for timing, transmit power, frequency, and/or other parameters.)
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung, Zhu and Matsumura and by incorporating Flore to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled an understanding about uplink communication before conditions are met for an efficient handover.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over the combined teachings of Kung et al. (US 20220046510 A1, hereinafter Kung) and ZHU et al. (US 20230370916 A1, hereinafter Zhu) in view of Flore et al. (US 9247515 B2, hereinafter Flore)
Regarding Claim 16 and as applied to Claim 15, the combination of Kung, Zhu and Matsumura fail to teach wherein the second indication information in the second signaling further comprises an uplink power control parameter, and the uplink power control parameter comprises at least one of a path loss reference signal, a closed-loop power control configuration parameter, a transmit power basic point, and a path loss compensation factor.
However, in a similar endeavor, Flore teaches wherein the second indication information in the second signaling further comprises an uplink power control parameter, and the uplink power control parameter comprises at least one of a path loss reference signal, a closed-loop power control configuration parameter, a transmit power basic point, and a path loss compensation factor.
(Flore [Col. 4, line 64] In general, uplink synchronization update may cover update for timing, transmit power, frequency, and/or other parameters.)
(Note: the claim language requires examiner to find at least one limitation in the reference. Examiner has elaborated one and that is considered to be sufficient.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combined teachings of Kung, Zhu and Matsumura and by incorporating Flore to arrive at the invention.
The motivation of doing so would have enabled an understanding about uplink communication before conditions are met for an efficient handover.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
“User Equipment Handover” (US 20200329405 A1), Awoniyi-Oteri et al. talks about “aperiodic measurement report” [0092], “transmit power” [0039], “threshold period of time” [0088] etc.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RANA HASSAN MAHMUD whose telephone number is (571)272-8939. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 5712705371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RANA H MAHMUD/Examiner, Art Unit 2644
/KATHY W WANG-HURST/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2644
