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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/11/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 19-21, 24, 26, 28-33 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The Applicant improperly equates “RRC relayed connection” with “RRC relayed connection reconfiguration”. Reconfiguration means a new or different relative arrangement of parts or elements and/or the rearrangement of a previous configuration from Merriam-Webster dictionary. Thus, a timer for RRC relayed connection reconfiguration does not equivalent to “a timer for end-to-end RRC message for newly establishing a connection between the UE and the BS through a relay when the UE is in non-connected state”. In Fig. 8 and ¶ [0106], Wu first discloses establishment of the RRC relayed connection in operation 802 and then separately discloses relay reselection upon “an expiry of a timer for a RRC relayed connection reconfiguration” after in operation 803. Wu states that the timer is for “RRC relayed connection reconfiguration”, which implies reconfiguration of an existing relayed connection rather than mere initial establishment of the relayed connection. Since a timer cannot expire unless it was first started for the corresponding reconfiguration procedure, the timer starts when this reconfiguration begins. Also, because Baek teaches path switch from direct path to indirect path and implemented through RRC reconfiguration, Wu’s timer for RRC relayed connection reconfiguration is reasonably related to the path switch taught by Baek. Therefore, Wu discloses a trigger condition to perform a relay reselection procedure and the trigger condition is when the timer is expired for RRC relayed connection reconfiguration, the UE performs relay reselection to select a new relay UE.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s arguments for at least the reasons discussed above.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 19,21,24,26,28-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US 20210315057; hereinafter “Baek”) in view of Wu et al. (US 20230362881; hereinafter “Wu”).
Regarding claim 19, Baek discloses:
A method comprising:
receiving, by a remote user equipment (UE) in a connected state from a network a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message for a path switch from a direct path to an indirect path, ([0254] When it is determined that the path is switched from the access link to the sidelink, the base station may perform an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure with the remote terminal to configure a path for the remote terminal (S2009).)
wherein the direct path is a type of UE-to-network transmission path where data is transmitted without relaying, ([0181] The ‘UE-to-network coverage extension’ may refer to coverage extension of an access link (e.g., Uu interface) between a base station and a terminal for communication between the terminal (e.g., UE) located inside or outside of the cell coverage and the entity (i.e., base station) located in the network; [0190] Alternatively, the remote terminal may configure an access link with the base station, and may transmit and receive data using the access link without a relay terminal. The remote terminal may be referred to as a ‘remote UE’.)
and wherein the indirect path is a type of UE-to-network transmission path where data is forwarded via a relay UE, ([0181] Coverage extension using a relay terminal may be classified into ‘UE-to-network coverage extension’ and ‘UE-to-UE coverage extension’. [0182] The ‘UE-to-UE coverage extension’ may refer to coverage extension of a sidelink (e.g., PC5 interface) between terminals for communication between the terminals (e.g., entities) located inside or outside of the cell coverage; [0172] After the step S507 is completed, sidelink communication between the remote terminal and the relay terminal may be performed (S508). For example, the relay terminal may transmit data (e.g., user data) received from the remote terminal to the base station; [0192] Relay terminal: A relay terminal may configure a sidelink with a remote terminal, may configure an access link with a base station, and may relay data of the remote terminal using the sidelink and the access link. The relay terminal may be referred to as a ‘relay UE’)
and wherein the RRC reconfiguration message comprises an identity (ID) of the relay UE; ([0168] The base station may transmit information on the selected relay terminal to the remote terminal and/or the relay terminal. For example, the base station may transmit an identifier of the selected relay terminal in an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure.)
base on receiving the RRC reconfiguration message:
starting, by the remote UE, a timer related to the path switch; (Fig. 8 & [0106] In operation 803, the UE performs a relay reselection procedure in response to “an expiry of a timer for a RRC relayed connection reconfiguration of a link between the UE and the BS” or “receiving a relay reselection indication from the BS.”; [0104] The method may be performed by a UE (e.g., UE 101a as illustrated and shown in FIG. 1, UE 201-C as illustrated and shown in FIG. 2, UE 310 as illustrated and shown in FIG. 3, or UE 410 as illustrated and shown in FIG. 4); Fig 3 shows introductions of some timers including T304 timer starts upon reception of an RRC Reconfiguration message)
and triggering, by the remote UE, a link establishment with the relay UE; ([0106] In operation 803, the UE performs a relay reselection procedure in response to “an expiry of a timer for a RRC relayed connection reconfiguration of a link between the UE and the BS” or “receiving a relay reselection indication from the BS.”)
and performing, by the remote UE, a relay UE selection or reselection based on an expiry of the timer, wherein the expiry of the timer is related to a failure of the path switch. ([0106] In operation 802, a RRC relayed connection of the link between the UE and the BS is established. In operation 803, the UE performs a relay reselection procedure in response to “an expiry of a timer for a RRC relayed connection reconfiguration of a link between the UE and the BS” or “receiving a relay reselection indication from the BS.”; Examiner’s Note: when the timer expires, UE need to select new relay UE for the indirect path which corresponds to failure recovery to be able to switch from direct path to indirect path)
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Baek with the teachings of Wu, to
include based on receiving the RRC reconfiguration message: starting by the remote UE, a timer related to the path switch; and triggering, by the remote UE, a PC5 link establishment with the relay UE; and performing, by the remote UE, a relay UE selection or reselection based on an expiry of the timer. The motivation would have been to design a relay reselection and data transmission handling procedure in a user equipment (UE)-to-network relay scenario. (Wu ¶ [0001])
Regarding claim 21, Beak does not disclose:
wherein a value of the timer is set based on a time duration for the remote UE to search for the relay UE.
However, Wu discloses:
wherein a value of the timer is set based on a time duration for the remote UE to search for the relay UE. ([0108] the UE may start the timer for the RRC relayed connection reconfiguration. [0106] the UE performs a relay reselection procedure in response to “an expiry of a timer for a RRC relayed connection reconfiguration of a link between the UE and the BS” or “receiving a relay reselection indication from the BS.”)
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Baek with the teachings of Wu, to
include a value of the timer is set based on a time duration for the remote UE to search for the relay UE. The motivation would have been to design a relay reselection and data transmission handling procedure in a user equipment (UE)-to-network relay scenario. (Wu ¶ [0001])
Regarding claim 24, Beak discloses:
wherein a serving cell of the remote UE is same as or different from that of the relay UE. ([0084] In this case, the relay terminal may be located inside or outside a service coverage of a cell, and the remote terminal may be located inside or outside the service coverage of the cell.)
Regarding claim 26, Beak discloses:
wherein the RRC reconfiguration message is related to a mobility command. ([0254] When it is determined that the path is switched from the access link to the sidelink, the base station may perform an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure with the remote terminal to configure a path for the remote terminal (S2009).)
Regarding claim 28, Beak discloses:
further comprising receiving, from the network, information for a selection mode indicating that the relay UE for the PC5 link establishment with the remote UE is selected by the network. ([0165] The procedure for selecting a relay terminal may be classified into a selection scheme 1 and a selection scheme 2 according to a subject that selects a relay terminal. [0166] Selection scheme 1: When the selection scheme 1 is used, the base station may select a relay terminal. [0170] After the step S505 is completed, a sidelink setup procedure may be performed (S506).)
Regarding claim 29, Beak discloses:
wherein the information for the selection mode corresponds to a configuration to report measurement results for sidelink. ([0165] In the step S505, the remote terminal may select a relay terminal based on the measurement result of the step S504… The procedure for selecting a relay terminal may be classified into a selection scheme 1 and a selection scheme 2 according to a subject that selects a relay terminal.)
Regarding claim 30, Baek discloses:
further comprising:
measuring a sidelink signal strength; ([0173] Meanwhile, the terminal (e.g., remote terminal or relay terminal) may periodically or aperiodically perform a measurement operation based on the information configured in the step S502 while performing sidelink communication (S509). When a received signal strength (or received signal quality) of a measured sidelink signal is less than a preconfigured threshold, the remote terminal may perform a relay discovery/selection operation for a new relay terminal.)
identifying one or more candidate relay UEs for which measured sidelink signal strength is higher than a configured threshold; ([0179] The terminal may compare a received signal strength (or received signal quality) that is a result of the measurement operation with the threshold configured in the step S1301 (S1307). When the measurement result (e.g., received signal strength or received signal quality) is less than the threshold, the terminal may perform the step S1302 to discover a new relay terminal or a new remote terminal. If the measurement result is greater than or equal to the threshold, the terminal may continue to operate in the SD connected state (S1308). That is, the terminal may perform sidelink communication.)
and transmitting information for a list of the one or more candidate relay UEs and a sidelink signal strength for the one or more candidate relay UEs to the network (([0166] Selection scheme 1: When the selection scheme 1 is used, the base station may select a relay terminal. When the step S504 is performed according to the mode A, the remote terminal may generate a relay terminal list including information of one or more discovered relay terminals (e.g., candidate terminals), and transmit a terminal discovery report message including the relay terminal list to the base station; [0168] The base station may select a relay terminal in consideration of load level(s) of relay terminal(s), a signal strength (or signal quality) of each radio link, and/or the like.), wherein the relay UE is selected by the network based on the sidelink signal strength from the list of the one or more candidate relay UEs. ([0168] The base station may select a relay terminal in consideration of load level(s) of relay terminal(s), a signal strength (or signal quality) of each radio link, and/or the like. [0166] The base station may receive the terminal discovery report message from the remote terminal, and may select a relay terminal based on the relay terminal list included in the terminal discovery report message)
Regarding claim 31, Baek discloses:
wherein the remote UE communicates with at least one of a network, or an autonomous vehicle. ([0067] Referring back to FIG. 1, the communication system 100 may comprise a plurality of base stations 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 120-1, and 120-2, and a plurality of terminals 130-1, 130-2, 130-3, 130-4, 130-5, and 130-6.)
Regarding claim 32 depending on Claim 19, Baek discloses:
A remote user equipment (UE) for a UE-to-network relay in a wireless communication system, the remote UE comprising: ([0061] As shown in FIG. 1, a communication system 100 may comprise a plurality of communication nodes 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 120-1, 120-2, 130-1, 130-2, 130-3, 130-4, 130-5, and 130-6. [0064] Referring to FIG. 2, a communication node 200 may comprise)
a transceiver; ([0061] and a transceiver 230)
at least one processor; ([0061] at least one processor 210)
and at least one memory ([0061] a memory 220) operatively coupled to the at least one processor ([0065] the processor 210 may be connected to at least one of the memory 220) and staring instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising: ([0066] The processor 210 may execute a program stored in at least one of the memory 220 and the storage device 260.)
Regarding claim 33 depending on Claim 19, Baek discloses:
A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) having recorded thereon a program that, based on being executed by at least one processor, perform operations that comprise: ([0066] Each of the memory 220 and the storage device 260 may be constituted by at least one of a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium. For example, the memory 220 may comprise at least one of read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is 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
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/NHU PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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