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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on Dec. 23, 2025 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Freda et al. (2023/0180313).
Regarding claim 16, Freda discloses a Remote User Equipment (UE) (see abstract, fig.1B, element 102, fig.1E, element 191, paragraphs [0006], [0009] and descriptions) comprising: a transmitter that sends a first communication request message to a relay UE that offers relay service between the remote UE and a second remote UE; a receiver that receives a first response message from the relay UE and
thereby establishing a first connection of a first protocol layer with the relay UE,
wherein the remote UE communicates with the second remote UE via the relay
UE (see abstract, fig.1B, element 120/102, fig.1E, elements 191, 192, 193, figs.4-6, elements 410/510/610, 420/420/620, 430/530/630, paragraphs [0006], [0009], [0012-0014], [0069], [0104], [0114] and descriptions); and a connection handling circuit that establishes a second connection of the first protocol layer with the second remote UE upon receiving a second response message from the second remote UE, wherein the second response message establishes an end-to-end relay transport layer for authentication between the first remote UE and the second remote UE (see abstract, fig.1B, element 120/102, fig.1E, elements 191, 194, 192, 195,193, figs.4-6, elements 410/510/610, 420/420/620, 430/530/630, paragraphs [0006], [0009], [0012-0014], [0009], [0069], [0078], [0095-0096], [0104-0106], [0114-0115], [0163] and descriptions).
Regarding claim 17, Kim further discloses wherein the remote UE establishes the first connection upon performing a first authentication with the relay UE, establishing a first security relationship with the relay UE, and receiving the first response message (see fig.1E, elements 191, 192, step 194, fig.5, element 410, 420, paragraph [0078], [0098-0099], [0114-0118] and descriptions).
Regarding claim 18, Kim further discloses wherein the remote UE establishes the second connection upon performing a second authentication with the second remote UE, establishing a second security relationship with the second remote UE, and receiving the second response message (see fig.1E, elements 191, 193, step 195, fig.5, element 410, 420, paragraphs [0078], [0098-0099], [0114-0115] and descriptions).
Regarding claim 19, Kim further discloses wherein the remote UE receives a configuration of a second protocol layer from the relay UE, applies the configuration of the second protocol layer, and communicates with the second remote UE according to the configuration of the second protocol layer (see [0069], [0077-0081]).
Regarding claim 20, Kim further discloses wherein the first communication request message is addressed to a broadcast address, or is addressed to an address of the second remote UE (see fig.1B, element 116, paragraphs [0003], [0006], [0018], [0066], [0073], [0080-0082]).
Regarding claim 21, Kim further discloses wherein the remote UE sends a configuration message using the first protocol layer to the relay UE over the first connection (see abstract, fig.1E, elements 191, 194, 192, paragraph [0003], [0069-0070], [0092], [0098-0100], [0133-0136], [0163] and its description).
Regarding claim 22, Kim further discloses wherein the remote UE sends a configuration message using the first protocol layer to the second remote UE over the second connection (see abstract, fig.1E, elements 191, 193, paragraph [0003], [0069-0070], [0098-0100], [0126], [0130], [0142], [0163], [0170-0171 and its description).
Regarding claims 1-15 recite limitations substantially similar to the claims 16-22. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison Slater can be reached on (571) 270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647