DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Examiner Response to Arguments
Applicant Arguments: Regarding independent claim 1, applicant's arguments are:
Yitao does not qualify as a proper and valid prior art.
Reference Wang failed to teach that the ACK indicator is included in a random access response (RAR).
the Office Action still fails to establish a proper rationale for combining Laselva with Yitao and Wang.
Examiner Response: Applicant arguments have been fully considered, unfortunately the arguments are not persuasive. Examiner respectfully disagrees because a particular claim(s) element(s) can be mentioned explicitly in the reference or it can be inherent. The reference does not have to describe a claim element in precisely the same words used in the application claim. The elements must be arranged as required by the claim, but this is not an ipsissimis verbis test, i.e., identity of terminology is not required." (In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 832 (Fed. Cir.1990)) and applicant is reminded that the claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding the first argument, the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA , the cited refence Yitao is a valid reference because the filling date is 08/13/2019.
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Regarding the second argument, the cited reference Wang discloses in ¶0009 that the random access may be initiated with obtained system information for several purposes, any person skilled in the art knows that the random access is the procedure used when the device initiates a connection with the network where. Wang discloses an example of synchronization between UE and a network is obtained via a Random Access Channel (RACH) access procedure and discloses a method where a feedback is sent to the UE included in the random access response message, the feedback is for example synchronization information such TA.Wang clearly discloses the method of sending a feedback in the Random Access Response (RAR) message.
Regarding the second argument, first, the cite reference Laselva discloses a method of resource configuration for transmitting small amounts of data when in RRC_INACTIVE state during enhanced RA procedure (See ¶0028, ¶0048, and ¶0063). Second, the cited reference Yitao discloses in lines 260-263 transmission resources of SDT may be understood as transmission resources dedicated to SDT. If the UE determines to select the SDT transmission resource for SDT, the UE can select the dedicated SDT transmission resource and perform data transmission (ie, perform SDT on the selected SDT transmission resource and further discloses in Lines 11-13 that the UE choose to use the transmission resources dedicated to SDT to initiate SDT. Therefore, when configuring transmission resources, the network device needs to reserve physical random access channel (PRACH) resources dedicated to SDT for the UE to initiate SDT which discloses the limitation of a configuration indicating a dedicated random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) for small data transmission; performing the small data transmission based on the dedicated RO for small data transmission where the limitation is interpreted in light of the applicant’s specification (US20230013851) ¶0057 which discloses configuring dedicated physical resources (e.g., time, frequency, code, preambles, RACH occasion (RO), or PUSCH occasion (PO), which is not limited to hereinafter) for small data transmission to UEs. Third, the cite reference Wang discloses in ¶0009 a method where the random access may be initiated with obtained system information for several purposes. Wang discloses an example of synchronization between UE and a network is obtained via a Random Access Channel (RACH) access procedure and discloses the method where a feedback is sent to the UE included in the random access response message, the feedback is for example synchronization information such TA, Wang clearly discloses the method of sending a feedback in the Random Access Response (RAR) message. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the methods of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang to use RACH resource for small data communication to reduce resource allocation and avoid re-connecting to the network's connected state and allowing the sending data in a low-power RRC_INACTIVE state.
Examiner Response to Amendments
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 of this title, 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 1-2, 8-10, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laselva et al (US20220095331), in view of Yitao et al (CN111800888B), in further view of Wang et al (US20220061065).
Regarding claim 1, the cited reference Laselva discloses a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for small data transmission (¶0027 discloses a UE may send small data transmissions), the method comprising: receiving, from a base station (BS), a configuration (¶0063 discloses that gNB 302, when indicating the UE about the configuration of CG mode operations in RRC_INACTIVE state, may also notify the UE about the resource pools from which the UE can select the resources); performing the small data transmission (¶0028 discloses using configured grant (CG) operations to transmit data (e.g., small amounts of data) in the uplink. ¶0063 further discloses that when UE 304 determines that the UE is configured to allow CG mode operations in RRC_INACTIVE state, UE 304 mayselect resources for transmitting the data from a pool of resources); and receiving, from the BS, an acknowledgement (ACK) indicator indicating a successful reception of the small data transmission by the BS (¶0040 discloses that gNB 302, upon reception of the data transmitted from UE 304, may transmit an ACK to UE 304 upon successful decoding of the data), wherein the UE is in an inactive state while performing the small datatransmission (¶0027 discloses that the RRC_INACTIVE state is expected to support transmission of small amounts of data. ¶0028 further discloses a procedure to transmit data from a UE when the UE is in an inactive RRC state). However, Laselva does not explicitly teach a configuration indicating a dedicated random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) for small data transmission; performing the small data transmission based on the dedicated RO for small data transmission and wherein the ACK indicator is included in a random access response (RAR).
In an analogous arts the cited reference Yitao discloses a configuration indicating a dedicated random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) for small data transmission; performingthe small data transmission based on the dedicated RO for small data transmission (Lines 260-263 transmission resources of SDT may be understood as transmission resources dedicated to SDT. If the UE determines to select the SDT transmission resource for SDT, the UE can select the dedicated SDT transmission resource and perform data transmission (ie, perform SDT on the selected SDT transmission resource and further discloses in Lines 11-13 that the UE choose to use the transmission resources dedicated to SDT to initiate SDT. Therefore, when configuring transmission resources, the network device needs to reserve physical random access channel (PRACH) resources dedicated to SDT for the UE to initiate SDT which discloses the limitation above where the limitation is interpreted in light of the applicant’s specification (US20230013851) ¶0057 which discloses configuring dedicated physical resources (e.g., time, frequency, code, preambles, RACH occasion (RO), or PUSCH occasion (PO), which is not limited to hereinafter) for small data transmission to UEs).
The cited reference Wang teaches wherein the ACK indicator is included in a random access response (RAR) (¶0009 discloses a method where the random access may be initiated with obtained system information for several purposes. Wang discloses an example of synchronization between UE and a network is obtained via a Random Access Channel (RACH) access procedure and discloses the method where a feedback is sent to the UE included in the random access response message, the feedback is for example synchronization information such TA).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the methods of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang to use RACH resource for small data communication to reduce resource allocation and avoid re-connecting to the network's connected state and allowing the sending data in a
low-power RRC_INACTIVE state..
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang discloses all limitations of claim 1. Yitao further discloses the dedicated RO for small data transmission is obtained via dedicated signaling or broadcast system information (SI) (Lines 357-358 disclose that the network device may broadcast a system message (the system message includes configuration information).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang discloses all limitations of claim 1. Laselva further discloses the UE is in the inactive state to perform a two-step random access channel (RACH) procedure, a four-step RACH procedure, or a configured grant (CG) type 1 transmission (¶0035 discloses that the CG (configured grant) mode operations allow UE 304 to transmit data to gNB 302 while remaining in the RRC_INACTIVE state where CG mode operations is Type-1).
Regarding claim 9, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 2. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 2.
Regarding claim 16, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 8. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 8.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang discloses all limitations of claim 1. Laselva further discloses comprising receiving a threshold related to a data volume to determine whether to perform the small data transmission, wherein the threshold is configured by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message (¶0037 discloses that when UE 302 is in an RRC_INACTIVE state, UE 304 may detect the presence of data for transmitting on
the uplink to gNB 302… UE 304 may detect the presence of data for transmitting
on the uplink based on a threshold value which may be configured).
Regarding claim 18, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 17. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 17.
Claims 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laselva et al (US20220095331), in view of Yitao et al (CN111800888B), in further view of Wang et al (US20220061065) in further view of Hu et al (US20160198453).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Laselva, Yitao, and Wang discloses all limitations of claim 1. However, the combination does not explicitly teach the ACK indicator is decoded from a specific UE identifier on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
In an analogous art Hu teaches the ACK indicator is decoded from a specific UE identifier
on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (¶0024 discloses that receiving, by the user equipment, feedback information that is sent by the base station and that is scheduled by using a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled with a radio network temporary identifier RNTI (i.e. an identifier of the user equipment (¶0158)) where RNTI is specified for one RNTI (¶0034)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the method of Hu where the feedback information is
used to indicate whether the receive end device receives the data correctly.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 6. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 6.
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laselva et al (US20220095331), in view of Yitao et al (CN111800888B), in further view of Wang et al (US20220061065), in further view of Hu et al (US20160198453), in further view of Rastegardoost et al (US20210051707).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Laselva, Yitao, Wang, and Hu discloses all limitations of claim 6. Laselva further discloses the specific UE identifier comprises one of an inactive-radio network temporary identifier (I-RNTI), a random access-RNTI (RA-RNTI), a cell-RNTI(C-RNTI), or a temporary cell-RNTI (TC-RNTI) (¶0148 discloses that the identifier of the user equipment may be a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI). However, the combination does not explicitly teach the RAR comprises a fallbackRAR or a successRAR.
In an analogous art Rastegardoost teaches the RAR comprises a fallbackRAR or a successRAR (¶0265 discloses that one or more RARs may comprise a success-RAR and/or a fallback-RAR).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention to incorporate the method of Rastegardoost where successRAR is included when the base station successfully detects the MsgA PRACH preamble and decodes the MsgA PUSCH for a terminal. The fallbackRAR is included when the base station successfully detects the MsgA PRACH preamble but fails to decode the MsgA PUSCH.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 7. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 7.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDELILLAH ELMEJJARMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1656. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri: 8AM-5PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached on (571)272-3927. 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 the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is availablethrough Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Respectfully submitted,
/ABDELILLAH ELMEJJARMI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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