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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment/Remarks
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 02/27/2026.
Claims 11-15, 17, 21-24, 27, 30-38 are pending and are examined in this office action.
Claims 11, 21, 30 have been amended.
New claims 33-38 has been added and claims 1-10, 16,18-20 25-26, 28-29, have been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 02/27/2026 , with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection. The Examiner found features modified to claims, i.e claim 1 as “11. (Currently Amended) A terminal device, comprising: a memory having a computer program stored thereon, and a processor configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the terminal device to perform:
receiving a handover command that instructs the terminal device to be handed over from a source cell to a target cell in a Dual Active Protocol Stack (DAPS) handover mode; and
performing, when the DAPS handover fails and no radio link failure in the source cell is detected, at least one of:
re-establishing a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity corresponding to at least one Signaling Radio Bearer (SRB) of the source cell or
triggering a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Service Data Unit (SDU) deletion process;
wherein when the terminal device re-establishes the RLC entity corresponding to the at least SRB of the source cell, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device further to perform:
deleting all data in a buffer of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB; and resetting a timer configured in the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB, and initializing a state variable of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB;
wherein when the terminal device triggers the PDCP SDU deletion process, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device further to perform:
deleting all PDCP Protocol Data Units (PDUs) and PDCP SDUs of a PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB..”
that have changed the scope of the invention, Therefore, Applicant’s remarks regarding rejection under 35 U.S.C 103 for the claims are moot. Applicant's remarks are considered as forward looking statement for the newly reconstructed claims.
In view of the applicant’s amendment to the claims, the examiner has clarified and remapped the rejection to the argued claim limitations in details, using the prior art of record in the current prosecution of the claims as well a new prior art. See over KIM et al. (US 20220217594 A1; hereinafter as “KIM7594”) in view of KIM et al. (US 20250344111 A1; ; hereinafter as “KIM6829”).
Examiner’s NOTE: there are many “OR” functions in the claims. The examiner will addressed any one of the “OR” function unless excessively mentioned by the examiner.
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 11-15, 17, 21-24, 27, 30-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al. (US 20220217594 A1; hereinafter as “KIM7594”) in view of KIM et al. (US 20210136829 A1; ; hereinafter as “KIM6829”, which has a priority date November 1, 2019).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to KIM7594 unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independence claim:
Regarding claim 11, KIM7594 teaches, A terminal device (see fig. 10: UE, Fig. 17: UE ) ), comprising:
a memory having a computer program stored thereon, and a processor configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory (see fig. 17: UE with Processor, memory , DSP/Microprocessor with computer code : : [0257]-[[0266]),
to cause the terminal device (==UE ) to perform, comprising:
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receiving a handover command that instructs the terminal device (==UE) to be handed over from a source cell to a target cell in a Dual Active Protocol Stack (DAPS) handover mode (UE receives “measurement configuration from a source cell, initiate a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) mobility (==handover command which connected to source as well) from the source cell to a target cell, detect a failure of the DAPS mobility, and after detecting the failure of the DAPS mobility: control the transceiver to transmit information for the failure of the DAPS mobility to the source cell, and perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on one or more neighbor cells based on the measurement configuration received from the source cell.”: “ For example, the UE may perform an RRM measurement on one or more neighbor cells after a handover failure based on a source cell configuration so that a new handover can be initiated quickly. Since performing RRM of a source cell after the handover failure may prevent RRC re-establishment procedure and the UE may be able to keep sending data transmission to the source cell, interruption time can be further reduced.”: [0012]-[0015]; see fig. 15 element S1501, aforesaid UE receives measurement configuration and calculate radio resource management (RRM) (==handover command ) in wireless communications from a source cell to start handover to target cell , “ Referring to FIG. 15, in step S1501, the wireless device may receive a measurement configuration from a source cell. The measurement configuration may be a kind of a source cell configuration (i.e., configuration received from the source cell). The measurement configuration may comprise RRM configuration.
[0190] In step S1503, the wireless device may initiate a DAPS mobility (==handover command) from the source cell to a target cell. The wireless device may initiate the DAPS mobility in which a connection to both of the source cell and the target cell is maintained during a mobility procedure. ”: [0189]-0190] ) and
performing, when the DAPS handover fails and no radio link failure in the source cell is detected (see fig. 15 element S1505; aforesaid UE detect a failure of The DAPS mobility : “ In step S1505, the wireless device may detect a failure of the DAPS mobility. For example, the wireless device may detect a failure of the DAPs mobility upon an expiry of a mobility validity timer such as T 304 and/or a reconfiguration error such as invalid configuration for the target cell.”: [0191]; NOTE: no radio link failure in the source cell is detected ), at least one of:
re-establishing a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity corresponding to at least one Signaling Radio Bearer (SRB) of the source cell ( “ In summary, upon DAPS handover failure, UE may revert back (== re-establishing a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity) to the source cell configuration prior to a reception of the handover command (including RLC and PDCP state)… ”: [0256] ; “ the RRC layer controls logical channels, transport channels, and physical channels in relation to the configuration, reconfiguration, and release of radio bearers. 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. Setting the radio bearer means defining the characteristics of the radio protocol layer and the channel for providing a specific service, and setting each specific parameter and operation method. Radio bearer may be divided into signaling RB (SRB) and data RB (DRB). The SRB is used as a path for transmitting RRC messages in the control plane, and the DRB is used as a path for transmitting user data in the user plane.”: [0098]; “ MAC entity and SRB PDCP entity of the target protocol may be used to perform the transmission of the RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message.”: [0166]).
.
While KIM7594 teaches, re-establishing a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity corresponding to at least one Signaling Radio Bearer (SRB) of the source cell,
KIM7594 does not expressively disclose:
or triggering a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Service Data Unit (SDU) deletion process;
wherein when the terminal device re-establishes the RLC entity corresponding to the at least SRB of the source cell, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device further to perform:
deleting all data in a buffer of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB,
resetting a timer configured in the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB, and initializing a state variable of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB;
wherein when the terminal device triggers the PDCP SDU deletion process, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device further to perform:
deleting all PDCP Protocol Data Units (PDUs) and PDCP SDUs of a PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB.
KIM6829, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
OR triggering a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Service Data Unit (SDU) deletion process (UE experiences a DAPS handover failure. DAPS handover failure trigger discard/delete PDCP SU or DSCP PDU : [0369]),
wherein when the terminal device re-establishes the RLC entity corresponding to the at least SRB of the source cell, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device further to perform:
deleting all data in a buffer of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB,
resetting a timer configured in the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB, and initializing a state variable of the RLC entity corresponding to the at least one SRB (NOTE: This is part of 1st OR Function re-establishing RLC entity. Since this is OR function, the examiner will address 2nd OR function below );
wherein when the terminal device triggers the PDCP SDU deletion process ([0369]), the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program to cause the terminal device (==UE) further to perform:
deleting all PDCP Protocol Data Units (PDUs) and PDCP SDUs of a PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB (discard/delete all PDCP PDUs and PDCP SDUs with SRB: “ For example, with regard to an SRB, the UE may initialize window state parameters (parameter initialization may be omitted in order to fall back in the case of a DAPS handover failure), or may discard stored data (PDCP SDU or PDCP PDU).”: [0369]; “ The UE may perform a PDCP re-establishment procedure with regard to the PDCP layer device with regard to each bearer. For example, the UE may, with regard to the SRB, initialize window state parameters and discard stored data (PDCP SDU or PDCP PDU), and may initialize window state parameters with regard to a UM DRB”: [0367]) .
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of KIM7594 to include the above recited limitations as taught by KIM6829. The suggestion/motivation would be performing an efficient handover (hereinafter, referred to as a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover) such that there is no data transmission/reception interruption during a handover in a next-generation mobile communication system (KIM6829; [0002]).
With respect to dependence claim:
Regarding claim 12, KIM7594 in view of KIM6829 teaches the invention of claim 11 as set forth above. Further, KIM7594 teaches, The terminal device according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the terminal device further to perform resuming the at least one SRB of the source cell ( “When the RLF is detected on the target cell after successful HO completion and if the source cell connection is not yet released by the UE, then the UE may resume RLM on the source cell on fallback to the source cell connection.”: [0177]; “ According to various embodiments, upon receiving N310 consecutive “out-of-sync” indications for the PCell while neither T300, T301, T304 nor T311 is running, the UE may start timer T310. Upon the T310 expiry, upon the T312 expiry, upon a random access problem indication from MCG MAC while neither T300, T301, T304 nor T311 is running, or upon indication from MCG RLC, which is allowed to be sent on PCell, that the maximum number of retransmissions has been reached for an SRB or DRB, the UE may consider a radio link failure (RLF) to be detected for the MCG.”[0172]).
Regarding claim 13, KIM7594 in view of KIM6829 teaches the invention of claim 10 as set forth above. Further, KIM7594 teaches, The terminal device according to claim 11, wherein when the DAPS handover fails and no radio link failure in the source cell is detected, the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the terminal device further to perform instructing a PDCP layer corresponding to the at least one SRB of the source cell to suspend the PDCP entity, and deleting all PDC(“ the reverted PDCP/RLC state may include data stored in transmission and reception buffers of PDCP and RLC entities prior to the reception of the handover command. ”: [0256]; NOTE: deleting all the new data and reverts back to original RLC data which corresponds to SRB : [0166])).
Regarding claim 14, KIM7594 in view of KIM6829 teaches the invention of claim 13 as set forth above. Further, KIM6829 teaches, The terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the terminal device further to perform resetting state information of the PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB (“ PDCP PDU reordering for reception”:“ The above-mentioned reordering function of the NR PDCP devices refers to a function of reordering PDCP PDUs received from the lower layer according to the PDCP sequence number (SN), and may include a function of delivering reordered data to the upper layer”: [0098]-[0108]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of KIM7594 to include the above recited limitations as taught by KIM6829. The suggestion/motivation would be performing an efficient handover (hereinafter, referred to as a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover) such that there is no data transmission/reception interruption during a handover in a next-generation mobile communication system (KIM6829; [0002]).
Regarding claim 15, KIM7594 in view of KIM6829 teaches the invention of claim 14 as set forth above. Further, KIM6829 teaches, The terminal device according to claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the terminal device further to perform resetting a timer configured in the PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB (NOTE: THIs is 1st “OR” Function and will be addressed), and/or initializing a state variable of the PDCP entity corresponding to the at least one SRB ( “ When an indicator is sent to the lower layer device so as to instruct the same to discard data, the PDCP layer device may send a discard indicator with regard to PDCP user data (PDCP data PDU) only, and may not send a discard indicator with regard to PDCP control data (PDCP control PDU, for example, PDCP status report or ROHC feedback). This is because the PDCP control data (PDCP control PDU, for example, PDCP status report or ROHC feedback) is information which needs to be transmitted in order to continuously receive downlink data from the source eNB 8-05 even after the first condition is satisfied, and if the same is lost, errors may occur to downlink data transmission.”: [0205]; “ When sending an indicator to a lower layer device so as to instruct the same to discard data, the PDCP layer device may send a discard indicator with regard to only PDCP user data (PDCP data PDU) and may not send a discard indicator with regard to PDCP control data (PDCP control PDU, for example, PDCP status report or ROHC feedback). This is because the PDCP control data (PDCP control PDU, for example, PDCP status report or ROHC feedback) is information which needs to be transmitted such that the UE 8-20 continuously receives downlink data from the source eNB 8-05 even after the first condition is satisfied, and if the same is lost, errors may occur to downlink data transmission.”: [213]; [0201]-[0202]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of KIM7594 to include the above recited limitations as taught by KIM6829. The suggestion/motivation would be performing an efficient handover (hereinafter, referred to as a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover) such that there is no data transmission/reception interruption during a handover in a next-generation mobile communication system (KIM6829; [0002]).
Regarding claim 17, KIM7594 in view of KIM6829 teaches the invention of claim 16 as set forth above. Further, KIM7594 teaches, The terminal device according to claim 11, wherein all the data comprises at least one of: all RLC SDUs, all RLC PDUs, or RLC SDU segments ( “ 4>revert back to the UE configuration used for the DRB in the source, includes PDCP, RLC states variables, the security configuration and the data stored in transmission and reception buffers in PDCP and RLC entities;”: [0236]-[0237]).
Regarding claim 21, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 11.
Regarding claim 22, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 12.
Regarding claim 23, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 13.
Regarding claim 24, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 14.
Regarding claim 27, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 17.
Regarding claim 30, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 11.
Regarding claim 31, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 12.
Regarding claim 32, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 13.
Regarding claim 33, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 15.
Regarding claim 34, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 15.
Regarding claim 35, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 13.
Regarding claim 36, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 14.
Regarding claim 37, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 15.
Regarding claim 38, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 27.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M MOSTAZIR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4785. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Derrick Ferris can be reached at 571-272-3123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M Mostazir Rahman/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/BRANDON M RENNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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