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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant Arguments/REMARKS correspondence filed on 05/11/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending and rejected.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS/Applicant Arguments, filed 05/11/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of claim amendment's warranting further search and inquiry.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 7-14, & 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AAPA (Applicant admitted prior art, per Fig 3 and specification [0056]) in view of Lee et al (US20220045827) (hereinafter "Lee").
Regarding claim 1, AAPA teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE), of radio resource control (RRC) reestablishment (Fig 3, [0056]-[0061], UE & gNB, describes an RRC Reestablishment procedure performed between UE 302 and gNB 304 beginning with the UE transmitting a random access preamble and concluding with transmission of the RRC reestablishment complete message), the method comprising:
encoding a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment (Ack) (PUCCH HARQ Ack) message to transmit to the RAN ([0058], Fig 3 message 314 and message 316), message 318, the PUCCH HARQ Ack message indicating that a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) contention resolution medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (MAC CE) message is received from the RAN and is resolved at the UE ([0058]-[0059], Fig 3 message 314, message 316 and message 318);
promoting a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) (TC-RNTI) received from a radio access node (RAN) to a C-RNTI ([0060], Fig 3, message 314, and message 320);
decoding a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) RRC reestablishment message ([0059], Fig 3, message 320, message 322); after releasing all configured grant UL resources for transmitting an RRC reestablishment message (([0059], Fig 3, message 320, message 322);
transmitting the RRC reestablishment complete message in the proactive grant UL resource ([0061], message 336).
However, AAPA does not teach but Lee teaches monitoring a common search space for a PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message indicating a proactive grant UL resource for transmitting the RRC reestablishment complete message, the proactive grant UL resource allocated to the UE in response to the PUCCH HARQ Ack message and the promotion of the TC-RNTI to the C-RNTI without the UE transmitting a scheduling request to allocate an UL grant for the RRC reestablishment complete message ([0108]-[0119], teaches that the UE monitors PDCCH candidates in a common search space, performs blind decoding, and decodes DCI format 0_0, which schedules UL PUSCH resources, based on an RNTI such as C-RNTI, thereby teaching the claimed monitoring of a common search space for a PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message indicating UL grant resources);
decoding the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message based on C-RNTI allocated to the UE to determine the proactive grant UL resource ([0109]-[0115], [0117], [0119], Table 3, [0174]-[0175], UE monitors and decodes PDCCH via blind decoding, DCI format 0_0 schedules UL transmissions, and DCI decoding is performed based on an RNTI assigned to the UE, with C-RNTI explicitly identified as the UE-specified identifier used for such decoding), .
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 2, AAPA fails to teach but Lee teaches the method further comprising receiving an allocation for the common search space in a servingCellConfigCommon information element of a SIB1 ([0094], [0096] system information block 1 (SIB1) may be scheduled by specific PDCCH received by the UE).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 3, AAPA to teach but Lee teaches in which the monitoring includes receiving the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message the RAN (Fig 5 UE and base station/gNB – PDCCH generation, PDCCH candidate monitoring in the configured search space for the DCI 0_0 message) ).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 7, AAPA fails to teach but Lee teaches the method in which the monitoring includes receiving the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message from a gNB (Fig 5 UE and base station/gNB – PDCCH generation, PDCCH candidate monitoring in the configured search space for the DCI 0_0 message).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 8, AAPA fail to teach but Lee teaches the method in which the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message is a second PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message received during a second transmission time interval (TTI) that follows a first TTI after a first PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message cannot be received or decoded (Fig 5, ([0108]-[0109], [0119], [0131]-[0132], [0244] table 4, monitoring for PDCCH DCI format 0_0 messages— PDCCH candidate monitoring in the configured search space, monitor during specific time intervals, see DRX functionality during the On duration).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 9, AAPA fail to teach but Lee teaches the method further comprising transmitting a RACH request for requesting UL grant in response to no proactive grant being provided after multiple transmission time intervals (TTIs) ([0085], [0133], [0144]-[0145], [0164], RACH trigger in response to lack of configured UL grant, the UE may be configured with a periodic UL resource (CG) to transmit MBMS feedback—when the time advance timer (TAT) is running (i.e. UL sync timing is maintained) and any activated UL CG is mapped to…the UE can transmit PUSCH on the UL CG for MBMS feedback transmission to the network, but then if the TAT is not running or expires (i.e. timing is not maintained), or if there is no valid (activated) UL CG…the UE can deactivate the UL CG and trigger RACH to send MBMS feedback to the network—maps to limitation RACH is triggered when no valid CG is available, CGs are typically configured with a periodicity, and failure to receive a valid CG for a duration that spans multiple TTIs effectively means no proactive grant was provided; Fallback to RACH after periodic grant failure—The MBMS feedback information may be indicated by one of the RACH preamble, a MSGA and MSG3 –RRC release message…may be include periodic UL resource/config information. The RRC release message may also include RACH config information for MBMS-related feedback—this indicates that RACH-based MBMS feedback transmission is a fallback path, specifically where situations where the periodic (i.e. proactive) CG is not available; Lastly, multiple TTIs implied: structure of the periodic UL grants and their activation mechanisms—CGs are inherently periodic (i.e. available every X ms), if the UE checks for CGs at each interval but finds non activated or value (due to expired TAT, reconfiguration, or other triggers) it waits multiple intervals, after this waiting (i.e. absence of proactive grants for multiple TTIs) the UE initiates RACH).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 10, AAPA fail to teach but Lee teaches the method in which time and frequency domain resources for the proactive grant are indicated in separate fields of the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message (Fig 3, [0092], [0096], [0154] time and frequency domains, configuration information for each periodic UL resource (UL configured grant) includes frequency/time resource information—domain).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 11, AAPA teaches Lee teaches a method, performed by a RAN, of RRC reestablishment for a UE (Fig 3, [0056]-[0061], UE & gNB, describes an RRC Reestablishment procedure performed between UE 302 and gNB 304 beginning with the UE transmitting a random access preamble and concluding with transmission of the RRC reestablishment complete message), the method comprising:
transmitting, in a common search space allocated to the UE, the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message indicating the proactive grant UL resource ([0061], Fig 3 partial support message 334, in particular the gnB allocated PDCCH resources scrambled with the UE’s indicated C-RNTI and transmits the PDCCH DCI for 0_0 message 334 for which the UE obtains the PUSCH grant);
in response to the UE receiving and decoding the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message, receiving the RRC reestablishment complete message in the proactive grant UL resource ([[0061], Fig 3, message 336);
and promotion of temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) (TC-RNTI) allocated to the UE to a C-RNTI to indicate a proactive grant uplink (UL) resource for transmitting an RRC reestablishment complete message without receiving a scheduling request to allocate an UL grant for the RRC reestablishment complete message ([0060], Fig 3, message 314, and message 320);, the UE having released all configured grant uplink (UL) resources for transmitting the RRC reestablishment complete message; ([0060], Fig 3, message 314, and message 320);
However, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches transmitting, in a common search space allocated to the UE, the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message indicating the proactive grant UL resource ([0108]-[0109], [0119], [0131]-[0133], [0144]-[0145], [0153]-[0155], [0157] [0160]-[0167] table 4 monitoring a PDCCH search space—includes a common search space—for DCI formats transmitted on the PDCCH including 0_0 message, UL configured grant, RRC message or reestablishment equivalent disclosed –the MBMS feedback may be triggered even when RRC is released via system information or a previous RRC release message that includes the CG configuration, this allows the UE to transmit without full RRC reactivation; if UL timing is not maintained, the UE may trigger RACH for feedback—a procedure that can involve MSGA/MSG3, which are used in RRC connection or reestablishment; alternative path via RACH and MSG3 –if CG is not available or active feedback may be sent via MSG3, which are part of RRC establishment/reestablishment procedures);
coding a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) downlink control information (DCI) format 0_0 message responsive to physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) contention resolution at the UE ([0109]-[0115], [0117], [0119], Table 3, [0174]-[0175], UE monitors and decodes PDCCH via blind decoding, DCI format 0_0 schedules UL transmissions, and DCI decoding is performed based on an RNTI assigned to the UE, with C-RNTI explicitly identified as the UE-specified identifier used for such decoding))
Regarding claim 12, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches the method further comprising retransmitting the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message in a sequence of transmission time intervals (TTIs) ([0108]-[0109], [0119], [0131]-[0132], table 4 UE monitoring/RAN transmits a PDCCH search space—includes a common search space—for DCI formats transmitted on the PDCCH including 0_0 message, UL configured grant).
Regarding claim 13, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches the method further comprising transmitting an allocation for the common search space in a servingCellConfigCommon information element of a SIB 1 ([0094], [0096] system information block 1 (SIB1) may be scheduled by specific PDCCH received by the UE).
Regarding claim 14, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches the method in which the RAN comprises a gNB (Fig 5 UE and base station/gNB – PDCCH generation, PDCCH candidate monitoring in the configured search space for the DCI 0_0 message).
Regarding claim 19, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches the method in which the transmitting comprises transmitting the PDCCH DCI format 0_0 message from a gNB (Fig 5 UE and base station/gNB – PDCCH generation (transmitting), PDCCH candidate monitoring in the configured search space for the DCI 0_0 message).
Regarding claim 20, AAPA does not fully teach but Lee teaches the method further comprising determining a number of retransmissions of proactive grant based on at least one of duplex configuration, slot format, or type of transport network deployed (Fig 3, [0130]-[0134], [0154] request of retransmission, one or more periodic UL resources (configured grants)), each configured grant can be associated to a configured grant index – retransmitted based on certain network parameters –period of UL resource, frequency/time resource information, and/or time offset at which the configured grant resource starts, slot formats).
Claims 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AAPA in further view of Lee, in further view of Chou (US20210258866) (hereinafter "Chou").
Regarding claim 4, AAPA and Lee fails to teach but Chou in which the disaggregated RAN includes an access entity (AE), and open RAN central unit (oO-CU), and a transport network between the access entity and the O-CU, the AE including an open RAN radio unit (O-RU) and open RAN distributed unit (O-DU) (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU,R RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Lastly, Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 6, AAPA fails to teach but Lee teaches further comprising receiving a PDSCH RRC reestablishment message provided from the O-CU ([0133], [0164], [0166]-[0173], reception of PDSCH with MBMS-related content—UE receives MCCH/MTCH transport blocks (TBs) and DCI indicating activation and a CG index based on G-RNTI for a PDCCH, that DCI triggers activation of a UL configured grant (CG) for MBMS feedback; RRC release with UL CG configuration—the RRC release message sent when the UE is released from connected mode can include periodic UL resource configuration info, such as UL CG settings; reactivation of UL resources after idle/inactive—upon receiving certain PDSCH/DCI signals, the UE may reactivate UL resources even when in idle/inactive status, and send MBMS feedback accordingly—RRC reestablishment message referring to specific message send during RRC reestablishment procedures, restoring or reestablishing radio bearers and configuration after radio link failure or handover—interpreting the limitation more broadly as receiving something over PDSCH that functionally reactivates or restores UL resources or connectivity for feedback transmission after being released or inactive – specifically: UE in idle/inactive receives DCI + TB on PDSCH, this information activates a CG and enables UL MBMS feedback, this restores UL communication, analogous in function to reestablishment).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
But AAPA and Lee fails to teach provided from the O-CU.
However, Chou teaches provided from the O-CU ((Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU, RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Lastly, Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Claims 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AAPA in further view of Lee in further view of Chou (US20210258866) in further view of Cho (US20180020431).
Regarding claim 5, AAPA and Lee fails to teach the method and in which the transmitting causes the AE to forward the RRC reestablishment complete message through the transport network to the O-CU.
However Chou discloses through the transport network to the O-CU (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU, RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Lastly, Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
However, AAPA, Lee and Chou do not teach but Cho teaches and in which the transmitting causes the AE to forward the RRC reestablishment complete message through the transport network to the O-CU ([0020], describes a method for allocating resources to a UE in the context of RRC connection reestablishment; it mentions transmitting an RRC connection reestablishment complete message via the allocated UL resources).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). Lastly, Cho describes a method for allocating resources to a UE in the context of RRC connection reestablishment; it mentions transmitting an RRC connection reestablishment complete message via the allocated UL resources. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Claims 15-16, & 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over of AAPA in view of Lee et al (US20220045827) (hereinafter "Lee") in further view of Chou.
Regarding claim 15, AAPA and Lee fails to teach and in which the RAN comprises an O-RAN radio unit (0-RU), an O-RAN distributed unit (0-DU), and an O-RAN central unit (0-CU).
However, Chou teaches and in which the RAN comprises an O-RAN radio unit (0-RU), an O-RAN distributed unit (0-DU), and an O-RAN central unit (0-CU) (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0112]-[0114], interface for communication purposes UE with O-RAN architecture, specific to UE communication with an O-RAN architecture—O-DU, O-CU, and O-RU).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 16, AAPA and Lee fails to teach in which the RAN includes an access entity (AE) and a transport network between the AE and the O-CU, the AE including the O-RU and the O-DU.
However, Chou teaches in which the RAN includes an access entity (AE) and a transport network between the AE and the O-CU, the AE including the O-RU and the O-DU (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU,R RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). Lastly, Cho describes a method for allocating resources to a UE in the context of RRC connection reestablishment; it mentions transmitting an RRC connection reestablishment complete message via the allocated UL resources. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Regarding claim 18, AAPA and Lee fails to teach but Chou teaches teach further comprising transmitting a PDSCH RRC reestablishment message provided from the O-CU (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU,R RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Claims 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over of AAPA in view of Lee et al (US20220045827) (hereinafter "Lee") in view of Chou in further view of Cho et al (US20180020431).
Regarding claim 17, AAPA and Lee fails to teach but Chou teaches the method in which the receiving further comprises forwarding from the AE the RRC reestablishment complete message through the transport network to the O-CU (Fig 6, 601 615 616 [0107]-[0114], [0157]-[0159], O-RAN architecture description, interface between a UE and O-e/gNB as well as between the UE and O-RAN components –namely O-DU & O-RU, RANs network nodes in Figs 1-6 can be configured in an O-RAN architecture format with Access Nodes (ANs) which contain certain O-RAN components).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
However Chou does not fully teach but Cho teaches in which the receiving further comprises forwarding from the AE the RRC reestablishment complete message through the transport network to the O-CU ([0020], describes a method for allocating resources to a UE in the context of RRC connection reestablishment; it mentions transmitting an RRC connection reestablishment complete message via the allocated UL resources).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify the Applicant’s own admission of prior art with Lee’s monitoring PDCCH candidates in a configured common search space to detect DCI format 0_0 which provides UL scheduling information for a PUSCH transmission. Applying that mechanism would allow the gNB to provide the UE with a PUSCH resource for transmitting the RRC Reestablishment Complete message without requiring the UE to initiate another scheduling-request or random-access procedure. Chou discloses resource allocation and activation/deactivation configuration of O-RAN network slice subnets or logical network created on top of a shared physical network composed of sliced subnets (i.e. RAN, Core, and transport networks). Lastly, Cho describes a method for allocating resources to a UE in the context of RRC connection reestablishment; it mentions transmitting an RRC connection reestablishment complete message via the allocated UL resources. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce the additional signaling overhead and latency expressly identified in the Applicant’s specification.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL WILLIAM ABBATINE whose telephone number is (571)272-0192. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0830-1700 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nishant Divecha can be reached at (571) 270-3125. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MICHAEL WILLIAM ABBATINE JR./Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419
Prosecution Insights