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 § 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.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the altitude threshold " in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 –
Claims 1-10, 12-14, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #116bis-e Tdoc R2- 2201599 Electronic Meeting, Jan 17th - 25th, 2022 Revision of R2-2110834 (hereinafter R2-2201599, from Applicant’s IDS, therefore a copy is not provided).
Regarding claim 1, R2-2201599 discloses a method for performing communication, performed by a User Equipment (UE), comprising (see R2-2201599, section 2 bottom of page and page 2 “proposal 1”): receiving, from a network, information about a satellite: wherein the information about the satellite includes orbital information about the satellite and reference location of a cell of the satellite (see R2-2201599, ephemeris data, including reference location and orbital information, will be sent to the UE via SIB message, UE uses reference location, page 3 lines 11-20, page 4 lime 1 to 21), wherein the satellite serves the UE (see R2-2201599, at least section 2.2), calculating beam angle of the satellite, based on the orbital information and the reference location (see R2-2201599, page 4 discloses determining from the ephemeris data when the satellite will cover an area. Note that satellite coverage means served via the satellite beam. Beam angle is a term of the art meaning the satellite beam width. Hence if the UE knows the coverage area it knows the beam angle): determining a trajectory of the reference location of the satellite based on the calculated beam angle and the orbital information, based on the beam angle of the satellite being fixed (see R2-2201599, page 4 and 5 discloses determining a window of service based on beam angle and ephemeris information); and performing cell measurement based on the trajectory of the reference location (see R2-2201599, page 5 proposals 5 and 8, discloses the UE monitor (measuring) during appropriate window based on the determined trajectory).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, the limitations have been addressed in the rejection of claim 1. Note the UE and Apparatus of claims 10 and 19 respectfully each contain transceivers, processors, memory in order to operate in a 3GPP system as dictated by R2-2201599.
Regarding claim 2, the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the distance between the reference location and the location of the terminal will increase or decrease after the current point in time, based on the trajectory of the reference location (see R2-2201599, fig. 1 page 2, first paragraph below fig. 1, also see page 5 top fig, discloses time window changing meaning distance varies over time).
Regarding claim 3, the method of claim 2, further comprising: triggering to perform the cell measurement, based on the determination that the distance between the reference location and the location of the terminal will increase after the current point in time (see R2-2201599, page 3 fig. 1 discloses the UE monitoring distance between reference location and UE).
Regarding claim 4, the method of claim 2, wherein the UE skips to perform the cell measurement, based on the determination that the distance between the reference location and the location of the terminal will decrease after the current point in time (see R2-2201599, page 3 fig. 1 and two paragraphs below fig. 1, discloses that UE will enter sleep mode when out coverage of satellite and wakes up when next satellite approaches).
Regarding claim 5, the method of claim 1, wherein the information about the satellite includes coverage information of the cell of the satellite, wherein the cell measurement is based on the coverage information (see R2-2201599, page 5 discloses monitoring based on DRX cycles).
Regarding claim 6, the method of claim 5, wherein the coverage information includes radius information of the cell of the satellite (see R2-2201599, page 3 “CoverageInformation Information Element”, discloses radius of satellite).
Regarding claim 7, the method of claim 5, further comprising: determining whether the UE will go out of coverage of the cell of the satellite in the future based on the coverage information and the trajectory of the reference location: triggering to perform the cell measurement regardless of a quality of the cell of the satellite, based on the determination that the UE will go out of coverage of the cell of the satellite (see R2-2201599, section 2.2 discloses taking measurements before and after coverage gaps. Doesn’t specify a quality criteria, therefore irrespective of the quality).
Regarding claim 8, the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving coverage information for a terrestrial network from the network, wherein the coverage information includes a reference location of the terrestrial network and a radius of a cell of the terrestrial network (see R2-2201599, page 3 2nd paragraph under fig. 1, discloses using reference location, radius of terrestrial cell): triggering to perform the cell measurement based on the coverage information for the terrestrial network (see R2-2201599, page 3 2nd paragraph under fig. 1, discloses using reference location, radius of terrestrial cell to determine when to wake up to make measurements).
Regarding claim 9, the method of claim 1, further comprising: performing cell reselection or handover, based on a result of the cell measurement (page 2 proposal 1, discloses these procedure are done to allow a UE to follow proper procedures while RRC_IDLE, RRC_INACTIVE (which is where reselection occurs) and RRC_CONNECTED which involves handover).
Regarding claim 12, the UE of claim 11, wherein the operation further comprising: triggering to perform the cell measurement, based on the determination that the distance between the reference location and the location of the terminal will increase after the current point in time (see R2-2201599, page 3 fig. 1 discloses the UE monitoring distance between reference location and UE).
Regarding claim 13, the UE of claim 11, wherein the UE skips to perform the cell measurement, based on the determination that the distance between the reference location and the location of the terminal will decrease after the current point in time (see R2-2201599, fig. 1 page 2, first paragraph below fig. 1, also see page 5 top fig, discloses time window changing meaning distance varies over time).
Regarding claim 14, the UE of claim 10, wherein the information about the satellite includes coverage information of the cell of the satellite, wherein the cell measurement is based on the coverage information (see R2-2201599, page 5 discloses monitoring based on DRX cycles).
15-18. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20230079636 This application describes how a user device can get ready to use a satellite cell more efficiently after it has been idle or powered down. The device first receives “acquisition information” that helps it find a satellite-supported cell later. That information may come from a network node, a server, or even be preloaded in the device. When the device leaves an inactive state, it uses the information to locate a suitable satellite cell instead of doing a blind search. The device can use details such as cell ID, frequency, Doppler shift, angle of elevation, azimuth, timing, and expected availability. The goal is to help the device pick a better satellite cell for the current time and location. In some cases, the information is tailored for a known location and known future time.
US 12035263 This application is about helping a user device communicate more accurately in a satellite-based wireless network. The device can receive satellite location information in two ways: a broad broadcast message sent to many devices, and a more targeted unicast message sent just to that device. The unicast information can be newer or more accurate than the broadcast information. The device uses whichever information is best, or both together, to adjust when and how it sends uplink data to the satellite. This matters because satellites are far away and may be moving quickly, which creates delay and frequency shift problems. By knowing the satellite’s position, the device can pre-correct its transmission timing and frequency. The network node, such as a base station or the satellite itself, can also send the location information in several ways, including during connection setup, in control information, or with scheduled grants.
US 20240291556 This application is about helping a satellite and a terminal communicate using multiple beams instead of only one. In a non-terrestrial network, a base station sends configuration information to a terminal so the terminal knows how to use those beams. The configuration can tell the terminal which beams matter, what frequencies they use, when they are active, and what polarization to expect. A major focus is timing offset information, which helps the terminal understand when signals from different beams arrive relative to each other. The terminal can use that timing information to adjust its own timing and receive signals more reliably. The configuration may also identify a primary service beam and secondary service beams.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE whose telephone number is (571)270-5144. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Thomas can be reached at (571) 272-8004. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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