DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s amendment and arguments filed December 19, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claim 4 is cancelled as previously indicated.
Claims 1-3 and 5-19 are currently pending.
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 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 of this title, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-3 and 5-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU et al. (hereinafter Xu) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2018/0139682 A1) in view of Martin (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2019/0306777 A1), and further in view of JUNG et al. (hereinafter Jung) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2017/0086114 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Xu teaches and discloses a remote user equipment (UE) device (remote UE, figures 7-11) comprising: a transceiver (1420/1430, figure 14) configured to communicate over a first communication route (link, figures 7-11) from a remote UE device (remote UE, figures 7-11) to a communication device (eNB, figures 7-11) through a first UE relay device (relay UE, figures 7-11), the first communication route comprising a first sidelink communication link (link, figures 7-11) from the remote UE device to the first UE relay device ([0075]; [0078]; teaches a sidelink communication link connecting a remote UE to a eNB through a relay UE); and
a controller (1410, figure 14) configured to, in response to determining that a first quality of the first sidelink communication link is below a preferred quality threshold, determine a second quality of a second sidelink communication link from the remote UE device to a second relay UE device (candidate/target relay UE, figures 7-11) ([0209]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold),
the transceiver (1420/1430, figure 14) configured to, when the second relay UE device is selected for communication with the communication device, communicate over a second communication route (link, figures 7-11) to the communication device through the second UE relay device, the second communication route comprising the second sidelink communication link (candidate/target relay UE, figures 7-11) ([0075]; [0078]; [0188]; [0190]; [0202]; [0203]; [0204]; teaches selecting a target relay UE to communicate over a second sidelink communication link).
However, Xu may not explicitly disclose determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the communication device based on an evaluation of the first quality and the second quality relative to the preferred quality threshold and to a minimum quality threshold, the preferred quality threshold greater than the minimum quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin teaches and suggests determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the communication device based on an evaluation of the first quality and the second quality relative to the preferred quality threshold and to a minimum quality threshold, the preferred quality threshold greater than the minimum quality threshold ([0057]; [0058]; [0060]; [0063]; teaches determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
However, Xu, as modified by Martin, may not explicitly disclose in response to determining that a first quality of the first sidelink communication link is not above the minimum quality threshold and the second quality is not above the preferred quality threshold, determine another quality of another sidelink communication link from the remote UE device to another relay UE device.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jung teaches and suggests in response to determining that a first quality of the first sidelink communication link (first sidelink communication link to a current relay UE) is not above the minimum quality threshold (sidelink measurement threshold) and the second quality is not above the preferred quality threshold (hysteresis value threshold), determine another quality of another sidelink communication link (another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE) from the remote UE device (remote UE, figure 14) to another relay UE device (another candidate relay UE, figure 14) (abstract; [0014]; [0020]; [0239]; [0240]; [0259]; [0260]; [0282]; [0283]; teaches in response to determining that the sidelink communication is not above a minimum quality threshold and a preferred quality threshold, discovering another sidelink communication link and the quality of the another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in response to determining that the sidelink communication is not above a minimum quality threshold and a preferred quality threshold, discovering another sidelink communication link and the quality of the another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE as taught by Jung with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin, for the purpose of improving sidelink measurement and sidelink relay reselection, as suggested by Jung.
Regarding claim 2, Xu discloses the controller is configured to determine that the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the communication device in response to determining the second link quality is above the preferred quality threshold ([0188]; [0189]; [0190]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]), but may not explicitly disclose configured to determine that the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the communication device in response to determining the first link quality is below the minimum quality threshold and the second link quality is above the minimum quality threshold and below the preferred quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin further teaches and suggests configured to determine that the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the communication device in response to determining the first link quality is below the minimum quality threshold and the second link quality is above the minimum quality threshold and below the preferred quality threshold ([0058]; [0063]; [0079]; teaches determining to select/reselect the relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
Regarding claim 3, Xu discloses determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold and selecting a target relay UE to communicate over a second sidelink communication link, but may not explicitly disclose determine whether the first quality is above a minimum quality threshold, the preferred quality threshold greater than the minimum quality threshold, the transceiver configured to continue to communicate over the first communication route when the first quality is above the minimum quality threshold and the second quality is not above the preferred quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin further teaches and discloses determine whether the first quality is above a minimum quality threshold, the preferred quality threshold greater than the minimum quality threshold, the transceiver configured to continue to communicate over the first communication route when the first quality is above the minimum quality threshold and the second quality is not above the preferred quality threshold ([0058]; [0063]; [0079]; teaches determining maintain communications over the link or to select/reselect the relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
Regarding claim 5, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the controller is configured to evaluate a quality of each of other sidelink communication links from the remote UE device to other relay UE devices ([0203]; [0209]; teaches determining the link quality of other links between the remote UE and the relay UE).
Regarding claim 6, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the transceiver is configured to, in response to the controller identifying an alternate sidelink communication link having a an alternate quality above the preferred quality threshold, communicate over an alternate communication route from the remote user equipment (UE) device to the communication device through an alternate UE relay device, the alternate communication route comprising the alternate sidelink communication link from the remote UE device to the alternate UE relay device ([0203]; [0209]; teaches determining the link quality of other links between the remote UE and the relay UE).
Regarding claim 7, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein: the preferred communication quality threshold is one of a preferred Sidelink Reference Signal Received Power (SL-RSRP) threshold and a preferred Sidelink Discovery Reference Signal Received Power (SD-RSRP) threshold; the minimum quality threshold is one of a minimum SL-RSRP threshold and a minimum SD-RSRP threshold; and the controller is configured to determine the first quality by measuring at least one of a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) of a data signal and a DMRS of a discovery signal ([0103]; [0178]; [0179]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining the link quality and thresholds based on determining RSRP and measurement of the DMRS of the signals).
Regarding claim 8, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the communication device is a base station ([0184]; [0244]; teaches the communication device is a eNB; figures 7-11).
Regarding claim 9, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the first relay UE device and the second relay UE device have Uu communication links to the base station meeting a minimum Uu relay quality threshold ([0184]; [0244]; teaches the communication links are Uu links; figures 7-11).
Regarding claim 10, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the communication device is a destination UE device (figure 1; [0003]; [0075]; teaches the communication device may be a UE).
Regarding claim 11, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the first relay UE device and the second relay UE device have relay-to-UE (R2U) communication links to the destination UE device meeting a minimum relay quality threshold ([0075]; [0209]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold).
Regarding claim 12, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein the minimum relay quality threshold is greater than the minimum quality threshold ([0075]; [0209]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold).
Regarding claim 13, Xu teaches and discloses a remote user equipment (UE) device (remote UE, figures 7-11) comprising:
a transceiver (1420/1430, figure 14) configured to communicate over a first communication route (link, figures 7-11) from the remote UE device (remote UE, figures 7-11) to a destination UE device (destination device, figure 1; [0003]; [0075]) through a first UE relay device (relay UE, figures 7-11), the first communication route comprising a first UE-to-relay (U2R) sidelink communication link (link, figures 7-11) from the remote UE device to the first UE relay device and a first relay-to-UE (R2U) sidelink communication link (link, figures 7-11) from the first UE relay device to the destination UE device, the first U2R sidelink communication link having a first U2R link quality and the first R2U sidelink communication link having a first R2U link quality ([0075]; [0078]; [0209]; [0210]; teaches a sidelink communication link connecting a remote UE to another UE through a relay UE and the communication links have a quality); and
a controller configured to, in response to determining that at least one of a first U2R link quality and the first R2U link quality is below a preferred quality threshold, determine a second U2R link quality of a second U2R sidelink communication link from the remote UE device to a second relay UE device (candidate/target relay UE, figures 7-11) ([0209]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold);
the transceiver (1420/1430, figure 14) configured to, when the second relay UE device is selected for communication with the destination UE device, communicate over a second communication route (link, figures 7-11) to the destination UE device through the second UE relay device, the second communication route comprising the second U2R sidelink communication link (candidate/target relay UE, figures 7-11) ([0075]; [0078]; [0188]; [0190]; [0202]; [0203]; [0204]; teaches selecting a target relay UE to communicate over a second sidelink communication link).
However, Xu may not explicitly disclose determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the destination UE device based on an evaluation of at least the first U2R link quality and the second U2R link quality relative to the preferred quality threshold and to a minimum quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin teaches and suggests determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the destination UE device based on an evaluation of at least the first U2R link quality and the second U2R link quality relative to the preferred quality threshold and to a minimum quality threshold ([0057]; [0058]; [0060]; [0063]; teaches determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
However, Xu, as modified by Martin, may not explicitly disclose in response to determining the at least one of the first U2R link quality and the first R2U link quality is below the minimum quality threshold and at least one of the second U2R link quality and the second R2U link quality are not above the preferred quality threshold, determine another quality of another sidelink communication link from the remote UE device to another relay UE device.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jung teaches and suggests in response to determining the at least one of the first U2R link quality and the first R2U link quality is below the minimum quality threshold and at least one of the second U2R link quality and the second R2U link quality are not above the preferred quality threshold, determine another quality of another sidelink communication link (another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE) from the remote UE device (remote UE, figure 14) to another relay UE device (another candidate relay UE, figure 14) (abstract; [0014]; [0020]; [0239]; [0240]; [0259]; [0260]; [0282]; [0283]; teaches in response to determining that the sidelink communication is not above a minimum quality threshold and a preferred quality threshold, discovering another sidelink communication link and the quality of the another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in response to determining that the sidelink communication is not above a minimum quality threshold and a preferred quality threshold, discovering another sidelink communication link and the quality of the another sidelink communication link to another candidate relay UE as taught by Jung with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin, for the purpose of improving sidelink measurement and sidelink relay reselection, as suggested by Jung.
Regarding claim 14, Xu discloses determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold and selecting a target relay UE to communicate over a second sidelink communication link, but may not explicitly disclose the first condition being met when the second U2R link quality is above the preferred quality threshold and the second condition being met when the first U2R link quality is below the minimum threshold and the second U2R link quality is above the minimum quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin further teaches and suggests the first condition being met when the second U2R link quality is above the preferred quality threshold and the second condition being met when the first U2R link quality is below the minimum threshold and the second U2R link quality is above the minimum quality threshold ([0058]; [0063]; [0079]; teaches determining to select/reselect the relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
Regarding claim 15, Xu discloses determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold and selecting a target relay UE to communicate over a second sidelink communication link, but may not explicitly disclose determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected further based on the second R2U link quality relative to the minimum quality threshold and the preferred quality threshold.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Martin further teaches and discloses determine whether the second relay UE device should be selected further based on the second R2U link quality relative to the minimum quality threshold and the preferred quality threshold ([0058]; [0063]; [0079]; teaches determining maintain communications over the link or to select/reselect the relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate determining to select or reselect communication with another, second relay UE based on the evaluation of a first and second quality compared to a predetermined and minimum threshold as taught by Martin with the method and remote UE for relayed communication between devices as disclosed by Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, for the purpose of increasing network coverage and providing reliable network communications, as suggested by Martin.
Regarding claim 16, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein: the link quality information is determined by the second relay UE device by transmitting a second query to the destination UE device and measuring a discovery signal transmitted by the destination UE device in response to the second query ([0203]; [0209]; teaches determining the link quality of other links between the remote UE and the relay UE).
Regarding claim 17, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein: the controller determines that the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the destination UE in response to determining the second U2R link quality and the second R2U link quality are above the preferred quality threshold ([0188]; [0189]; [0190]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold and determining the link quality and thresholds).
Regarding claim 18, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein: the controller determines that the second relay UE device should be selected for communication with the destination UE in response to determining the at least one of the first U2R link quality and the first R2U link quality is below the minimum quality threshold and the second U2R link quality and the second R2U link quality are above the minimum quality threshold ([0103]; [0178]; [0179]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining a quality of the sidelink communication link compared to a threshold and determining the link quality and thresholds).
Regarding claim 19, Xu, as modified by Martin and Jung, further teaches and suggests wherein: the preferred communication quality threshold is one of a preferred Sidelink Reference Signal Received Power (SL-RSRP) threshold and a preferred Sidelink Discovery Reference Signal Received Power (SD-RSRP) threshold; the minimum quality threshold is one of a minimum SL-RSRP threshold and a minimum SD-RSRP threshold; and the controller is configured to determine the first U2R link quality by measuring at least one of a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) of a data signal and a DMRS of a discovery signal ([0103]; [0178]; [0179]; [0213]; [0214]; [0215]; teaches determining the link quality and thresholds based on determining RSRP and measurement of the DMRS of the signals).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed December 19, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3 and 5-19 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of JUNG et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2017/0086114 A1).
Conclusion
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
April 4, 2026