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 .
Status of the Claims
The office action is in response to the claim amendments and remarks filed on December 19, 2025 for the application filed July 15, 2022. Claims 1, 2, 9-11, 18-21, 26, and 27 have been amended. Claims 1-5, 7-14, 16-23, 25-29, 31-33, and 36 are currently pending.
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.
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.
Claims 1-5, 10-14, 19-23, 26-29, 32, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US2019/0364137A1) in view of Wang (US2021/0400503A1), Lee et al. (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), and Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a wireless communication device for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Paragraph [0072]: In the embodiments of the present application, a base station (BS for short) may be a device communicating with a terminal or another communications site. Paragraph [0073]: In the embodiments of the present application, terminals may be distributed in an entire wireless network, and each terminal may be static or mobile. Paragraph [0025]: In at least one embodiment, a terminal includes a processor, a memory, a system bus, and a communications interface, where the memory is configured to store a computer-executable instruction. Paragraph [0026]: In at least one embodiment, a base station includes a processor, a memory, a system bus, and a communications interface, where the memory is configured to store a computer-executable instruction.);
configured to: receive multiple protocol data units (PDUs) associated with a PDU set, and wherein at least one PDU, of the multiple PDUs, includes dependency information associated with the PDU set (Paragraph [0012]: receiving, by the communications device by using a media access control MAC entity, first indication information that is sent by a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the communications device to the MAC entity and that is used to indicate the attribute of the data packet received by the terminal; and determining, by the communications device, the attribute of the data packet according to the first indication information. Paragraph [0065]: the I-frame is a complete image, and the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Paragraph [0111]: Specifically, in the video transmission service, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding and the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded without the I-frame. Therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute. Examiner’s note: as per the disclosure, paragraph [0072] indicates: “data packets (sometimes referred to as PDUs)”);
wherein the dependency information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the at least one PDU is dependent on one or more other PDUs (Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0062]: the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data. Paragraph [0063]: The P-frame is predicted by using a preceding P-frame or I-frame. Paragraph [0064]: The B-frame may also be referred to as a bi-directional predicted frame. Paragraph [0065]: the communications device may use the I-frame as a data packet (or referred to as an important data packet) whose attribute is an important attribute….and use the P-frame and the B-frame as data packets (or referred to as unimportant data packets) whose attribute is an unimportant attribute.)
or an indication of whether the PDU set is dependent on one or more other PDU sets, wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets (Paragraph [0065]: the I-frame is a complete image, and the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Paragraph [0070]: In the embodiments of the present application, a plurality of data packets included in the to-be-transmitted service are distinguished based on importance, and different configuration parameters are configured for data packets having different attributes. In this way, when a same to-be-transmitted service includes a plurality of data packets having different attributes, the data packets corresponding to the different attributes are transmitted at different configuration parameters, thereby avoiding failure of transmission of important data packets as much as possible, and reducing impact on transmission quality of the to-be-transmitted service. Paragraph [0111]: Specifically, in the video transmission service, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding and the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded without the I-frame. Therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute. Also see paragraph [0090]);
and perform a layer two PDU processing procedure associated with the at least one PDU or the PDU set based at least in part on the dependency information (Paragraph [0144]: For example, the MAC entity sends the data packet that needs to be scheduled at the current moment and whose attribute is the important attribute, the PDCP entity sends the first data packet from the first buffer to the RLC entity, and then the RLC entity sends the first data packet to the MAC entity. In this case, the PDCP entity sends the first indication information to the MAC entity, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the attribute of the first data packet received by the MAC entity is the important attribute. Paragraph [0147]: After receiving the data packet sent by the PDCP entity, the RLC entity learns, based on identification information in the data packet that carries the PDCP header and that is sent by the PDCP entity, an attribute of the data packet carrying the PDCP header, generates the data packet carrying the RLC header, and sends the data packet to the MAC entity. The RLC header carries identification information indicating that the attribute of the data packet is the important attribute or the unimportant attribute. In this case, the MAC entity of the terminal can determine the attribute of the data packet by using the RLC header of the data packet.)
wherein to perform the layer two PDU processing procedure, the one or more processors are further configured to: discard the at least one PDU when the one or more other PDUs have not been safely received; or discard the PDU set when the one or more other PDU sets have not been safely received (Paragraph [0060]: A discard time length in the embodiments of the present application is a length of a discard timer corresponding to a PDCP SDU. Each time a PDCP entity receives a PDCP SDU, the PDCP entity initiates a timer corresponding to the PDCP SDU, and when the timer is timed out, the PDCP entity discards the PDCP SDU and a corresponding PDCP PDU. Paragraph [0068]: When the terminal determines that the discard timer corresponding to the to-be-transmitted service exceeds the discard timing length configured for the discard timer, the terminal discards the PDCP SDU and a corresponding PDCP PDU. Paragraph [0131]: if the data packet whose attribute is the unimportant attribute has not been correctly received, the terminal discards the data packet whose attribute is the unimportant attribute. Paragraph [0134]: Each time the PDCP entity receives a PDCP SDU, the PDCP entity enables a timer, and when the timer is timed out, the PDCP SDU and a corresponding PDCP PDU are discarded. Paragraph [0140]: Each time the PDCP entity receives a PDCP service data unit (SDU), the PDCP entity enables, based on an attribute of the PDCP SDU, a timer corresponding to the attribute of the PDCP SDU. For example, if the attribute of the PDCP SDU is the important attribute, the PDCP entity enables a timer corresponding to the important attribute, and when the discard timing length configured for the timer is expired, the PDCP SDU and a corresponding PDCP PDU are discarded. Paragraph [0180]: If the PDCP entity of the terminal determines that the attribute of the first data packet is the important attribute, when a time length of a discard timer corresponding to the first data packet reaches the discard timing length, the PDCP entity discards the first data packet.)
Liu does not explicitly teach wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition.
However, Wang teaches wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition (Paragraph [0029]: In embodiments of the present disclosure, the PDCP duplication function determination method is provided, including: receiving a PDCP duplication function configuration information sent by a network, where the PDCP duplication function configuration information is obtained by determining, when an RB is configured with a PDCP duplication function, whether one or more data packets associated with each priority level are configured with the PDCP duplication function based on a number of priority levels of data packets of the RB; and determining, according to the PDCP duplication function configuration information, whether each data packet of the RB is configured with the PDCP duplication function. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the PDCP duplication function can be configured for the data packets according to the priority levels of the data packets in each RB, so that the granularity of the PDCP duplication function configuration is refined, which facilitates the network to effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets based on the priority levels of the data packets. Paragraph [0049]: Specifically, a data packet with a higher degree of importance may have higher requirements for delay and reliability, and a duplication operation may be needed to ensure transmission performance of the data packet. In contrast, a data packet with a lower degree of importance may have lower requirements for delay and reliability, and a duplication operation may not be needed to ensure transmission performance of the data packet. In this case, it is a waste of resources to perform PDCP duplication operations on the data packet with a lower degree of importance. Paragraph [0050]: For example, when a RB is a video service DRB, data packets corresponding to some video frames (such as video background data packets) have relatively lower requirements for delay and reliability, while data packets corresponding to some video frames (such as dynamic changes or key elements) have relatively higher requirements for delay and reliability. Paragraph [0089]: Specifically, the base station may determine the priority levels of the data packets according to importance identifiers or priority level identifiers carried in the data packets, or according to a header information from the upper layer of the data packets.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition, as taught by Wang in the system of Liu, so that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the priority levels and importance identifier of the data packets (Wang: Paragraphs [0029], [0049], [0050], [0089]. Liu teaches the video transmission process where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, and Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance of the data packets.
The combination of Liu and Wang does not explicitly teach wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer.
However, Lee teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer (Paragraph [0019]: In each aspect of the present invention, the receiving device may discard the RLC SDU segment of the first RLC SDU if not all SDU segments of the first RLC SDU are received at the RLC entity when the first reassembly timer for the first RLC SDU expires. Paragraph [0137]: While the reassembly timer is running, if all segments of the RLC SDU are received, the receiving RLC entity reassembles the RLC SDU from RLC SDU segments, and delivers it to upper layer and stops the reassembly timer. When the reassembly timer expires, if not all segments of the RLC SDU are received, the receiving RLC entity discards RLC SDU segments belonging to the RLC SDU, and resets the reassembly timer. Paragraph [0138]: Basically when the receiving RLC entity receives a RLC PDU, the receiving RLC entity firstly checks two bits indicator to determine whether the RLC PDU contains a complete RLC SDU, the first RLC SDU segment, the middle RLC segment or the last RLC SDU segment. When the receiving RLC entity receives a RLC PDU which contains a RLC SDU segment, the receiving RLC entity looks at the segment offset field to find the position of the RLC SDU segment within the original RLC SDU. Paragraph [0163]: The processor 21 is configured to discard the RLC SDU segment of the first RLC SDU if not all SDU segments of the first RLC SDU are received at the RLC entity when the first reassembly timer for the first RLC SDU expires.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer, as taught by Lee in the combined system of Liu and Wang, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer, which would enable efficient transmission as well as reduce delay/latency (Lee: Paragraphs [0008], [0009], [0019], [0137], [0138]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, and Lee does not explicitly teach wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled.
However, Hong teaches wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device (Paragraph [0128]: According to another embodiment, the base station may receive synchronization threshold information. For example, in order to avoid a negative influence on the user experience for the application, synchronized processing may be required between different single modal data/flows. In other words, a QoS characteristic/parameter for avoiding a negative influence on the user experience may be defined between different single-modal data/flow/media elements. For example, a multi-modal data delivery synchronization threshold/limit value/instruction information may be defined. Paragraph [0274]: Through the NR/5G system, related tactile and/or multi-modal data for a single application on a single UE (e.g., audio, video, or haptic data which can include sensation when touching a surface (e.g., pressure, texture, vibration, temperature), or kinaesthetic senses (e.g., gravity, pull forces, sense of position awareness) related to a specific time) may be transferred to the user/UE at similar times. For example, each single modal data may be associated with a PDU Set, and a plurality of associated PDU Set(s) having dependency/association may be grouped to be transferred to the user/UE at similar times. Paragraph [0276]: An application providing a tactile and multi-modal service may include a plurality of single modal data/flows (e.g., audio, video, or haptic data related to a specific time) with different QoS requirements. To avoid negative impacts on the user experience for the application, synchronized processing may be provided between different single modal data/flows. Paragraph [0279]: For example, multi-modal data delivery synchronization threshold/limit value/instruction information may be defined. Paragraph [0280]: For example, this is the (maximum) tolerable time/timing/duration between one or more stimuli/modality/media elements (e.g., another sensation/modality/media element delayed as compared with one sensation/modality/media element). For convenience of description, this is referred to as a synchronization threshold. Paragraph [0286]: However, due to unpredictable jitter, delay, etc., the packet transmission/reception/arrival/processing time at each UE/base station/UPF/node/entity/AS may not be accurately periodic. Paragraph [0288]: Considering these traffic characteristics, for one or more single modal data/flows that have dependency/correlation for the application, each single modal data/flow/media element may be associated with the PDU Set, and the corresponding PDU Sets may be grouped and synchronized. Paragraph [0289]: For example, a reference PDU Set used as a reference among the grouped PDU sets may be indicated/designated. For example, tactile sensation (haptic data/haptic feedback) may be divided as PDU Set 1, audio may be divided into PDU Set 2, video may be divided as PDU Set 3, and video (PDU Set 2) may be indicated/designated as the reference PDU Set. Paragraph [0290]: As another example, tactile sensation (haptic data/haptic feedback) may be divided into PDU Set 1, audio may be divided into PDU Set 2, video may be divided into PDU Set 3. Paragraph [0293]: Meanwhile, the synchronization threshold for synchronization processing may be associated with the corresponding PDU Set group. The UE/base station/UPF/node/entity/AS receiving the corresponding indication information (or where the corresponding indication information is (previously) configured) may perform synchronization processing considering transmission/reception/processing of the first/start packet/PDU included in the corresponding reference PDU Set. Paragraph [0301]: As another example, one or more PDU Sets or any packets/PDUs included in the corresponding PDU to be transferred/processed at a similar time may be associated/marked/tagged with the same timing information.)
configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled (Paragraph [0095]: For convenience of description, a unit divided by the application/application layer, or a unit divided within the application, or a unit having a correlation between data/stream/packets in one application, or a unit having dependency between data/stream/packets in one application…. or PDUs carrying the payload of one unit information generated at the application level is denoted as a PDU Set. This is only for convenience of description, and it may be replaced with any other term such as an application data unit (ADU), an application unit, a media unit (MU), an application packet data unit, a group of picture (GoP) unit, a traffic type (e.g., XR viewer pose information unit, tactile information, video, audio, degree of freedom) specific unit, frame type, stream type, or the like. Paragraph [0151]: In order to provide a PDU set associated with one or more QoS flows included in the corresponding application to the PDU Set integrated packet processing for (XR) application, it is necessary to define an operation for controlling the setup/modification of the associated/related PDU session when the PDU session is set up/modified. Paragraph [0152]: For example, UE authentication may be defined to use PDU Set integrated packet processing of an (XR) application, to use a specific XR application service, or to receive PDU session data supporting specific XR application session/PDU-Set integrated packet processing. Paragraph [0202]: The 5G QoS characteristic information may be used as a guideline for setting a node-specific parameter for each QoS flow. Standardized or preconfigured additional 5G QoS characteristic information for XR may be defined and indicated through a 5QI value. Alternatively, the 5G QoS characteristic information may be indicated together with additional identification information and/or additional QoS characteristic information. For example, for the application sessions (QoS flows)/PDU-Set divided in one application or for the application sessions (QoS flows)/PDU-Set having correlation/dependency, additional indication information and/or additional QoS characteristic information may be associated to indicate it. For example, the corresponding application sessions (QoS flows)/PDU-Sets may be grouped and, for each application session (QoS flow)/PDU-Set, a relative priority to another application session (QoS flow)/PDU-Set in the corresponding group, correlation/dependency, and synchronization threshold may be indicated. As another example, the signaled 5G QoS characteristic information may be provided as a portion of the QoS profile. XR media delivery is typically provided based on download and adaptive streaming. Therefore, there is a part that may be adjusted through the bit rate. However, for effective QoS support for various XR data streams such as viewpoint-dependent streaming, the corresponding application sessions (QoS flows)/PDU-Sets may be divided, and QoS characteristic information for processing it in association with the corresponding application sessions (QoS flows)/PDU-Sets may be added. Paragraph [0223]: As another example, the detailed/additional identification information may be used to associate/group and process PDU-Sets that have dependency on (or belonging to) the corresponding application. For example, one or more of the group identifier for identifying the PDU Set group with dependency, where the PDU Set belongs, the priority/importance of the corresponding PDU Set among the grouped PDU Sets, the relative priority for another application session (QoS flow)/PDU-Set in the corresponding group, and information for identifying another PDU-Set(s) having the correlation/dependency and another PDU-Set(s) having the correlation/dependency may be defined and marked. Paragraph [0224]: The PDU Set group may be distinguished through an identifier/index for identifying the PDU Set group. Paragraph [0265]: As another example, to transfer/process the multi-modal data included in the application at a similar time, the application session/PDU-Set or the packets/PDUs included in the application session/PDU-Set may associate/mark/tag/include one or more pieces of information from the above-described information in the IP packet header, TCP header, UDP header, or application header. It may be included in the header/field. Paragraph [0274]: Through the NR/5G system, related tactile and/or multi-modal data for a single application on a single UE (e.g., audio, video, or haptic data which can include sensation when touching a surface (e.g., pressure, texture, vibration, temperature), or kinaesthetic senses (e.g., gravity, pull forces, sense of position awareness) related to a specific time) may be transferred to the user/UE at similar times. For example, each single modal data may be associated with a PDU Set, and a plurality of associated PDU Set(s) having dependency/association may be grouped to be transferred to the user/UE at similar times. Paragraph [0295]: To provide PDU Set integrated packet processing for the PDU Set associated with one or more QoS flows included in the corresponding application for an (XR) application, or to transfer to the user/UE, or adjust and process, at a similar time, multi-modal data related to one application (e.g., audio, video, or haptic data related to a specific time), additional information may be associated/marked/tagged for PDUs included in the multi-modal QoS-flow/PDU-Set that needs to be transferred or adjusted and processed at a similar time. Paragraph [0299]: As another example, the QoS-flows/PDU-Sets to be transferred/processed at a similar time may be grouped and indicated, and the timing information when the corresponding packets/PDUs are to be transferred/processed may be associated/marked/tagged to the packets/PDUs belonging to the corresponding QoS-flows/PDU-Sets.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled as taught by Hong in the combined system of Liu, Wang, and Lee, so that synchronized processing can be achieved through grouping the associated PDU sets having dependency/association by transferring them to the user/UE at similar times by means of a timing threshold, and the identifier can identify that the PDU sets are dependent or coupled, and need to be processed at a similar time, by ensuring that they arrive within a synchronized timing threshold. This ensures enhanced user's service experience through coordinated processing between correlated modalities/flows (Hong: Paragraphs [0265], [0274], [0276], [0279], [0295], [0299]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong does not explicitly teach to configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU.
However, Starsinic teaches to configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU (Paragraph [0096]: A WTRU and/or UPF may add information in the headers of PDUs (e.g., so that other WTRUs or UPFs may detect which PDU sets are synchronized). Paragraph [0099]: An XR (e.g., a 5GXR) application and an XR session handler may be examples of WTRU-hosted applications. The functionality described herein as residing in a WTRU-hosted application may reside in a layer between the PDU layer and the application layer or in the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer. Paragraph [0110]: The WTRU may populate the header of the PDUs of a PDU set with the synchronization group identifier and the PDU set flow identifier. Paragraph [0111]: In an example, multiple WTRUs may transmit flows that may be part of a synchronization group (e.g., the same synchronization group). The multiple WTRUs may populate the PDU headers with a synchronization group identifier (e.g., the same synchronization group identifier). The UPF may use this information to synchronize PDU sets as described herein. Paragraph [0112]: The WTRU may provide the SMF with information that indicates which PDU set flows are associated with the same synchronization group identifier. This information may be sent to the SMF in a NAS-SM message, such as a PDU session modification command or a PDU session establishment request. Paragraph [0180]: PDU sets may include header information that the UPF may use to detect that PDU sets may be synchronized. Paragraph [0186]: The NAS-SM PDU session establishment (or modification) request may indicate which flow(s) are associated with the XRM session identifier(s) (e.g., each XRM session identifier). The SMF may provide the XRM session identifier(s) and associated flow identifier(s) to the UPF. The NAS-SM PDU session establishment (or modification) request may include a synchronization threshold for the flow(s) (e.g., each flow). Paragraph [0189]: The PDUs (e.g., each PDU) may include a header that indicates the PDU set with which the PDU is associated. The header may include a synchronization group identifier that indicates other PDU sets with which the PDU set may be synchronized. The synchronization group identifier may be provided by the application layer when the application layer provides a packet (e.g., unit of information) for transmission.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to configure, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU, as taught by Starsinic in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong, to maintain the quality of user experience during XR applications (Starsinic: Paragraphs [0091], [0096], [0110] - [0112]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with an intra-coded frame of a video compression process (Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0062]: The I-frame is encoded through intra-frame prediction, and the I-frame can be decompressed into a separate and complete image by using a video decompression algorithm, that is, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data. The I-frame is compressed by removing spatial redundant information of the image as much as possible.)
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with one of a predicted frame (P-frame) or a bidirectional predicted frame (B-frame) of a video compression process (Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0063]: The P-frame, also referred to as a predicted frame, is a coded image whose transmitted data volume is compressed by fully reducing temporal redundancy information about preceding coded frames in an image sequence. Paragraph [0064]: The B-frame may also be referred to as a bi-directional predicted frame, and when an image frame is compressed into the B-frame, the B-frame is compressed based on differences between data of several preceding frames neighboring to the B-frame, the B-frame, and several frames following the B-frame.);
and wherein the dependency information indicates that the PDU set is dependent on at least one other PDU set associated with a decompression process of the one of the P-frame or the B-frame (Paragraph [0065]: the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Therefore, when transmitting a video transmission service, the communications device may use the I-frame as a data packet (or referred to as an important data packet) whose attribute is an important attribute and that is in the video transmission service, and use the P-frame and the B-frame as data packets (or referred to as unimportant data packets) whose attribute is an unimportant attribute and that are in the video transmission service.)
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches wherein the dependency information is included in the header of the at least one PDU (Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0062]: I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data. Paragraph [0065]: the I-frame is a complete image, and the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Therefore, when transmitting a video transmission service, the communications device may use the I-frame as a data packet (or referred to as an important data packet) whose attribute is an important attribute and that is in the video transmission service, and use the P-frame and the B-frame as data packets (or referred to as unimportant data packets) whose attribute is an unimportant attribute and that are in the video transmission service. Paragraph [0147]: the PDCP layer learns of the attribute of the data packet based on the identification information in the IP header, generates the data packet carrying the PDCP header, and sends the data packet to the RLC entity. The PDCP header carries identification information indicating that the attribute of the data packet is the important attribute or the unimportant attribute. After receiving the data packet sent by the PDCP entity, the RLC entity learns, based on identification information in the data packet that carries the PDCP header and that is sent by the PDCP entity, an attribute of the data packet carrying the PDCP header, generates the data packet carrying the RLC header, and sends the data packet to the MAC entity. The RLC header carries identification information indicating that the attribute of the data packet is the important attribute or the unimportant attribute. In this case, the MAC entity of the terminal can determine the attribute of the data packet by using the RLC header of the data packet.)
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches wherein the at least one PDU is received via a Uu interface (Paragraph [0104]: An interface between the user equipment and the base station in the embodiment of the present application may be understood as an air interface for communication between the user equipment and the base station, or may be referred to as a Uu interface. Paragraph [0012]: In at least one embodiment, determining, by a communications device, an attribute of a data packet to be transmitted includes: receiving, by the communications device by using a media access control MAC entity, first indication information that is sent by a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the communications device to the MAC entity and that is used to indicate the attribute of the data packet received by the terminal. Paragraph [0142]: The terminal receives, on a media access control MAC entity of the terminal, first indication information sent by a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal to the MAC entity, where the first indication information is used to indicate the attribute of the data packet received by the terminal.)
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches a wireless communication device for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (see rejection for claim 1);
configured to: transmit multiple protocol data units (PDUs) associated with a PDU set, and wherein at least one PDU, of the multiple PDUs, includes dependency information associated with the PDU set (Paragraph [0008]: In at least one embodiment of the present application provides a data transmission method, including: determining, by a communications device, an attribute of a data packet to be transmitted, where the attribute of the data packet is used to indicate importance of the data packet; and transmitting, by the communications device, the data packet by using a configuration parameter corresponding to the attribute of the data packet. Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0065]: the I-frame is a complete image, and the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Paragraph [0111]: Specifically, in the video transmission service, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding and the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded without the I-frame. Therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute. Examiner’s note: as per the disclosure, paragraph [0072] indicates: “data packets (sometimes referred to as PDUs)”);
wherein the dependency information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the at least one PDU is dependent on one or more other PDUs; or an indication of whether the PDU set is dependent on one or more other PDU sets, wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets; and perform a layer two PDU processing procedure associated with the at least one PDU or the PDU set based at least in part on the dependency information; wherein to perform the layer two PDU processing procedure, the one or more processors are further configured to: discard the at least one PDU when the one or more other PDUs have not been safely received; or discard the PDU set when the one or more other PDU sets have not been safely received (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu does not explicitly teach wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition.
However, Wang teaches wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition, as taught by Wang in the system of Liu, so that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the priority levels and importance identifier of the data packets (Wang: Paragraphs [0029], [0049], [0050], [0089]. Liu teaches the video transmission process where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, and Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance of the data packets.
The combination of Liu and Wang does not explicitly teach wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer.
However, Lee teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer, as taught by Lee in the combined system of Liu and Wang, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer, which would enable efficient transmission as well as reduce delay/latency (Lee: Paragraphs [0008], [0009], [0019], [0137], [0138]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, and Lee does not explicitly teach wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment.
However, Hong teaches wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, as taught by Hong in the combined system of Liu, Wang, and Lee, so that synchronized processing can be achieved through grouping the associated PDU sets having dependency/association by transferring them to the user/UE at similar times by means of a timing threshold, and the identifier can identify that the PDU sets are dependent or coupled, and need to be processed at a similar time, by ensuring that they arrive within a synchronized timing threshold. This ensures enhanced user's service experience through coordinated processing between correlated modalities/flows This ensures enhanced user's service experience through coordinated processing between correlated modalities/flows (Hong: Paragraphs [0265], [0274], [0276], [0279], [0295], [0299]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong does not explicitly teach to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment.
However, Starsinic teaches to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention, to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, as taught by Starsinic in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong, to maintain the quality of user experience during XR applications (Starsinic: Paragraphs [0091], [0096], [0110] - [0112]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with an intra-coded frame of a video compression process (see rejection for claim 2).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with one of a predicted frame (P-frame) or a bidirectional predicted frame (B-frame) of a video compression process, and wherein the dependency information indicates that the PDU set is dependent on at least one other PDU set associated with a decompression process of the one of the P-frame or the B-frame (see rejection for claim 3).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches wherein the dependency information is included in a header of the at least one PDU (see rejection for claim 4).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches wherein the at least one PDU is transmitted via a Uu interface (Paragraph [0075], Fig 1a: When the first terminal 10 needs to transmit a to-be-transmitted service to the second terminal 60, where the to-be-transmitted service includes a plurality of data packets, the first terminal 10 transmits each data packet in the to-be-transmitted service to the first base station 20 based on a configuration parameter corresponding to the data packet. Paragraph [0104]: An interface between the user equipment and the base station in the embodiment of the present application may be understood as an air interface for communication between the user equipment and the base station, or may be referred to as a Uu interface. Paragraph [0107]: The data packet to be transmitted in the embodiment of the present application may be any data packet in a to-be-transmitted service (for example, a video transmission service or another to-be-transmitted service).)
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches based at least in part on the PDU set being dependent on the one of the one or more other PDU sets, and based at least in part on the no other PDU sets being dependent on the PDU set (Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0062]: the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data. Paragraph [0063]: The P-frame is predicted by using a preceding P-frame or I-frame. Paragraph [0064]: The B-frame may also be referred to as a bi-directional predicted frame, and when an image frame is compressed into the B-frame, the B-frame is compressed based on differences between data of several preceding frames neighboring to the B-frame, the B-frame, and several frames following the B-frame. Paragraph [0069]: if transmission of the I-frame fails in a transmission process, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Paragraph [0109]: If an attribute of a data packet is an important attribute, it indicates that the data packet needs to be scheduled at a high priority in a transmission process (which may also be understood as that the data packet has a relatively high priority level), or the data packet cannot be lost in the transmission process. If the data packet of the important attribute is lost in the transmission process, the to-be-transmitted service is incomplete. Paragraph [0111]: the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding and the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded without the I-frame. Therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute.)
Liu, does not explicitly teach wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process based at least in part on the PDU set being dependent on the one of the one or more other PDU sets, and wherein the PDU set is not duplicated according to the PDCP duplication process based at least in part on no other PDU sets being dependent on the PDU set.
However, Wang teaches wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process based at least in part on the PDU set being dependent on the one of the one or more other PDU sets, and wherein the PDU set is not duplicated according to the PDCP duplication process based at least in part on the no other PDU sets being dependent on the PDU set (Paragraph [0029]: In embodiments of the present disclosure, the PDCP duplication function determination method is provided, including: receiving a PDCP duplication function configuration information sent by a network, where the PDCP duplication function configuration information is obtained by determining, when an RB is configured with a PDCP duplication function, whether one or more data packets associated with each priority level are configured with the PDCP duplication function based on a number of priority levels of data packets of the RB; and determining, according to the PDCP duplication function configuration information, whether each data packet of the RB is configured with the PDCP duplication function. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the PDCP duplication function can be configured for the data packets according to the priority levels of the data packets in each RB, so that the granularity of the PDCP duplication function configuration is refined, which facilitates the network to effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets based on the priority levels of the data packets. Paragraph [0049]: Specifically, a data packet with a higher degree of importance may have higher requirements for delay and reliability, and a duplication operation may be needed to ensure transmission performance of the data packet. In contrast, a data packet with a lower degree of importance may have lower requirements for delay and reliability, and a duplication operation may not be needed to ensure transmission performance of the data packet. In this case, it is a waste of resources to perform PDCP duplication operations on the data packet with a lower degree of importance. Paragraph [0050]: For example, when a RB is a video service DRB, data packets corresponding to some video frames (such as video background data packets) have relatively lower requirements for delay and reliability, while data packets corresponding to some video frames (such as dynamic changes or key elements) have relatively higher requirements for delay and reliability. Paragraph [0089]: Specifically, the base station may determine the priority levels of the data packets according to importance identifiers or priority level identifiers carried in the data packets, or according to a header information from the upper layer of the data packets.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process based at least in part on the PDU set being dependent on the one of the one or more other PDU sets, and wherein the PDU set is not duplicated according to the PDCP duplication process based at least in part on the no other PDU sets being dependent on the PDU set, as taught by Wang in the system of Liu, so that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the priority levels and importance identifier of the data packets (Wang: Paragraphs [0029], [0049], [0050], [0089]. Liu teaches the video transmission process where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, and Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher degree of importance, and not configure PDCP duplication function for the data packets with lower degree of importance, to avoid wasting resources.
Regarding claim 20, Liu teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a wireless communication device comprising: (Paragraph [0006]: Embodiments of the present application provide a data transmission method, a communications device, a terminal, and a base station, to improve transmission reliability of a data packet having relatively high importance, thereby reducing impact caused by a case such as a congested network on transmission quality of a to-be-transmitted service.);
receiving multiple protocol data units (PDUs) associated with a PDU set, and wherein at least one PDU, of the multiple PDUs, includes dependency information associated with the PDU set; wherein the dependency information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the at least one PDU is dependent on one or more other PDUs; or an indication of whether the PDU set is dependent on one or more other PDU sets, wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets; and performing a layer two PDU processing procedure associated with the at least one PDU or the PDU set based at least in part on the dependency information; wherein performing the layer two PDU processing procedure comprises: discarding the at least one PDU when the one or more other PDUs have not been safely received; or discarding the PDU set when the one or more other PDU sets have not been safely received (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu does not explicitly teach wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition.
However, Wang teaches wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition, as taught by Wang in the system of Liu, so that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the priority levels and importance identifier of the data packets (Wang: Paragraphs [0029], [0049], [0050], [0089]. Liu teaches the video transmission process where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, and Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance of the data packets.
The combination of Liu and Wang does not explicitly teach wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer.
However, Lee teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer, as taught by Lee in the combined system of Liu and Wang, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer which would enable efficient transmission as well as reduce delay/latency (Lee: Paragraphs [0008], [0009], [0019], [0137], [0138]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, and Lee does not explicitly teach wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled.
However, Hong teaches wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, a coupled flow identifier included in application data unit (ADU) information, the ADU information included in a header of the at least one PDU, wherein the coupled flow identifier identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, as taught by Hong in the combined system of Liu, Wang, and Lee, so that synchronized processing can be achieved through grouping the associated PDU sets having dependency/association by transferring them to the user/UE at similar times by means of a timing threshold, and the identifier can identify that the PDU sets are dependent or coupled, and need to be processed at a similar time, by ensuring that they arrive within a synchronized timing threshold. This ensures enhanced user's service experience through coordinated processing between correlated modalities/flows (Hong: Paragraphs [0265], [0274], [0276], [0279], [0295], [0299]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong does not explicitly teach configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU.
However, Starsinic teaches configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention, to provide configuring, during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, in a header of the at least one PDU, as taught by Starsinic in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong, to maintain the quality of user experience during XR applications (Starsinic: Paragraphs [0091], [0096], [0110] - [0112]).
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 20 (see rejection for claim 20);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with an intra-coded frame of a video compression process (see rejection for claim 2).
Regarding claim 22, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 20 (see rejection for claim 20);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with one of a predicted frame (P-frame) or a bidirectional predicted frame (B-frame) of a video compression process, and wherein the dependency information indicates that the PDU set is dependent on at least one other PDU set associated with a decompression process of the one of the P-frame or the B-frame (see rejection for claim 3).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 20 (see rejection for claim 20);
Liu further teaches wherein the dependency information is included in the header of the at least one PDU (see rejection form claim 4).
Regarding claim 26, Liu teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a wireless communication device comprising: (see rejection for claim 20);
transmitting multiple protocol data units (PDUs) associated with a PDU set, and wherein at least one PDU, of the multiple PDUs, includes dependency information associated with the PDU set; wherein the dependency information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the at least one PDU is dependent on one or more other PDUs; or an indication of whether the PDU set is dependent on one or more other PDU sets, wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets; and performing a layer two PDU processing procedure associated with the at least one PDU or the PDU set based at least in part on the dependency information; wherein performing the layer two PDU processing procedure comprises: discarding the at least one PDU when the one or more other PDUs have not been safely received; or discarding the PDU set when the one or more other PDU sets have not been safely received (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu does not explicitly teach wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition.
However, Wang teaches wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition, as taught by Wang in the combined system of Liu, so that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the priority levels and importance identifier of the data packets (Wang: Paragraphs [0029], [0049], [0050], [0089]. Liu teaches the video transmission process where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, and Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance of the data packets.
The combination of Liu and Wang does not explicitly teach wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer.
However, Lee teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part an expiration of a radio link control reassembly timer, as taught by Lee in the combined system of Liu and Wang, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer, which would enable efficient transmission as well as reduce delay/latency (Lee: Paragraphs [0008], [0009], [0019], [0137], [0138]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, and Lee does not explicitly teach wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment
However, Hong teaches wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the multiple PDUs comprise an audio PDU and a video PDU that have a same deadline for arriving at the wireless communication device; wherein a coupled flow identifier, included in application data unit (ADU) information included in a header of the at least one PDU, identifies that the audio PDU and the video PDU are coupled, the coupled flow identifier configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, as taught by Hong in the combined system of Liu, Wang, and Lee, so that synchronized processing can be achieved through grouping the associated PDU sets having dependency/association by transferring them to the user/UE at similar times by means of a timing threshold, and the identifier can identify that the PDU sets are dependent or coupled, and need to be processed at a similar time, by ensuring that they arrive within a synchronized timing threshold. This ensures enhanced user's service experience through coordinated processing between correlated modalities/flows (Hong: Paragraphs [0265], [0274], [0276], [0279], [0295], [0299]).
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong does not explicitly teach to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment.
However, Starsinic teaches to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment (see rejection for claim 1);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention, to include in a header of the at least one PDU, configured during an extended reality (XR) session establishment, as taught by Starsinic in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Hong, to maintain the quality of user experience during XR applications (Starsinic: Paragraphs [0091], [0096], [0110] - [0112]).
Regarding claim 27, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 26 (see rejection for claim 26);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with an intra-coded frame of a video compression process (see rejection for claim 11).
Regarding claim 28, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 26 (see rejection for claim 26);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with one of a predicted frame (P-frame) or a bidirectional predicted frame (B-frame) of a video compression process, and wherein the dependency information indicates that the PDU set is dependent on at least one other PDU set associated with a decompression process of the one of the P-frame or the B-frame (see rejection for claim 12).
Regarding claim 29, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 26 (see rejection for claim 26);
Liu further teaches wherein the dependency information is included in the header of the at least one PDU (see rejection for claim 13).
Regarding claim 32, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 26 (see rejection for claim 26);
Liu further teaches wherein the at least one PDU is transmitted via a Uu interface (Paragraph [0012]: In at least one embodiment, determining, by a communications device, an attribute of a data packet to be transmitted includes: receiving, by the communications device by using a media access control MAC entity, first indication information that is sent by a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the communications device to the MAC entity and that is used to indicate the attribute of the data packet received by the terminal. Paragraph [0075], Fig 1a: When the first terminal 10 needs to transmit a to-be-transmitted service to the second terminal 60, where the to-be-transmitted service includes a plurality of data packets, the first terminal 10 transmits each data packet in the to-be-transmitted service to the first base station 20 based on a configuration parameter corresponding to the data packet. Paragraph [0104]: An interface between the user equipment and the base station in the embodiment of the present application may be understood as an air interface for communication between the user equipment and the base station, or may be referred to as a Uu interface. Paragraph [0107]: The data packet to be transmitted in the embodiment of the present application may be any data packet in a to-be-transmitted service (for example, a video transmission service or another to-be-transmitted service)
Regarding claim 33, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with an XR (Paragraph [0081]: The coding
layer adopts a video compression standard, for example, an H.264 standard. The physical layer is configured to send a data packet scheduled by the PDCP entity or the MAC entity. Paragraph [0082]: The H.264 standard is a highly compacted digital video codec standard jointly proposed by the international telecommunication union-telecommunication standardization sector (ITU-T) and the international standardization organization (ISO)/IEC. Paragraph [0083]: The following briefly describes compositions of a message and a sending mechanism in the H.264 standard: The H.264 standard uses a layer mode. For example, the H.264 standard is divided into two layers, namely, a video coding layer (VCL) and a network abstraction layer (NAL). The VCL is responsible for video content compression. The NAL is responsible for packaging compressed data to adapt to transmission requirements in different network environments. Paragraph [0084]: All to-be-transferred services including image data and other messages in the H.264 standard are encapsulated into packets of a uniform format, namely, network abstraction layer units (NALU), for transferring. The NALU can carry various data packets that have various attributes and that are processed based on H.264, and the NALU may be original encoding stream data, a sequence parameter set (SPS), or a picture parameter set (PPS). Paragraph [0003]: In a video coding standard, decodable data frames may be classified into an intra frame (I-frame), a unidirectional predicted frame (P-frame), and a bi-directional predicted frame (B-frame). Paragraph [0061]: A to-be-transmitted service sent by the terminal to a base station may include a plurality of data packets having different attributes (using a video transmission service as an example for description). Usually, the terminal encodes a plurality of consecutive images in the video transmission service into three frame types: an I-frame, a P-frame, and a B-frame. Paragraph [0062]: The I-frame is encoded through intra-frame prediction, and the I-frame can be decompressed into a separate and complete image by using a video decompression algorithm, that is, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data. Examiner’s note: Liu teaches about using the H.264 standard for video compression standard, which also applies to extended reality);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach an XR transmission.
However, Hong teaches an extended XR transmission (Paragraph [0085]: Further, packets within one frame may have dependency on each other. The application may require all of the packets to decode a corresponding frame. Loss of one packet may, although other correlated packets are successfully transmitted, render the corresponding packets useless. For example, requirements may be imposed on XR applications in terms of application data units (ADUs)/media units rather than single packets/PDUs. Packets even at different positions in different frame types (I/P frame) or groups of picture (GoP) although they are in the same video stream may have different contributions to user experience. Accordingly, layered QoS handling in the video stream may loosen requirements and lead to higher efficiency. Paragraph [0095]: For convenience of description, a unit divided by the application/application layer, or a unit divided within the application, or a unit having a correlation between data/stream/packets in one application, or a unit having dependency between data/stream/packets in one application or a unit divided with different traffic characteristics/streams within one flow, a unit divided with different traffic characteristics/streams within one PDU session, or a unit divided based on any information/field/metadata included/used/added in the application, or PDUs carrying the payload of one unit information generated at the application level is denoted as a PDU Set. This is only for convenience of description, and it may be replaced with any other term such as an application data unit (ADU), an application unit, a media unit (MU), an application packet data unit, a group of picture (GoP) unit, a traffic type (e.g., XR viewer pose information unit, tactile information, video, audio, degree of freedom) specific unit, frame type, stream type, or the like. Paragraph [0104]: For example, the application data flow may be a PDU set having a high correlation between data flows such as XR or CG.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide an XR transmission, as taught by Hong in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, and Starsinic, so that the transmission of PDU sets can be associated with extended reality applications with correlated data flows (Hong: Paragraph [0249], [0101]).
Claims 7, 16, 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US2019/0364137A1) in view of Wang (US2021/0400503A1), Lee et al. (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1), and further in view of Jiang (US2008/0123573A1).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein
discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer.
However, Jiang teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least
in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer (Paragraph [0007]: an RLC (Radio Link Control) layer performing ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request) functionality is an upper layer of a MAC (Medium Access Control) layer performing HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) functionality. Paragraph [0014]: In the RLC entity, duration of discard timer for an RLC SDU, called RLC discard timer hereinafter, matches with the QoS requirement, while duration of discard timer used in HARQ, called HARQ discard timer hereinafter, is limited by HARQ procedure itself instead of by the QoS requirement. When the RLC entity of the receiver detects one of the transmission errors, the receiver sends a negative acknowledged status report to request for a retransmission. If the transmitter receives this request before the RLC discard timer expires, the RLC entity of the transmitter will re-submit the corresponding packet to the HARQ entity for transmission. Thus, duration of the HARQ discard timer must be set to be shorter than what is specified by QoS requirement in general. Paragraph [0028], Fig 2: The Layer 2 206 comprises two sub-layers: a radio link control (RLC) entity 224 and a media access control (MAC) entity 226. A primary function of the RLC entity 224 is providing segmentation, reassembly, concatenation, padding, retransmission, sequence check, and duplication detection on transmitted data or control instructions based on different transmission quality requirements. The MAC entity 226 can match packets received from different logic channels of the RLC entity 224 to common, shared, or dedicated transport channels according to radio resource allocation commands of the Layer 3 (RRC layer). Paragraph [0035]: According to the process 30, the first embodiment of the present invention sets a discard timer for triggering packet discard in the receiver first. When the receiver detects that a packet corresponding to a missing SN is not retransmitted by the HARQ process, the receiver report a NACK and start the discard timer. If the discard timer expires while the packet corresponding to the missing SN is not yet received, the first embodiment of the present invention stops receiving the packet corresponding to the missing SN. In other words, using the process 30, the receiver can timely trigger packet discard according to the status of the discard timer.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer, as taught by Jiang in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer (Jiang: Paragraph [0016]).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein
discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer.
However, Jiang teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least
in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer (see rejection for claim 7);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer, as taught by Jiang in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer (Jiang: Paragraph [0016]).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 20 (see rejection for claim 20);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer.
However, Jiang teaches wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least
in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer (see rejection for claim 7);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein discarding the at least one PDU or the PDU set is based at least in part on an expiration of a medium access control hybrid automatic repeat request discard timer, as taught by Jiang in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the missing PDU can be discarded upon expiry of the timer (Jiang: Paragraph [0016]).
Claims 8, 17, 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US2019/0364137A1) in view of Wang (US2021/0400503A1), Lee et al. (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1), and further in view of Lv et al. (US2021/0029777A1).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded.
However, Lv teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded (Paragraph [0009]: A second exemplary embodiment discloses a wireless communication method that comprises receiving, at a first protocol layer of a first communication device, a service data unit (SDU) from a second protocol layer, and starting, multiple timers in response to receiving the SDU, wherein each of the multiple timers corresponds to a different path for routing a plurality of packet data units (PDU) generated from the SDU to a second communication device. Paragraph [0014]: In some embodiments related to the second embodiment, the method includes performing any one of: discarding, after receiving the indication, the multiple PDUs generated from the SDU, and indicating to entities of a third protocol layer that the SDU has been discarded. In some embodiments related to the second embodiment,…. the entities of the third protocol layer are radio link control (RLC) entities. Paragraph [0057]: The transmitting PDCP entity may not discard the PDCP SDU until both of discard timers expire. When one of the two discard timers expires for the same PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may only discard the corresponding PDCP Data PDU associated with the expired discard timer. In this embodiment, as an example, if the discard timer_1 expires and the PDCP Data PDU has already been submitted to RLC entity1 of an MN of a MCG, then the discard can be indicated to RLC entity1.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the one or processors are further configured to transmit a discard indication that indicates the one of the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded, as taught by Lv in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the delivery of PDCP PDUs/SDU across communication devices can be effectively controlled by operating and managing timers in the PDCP entity (Lv: Abstract, Paragraph [0005]).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit, to a radio link control entity associated with another wireless communication device, a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded.
However, Lv teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit, to a radio link control entity associated with another wireless communication device, a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded. (Paragraph [0009]: A second exemplary embodiment discloses a wireless communication method that comprises receiving, at a first protocol layer of a first communication device, a service data unit (SDU) from a second protocol layer, and starting, multiple timers in response to receiving the SDU, wherein each of the multiple timers corresponds to a different path for routing a plurality of packet data units (PDU) generated from the SDU to a second communication device. Paragraph [0014]: In some embodiments related to the second embodiment, the method includes performing any one of: discarding, after receiving the indication, the multiple PDUs generated from the SDU, and indicating to entities of a third protocol layer that the SDU has been discarded. In some embodiments related to the second embodiment,…. the entities of the third protocol layer are radio link control (RLC) entities. Paragraph [0057]: In this embodiment, as an example, if the discard timer_1 expires and the PDCP Data PDU has already been submitted to RLC entity1 of an MN of a MCG, then the discard can be indicated to RLC entity1.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit, to a radio link control entity associated with another wireless communication device, a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded, as taught by Lv in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the delivery of PDCP PDUs/SDU across communication devices can be effectively controlled by operating and managing timers in the PDCP entity (Lv: Abstract, Paragraph [0005]).
Regarding claim 31, the combination of Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the method of claim 20, further comprising (see rejection for claim 20);
The combination of Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach transmitting a discard
indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded.
However, Lv teaches transmitting a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded (see rejection for claim 8);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide transmitting a discard indication that indicates the at least one PDU or the PDU set was discarded, as taught by Lv in the combined system of Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the delivery of PDCP PDUs/SDU across communication devices can be effectively controlled by operating and managing timers in the PDCP entity (Lv: Abstract, Paragraph [0005]).
Claims 9, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US2019/0364137A1) in view of Wang (US2021/0400503A1), Lee et al. (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1), and further in view of Jung et al. (US2020/0351214A1).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
Liu further teaches based at least in part on the dependency information indicating that the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets (see rejection for claim 1);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: perform a PDCP reordering procedure associated with a higher protocol layer than a physical layer; and transmit the PDU set to the higher protocol layer after transmitting at least one other PDU set to the higher protocol layer;
However, Jung teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: perform a PDCP reordering procedure associated with a higher protocol layer than a physical layer; and transmit the PDU set to the higher protocol layer after transmitting at least one other PDU set to the higher protocol layer (Paragraph [0180]: A receiving PDCP entity (i.e., the PDCP entity of a device receiving a PDCP PDU/SDU) may start the reordering timer when i) initial PDCP PDU (i.e., PDCP PDU with sequence number (SN) 0) is received, and/or ii) PDCP PDU is received in a state the reordering timer is not running. Paragraph [0181]: The reordering timer may correspond to a wait timer to allow waiting a PDCP PDU that can be received in-sequence with respect to the received or stored PDCP PDU. (Paragraph [0182]: The receiving PDCP entity may identify a PDCP SN of a PDCP SDU corresponding to the received PDCP PDU (i.e., the received PDCP SDU). The receiving PDCP entity may determine whether a PDCP PDU/SDU is received in-sequence by comparing a PDCP SN of the received PDCP PDU/SDU with a PDCP SN of a PDCP PDU/SDU that is last transmitted to an upper layer. If the received PDCP PDU is in-sequence while the reordering timer is running, the receiving PDCP entity may restart the reordering timer, and transfer a PDCP SDU corresponding to the received PDCP PDU to the upper layer. In contrast, if the received PDCP PDU is out-of-sequence while the reordering timer is running, the receiving PDCP entity may keep the reordering timer running, and store a PDCP SDU corresponding to the received PDCP PDU in a PDCP buffer rather than transfer the PDCP SDU to the upper layer. If a next PDCP PDU for a PDCP PDU corresponding to a PDCP SDU that is last transmitted to the upper layer is not received until the reordering timer expires, the receiving PDCP entity determines that the next PDCP PDU is discarded according to an expiry of a discard timer, and transfer remaining PDCP SDUs stored in the PDCP buffer to the upper layer in an ascending order. Also see paragraphs [0184] - [0197])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: perform a PDCP reordering procedure associated with a higher protocol layer than a physical layer; and transmit the PDU set to the higher protocol layer after transmitting at least one other PDU set to the higher protocol layer, as taught by Jung in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the PDCP reordering procedure can transfer the received PDCP SDUs to an upper layer in a sequential manner. (Jung: Paragraph [0183]).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 10 (see rejection for claim 10);
Liu further teaches based at least in part on the PDU set being dependent on the one of the one or more other PDU sets. (Paragraph [0065]: the I-frame is a complete image, and the P-frame and the B-frame record changes relative to the I-frame, and without the I-frame, the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded. Paragraph [0111]: Specifically, in the video transmission service, the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding and the P-frame and the B-frame cannot be decoded without the I-frame. Also see rejection for claim 10);
The combination of Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein the PDU set is associated with a first transmission sequence number, wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is associated with a second transmission sequence number occurring later than the first transmission sequence number, and wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is transmitted prior to the PDU set.
However, Jung teaches wherein the PDU set is associated with a first transmission sequence number, wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is associated with a second transmission sequence number occurring later than the first transmission sequence number, and wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is transmitted prior to the PDU set (Paragraph [0166]: The transmitting side of each PDCP entity shall maintain the following state variables: Paragraph [0167]: Next_PDCP_TX_SN: the variable Next_PDCP_TX_SN indicates the PDCP SN of the next PDCP SDU for a given PDCP entity. Paragraph [0176]: For a PDCP SDU received from upper layers, the UE may associate a PDCP SN (Sequence Number) corresponding to Next_PDCP_TX_SN to the PDCP SDU, perform header compression of the PDCP SDU, perform integrity protection and ciphering using COUNT based on TX_HFN and the PDCP SN associated with this PDCP SDU, increment the Next_PDCP_TX_SN by one, and submit the resulting PDCP Data PDU to lower layer. Paragraph [0181]: The reordering timer may correspond to a wait timer to allow waiting a PDCP PDU that can be received in-sequence with respect to the received or stored PDCP PDU. Paragraph [0182]: The receiving PDCP entity may determine whether a PDCP PDU/SDU is received in-sequence by comparing a PDCP SN of the received PDCP PDU/SDU with a PDCP SN of a PDCP PDU/SDU that is last transmitted to an upper layer. If the received PDCP PDU is in-sequence while the reordering timer is running, the receiving PDCP entity may restart the reordering timer, and transfer a PDCP SDU corresponding to the received PDCP PDU to the upper layer. In contrast, if the received PDCP PDU is out-of-sequence while the reordering timer is running, the receiving PDCP entity may keep the reordering timer running, and store a PDCP SDU corresponding to the received PDCP PDU in a PDCP buffer rather than transfer the PDCP SDU to the upper layer.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the PDU set is associated with a first transmission sequence number, wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is associated with a second transmission sequence number occurring later than the first transmission sequence number, and wherein the one of the one or more other PDU sets is transmitted prior to the PDU set, as taught by Jung in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that so that the PDUs can be transferred sequentially received PDCP SDUs to an upper layer. (Jung Paragraph [0182], [0183]).
Claim 36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US2019/0364137A1) in view of Wang (US2021/0400503A1), Lee et al. (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1), and further in view of Zhang et al. (US2025/0193264A1).
Regarding claim 36, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches the wireless communication device of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1);
The combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic does not explicitly teach wherein the PDU set is segmented into a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets that are associated with an XR transmission.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the PDU set is segmented into a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets that are associated with an XR transmission (Paragraph [0096]: A frame (e.g., video frame) of an XR service may be segmented into one or multiple packets for transmission on a network. Paragraph [0104]: An XR frame (e.g., a video frame) 40 from an XR application in the application layer may be segmented into one or multiple packets 400 in the adaption layer. For each packet 410, the adaption layer inserts a packet identity 401 into an adaption layer header of the packet 410, and delivers the packet 410 to an SDAP layer. The SDAP layer process the packet as a protocol data unit (PDU) by adding an SDAP header to the packet.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the PDU set is segmented into a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets that are associated with an XR transmission, as taught by Zhang in the combined system of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic, so that the packets can be transported within a transmission window (Zhang: Paragraphs [0005], [0096]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 19, 2025 with respect to claims 1-5, 10-14, 20-23, 26-29, 32, 33, and 36 being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US2019/0364137A1), in view of Lee (US2020/0059823A1), Hong (US2025/0212289A1), and Starsinic et al. (US2025/0220603A1), have been fully considered.
Applicant submits that Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic do not disclose or suggest each and every feature recited in amended claim 1, and that Liu, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic do not disclose or suggest "wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets, wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition". However, Liu teaches "wherein the PDU set is dependent on the one or more other PDU sets”, and Wang (US2021/0400503A1) teaches “wherein one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated according to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication process, and wherein a network configuration indicates whether the one of the one or more other PDU sets is duplicated based at least in part on a condition". Liu teaches that the video transmission process involves I-frames P-frames, and B-frames, where the I-frame can be independently decoded without referring to other frame data, but the P-frame and the B-frame need to depend on the I-frame to complete decoding, and therefore, the I-frame may be determined as a data packet whose attribute is the important attribute, and the P-frame and the B-frame are determined as data packets whose attribute is the unimportant attribute, such that the P-frames and B-frames are data packets (PDU sets) that depend on the I-frames (the one or more other PDU sets). Liu thus teaches that data packets that are depended upon are determined as those with the important attribute. Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance of the data packets. Wang teaches configuring the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher degree of importance (such as the I-frames which are of important attribute, which are depended upon by P-frames and B-frames which are of unimportant attribute). Wang teaches receiving a PDCP duplication function configuration information sent by a network, and determining, according to the PDCP duplication function configuration information, for packets of a higher degree of importance, a duplication operation to ensure transmission performance of the data packet. Wang teaches that for a service such as a video service, data packets corresponding to some video frames may have higher importance identifiers than data packets corresponding to some other video frames that may have a lower degree of importance. Wang teaches that the network can effectively and flexibly configure the PDCP duplication function for the data packets of higher priority based on the importance identifier of the data packets. Thus, Wang teaches performing a duplication process determined by a network configuration, for those data packets (other PDU sets), which are important data packets, such as Liu’s teaching of data packets associated with I-frames that are of important attribute.
Thus, the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic teaches amended independent claims 1, 10, 20, and 26.
Dependent claims 2-5, 11-14, 19, 21-23, 27-29, 32, and 33 are taught by the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, and Starsinic. Dependent claims 7, 16, and 25 are taught by the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, Starsinic, and Jiang (US2008/0123573A1). Dependent claims 8, 17, and 31 are taught by the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, Starsinic, and Lv (US2021/0029777A1). Dependent claims 9 and 18 are taught by the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, Starsinic, and Jung (US2020/0351214A1). Dependent claim 36 is taught by the combination of Liu, Wang, Lee, Hong, Starsinic, and Zhang et al. (US20250193264A1).
Conclusion
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/L.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2461
/HUY D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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