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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 4 which is dependent on claim 1 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at line 3 in claim 4. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 1 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 2 in claim 4 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 18 which is dependent on claim 1 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at line 6 in claim 18. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 1 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 5 in claim 18 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 25 which is dependent on claim 22 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at lines 6-7 in claim 25. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 22 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 6 in claim 25 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 27 which is dependent on claim 22 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at lines 2-3 in claim 27. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 22 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 2 in claim 27 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 36 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 36 which is dependent on claim 22 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at line 6 in claim 36. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 22 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 5 in claim 36 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 86 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 86 which is dependent on claim 1 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at line 4 in claim 86. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 1 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 3 in claim 86 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 91 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 91 which is dependent on claim 1 recites the limitation "……wherein the resume request…." at line 9 in claim 91. It is not clear if the resume request is the resume request as recited in the last limitation of claim 1 or the resume request is the resume request as recited at line 8 in claim 91 and therefore scope of the claim is not clear.
Claim 89 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 89 recites the limitation "…the normal RRC_INACTIVE state…." at line 2 in claim 89. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 90 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 90 recites the limitation "…the normal RRC_INACTIVE state…." at lines 2-3 in claim 90. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 91 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 91 recites the limitation "…the normal RRC_INACTIVE state…." at line 2 in claim 91. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 92 is rejected under 35 USC § 112. Claim 92 recites the limitation "…the normal RRC_INACTIVE state…." at line 7 in claim 92. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
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.
Claims 1, 6, 12-13, 22, 30, 81-82 and 87-88 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No US 2022/0201791 to Yao et al. (hereinafter Yao) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2019/0261164 to Cai et al. (hereinafter Cai)
As to claims 1, 22, 81 and 82, Yao discloses a method for configuring a radio resource control (RRC) state, comprising:
setting, by a user equipment (UE), an RRC state as a first RRC state according to configuration by a network device, wherein the first RRC state is an RRC state where the UE needs not listen to a paging from a radio access network (RAN) and a downlink transmission is not performed until the UE initiates an uplink transition (Yao; Fig.3; [0059] shows RRC inactive state corresponding to an RRC state as a first RRC state; [0064]-[0065] discloses RRC inactive state is configured by a network node (i.e. gNB). Fig.4:403; [0066] when the UE is in RRC inactive state, the UE sends an RRC resume request (RRCResumeRequest) message to the gNB corresponding to uplink transmission and Fig.4:405 [0068] shows and discloses the terminal receives the RRC resume message from the gNB corresponding to downlink transmission means a downlink transmission is not performed until the UE initiates an uplink transition. [0082] discloses When the terminal is in the RRC inactive state, the terminal usually tries to enter the RRC connected state from the RRC inactive state in four scenarios. Scenario 1 is receiving RAN paging from a network. Scenario 2 is triggering an uplink service or NAS signaling procedure. Scenario 3 is before a RAN-based notification area update (RAN-based notification area update, RNAU) needs to be performed after the terminal moves. Scenario 4 is after a preset timer (for example, T380) expires if the uplink service is not triggered. For Scenario 2, UE is in RRC inactive state where the UE needs not listen to a paging from a radio access network (RAN) to switch from RRC inactive state to RRC active state. Fig.4 also shows a UE in RRC inactive state can switch to RRC connection state without paging message)
Yao discloses downlink and uplink transmission, but fails to disclose downlink data in the downlink transmission is downlink data that is not paged upon arriving at the network device and that is cached by the network device before the network device receives a resume request, and wherein the downlink data includes at least one of downlink service data and a paging message. However, Cai discloses
downlink data in the downlink transmission is downlink data that is not paged upon arriving at the network device and that is cached by the network device before the network device receives a resume request, and wherein the downlink data includes at least one of downlink service data and a paging message (Cai; [0005]-[0006] discloses the SGW (=network device) receives another downlink data packet of the UE, the SGW caches these data packets, but does not send a new downlink data notification message. The UE triggers a service request process, and establishes a connection with the network side. So far, an S1-U downlink data channel between the SGW and the base station is established. The SGW needs to have the capability of caching downlink data until the data channel between the SGW and the base station is established. Fig.1; [0007] shows and discloses SGW forward downlink data to the UE. Here Cai is applied for the 1st alternative downlink service data)
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to use the limited resources in an effective way by not sending downlink data notification message to the UE and sending the cached downlink data when downlink channel is established.
As to claim 6, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses further comprising:
canceling or not using, by the UE, periodic RAN Notification Area Update (RNAU) in the first RRC state, or canceling or not using, by the UE, RNAU triggered by change of RAN notification area (RNA) in the first RRC state (Yao; [0082] discloses When the terminal is in the RRC inactive state, the terminal usually tries to enter the RRC connected state from the RRC inactive state in four scenarios. Scenario 1 is receiving RAN paging from a network. Scenario 2 is triggering an uplink service or NAS signaling procedure. Scenario 3 is before a RAN-based notification area update (RAN-based notification area update, RNAU) needs to be performed after the terminal moves. Scenario 4 is after a preset timer (for example, T380) expires if the uplink service is not triggered means the UE is not using RNAU for Scenario 1, Scenario 2 and Scenario 4 when the UE is in RRC inactive state)
As to claim 12, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses wherein
setting, by the UE, the RRC state as the first RRC state according to the configuration by the network device (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]), comprises:
receiving, by the UE, a RRC connection release message sent by the network device (Yao; Fig.4:401; 402);
switching, by the UE, the RRC state from an active state to the normal RRC_INACTIVE state according to the RRC connection release message (Yao; Fig.4:402):
receiving, by the UE, first configuration signaling sent by the network device (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]), and
switching, by the UE, the RRC state from the normal RRC INACTIVE state to the first RRC state according to the first configuration signaling (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]);
wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, by the UE, second configuration signaling sent by the network device (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]); and
switching, by the UE, the RRC state from the first RRC state to the normal RRC INACTIVE state according to the second configuration signaling (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077])
As to claim 13, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses wherein setting, by the UE, the RRC state as the first RRC state according to the configuration by the network device, comprises:
receiving, by the UE, third configuration signaling sent by the network device (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]); and
switching, by the UE, the RRC state from an active state to the first RRC state according to the third configuration signaling (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]).
As to claim 30, the rejection of claim 22 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses wherein
configuring, by the network device, the UE to set the RRC state as the first RRC state, comprises:
sending, by the network device, a RRC connection release message to the UE, wherein the RRC connection release message is configured to instruct the UE to switch the RRC state from an active state to the normal RRC INACTIVE state: sending, by the network device, first configuration signaling to the UE, wherein the first configuration signaling is configured to instruct the UE to switch the RRC state from the normal RRC INACTIVE state to the first RRC state (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]).; and
wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the network device, second configuration signaling to the UE, wherein the second configuration signaling is configured to instruct the UE to switch the RRC state from the first RRC state to the normal RRC INACTIVE state (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077]); or
wherein configuring, by the network device, the UE to set the RRC state as the first RRC state, comprises: sending, by the network device, third configuration signaling to the UE, wherein the third configuration signaling is configured to instruct the UE to switch the RRC state from an active state to the first RRC state
As to claim 87, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses wherein the configuration by the network device is determined based on a type of the UE, a capability of the UE, or an expectation of the UE (Yao; Fig.4:403 shows and discloses a UE sending RRC resume request corresponding to an expectation of the UE. Here Yao is applied for the 3rd alternative) .
As to claim 88, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Yao-Cai discloses wherein the method further comprises:
sending, by the UE, UE capability reporting information to the network device, wherein the UE capability reporting information is configured to indicate that the UE supports the first RRC state (Yao; Fig.3; Fig.4; [0059]-[0077] discloses the UE in the RRC connected state may release the RRC link and restore to the RRC idle state. When temporarily having no service, the UE in the RRC connected state may suspend the RRC connection and enter the RRC inactive state, to reduce power consumption. The UE in the RRC inactive state may also resume the RRC link and enter the RRC connected state. Similarly, the UE in the RRC inactive state may alternatively release the RRC link and enter the RRC idle state. The UE in the RRC inactive state may alternatively perform connection resumption and try to enter the RRC connected state when a service is triggered or a radio access network (RAN)-based notification area update (RAN-based notification area update, RNAU) needs to be performed. Here Yao is applied for the 1st alternative); or
sending, by the UE, auxiliary information to the network device, wherein the auxiliary information is configured to indicate that the UE expects to switch to the first RRC state or expects to switch to the normal RRC_INACTIVE state.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any 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.
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/FAISAL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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