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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-5,7,8,16-19,21-25, and 27-30 in the reply filed on 11/21/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 6,9-15,20,26 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/21/2025.
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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3,5,8,17,18,19,22,25,29, and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Qiao (US 20240267858).
Re claim 1:
Qiao discloses a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising (Fig. 24 ref. UE):
communicating, via a distributed unit, a first service message to establish a first transport radio bearer with a first transport service offered by a service-based network, the first service message indicating one or more attributes associated with information to be transported via the first transport radio bearer (Fig. 24 ref. UE and ref. RRC Request with Traceability Capability of UE (TCU), Requested Time KPIs (RTK), Requested Time Service (RTST) and ref. DU and Para.[0310] In an example, the configuration of the allowed time KPI may comprise parameter(s) for radio bearer configuration and Para.[0299] In an example, the one or more parameters comprised in the UE context setup/modification response message may be associated with the time service. For example, the DRB Setup List and/or SRB Setup List may be applied to the time service);
receiving, from the distributed unit in response to the first service message, a physical resource configuration for communications associated with the first transport service, and a mapping of the first transport radio bearer to a first channel between the UE and the distributed unit (Fig. 24 ref. RRS Response with NPTUI, STK, STST and Para.[0310] In an example, the configuration of the allowed time KPI may comprise parameter(s) for radio bearer configuration, parameter(s) for MAC configuration, parameter(s) for PDCP configuration, parameter(s) for RRC configuration, and/or parameter(s) for physical layer configuration and Para.[0108] The mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers may be determined in the SDAP 772 by the gNB 702, and the UE 701 may be notified of the mapping (e.g., based on control signaling and/or reflective mapping and Para.[0109] In a dual connectivity scenario, PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform mapping between a split radio bearer and RLC channels); and
communicating, via the distributed unit based at least in part on the physical resource configuration, the information to be transported via the first transport service (Fig. 24 ref. Network Provides Time Service).
Re claim 2:
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: mapping one or more transport radio bearers to the first channel, each of the one or more transport radio bearers having an associated transport service (Para.[0109] In a dual connectivity scenario, PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform mapping between a split radio bearer and RLC channels and Para.[0253] In an example, the supported time KPIs and/or supported time service type may be applicable to per bearer basis).
Re claim 3:
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the information to be transported via the first transport service is split over two or more channels between the UE and the distributed unit, including a separate channel for signaling information (Para.[0246] For example, the SRB to Be Setup List, DRB to Be Setup List may be applied to the time service).
Re claim 5:
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: two or more transport radio bearers from the first transport service are mapped to the first channel, one transport radio bearer is mapped to the first channel, or multiple transport radio bearers are mapped to each of two or more channels (Para.[0109] In a dual connectivity scenario, PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform mapping between a split radio bearer and RLC channels and Para.[0253] In an example, the supported time KPIs and/or supported time service type may be applicable to per bearer basis).
Re claim 8:
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first transport radio bearer provides communications for both signaling information and data associated with the first transport service (Para.[0246] For example, the SRB to Be Setup List, DRB to Be Setup List may be applied to the time service).
Re claim 17:
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first transport service is provided at a protocol layer associated with the first transport radio bearer, and wherein the protocol layer is an Internet protocol (IP) layer or a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer (Para.[0110] The RLCs 213 and 223 may provide RLC channels as a service to PDCPs 214 and 224, respectively).
Re claim 18: Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the DU.
Re claim 19: Claim 19 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 22: Claim 8 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 8.
Re claim 25: Claim 25 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the CU.
Re claim 29: Claim 29 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1. Qiao further discloses a processor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor (Fig. 13).
Re claim 30: Claim 30 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao (US 20240267858) in view of Vangala (US 20250393091).
Re claim 4:
As discussed above, Qiao meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Qiao does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 3, wherein the split over the two or more channels is based at least in part on one or more of a traffic priority of the information to be transported via the first transport service, a traffic delay tolerance of the information to be transported via the first transport service, a traffic acceptable error rate of the information to be transported via the first transport service, or any combinations thereof.
Vangala discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the split over the two or more channels is based at least in part on one or more of a traffic priority of the information to be transported via the first transport service, a traffic delay tolerance of the information to be transported via the first transport service, a traffic acceptable error rate of the information to be transported via the first transport service, or any combinations thereof (Para.[0021] Multiple BH RLC channels can be configured on each BH link to allow traffic prioritization and quality of service (QOS) enforcement).
Qiao and Vangala are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Qiao to include a traffic prioritization as taught by Vangala in order to improve efficiency (Vangala Para.[0031]).
Claim(s) 7,21,24, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao (US 20240267858) in view of Lee (US 20240032127).
Re claim 7:
As discussed above, Qiao meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the information to be transported via the first transport service is transmitted using a plurality of packets, and (Para.[0108] The UE 701 may receive services through a PDU session, which may be a logical connection between the UE 701 and a data network (DN). The UE 701 and the DN may exchange data packets associated with the PDU session).
Qiao does not explicitly disclose each packet of the plurality of packets include an indication of the first transport radio bearer.
Lee discloses each packet of the plurality of packets include an indication of the first transport radio bearer (Para.[0239] if each packet has a bearer ID, the indication for each route in the routing table can indicate which bearer IDs are allowed to perform routing only based on a part of routing information).
Qiao and Lee are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Qiao to include a bearer ID in a packet as taught by Lee in order to provide higher QoS to UEs stably (Lee Para.[0013]).
Re claim 21: Claim 21 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 7.
Re claim 24:
As discussed above, Qiao meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Qiao discloses the method of claim 18, further comprising: communicating with the first transport service based at least in part on a communication protocol that provides (Para.[0108] The UE 701 may receive services through a PDU session, which may be a logical connection between the UE 701 and a data network (DN). The UE 701 and the DN may exchange data packets associated with the PDU session).
Qiao does not explicitly disclose an indication of the first transport radio bearer; an indication of traffic flow information associated with the first transport radio bearer.
Lee discloses an indication of the first transport radio bearer; an indication of traffic flow information associated with the first transport radio bearer (Para.[0239] if each packet has a bearer ID, the indication for each route in the routing table can indicate which bearer IDs are allowed to perform routing only based on a part of routing information).
Qiao and Lee are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Qiao to include a bearer ID in a packet as taught by Lee in order to provide higher QoS to UEs stably (Lee Para.[0013]).
Re claim 27: Claim 27 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 7.
Claim(s) 16 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao (US 20240267858).
Re claim 16:
As discussed above, Qiao meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Qiao discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the distributed unit in response to an updated configuration associated with the first transport service, an updated physical resource configuration; and communicating, via the distributed unit based at least in part on the updated physical resource configuration, the information to be transported via the first transport service (Para.[0272] In an example, the node-level message may be a gNB-DU Configuration Update message and Para.[0279] In an example, the second node-level message may be a gNB-CU Configuration Update message).
As shown above, Qiao discloses updated configuration information. Qiao also discloses the DU sending the UE configuration information. Qiao does not explicitly state updated configuration information is sent to the UE; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention that updated configuration information is sent to the UE when the configuration information is updated in order to have the UE properly configured to transmit and receive information.
Re claim 28: Claim 28 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 16.
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao (US 20240267858) in view of Dai (US 20190297634).
Re claim 23:
As discussed above, Qiao meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Qiao does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 18, further comprising: aggregating traffic flow information across the first transport service and one or more other transport services; and configuring one or more carriers and one or more resource grants of the physical resource configuration based at least in part on aggregated traffic flow information.
Dai discloses the method of claim 18, further comprising: aggregating traffic flow information across the first transport service and one or more other transport services; and configuring one or more carriers and one or more resource grants of the physical resource configuration based at least in part on aggregated traffic flow information (Para.[0147] The following describes in detail the controlling, by the CU or the DU, corresponding data transmission based on the first parameter by using an example in which the first parameter includes an uplink PDU session aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR) and a downlink PDU session AMBR and Para.[0122] The DU generates an uplink (UL) grant based on the UE-reported logical channel priority of the bearer and amount of the cached data and the QoS parameter corresponding to the bearer, and sends the uplink grant to the UE through a physical downlink control channel. The UE sends the uplink data based on the received uplink grant).
Qiao and Dai are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Qiao to include aggregating traffic as taught by Dai in order to improve scheduling (Dai Para.[0181]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dai (US 20190297634) shows communicating between a CU, DU, and UE service configuration information.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached at (571) 272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471