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 .
Applicant’s argument filed 12/29/2025 is acknowledged.
No claims are amended or cancelled.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 11/17/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Amendments filed on 12/29/2025 are entered for prosecution. Claims 1-21 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to independent claims 1, 9, and 17 (pages 7-10) in a reply filed 12/29/2025 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 17:
Applicant contends, in pages 7, that “There is no teaching of “wherein the SL MAC CE has a unique SL-specific logical channel ID (SL LCID) value that indicates the recommended bit rate query message.”
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Pan teaches wherein the SL MAC CE has a unique SL-specific logical channel ID (SL LCID) value that indicates the recommended bit rate query message (see, Pan: Fig. 11 and para. [0196], “An SL MAC subheader (SL MAC subheader) corresponding to the SL MAC CE includes a newly defined LCID field value. A specific value of the LCID field indicates that content bore by the SL MAC CE is related control information of bit rate recommendation.”).
Therefore, the disclosure of Pan reads on the limitations as claimed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pan et al. (US 2024/0172244 A1, hereinafter Pan) claiming benefit to and fully-supported by a foreign priority application CN 115696273 A filed on Jul. 29, 2021.
Regarding claim 1:
Pan teaches a method by a relay user equipment (UE) (see, Pan: Fig. 11, Relay UE; Fig. 12, First terminal device; Fig. 15, First terminal device), comprising:
receiving a recommended bit rate query message from a remote UE, wherein the message is carried by a first control signaling (e.g., an adaption layer control PDU) (see, Pan: para. [0245], “The information about the bit rate recommendation or the information about the bit rate query is bore by using an adaptation layer control PDU (Adaptation Layer control PDU, AL control PDU), so that the relay UE correctly forwards related control information of the bit rate recommendation between the base station and the remote UE.”, supports are found in page 24 of CN 115696273 A.) or by a sidelink medium access control (MAC) control element (SL MAC CE) dedicated for the remote UE, wherein the first control signaling is a non-MAC CE control signaling (see, Pan: para. [0208], “a format of an RBR MAC CE on a corresponding SL is defined, so that … the remote UE sends, to the relay UE, a MAC CE bearing RBR query information, ...”, supports are found in pages 16, 21, and 25 of CN 115696273 A. The signaling using an adaption layer control PDU is not a MAC CE control signaling.);
forwarding the recommended bit rate query message to a base station over Layer-2 sidelink relay (see, Pan: Fig. 3 and para. [0128-0129], adaptation layer control PDU, support is found in page 14 of CN 115696273 A.) when the message is carried by the first control signaling (see, Pan: para. [0245], “The information about the bit rate recommendation or the information about the bit rate query is bore by using an adaptation layer control PDU (Adaptation Layer control PDU, AL control PDU), so that the relay UE correctly forwards related control information of the bit rate recommendation between the base station and the remote UE.”; para. [0250], “In response to there being a PC5 adaptation layer, the remote UE sends information about a recommended bit rate query to the relay UE by using the adaptation layer control PDU. The adaptation layer header carries the DRB ID. After receiving the information about the recommended bit rate query, the relay UE adds an ID of the corresponding remote UE to the control PDU, and then sends the ID to the base station by using the adaptation layer control PDU.”; para. [0262], “at least one embodiment further provides a manner of bearing control information of the RBR MAC CE by using the RRC message.”, supports are found in Fig. 3, Fig. 11, Fig. 12, Fig. 15, and pages 16, 21, 25, and 26 of CN 115696273 A.); and
forwarding the recommended bit rate query message to the base station when the message is carried by the SL MAC CE (see, Pan: para. [0251], “In response to there being no PC5 adaptation layer, the remote UE sends the information about the recommended bit rate query to the relay UE by using the MAC CE on the SL. After receiving the information about the recommended bit rate query, the relay UE constructs an adaptation layer control PDU, adds the ID of the remote UE and a corresponding DRB ID to a header of the adaptation layer control PDU, and sends the ID and the DRB ID to the base station.”, supports are found in pages 16, 21, and 25 of CN 115696273 A.), wherein the SL MAC CE has a unique SL-specific logical channel ID (SL LCID) value that indicates the recommended bit rate query message (see, Pan: Fig. 11 and para. [0196], “An SL MAC subheader (SL MAC subheader) corresponding to the SL MAC CE includes a newly defined LCID field value. A specific value of the LCID field indicates that content bore by the SL MAC CE is related control information of bit rate recommendation.”).
Regarding claim 2:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 1.
Pan further teaches wherein the first control signaling is a radio resource control (RRC) signaling, wherein the recommended bit rate query message is carried by the RRC signaling included in a radio link control service data unit (RLC SDU) (see, Pan: Fig. 3; para [0255], “An end-to-end PDCP control PDU and an RRC message are defined to bear related control information of a recommended bit rate, so that the remote UE and the base station perform related control information interaction of the bit rate recommendation, and the relay UE does not parse content of control signaling.”; para. [0129], “the relay UE maintains only an RLC bearer used for relay communication.”; para. [0130], “the ADAPT layer between the remote UE and the relay UE is configured to support mapping of a plurality of Uu PDCP entities of the remote UE to one SL RLC entity.”; and para. [0252], “An SDU part of the adaptation layer control PDU includes a PDU type. The PDU type indicates a control PDU type. The SDU part of the adaptation layer control PDU further includes the information about the recommended bit rate query, and the information about the recommended bit rate query is the same as that in the existing RBR MAC CE.”, supports are found in Fig. 3 and pages 14 25, and 26 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 3:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 1.
Pan further teaches wherein the SL MAC CE is formed as a SL MAC sub Packet Data Unit (subPDU) having a SL MAC subheader, wherein the SL MAC subheader comprises the unique SL LCID that is different from existing LCID values (see, Pan: Fig. 11, SL MAC CE; Fig. 14, SL MAC CE; para. [0137], “One MAC protocol data unit (PDU) includes a plurality of MAC subPDUs (MAC subPDUs). The MAC subPDU includes a MAC subheader (MAC subheader) and a MAC CE, or the MAC subPDU includes a MAC subheader and a MAC service data unit (MAC SDU), or the MAC subPDU includes only padding (padding) data.”; para. [0138], “The MAC CE in the MAC subPDU or the MAC subheader corresponding to the MAC CE further includes an LCID field.”; para. [0196], “a format of the SL MAC CE is shown in FIG. 11. An SL MAC subheader (SL MAC subheader) corresponding to the SL MAC CE includes a newly defined LCID field value. A specific value of the LCID field indicates that content bore by the SL MAC CE is related control information of bit rate recommendation. For example, a range of the LCID field value is 0 to 63, corresponding to 6 bits.”, supports are found in Fig. 11, Fig. 14, and pages 15 and 20 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 4:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 3.
Pan further teaches wherein the SL MAC CE is formed without an associated radio link control (RLC) header or an associated adaptation layer header (see, Pan: para. [0251], “In response to there being no PC5 adaptation layer, the remote UE sends the information about the recommended bit rate query to the relay UE by using the MAC CE on the SL.”, support is found in page 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 5:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 4.
Pan further teaches wherein the relay UE adds an adaptation layer header and an RLC layer header in front of the SL MAC CE to form a RLC SDU to be forwarded to the base station (see, Pan: Fig. 11; Fig. 14; para. [0199], “the remote UE sends RBR query information to the base station by using the SL MAC CE in the foregoing format and the Uu MAC CE in the foregoing format. Specifically, the relay UE receives the RBR query information of the remote UE by using the SL MAC PDU in the foregoing format, and then adds remote UE ID information to the Uu MAC CE in response to forwarding the RBR query information on a Uu link, so that the base station learns which remote UE the Uu MAC CE is from.”, supports are found in Fig. 11, Fig. 14, and page 21 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 6:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 3.
Pan further teaches wherein the SL MAC CE is formed with an associated adaptation layer header and optionally an associated radio link control (RLC) header (see, Pan: Fig. 11; Fig. 16; para. [0246], “The adaptation layer PDU includes two parts: an adaptation layer header (header) and an adaptation layer SDU. The adaptation layer header includes a data radio bearer identity DRB ID and a remote UE identity (Remote UE ID). The two pieces of information indicate a DRB of remote UE to which the PDU belongs. The adaptation layer SDU part includes data/control D/C indication, protocol data unit type PDU type, R, and information about a recommended bit rate (LCID, UL/DL, Bit Rate, X). D/C indicates whether the PDU belongs to a data PDU or a control PDU, and a length is 1.”; para. [0247], “Related control information of the recommended bit rate in the adaptation layer SDU shown in FIG. 16 is the same as that in an existing RBR MAC CE.”, supports are found in Fig. 11, Fig. 16, and page 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 7:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 6.
Pan further teaches wherein the relay UE updates the associated adaptation layer header and the RLC header and forwards the SL MAC CE as an RLC PDU (see, Pan: Fig. 11; Fig. 14; Fig. 16; para. [0246], “The adaptation layer PDU includes two parts: an adaptation layer header (header) and an adaptation layer SDU. The adaptation layer header includes a data radio bearer identity DRB ID and a remote UE identity (Remote UE ID). The two pieces of information indicate a DRB of remote UE to which the PDU belongs. The adaptation layer SDU part includes data/control D/C indication, protocol data unit type PDU type, R, and information about a recommended bit rate (LCID, UL/DL, Bit Rate, X). D/C indicates whether the PDU belongs to a data PDU or a control PDU, and a length is 1.”; para. [0199], “the remote UE sends RBR query information to the base station by using the SL MAC CE in the foregoing format and the Uu MAC CE in the foregoing format. Specifically, the relay UE receives the RBR query information of the remote UE by using the SL MAC PDU in the foregoing format, and then adds remote UE ID information to the Uu MAC CE in response to forwarding the RBR query information on a Uu link, so that the base station learns which remote UE the Uu MAC CE is from.”, supports are found in Fig. 11, Fig. 14, Fig. 16, and pages 21 and 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 8:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 3.
Pan further teaches wherein the relay UE forwards the SL MAC subPDU to the base station as an uplink (UL) MAC subPDU by converting the SL LCID to a corresponding UL LCID for the recommended bit rate query message (see, Pan: para. [0145], “In response to the UE receiving an RBR MAC CE, the UE determines, based on an identity of an LCID in a MAC subheader corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, whether content in the RBR MAC CE corresponds to information about the recommended bit rate. That is, the UE determines, based on an LCID field value in the MAC subheader corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, the content in the RBR MAC CE corresponds to the information about the bit rate recommendation. For example, in the structure of the MAC subheader shown in (a) in FIG. 6, LCID=47 corresponds to a bit rate recommended message sent by a base station to the UE, and LCID=53 corresponds to a bit rate recommended query message sent by the UE to the base station.”; para. [0198], “In an L2 U2N relay protocol architecture, because that there is an adaptation layer between the relay UE and the remote UE is to be further considered, a plurality of bearers of the remote UE is multiplexed for one logical channel on a sidelink. Therefore, to more accurately indicate the recommended bit rate, as shown in FIG. 11, the LCID fields in the Uu MAC CE and the SL MAC CE is replaced with a field indicating a data radio bearer identity (DRB ID) of the remote UE.”, supports are found in pages 15, 16, 20, and 21 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 9:
Pan teaches a method by a relay user equipment (UE) (see, Pan: Fig. 11, Relay UE; Fig. 10, First terminal device; Fig. 13, First terminal device), comprising:
receiving a recommended bit rate message from a base station, wherein the message is carried by a first control signaling (e.g., an adaption layer control PDU) (see, Pan: para. [0248], “a base station sends the information about the recommended bit rate to relay UE by using the adaptation layer control PDU, the relay UE determines a target remote UE ID of the control information and a corresponding DRB based on the DRB ID and the remote UE ID that are in the adaptation layer header, and then forwards the information about the recommended bit rate bore in the relay UE to the remote UE.”; para. [0245], “The information about the bit rate recommendation or the information about the bit rate query is bore by using an adaptation layer control PDU (Adaptation Layer control PDU, AL control PDU), so that the relay UE correctly forwards related control information of the bit rate recommendation between the base station and the remote UE.”, supports are found in pages 24 and 25 of CN 115696273 A.) or by a downlink medium access control (MAC) control element (DL MAC CE) dedicated for a remote UE, wherein the first control signaling is a non-MAC CE control signaling (see, Pan: para. [0208], “a format of an RBR MAC CE on a corresponding SL is defined, so that the relay UE forwards content in the RBR MAC CE delivered by the base station to corresponding remote UE, …”; para. [0176], “The radio access network device sends a first MAC PDU to the first terminal device through a Uu interface.”; para. [0177], “The first MAC PDU includes first information that identifies the second terminal device, that is, the remote UE and control information.”; para. [0179], “the first MAC PDU includes a first MAC CE, and the first MAC CE includes the first information that identifies the second terminal device. The first information that identifies the second terminal device includes: … and/or identity information allocated by the first terminal device or the radio access network device to the second terminal device, for example, a local identity local ID allocated by the radio access network device or the first terminal device to the second terminal device”; para. [0180], “the control information includes information about a recommended bit rate, or the control information is a MAC CE bearing the information about the recommended bit rate, for example, an RBR MAC CE. The control information is alternatively another type of control information. For example, in a downlink direction that is presented by sending by a radio access device to the remote UE by using the relay UE, the control information is one or more of a DRX Command MAC CE, a Timing Advance Command MAC CE, and a Contention Resolution Identity MAC CE. In an uplink direction that is presented by sending by the remote UE to a radio access network by using the relay UE, the control information is one or more of a Buffer Status Report MAC CE, a Power Headroom MAC CE, and a C-RNTI MAC CE.”, supports are found in Fig. 10, Fig. 11, Fig. 13, and pages 16, 19, 21, and 25 of CN 115696273 A. The signaling using an adaption layer control PDU is not a MAC CE control signaling.);
forwarding the recommended bit rate message to the remote UE over Layer-2 sidelink relay (see, Pan: Fig. 3 and para. [0128-0129], support is found in page 14 of CN 115696273 A.) when the message is carried by the first control signaling (see, Pan: para. [0208], “a format of an RBR MAC CE on a corresponding SL is defined, so that the relay UE forwards content in the RBR MAC CE delivered by the base station to corresponding remote UE, …”; para. [0015], “Based on the communication method, the radio access network device sends the control information to the relay terminal device by using MAC layer control signaling MAC CE, so that the relay terminal device sends the control information to the remote terminal device by using the MAC layer control signaling MAC CE.”; para. [0262], “at least one embodiment further provides a manner of bearing control information of the RBR MAC CE by using the RRC message.”, supports are found in Fig. 3 and pages 16, 19, 21, 25, and 26 of CN 115696273 A.); and
forwarding the recommended bit rate message to the remote UE with a unique SL-specific logical channel ID (SL LCID) value that indicates the recommended bit rate recommendation message different from the DL LCID when the message is carried by the DL MAC CE, wherein the DL MAC CE has a DL logical channel ID (DL LCID) value that indicates the recommended bit rate message (see, Pan: para. [0208], “a format of an RBR MAC CE on a corresponding SL is defined, so that the relay UE forwards content in the RBR MAC CE delivered by the base station to corresponding remote UE, …”; para. [0192], “In the MAC PDU structure shown in the foregoing steps 101 and 102, the first MAC CE and/or the second MAC CE includes third information, and the third information indicates identity information of a logical channel corresponding to the control information or identity information of a radio bearer corresponding to the control information, for example, a logical channel ID (LCID) or a data radio bearer ID (DRB ID). In other words, the third information includes the logical channel ID (LCID) and/or the data radio bearer ID (DRB ID).”; para. [0229], “first, after relay UE receives a general Uu MAC CE sent on a Uu link, the relay UE forwards, based on remote UE ID information carried in the general Uu MAC CE, the content bore in the general Uu MAC CE to corresponding remote UE by using a general SL MAC CE on a sidelink, or send the content bore in the general Uu MAC CE to the corresponding remote UE by using an SL MAC CE in a specified format.”, supports are found in pages 16, 21, and 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Pan teaches wherein the SL MAC CE has a unique SL-specific LCID value (e.g., LCID field value of 47 in para. [0138] of Pan) that indicates a type of a MAC CE, which is different from the DL LCID field value in the general MAC CE container (see, Pan: Fig. 14 and para. [0138] [0223-0245] teach wherein an LCID in the SL MAC subheader indicating that the MAC CE is general SL MAC CE and a specified LCID field value corresponding to the RBR MAC CE indicates a type of a MAC CE carried in the general SL MAC CE. The LCID value in the SL MAC subheader and the specified LCID value are not the same.; para. [0228], “the Uu MAC CE field bears a RBR MAC CE. Specified LCID is an LCID field value corresponding to the RBR MAC CE”; and para. [0229], “after relay UE receives a general Uu MAC CE sent on a Uu link, the relay UE forwards, based on remote UE ID information carrier in the general Uu MAC CE, the content bore in the general Uu MAC CE to corresponding remote UE by using a general SL MAC CE on a sidelink, or send the content bore in the general Uu MAC CE to the corresponding remote UE by using an SL MAC CE in a specified format. An LCID identity carried in the SL MAC subheader is a specific value of the LCID field defined for the general SL MAC CE. … the general SL MAC CE forwards control signaling content carried in the general Uu MAC CE, and specific forwarded parts are the two parts: the specified LCID and the Uu MAC CE carried in the general Uu MAC CE. … the SL MAC CE container is referred to as a general SL MAC CE, a newly defined SL MAC CE, or an SL MAC CE.” Accordingly, the SL MAC CE by using a general SL MAC or an SL MAC CE in a specified format contains a specific value of the LCID field (i.e., a unique SL-specific LCID value) corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, which indicates the recommended bit rate (RBR) query message.).
Regarding claim 10:
Claim 10 is directed towards the method of claim 9 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 2. Therefore, claim 10 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 11:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 9.
Pan further teaches wherein the recommended bit rate message is included in a payload of the DL MAC CE, wherein the DL MAC CE has a new MAC CE type and the DL LCID in the DL MAC subheader (see, Pan: para. [0195], “a base station gNB sends the Uu MAC CE to relay UE in the downlink direction through a Uu interface. Based on an existing RBR MAC CE, the base station adds, to the Uu MAC CE, a field that indicates remote UE identity remote UE ID, to indicate remote UE under the relay UE to which information bore in the RBR MAC CE is sent. … The remote UE ID is a C-RNTI, or is a local ID allocated by the base station or the relay UE to the remote UE. A length of the remote UE ID determines a size of the field. For example, in the Uu MAC CE shown in FIG. 11, in response to a length of the remote UE ID being 8 bits, the field occupies one Oct. A sequence of a newly added remote UE ID field and remaining two existing Octs is not limited. For descriptions of other fields such as a MAC subheader (MAC subheader) corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, refer to FIG. 6 and the descriptions thereof.”; para. [0210], “The radio access network device sends a first MAC PDU to a first terminal device through a Uu interface.”; para. [0211], “The first MAC PDU includes first indication information. … the first MAC PDU includes a first MAC subheader and a first MAC CE. The first MAC subheader includes the first indication information, …”; para. [0213], “the first indication information includes a logical channel identity field value that identifies a MAC CE type on the Uu interface.”, supports are found in pages 20 and 21 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 12:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 9.
Pan further teaches wherein the recommended bit rate message is included in a payload of the DL MAC CE, wherein an adaptation layer header and a MAC subheader are added to form a DL MAC sub Packet Data Unit (subPDU) (see, Pan: para. [0248], “a base station sends the information about the recommended bit rate to relay UE by using the adaptation layer control PDU, the relay UE determines a target remote UE ID of the control information and a corresponding DRB based on the DRB ID and the remote UE ID that are in the adaptation layer header, and then forwards the information about the recommended bit rate bore in the relay UE to the remote UE.”; para. [0246], “FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of an adaptation layer control PDU according to at least one embodiment. FIG. 16 shows an implementation form of an adaptation layer control PDU that bears information about bit rate recommendation. The adaptation layer PDU includes two parts: an adaptation layer header (header) and an adaptation layer SDU. The adaptation layer header includes a data radio bearer identity DRB ID and a remote UE identity (Remote UE ID). The two pieces of information indicate a DRB of remote UE to which the PDU belongs.”; para. [0247], “Related control information of the recommended bit rate in the adaptation layer SDU shown in FIG. 16 is the same as that in an existing RBR MAC CE.”, supports are found in Fig. 16 and page 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 13:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 12.
Pan further teaches wherein the DL MAC CE payload, the adaptation layer header, and the MAC subheader form a SL MAC subPDU and is forwarded by the relay UE to the remote UE (see, Pan: para. [0248], “a base station sends the information about the recommended bit rate to relay UE by using the adaptation layer control PDU, the relay UE determines a target remote UE ID of the control information and a corresponding DRB based on the DRB ID and the remote UE ID that are in the adaptation layer header, and then forwards the information about the recommended bit rate bore in the relay UE to the remote UE.”; para. [0246], “FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of an adaptation layer control PDU according to at least one embodiment. FIG. 16 shows an implementation form of an adaptation layer control PDU that bears information about bit rate recommendation. The adaptation layer PDU includes two parts: an adaptation layer header (header) and an adaptation layer SDU. The adaptation layer header includes a data radio bearer identity DRB ID and a remote UE identity (Remote UE ID). The two pieces of information indicate a DRB of remote UE to which the PDU belongs.”; para. [0247], “Related control information of the recommended bit rate in the adaptation layer SDU shown in FIG. 16 is the same as that in an existing RBR MAC CE.”, supports are found in Fig. 16 and page 25 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 14:
As discussed above, Pan teaches all limitations in claim 12.
Pan further teaches wherein only the DL MAC CE payload and the MAC subheader form a SL MAC subPDU and is forwarded by the relay UE to the remote UE (see, Pan: Fig. 11; para. [0196], “after receiving the Uu MAC CE, the relay UE parses out content in the Uu MAC CE, and forwards all or some content obtained through parsing to the corresponding remote UE by using the SL MAC CE of the PC5 interface. The content forwarded by the SL MAC CE is content other than the remote UE ID in the Uu MAC CE, that is, information such as an LCID (or a DRB ID), a UL/DL, a bit rate, X, and an R included in the Uu MAC CE. For example, a format of the SL MAC CE is shown in FIG. 11. An SL MAC subheader (SL MAC subheader) corresponding to the SL MAC CE includes a newly defined LCID field value. A specific value of the LCID field indicates that content bore by the SL MAC CE is related control information of bit rate recommendation. For example, a range of the LCID field value is 0 to 63, corresponding to 6 bits.”, supports are found in Fig. 11 and page 20 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 15:
As discussed above, Pan in view of TS 36.321 teaches all limitations in claim 12.
Pan further teaches wherein the relay UE forwards the DL MAC subPDU as a SL MAC subPDU to the remote UE by converting the DL LCID to a corresponding SL LCID for the recommended bit rate message (see, Pan: Fig. 11; para. [0145], “In response to the UE receiving an RBR MAC CE, the UE determines, based on an identity of an LCID in a MAC subheader corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, whether content in the RBR MAC CE corresponds to information about the recommended bit rate. That is, the UE determines, based on an LCID field value in the MAC subheader corresponding to the RBR MAC CE, the content in the RBR MAC CE corresponds to the information about the bit rate recommendation. For example, in the structure of the MAC subheader shown in (a) in FIG. 6, LCID=47 corresponds to a bit rate recommended message sent by a base station to the UE, and LCID=53 corresponds to a bit rate recommended query message sent by the UE to the base station.”; para. [0196], “after receiving the Uu MAC CE, the relay UE parses out content in the Uu MAC CE, and forwards all or some content obtained through parsing to the corresponding remote UE by using the SL MAC CE of the PC5 interface. The content forwarded by the SL MAC CE is content other than the remote UE ID in the Uu MAC CE, that is, information such as an LCID (or a DRB ID), a UL/DL, a bit rate, X, and an R included in the Uu MAC CE. For example, a format of the SL MAC CE is shown in FIG. 11. An SL MAC subheader (SL MAC subheader) corresponding to the SL MAC CE includes a newly defined LCID field value. A specific value of the LCID field indicates that content bore by the SL MAC CE is related control information of bit rate recommendation.”, supports are found in Fig. 11 and pages 16 and 20 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 16:
Claim 16 is directed towards the method of claim 15 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 3. Therefore, claim 16 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 17:
Pan teaches a relay User Equipment (see, Pan: Fig. 11, Relay UE; Fig. 10, 12, 13, and 15, First terminal device; Fig. 9, Communication apparatus 90), comprising: a receiver (see, Pan: Fig. 9, Communication interface 903); and a relay handling circuit (see, Pan: Fig. 9, Processor 901 or Processor 907) configured to perform the method of claim 1 and the method of claim 9. Therefore, claim 17 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 1 and clam 9 above (supports are found in Figs. 9-13, Fig. 15, and pages 16 and 20 of CN 115696273 A.).
Regarding claim 18:
Claim 18 is directed towards the relay UE of Claim 17 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 3. Therefore, claim 18 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 19:
Claim 19 is directed towards the relay UE of Claim 18 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 8. Therefore, claim 19 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 8 above.
Regarding claim 20:
Claim 20 is directed towards the relay UE of Claim 20 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 12. Therefore, claim 20 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 12 above.
Regarding claim 21:
Claim 21 is directed towards the relay UE of Claim 20 that is further limited to perform the features of claim 15. Therefore, claim 21 is rejected by applying the similar rationale used to reject claim 15 above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JI-HAE YEA whose telephone number is (571) 270-3310. The examiner can normally be reached on MON-FRI, 7am-3pm, ET.
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/JI-HAE YEA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471