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 claim amendment filed on July 24, 2026 and wherein claims 23, 31 and 38 being currently amended, claims 45-49 being newly added.
In virtue of this communication, claims 23-26, 28-31, 33-41 and 45-49 are currently pending in this Office Action.
The Office appreciates the explanation of the amendment and analyses of the prior arts, and however, although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993) and MPEP 2145.
Response to Arguments
Regarding amended Claim 23, applicant argue neither Kim_Seok2 nor Kim_Seok3 teaches or suggests "the CU-UP ID and a small data transmission (SDT) configuration comprising a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel; and encode the data and the processing information in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data for transmission to the DU to enable the DU to establish a Radio Link Control (RLC) bearer and forward the data." as amended in claim 23 (Remarks, Page 8-12) have been fully considered and the argument is persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of ZOU.
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.
Claims 38 – 39, 40-41, 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C.102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim_Seok3 et al. (US 20220086944 A1, hereinafter Kim_Seok3) in view of Kim_Dong et al. (US 20210120463 A1, hereinafter Kim_Dong) and further in view of ZOU (US 20230164628 A1, hereinafter ZOU).
Claim 38: Kim_Seok3 teaches one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions, stored thereon, that when executed by one or more processors (Fig. 17, element 1711) cause a distributed unit (DU) (Fig. 17, element 1710) of a next generation Node B (gNB) to ([0358], “the memory 1712 is coupled to the processor 1711, and stores a variety of information for driving the processor 1711… The processor 1711 implements the proposed functions, procedures, and/or method”):
receive data from a user equipment (UE) while the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state (Fig. 13, element S1302, [0311], “The user data may be ciphered and transmitted on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC resume request message on CCCH. The UE may also provide to the DU the UP ID or TNL address information which was received in FIG. 10, in order to enable the DU to quickly forward the UL data to the CU-UP storing the UE context”);
establish a radio link control (RLC) bearer ([0076], “A radio bearer refers to a logical path provided by L1 (PHY layer) and L2 (MAC/RLC/PDCP/SDAP sublayer) for data transmission between a UE and a network … Radio bearer may be divided into signaling RB (SRB) and data RB (DRB)”) for the data without input from a centralized unit (CU) of the gNB (Fig. 13, elements S1304, 1306, [0310], “the UE may transmit RRC resume request message to DU. In specific, the UE may initiate the uplink data fast transmission procedure and select a random access preamble configured for UDFT …The information may be DRB ID for UDFT. This ID may indicate to the CU-CP that this transmission is for the UDFT”, [0312], “the DU may include the RRC message and, if the UE is admitted, the corresponding low layer configuration for the UE in the initial UL RRC message transfer message and transfer to the CU. The initial UL RRC message transfer message may include the C-RNTI allocated by the DU”, [0313], “if the UP ID is included into the RRC resume request message, the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured”, [0314], “If the QoS parameters about the DRB for supporting the UDFT are preconfigured, the DU may use the QoS parameters to forward the UL data to the CU-UP”);
wherein the RLC bearer is established using a UE-specific configuration received from the UE ([0076], “A radio bearer refers to a logical path provided by L1 (PHY layer) and L2 (MAC/RLC/PDCP/SDAP sublayer) for data transmission between a UE and a network … DRB is used as a path for transmitting user data in the user plane”, wherein DRB is correlated to RLC. Fig. 13, elements S1302, S1304, S1306, S1308, [0310 -0314], disclose the RLC bearer is established based on DRB ID, UP ID and TNL information, etc., which received from UE RRC resume request message),
process the data based on the RLC bearer (Fig.13, element S1304, S1306, [0314], “ If the QoS parameters about the DRB for supporting the UDFT are preconfigured, the DU may use the QoS parameters to forward the UL data to the CU-UP”, [0313], “if the UP ID is included into the RRC resume request message, the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured in FIG. 8. If the F1 UL UP TNL information is received, the DU may take advantage of the F1 UL UP TNL information to easily forward the UL data to the corresponding CU-UP”, [0312], “In step S1304, in the DU, the UL data may be de-multiplexed with the RRC resume request message …the corresponding low layer configuration for the UE in the initial UL RRC message transfer message and transfer to the CU”);
and send the processed data to the CU (Fig. 13, element S1306).
However, Kim_Seok3 does not explicitly teaches wherein the UE-specific configuration includes one or more parameters of a prior RLC configuration comprising an RLC sequence number (SN) field length or an RLC mode or a prior medium access control (MAC) logical channel configuration of the UE, wherein the UE-specific configuration is received in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data and comprises a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel.
Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the UE-specific configuration includes one or more parameters of a prior RLC configuration comprising an RLC sequence number (SN) field length (Fig. 1G, [0167], “ the ENB 1e-02 may resend the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message to the UE 1e-01 … the message may include the setup information to be applied by the PDCP device and the RLC device through the bearer setup, and may include information (or indication) indicating the length of the SN and information on what PDCP header format and what RLC header format are to be applied”, [0196], “where the RB is a DRB and the RB setup message includes both information indicating the length of a PDCP SN and information indicating the length of an RLC SN”) or an RLC mode (alternative) or a prior medium access control (MAC) logical channel configuration of the UE (alternative).
Kim_Seok3 and Kim_Dong are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok3 and the features of RLC configuration comprising an RLC sequence number (SN) field length, as taught by Kim_Dong, for the benefit of allowing UE sets up a bearer, and determines a format of packets to be transmitted and received through the bearer based on the RRC configurations (paragraph [0194]).
ZOU, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the UE-specific configuration is received in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data ([0063], disclose the gNB-DU may receive an end signal for transmission
of small data, e.g., an ending MAC CE, [0075-0078], disclose the gNB-DU may select one of the TNL tunnels and radio link control RLC entities according to the priority of small data from one or more UEs in the RRC INACTIVE state, the priority is indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheader) and comprises a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel (Fig. 6, [0076-0078], disclose UEs in RRC INACTIVE state may select one or more UL resources to transmit the small data based on their priority. The priority may be the priority of logical channel LCH used for the transmission of small data, thus, the gNB-DU may obtain the priority information of the small data based on the resource used in UL transmissions, and select a common TNL tunnel and the associated RLC entity for RLC-layer processing and data forwarding to the gNB-CU. The detailed priority information may be contained in the MAC PDU of the small data, Fig. 7, [0080], disclose the gNB-DU may receive the data and can obtain priority information based on the resource used in transmission. [0014], disclose priority information carried in the transmission of the data from the wireless communication device to the DU, [0024], disclose a logical channel identifier LCID of the data is indicated in a medium access control MAC protocol data unit PDU, [0095], disclose the DU may identify or determine a priority of the data to be forwarded to the CU, and process the data using the corresponding RLC entity of the DRB, [0058], disclose the DRB may be identified by a logical channel identifier LCID or eLCID in a media access control MAC subheader for small data forwarding.).
Kim_Seok3 and ZOU are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok3 and the features of processing information includes logic channel ID and priority, as taught by ZOU, for the benefit of allowing the DU to select a DRB setup and/or the data according to the priority (paragraph [0026-0027, 0095]).
Claim 39: Kim_Seok3 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 38, wherein the RLC bearer is established using a default configuration (Fig. 10, [0277], “F1 connection, which is also referred as F1 in brief, may be connection between Du and CU … This procedure may be used when the dedicated F1 UL UP TNL Information for UDFT are preconfigured in the DU”, [0278], “The QoS parameters about the DRB for supporting the UDFT may be preconfigured in the CU-CP and the CU-UP, if necessary”, [0281], “If the QoS parameters about the DRB for supporting the UDFT may be preconfigured in step S1002. The QoS parameters about the DRB may be also included in the F1 setup response message”).
Claim 40: Kim_Seok3 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 39, wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the DU to receive, from the UE, an indication of a data radio bearer (DRB) and a CU-user plane (UP) identifier associated with the data (Fig. 13, elements S1302, [0310], “the UE may transmit RRC resume request message to DU. In specific, the UE may initiate the uplink data fast transmission procedure and select a random-access preamble configured for UDFT …The information may be DRB ID for UDFT. This ID may indicate to the CU-CP that this transmission is for the UDFT”).
Claim 41: Kim_Seok3 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 39, wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the DU to receive a session ID associated with the data ([0310], “The information may be DRB ID for UDFT”).
Claim 48: The combination of Kim_Seok3, Kim_Dong and ZOU teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 38, ZOU additionally teaches wherein the UE-specific configuration received from the UE is carried within a Service Data Unit (SDU) header (alternative) or a MAC CE of a first uplink small data transmission (SDT) message (Fig. 6, [0075-0078], disclose UEs in RRC INACTIVE state may select one or more UL resources to transmit the small data based on their priority. The priority may be the priority of logical channel LCH used for the transmission of small data, thus, the gNB-DU may obtain the priority information of the small data based on the resource used in UL transmissions, and select a common TNL tunnel and the associated RLC entity for RLC-layer processing and data forwarding to the gNB-CU. The priority indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheade, Fig. 7, [0080], disclose the gNB-DU may receive the data and can obtain priority information based on the resource used in transmission.).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok3 and ZOU regarding to the claim 38 is also applied to claim 48.
Claims 23-26, 28, 45, 49 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim_Seok2 et al. (US 20220132600 A1, hereinafter Kim_Seok2) in view of Kim_Seok3 et al. (US 20220086944 A1, hereinafter Kim_Seok3) and further in view of ZOU (US 20230164628 A1, hereinafter ZOU).
Claim 23: Kim_Seok2 teaches One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions, stored thereon (Fig. 13, element 1302), that when executed by one or more processors (Fig. 13, element 1301) cause a user equipment (UE) (Fig. 13, element 1300, [0366], “The memory 1302 is coupled to the processor 1301, and stores a variety of information for driving the processor 1301 … the processor 1301 implements the proposed functions, procedures, and/or methods”) to:
identify data to send to a distributed unit (DU) of a next generation Node B (gNB) while the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state (Fig. 9A, elements S902, s904, [0283 - 0284], “upon connection resumption request for MO data from the upper layers, the UE may initiate the early data transmission procedure and selects a random access preamble configured for EDT”);
However, Kim_Seok2 does not explicitly teach determine processing information for the data that indicates a centralized unit (CU)-user plane (UP) ID and a data radio bearer (DRB) ID associated with the data, wherein the processing information includes the CU- CP ID or the CU-UP ID and a small data transmission (SDT) configuration comprising a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel;
and encode the data and the processing information in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data for transmission to the DU to enable the DU to establish a Radio Link Control (RLC) bearer and forward the data to a CU-UP associated with the CU-UP ID without the DU retrieving a UE context from a CU-control plane (CU-CP).
Kim_Seok3, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches determine processing information for the data that indicates a centralized unit(CU)-user plane(UP) ID (Fig. 13, [0311], “The UE may also provide to the DU the UP ID or TNL address information which was received in FIG. 10, in order to enable the DU to quickly forward the UL data to the CU-UP storing the UE context.”, [0313], “if the UP ID is included into the RRC resume request message, the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured in FIG. 8”) and a data radio bearer (DRB) ID associated with the data (Fig. 13, element S1302, [0310], “The RRC resume request message may include the information on user plane connection between the DU and the CU-UP, if it was received in FIG. 10. The information may be DRB ID for UDFT”), wherein the processing information includes the CU- CP ID (alternative) or the CU-UP ID (Fig. 13, element 1302, [0310], “In step S1302, upon connection resumption request for Mobile Originated data from the upper layers, the UE may transmit RRC resume request message to DU … The RRC resume request message may include the information on user plane connection between the DU and the CU-UP”, [0311-0314], discloses the UE may transmit RRC resume request message to DU, and RRC resume request message may include DRB, UP ID and TNL information. [0305], “When the RRC message includes the DRB ID for UDFT, the UE may store it for next resumption for the UDFT. In addition, when the information related to the UDFT (i.e., UP ID or TNL address) is received, the UE may store it for next resumption for the UDFT”).
to enable the DU to forward the data to a CU-UP associated with the CU-UP ID without the DU retrieving a UE context from a CU-control plane (CU-CP) ([0324], “This TNL address information may be allocated per the UEs within a certain areas consisting of DU(s) connected to a specific CU-UP … the UE may provide to the DU to quickly forward the UL data to the CU-UP having the suspended UE context”, [0313], “if the UP ID is included into the RRC resume request message, the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured in FIG. 8. If the F1 UL UP TNL information is received, the DU may take advantage of the F1 UL UP TNL information to easily forward the UL data to the corresponding CU-UP”, [0319], “the CU-UP just forwards the UL data to the UPF by using NG UL TEID in the AS context”, [0300], “The CU-UP may keep at least one of the bearer context, the UE-associated logical E1-connection, the NG-U related resource (e.g., NG-U DL TEIDs) or the F1 UL TEIDs”, [0335], “the CU-CP may send a bearer context setup request message to CU-UP to setup the bearer context in the CU-UP. The CU-UP may be the selected CU-UP in step S1304. The bearer context setup request message may contain UL TNL address information for S1-U or NG-U … NG-RAN, the CU-CP may decide flow-to-DRB mapping and send the generated SDAP and PDCP configuration to the CU-UP”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of processing information includes CU-UP ID, DRB ID and NFL information, as taught by Kim_Seok3, for the benefit of allowing the DU to quickly forward the UL data to the CU-UP without retrieving a UE context the UE context (paragraph [0311], [0313], [0324]).
ZOU, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches information including a small data transmission (SDT) configuration comprising a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel (Fig. 6, [0075-0078], disclose UEs in RRC INACTIVE state may select one or more UL resources to transmit the small data based on their priority. The priority may be the priority of logical channel LCH used for the transmission of small data, thus, the gNB-DU may obtain the priority information of the small data based on the resource used in UL transmissions, and select a common TNL tunnel and the associated RLC entity for RLC-layer processing and data forwarding to the gNB-CU. The detailed priority information may be contained in the MAC PDU of the small data, Fig. 7, [0080], disclose the gNB-DU may receive the data and can obtain priority information based on the resource used in transmission. [0014], disclose priority information carried in the transmission of the data from the wireless communication device to the DU, [0024], disclose a logical channel identifier LCID of the data is indicated in a medium access control MAC protocol data unit PDU, [0095], disclose the DU may identify or determine a priority of the data to be forwarded to the CU, and process the data using the corresponding RLC entity of the DRB, [0058], disclose the DRB may be identified by a logical channel identifier LCID or eLCID in a media access control MAC subheader for small data forwarding.),
encode the data and the processing information in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data for transmission to the DU ([0063], disclose the gNB-DU may receive an end signal for transmission of small data, e.g., an ending MAC CE. Fig. 7, [0075], disclose the priority is indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheader) to enable the DU to establish a Radio Link Control (RLC) bearer ([0073-0075], disclose the gNB-DU may forward the received small data from the UE in the RRC INACTIVE state by using a set of common context, the gNB-DU may establish one or more RLC entities for the RLC layer processing of the small data based on the common context, the gNB-DU may select one of the TNL tunnels and radio link control RLC entities according to the priority of small data from one or more UEs, the priority is indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheader.).
Kim_Seok2 and ZOU are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of processing information includes logic channel ID and priority, as taught by ZOU, for the benefit of allowing the DU to select a DRB setup and/or the data according to the priority of the data (paragraph [0026-0027], [0095]).
Claim 24: Kim_Seok2 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the data and the processing information are transmitted in one packet (Fig.9A, element S906, [0285], “The uplink user data may be ciphered and transmitted on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC resume request message or new message on CCCH. The uplink user data may be also referred as UL data”).
Claim 25: The combination of Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, Kim_Seok3 additionally teaches wherein the data and the processing information are included in separate packets (Fig. 13, [0311], “The user data may be ciphered and transmitted on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC resume request message on CCCH”, wherein DTCH and CCCH indicate data and processing information are carried in separate packets).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 regarding to the claim 23 is also applied to claim 25.
Claim 26: The combination of Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information includes the UE context ID to identify UE context information (Kim_Seok2 , Fig. 9A, [0285], disclose UE send an RRC resume request message or new message to the DU, including its I-RNTI, [0288], disclose UE context is associated with I-RNTI, wherein I-RNTI is reading as UE context ID. Kim_Seok3 , Fig. 13, [0311-0314], discloses the UE may transmit RRC resume request message to DU, and RRC resume request message may include DRB, UP ID and TNL information, wherein DRB, UP ID and TNL are reading as UE context ID) stored in the DU (Kim_Seok3 , [0313], ““the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured in FIG. 8… the DU may take advantage of the F1 UL UP TNL information to easily forward the UL data to the corresponding CU-UP”, wherein the preconfigured mapping table is properly interpreted as DU stored UE context information. [0280-0281], disclose mapping table include UP ID, TNL Information for UDFT, the QoS parameters about the DRB, [0076], “A radio bearer refers to a logical path provided by L1 (PHY layer) and L2 (MAC/RLC/PDCP/SDAP sublayer) for data transmission between a UE and a network … DRB is used as a path for transmitting user data in the user plane).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 regarding to the claim 23 is also applied to claim 27.
Claim 28: Kim_Seok2 teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information is transmitted with a RRC resume request (Fig. 9A, element S906, [0285], “the UE may send an RRC resume request message or new message to the DU, including its I-RNTI”).
Claim 45: The combination of Kim_Seok2, Kim_Seok3 and ZOU teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, ZOU additionally teaches wherein the SDT configuration carried in the MAC CE further comprises an old (alternative) or chosen logical channel identity (LCID) or an old (alternative) or chosen DRB identity (alternative) associated with the data ([0075-0078], disclose UEs in RRC INACTIVE state may select one or more UL resources to
transmit the small data based on their priority. The priority may be the priority of logical channel LCH used for the transmission of small data, and the detailed priority
information may be contained in the MAC PDU of the small data, [0058], disclose the DRB may be identified by a logical channel identifier LCID or eLCID in a media access control MAC subheader for small data forwarding).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok2 and ZOU regarding to the claim 23 is also applied to claim 45.
Claim 49: The combination of Kim_Seok2, Kim_Seok3 and ZOU teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, ZOU additionally teaches wherein the MAC CE includes an indicator mapped to a pre-configured set of parameters for establishing the RLC bearer at the DU ([0075], disclose the gNB-DU may select one of the TNL tunnels and RLC entities according to the priority of small data from one or more UEs in the RRC INACTIVE state, the priority is indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheade).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok2 and ZOU regarding to the claim 23 is also applied to claim 49.
Claims 29-31, 34-37, 46, 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim_Seok2 et al. (US 20220132600 A1, hereinafter Kim_Seok2) in view of Kim_Seok3 et al. (US 20220086944 A1, hereinafter Kim_Seok3), and in view of ZOU (US 20230164628 A1, hereinafter ZOU) and further in view of Kim_Dong et al. (US 20210120463 A1, hereinafter Kim_Dong).
Claim 29: Kim_Seok2 does not explicitly teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE).
However, Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) ([0381], “the UE generates an RRC connection resume
request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Dong are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of the processing information is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) as taught by Kim_Dong, for the benefit for allowing the MAC device multiplexes an RRC message to be transmitted through the SRB and data to be transmitted through the DRB to configure one MAC PDU, and transmits the MAC PDU in one TTI (paragraph [0381]).
Claim 30: Kim_Seok2 dos not explicitly teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information is determined based on a configuration of the UE, wherein the configuration is a last stored configuration for a radio link control (RLC) bearer associated with the UE, a common configuration for all UEs of a cell, or is provided by the UE with the data.
However, Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the processing information is determined based on a configuration of the UE, wherein the configuration is a last stored configuration for a radio link control (RLC) bearer associated with the UE, a common configuration for all UEs of a cell, or is provided by the UE with the data (Fig. 2T, element 2t-10, [0385], “If uplink data is generated, a UE at step 2t-05 in an RRC inactive mode may perform a random access procedure to set a connection to a network. The UE reestablishes PDCP devices and RLC devices for SRBs/DRBs using the stored UE context … After the above-described procedure,the UE may transmit a preamble, an RRC connection resume request message, and data at a time in the RRC inactive mode using a network and a pre-engaged contention based resource (at step 2t-10)”, [0381], “the UE reestablishes PDCP devices and RLC devices for SRBs/DRBs… If the above-described procedure is completed, the UE generates an RRC connection resume request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Dong are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of the processing the configuration is a last stored configuration for a radio link control (RLC) bearer associated with the UE as taught by Kim_Dong, for the benefit for allowing the UE to reestablish PDCP devices and RLC devices for SRBs/DRBs, and then the UE can generate an RRC connection resume
request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data (paragraph [0381]).
Claim 46: Kim_Seok2 dos not explicitly teach the one or more NTCRM of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to transmit the data using a default configuration for a physical (PHY) layer and a stored configuration for the RLC bearer.
However, Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches when executed, further cause the UE to transmit the data using a default configuration for a physical (PHY) layer and a stored configuration for the RLC bearer (Fig. 2T, element 2t-10, [0385], “If uplink data is generated, a UE at step 2t-05 in an RRC inactive mode may perform a random access procedure to set a connection to a network. The UE reestablishes PDCP devices and RLC devices for SRBs/DRBs using the stored UE context”, [0377], when the data having an amount that is smaller than the specific threshold value, the data may be directly transmitted without any procedure of shifting to the RRC connected mode,
immediately transmits the data may be determined by a specific threshold, and the threshold value set by the eNB through the RRC message (or MAC CE) may be applied preferentially to the default value).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Dong regarding to the claim 30 is also applied to claim 46.
Claim 31: Kim_Seok2 teaches an apparatus of a distributed unit of a next generation Node B (gNB) (Fig. 13, element 1310, [0367], “A distributed unit (DU) 1310 includes a processor 1311, a memory 1312, and a transceiver 1313”), the apparatus comprising:
a memory (Fig. 13, element 1312) to store user equipment (UE) context information associated with a UE, wherein the UE context information includes a radio link control (RLC) bearer instance;
processor circuitry (Fig. 13, element 1311) coupled to the memory ([0367], “The memory 1312 is coupled to the processor 1311, and stores a variety of information for driving the processor 1311 … The processor 1311 implements the proposed functions, procedures, and/or methods”), the processor circuity to:
identify that the UE has entered a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state (
Fig. 10A, element S1008, [0271], “Since the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state, there is no RRC connection between the UE and the gNB-CU-CP. Therefore, the Paging procedure is triggered to find the UE in the RNA. In this scenario, the NAS PDU can be forwarded to the gNB-DU to deliver it to UE as quickly as possible”), wherein the UE context information is maintained in the memory while the UE is in the RRC inactive state ([0079], “ in RRC_INACTIVE, 5GC-NG-RAN connection (both C/U-planes) is established for UE, and the UE AS context is stored in NG-RAN and the UE. NG-RAN knows the RNA which the UE belongs to”);
receive a message from the UE, while the UE is in the RRC inactive state, to indicate that the UE has data to send (Fig. 9A, element S904, [0284], “upon connection resumption
request for MO data from the upper layers, the UE may initiate the early data transmission procedure and selects a random access preamble configured for EDT”);
receive the data from the UE (Fig. 9A, element S906, [0285], “the UE may send an RRC resume request message or new message to the DU, including its I-RNTI. The uplink user data may be ciphered and transmitted on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC resume request message or new message on CCCH. The uplink user data may be also referred as UL data”);
However, Kim_Seok2 does not explicitly teach a memory to store user equipment (UE) context information associated with a UE, wherein the UE context information includes a radio link control (RLC) bearer instance.
and process the data using the RLC bearer instance based on the context information, wherein the RLC bearer instance is established based on a small data transmission (SDT) configuration received from the UE in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data, the SDT configuration comprising a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel.
Kim_Seok3, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches a memory to store user equipment (UE) context information associated with a UE([0313], ““the DU may be able to find the TNL address information for the CU-UP having the suspended UE context based on the mapping table which is preconfigured in FIG. 8… the DU may take advantage of the F1 UL UP TNL information to easily forward the UL data to the corresponding CU-UP”, wherein the preconfigured mapping table is properly interpreted as DU stored UE context information. [0280-0281], disclose mapping table include UP ID, TNL Information for UDFT, the QoS parameters about the DRB, [0076], “A radio bearer refers to a logical path provided by L1 (PHY layer) and L2 (MAC/RLC/PDCP/SDAP sublayer) for data transmission between a UE and a network … DRB is used as a path for transmitting user data in the user plane, [0079], “The UE AS context is stored in the network and the UE. The RAN knows the cell which the UE belongs to. The network can transmit and/or receive data to/from UE”).
and process the data using the RLC bearer instance based on the context information ( [0223], “The eNB initiates the S1-AP Context Resume procedure to resume the S1 connection and re-activate the S1-U bearers”, [0196], “the UE may also be able to transmit the data without state transition from the RRC-INACTIVE to the RRC-CONNECTED. Early data transmission (EDT) refers to the operation of transmitting data before the RRC connection setup is complete”, wherein EDT is processed in RRC_INACTIVE state, and eNB resuming the S1 connection and re-activate the S1-U bearers to support EDT mode. [0263], “ It is proposed to keep AS context in the NG-RAN including information the UPF connection and relevant QoS flow(s) to be used for the connection … When UE resumes the connection, the NG-RAN uses the information to activate DRB, AS security and User Plane connectivity over NG-U for the small data packet delivery to the UPF”, wherein activating DRB based on AS context, [0324], “This TNL address information may be allocated per the UEs within a certain area consisting of DU(s) connected to a specific CU-UP … provide to the DU to quickly forward the UL data to the CU-UP having the suspended UE context”, [0319], “the CU-UP just forwards the UL data to the UPF by using NG UL TEID in the AS context”, [0300], “The CU-UP may keep at least one of the bearer context, the UE-associated logical E1-connection, the NG-U related resource (e.g., NG-U DL TEIDs) or the F1 UL TEIDs”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Seok3 are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of processing the data using the RLC bearer instance based on the context information as taught by Kim_Seok3, for the benefit for allowing the UE able to transmit the data without state transition from the RRC-INACTIVE to the RRC-CONNECTED (paragraph [0196]).
ZOU, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the RLC bearer instance is established based on a small data transmission (SDT) configuration received from the UE in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) multiplexed with the data ([0063], disclose the gNB-DU may receive an end signal for transmission of small data, e.g., an ending MAC CE. Fig. 7, [0075], disclose the priority is indicated in the MAC PDU of the small data by the MAC CE or MAC subheader.), the SDT configuration comprising a logical channel group identity (LCGID) and a priority associated with a logical channel (Fig. 6, [0076-0078], disclose UEs in RRC INACTIVE state may select one or more UL resources to transmit the small data based on their priority. The priority may be the priority of logical channel LCH used for the transmission of small data, thus, the gNB-DU may obtain the priority information of the small data based on the resource used in UL transmissions, and select a common TNL tunnel and the associated RLC entity for RLC-layer processing and data forwarding to the gNB-CU. The detailed priority information may be contained in the MAC PDU of the small data, Fig. 7, [0080], disclose the gNB-DU may receive the data and can obtain priority information based on the resource used in transmission. [0014], disclose priority information carried in the transmission of the data from the wireless communication device to the DU, [0024], disclose a logical channel identifier LCID of the data is indicated in a medium access control MAC protocol data unit PDU, [0095], disclose the DU may identify or determine a priority of the data to be forwarded to the CU, and process the data using the corresponding RLC entity of the DRB, [0058], disclose the DRB may be identified by a logical channel identifier LCID or eLCID in a media access control MAC subheader for small data forwarding.).
Kim_Seok2 and ZOU are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of processing information includes logic channel ID and priority, as taught by ZOU, for the benefit of allowing the DU to select a DRB setup and/or the data according to the priority (paragraph [0026-0027, 0095]).
Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the UE context information includes a radio link control (RLC) bearer instance ([0375], “The UE context includes bearer setup information, such as an SRB or a DRB, and may also include setup information for a logical channel and security setup information … The UE may include the same RLC device setup information … The data as described above may include a UE identification (e.g., resume ID) so that the network/eNB can discriminate the UE during transmission of the data”, [0381], “the UE generates an RRC connection
resume request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Dong are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of the processing the configuration is a last stored configuration for a radio link control (RLC) bearer associated with the UE as taught by Kim_Dong, for the benefit for allowing the UE to reestablish PDCP devices and RLC devices for SRBs/DRBs, and then the UE can generate an RRC connection resume
request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data (paragraph [0381]).
Claim 34: Kim_Seok2 teaches the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the message is a RRC resume request (Fig. 9A, element S906, [0285], “the UE may send an RRC resume
request message or new message to the DU, including its I-RNTI”).
Claim 35: Kim_Seok2 does not explicitly teach the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the message is a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE).
However, Kim_Dong, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the message is a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) ([0381], “the UE generates an RRC connection resume request message (or MAC CE) to prepare transmission through the SRB (or DRB) and to prepare transmission through the DRB by processing the data”).
Kim_Seok2 and Kim_Dong are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim_Seok2 and the features of the processing information is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) as taught by Kim_Dong, for the benefit for allowing the MAC device multiplexes an RRC message to be transmitted through the SRB and data to be transmitted through the DRB to configure one MAC PDU, and transmits the MAC PDU in one TTI (paragraph [0381]).
Claim 36: Kim_Seok2 teaches the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor circuitry is to multiplex downlink data with a RRC release message for transmission to the UE based on an end marker indication for a last data packet received from a centralized unit (CU)-control plane (CP) (alternative) or a CU-user plane (UP) (Fig. 9B, element S936, S938, [0302], “In step S936, if downlink data were received in step S934, the downlink data may be sent ciphered on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC release message or new message on DCCH”, [0292], “If there is only single DL data from 5GC (e.g., acknowledgement for the UL data), the last serving CU-CP also may contain the indication “DL data transmission required” into the message to indicate to the DU that the DL user data should be transmitted on DTCH multiplexed with the RRC release message on DCCH… the DU may wait until receiving the DL data to transmit the RRC release message with the DL data”).
Claim 37: Kim_Seok2 teaches the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the message includes a UE context identifier, and wherein the context information is retrieved based on the UE context identifier ([0285], “In step S906, the UE may send an RRC resume request message or new message to the DU, including its I-RNTI”, [0288], “on receiving the RRC resume request message including the I-RNTI from the DU, the last serving CU-CP may first check whether it is able to find the UE context related to the I-RNTI or not”).
Claim 47: The combination of Kim_Seok2, Kim_Seok3, Kim_Dong and ZOU teach the apparatus of claim 31, ZOU additionally teach wherein the processor circuitry is to process the data using the RLC bearer instance maintained in the memory without exchanging a UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message with the CU-CP ([0070], the gNB-DU may set up a timer for arrival of a next data until expiration of the timer. Fig. 8B, [0098], disclose gNB-DU keep RLC bearer for receiving next data until timer expire).
The motivation for combining Kim_Seok3 and ZOU regarding to the claim 31 is also applied to claim 47.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 33 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 YONGHONG ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)272-4089. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 9:00 am - 5:00pm.
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/Y.Z./Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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