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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed January 23, 2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-6 under 35 USC § 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of 35 USC § 103.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US 20200267610 A1) in view of RUGELAND et al. (US 20220007255 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Xu et al. teaches a communication control method comprising: performing, by a remote user equipment, communication with a source base station via a relay user equipment (Paragraph 48, 50, 227, These passages teach a UE performing communication with a source base station through a relay UE including a direct PC5 relay link used for forwarding communication); starting, by the remote user equipment, Radio Resource Control (RRC) reestablishment procedure to a target base station in response to the detection of the communication failure in the radio link over the PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 51, 54, These passages teach that upon link failure the UE initiates an RRC recovery/reestablishment procedure toward a target base station to restore connectivity); receiving, by the remote user equipment, an RRC reestablishment message from the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, the target base station having retrieved the context information from the source base station using the predetermined identifier (Paragraph 230-232, These passages teach that the target base station retrieves UE context from the source base station and responds with signaling to reestablish the RRC connection with the UE); and transmitting, by the remote user equipment, an RRC reestablishment complete message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure (Paragraph 232, 233, These passages teach completion of the RRC reestablishment/handover procedure including final signaling from the UE confirming successful reconfiguration).
Xu et al. does not explicitly teach detecting, by the remote user equipment, communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; transmitting, by the remote user equipment, an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment.
However, RUGELAND et al. teaches detecting, by the remote user equipment, communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 131, 186, 295, These passages teach that the UE detects a radio link failure or connection failure triggering re-establishment procedures, thereby teaching detection of communication failure in a radio link between communicating entities); transmitting, by the remote user equipment, an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment (Paragraph 171, 298, 342, 376, These passages teach that the UE transmits an RRC Reestablishment Request including a UE identifier composed of C-RNTI, physCellId, and shortMAC-I, which are used by the network to retrieve UE context from the source node).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide detecting, by the remote user equipment, communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; transmitting, by the remote user equipment, an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment as taught by Rugeland et al. in the system of Xu et al., so that the remote user equipment could reliably detect relay link failure and provide sufficient identifier information to the target base station to efficiently retrieve stored UE context from the source base station and successfully perform RRC reestablishment to restore communication continuity.
Regarding claim 2, Xu et al. teaches acquiring, by the remote user equipment, a cell identifier of the source base station via the relay user equipment prior to a start of the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises the cell identifier as the predetermined identifier (Paragraph 50, 91, 111, 226, These passages teach that the UE obtains (acquires) identifying information including the cell ID of the current/source cell while communicating via a relay UE over a PC5 link prior to subsequent handover/RRC procedures).
Regarding claim 3, Xu et al. teaches a remote user equipment comprising: a controller configured to perform communication with a source base station via a relay user equipment (Paragraph 48, 50, 227, These passages teach a UE performing communication with a source base station through a relay UE including a direct PC5 relay link used for forwarding communication), the controller configured to start a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reestablishment procedure to a target base station in response to the detection of the communication failure in the radio link over the PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 51, 54, These passages teach that upon link failure the UE initiates an RRC recovery/reestablishment procedure toward a target base station to restore connectivity); and a receiver configured to receive an RRC reestablishment message from the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, the target base station having retrieved the context information from the source base station using the predetermined identifier (Paragraph 230-232, These passages teach that the target base station retrieves UE context from the source base station and responds with signaling to reestablish the RRC connection with the UE), wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an RRC reestablishment complete message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure (Paragraph 232, 233, These passages teach completion of the RRC reestablishment/handover procedure including final signaling from the UE confirming successful reconfiguration).
Xu et al. does not explicitly teach the controller configured to detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; a transmitter configured to transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment.
However, RUGELAND et al. teaches the controller configured to detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 131, 186, 295, These passages teach that the UE detects a radio link failure or connection failure triggering re-establishment procedures, thereby teaching detection of communication failure in a radio link between communicating entities); a transmitter configured to transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment (Paragraph 171, 298, 342, 376, These passages teach that the UE transmits an RRC Reestablishment Request including a UE identifier composed of C-RNTI, physCellId, and shortMAC-I, which are used by the network to retrieve UE context from the source node).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the controller configured to detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; a transmitter configured to transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment as taught by Rugeland et al. in the system of Xu et al., so that the remote user equipment could reliably detect relay link failure and provide sufficient identifier information to the target base station to efficiently retrieve stored UE context from the source base station and successfully perform RRC reestablishment to restore communication continuity.
Regarding claim 4, Xu et al. teaches an apparatus configured to control a remote user equipment, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the processor configured to perform communication with a source base station via a relay user equipment (Paragraph 48, 50, 227, These passages teach a UE performing communication with a source base station through a relay UE including a direct PC5 relay link used for forwarding communication); start a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reestablishment procedure to a target base station in response to the detection of the communication failure in the radio link over the PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 51, 54, These passages teach that upon link failure the UE initiates an RRC recovery/reestablishment procedure toward a target base station to restore connectivity); receive an RRC reestablishment message from the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, the target base station having retrieved the context information from the source base station using the predetermined identifier (Paragraph 230-232, These passages teach that the target base station retrieves UE context from the source base station and responds with signaling to reestablish the RRC connection with the UE); and transmit an RRC reestablishment complete message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure (Paragraph 232, 233, These passages teach completion of the RRC reestablishment/handover procedure including final signaling from the UE confirming successful reconfiguration).
Xu et al. does not explicitly teach detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment.
However, RUGELAND et al. teaches detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment (Paragraph 131, 186, 295, These passages teach that the UE detects a radio link failure or connection failure triggering re-establishment procedures, thereby teaching detection of communication failure in a radio link between communicating entities); transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment (Paragraph 171, 298, 342, 376, These passages teach that the UE transmits an RRC Reestablishment Request including a UE identifier composed of C-RNTI, physCellId, and shortMAC-I, which are used by the network to retrieve UE context from the source node).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide detect communication failure in a radio link over a PC5 interface between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment; transmit an RRC reestablishment request message to the target base station in the RRC reestablishment procedure, wherein the RRC reestablishment request message comprises a predetermined identifier configured to identify context information of the remote user equipment stored in the source base station, the predetermined identifier including at least one of: a C-RNTI allocated by the source base station, a physical cell identifier acquired via the relay user equipment, a shortMAC-I calculated by the remote user equipment as taught by Rugeland et al. in the system of Xu et al., so that the remote user equipment could reliably detect relay link failure and provide sufficient identifier information to the target base station to efficiently retrieve stored UE context from the source base station and successfully perform RRC reestablishment to restore communication continuity.
Regarding claim 5, Xu et al. teaches the communication failure based on communication state information notified from a PC5 RRC layer to an RRC layer of the remote user equipment regarding a sidelink radio link with the relay user equipment, the communication failure comprising at least one of: sidelink radio link failure, failure of PC5 RRC reestablishment (Paragraph 37, 39, 51, 227, 233, These passages collectively teach that a UE maintains and monitors PC5 sidelink connection states with a relay UE (establishment/release), where link failure events trigger RRC recovery/reestablishment procedures, thereby reflecting communication state information used to determine communication failure including sidelink radio link failure and RRC reestablishment failure).
Regarding claim 6, Xu et al. teaches the communication failure is determined when a PC5 RRC layer detects sidelink measurement results below a configured threshold (Paragraph 37, 138, 139, The passage teaches that a protocol-layer-controlled UE performs periodic measurements (filtered measurements corresponding to higher-layer processing), compares them to configured thresholds, and when the measured link quality (SINR) falls below the threshold it determines degraded link conditions leading to link failure).
Allowable Subject Matter
In order to more fully reflect the novel improvements described in the specification, the applicant could consider adding concepts such as implementing separate first and second RRC layers in the remote UE, where the first RRC layer manages RRC signaling with the base station via the relay UE and the second RRC layer manages RRC signaling with the relay UE itself, and where the second RRC layer notifies the first RRC layer of communication state information indicating failure or disconnection of the radio link with the relay UE; specifying that the communication failure detection is based on notification from the second RRC layer rather than only physical layer link monitoring; incorporating management, at the source base station, of the relay UE identifier, relay UE context information, and remote UE context information in association with one another to enable coordinated context retrieval; defining that the relay UE may transmit its own RRC reestablishment request including its identifier so that the target base station can acquire both relay UE and remote UE context information from the source base station; and adding that, upon release of the RRC connection with the relay UE, the remote UE selects a reconnection destination according to a predefined priority order in which the relay UE has highest priority and attempts reconnection processing accordingly, thereby emphasizing layered RRC architecture, coordinated context association between relay and remote UEs, and prioritized reconnection control as additional inventive aspects not presently captured in the claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takano (US 20210185667 A1)
Kim et al. (US 20190357295 A1)
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 ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN whose telephone number is (703)756-1878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/IQBAL ZAIDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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