DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having application No 18/032317 filed on 04/29/2026 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2, 7-8, 20, 23, 25, 27-32 and 48 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over ZHU et al. (U.S. 20210378035, Dec. 2, 2021) in view of Park et al. (U.S. 20210092725, Mar. 25, 2021).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhu discloses a method performed by a terminal device, comprising obtaining configuration information of the terminal device, wherein the configuration information indicates that a first identifier of the terminal device for an adaptation layer is to be reconfigured to a second identifier of the terminal device for the adaptation layer(page 1, par (0015-0016), line 1-20, the first donor node receives a second identifier sent by the second donor node, the first donor node sends the second identifier to the first node, where the second identifier is used to identify the first node in a route of a wireless backhaul link, the target CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the source CU, and the source CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the IAB node #1, where the source CU is a donor node connected to the IAB node #1 before the IAB node #1 is handed over).
Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier, wherein the data unit is being transmitted or retransmitted to a second node by the terminal device; receiving an acknowledgement from the second node, wherein the acknowledgement indicates that at least part of the data unit is decoded successfully by the second node; and determining, based on the acknowledgement, to update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier.
Park is the same field of invention teaches determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier(page 25, par (0377), line 1-10, a base station distributed unit configuration update message; a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message, the cell information of the one or more cells further indicate whether a second wireless device that is a non-member of the first closed access group is allowed to access a cell of the one or more cells, the cell information comprise a physical cell identifier (PCI) indicating the cell of the one or more cells),
wherein the data unit is being transmitted or retransmitted to a second node by the terminal device (page 16, par (0294), line 1-10, a base station assigns a C-RNTI to a UE, the UE perform contention resolution based on a reception of a PDCCH transmission that is addressed to the C-RNTI (a Base station transmitted data unit to the UE which is second node of the terminal device));
receiving an acknowledgement from the second node (page 16, par (0294), line 1-10, In response to detection (receiving an acknowledgement) of a C-RNTI on a PDCCH, a UE (from second node)),
wherein the acknowledgement indicates that at least part of the data unit is decoded successfully by the second node (page 16, par (0294), line 10-20, a MAC PDU is successfully decoded and a MAC PDU comprises a UE contention resolution identity MAC CE that matches the CCCH SDU transmitted in Msg3, a UE consider the contention resolution successful and may consider the random-access procedure successfully completed);
and determining, based on the acknowledgement, to update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier (page 21, par (0338), line 10-20, a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message (e.g., gNB-DU configuration update acknowledge message), the configuration request message comprise of a gNB-DU identifier of the base station).
Zhu and Park are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of access to a service device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify based on the determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier Zhu the teaching of the base station distributed unit configuration update message; a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message Park because it is providing the information transfer services to the MAC via one or more transport channels and indicate how and with what characteristics data are transferred over the radio interface.
Regarding Claim 2, Zhu discloses the first identifier of the terminal
device for the data unit is included in an adaptation layer header of the data unit (page 1, par (0015-0016), line 1-20, the first donor node receives a second identifier sent by the second donor node, the first donor node sends the second identifier to the first node, where the second identifier is used to identify the first node in a route of a wireless backhaul link, the target CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the source CU.
3. (Cancelled).
5. (Cancelled).
6. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhu discloses transmitting the configuration information of the terminal device to a relay capable user equipment and/or a base station(page 4, par (0068), line 1-10, a network node performing the application is replaced with a network node in the EPS network, a wireless backhaul node referred to as an IAB node, a wireless backhaul node in the EPS network, the wireless backhaul node in the EPS network referred to as a relay node).
Regarding Claim 8, Zhu discloses the configuration information of the terminal device is distributed to each intermediate node on an end-to-end path of the terminal device(page 5, par (0087), line 1-10, the access IAB node of this application is an IAB node accessed by a terminal, and the intermediate IAB node is an IAB node that provides a wireless backhaul service for another IAB node (the access IAB node or another intermediate IAB node)).
10. (Cancelled).
11. (Cancelled).
12. (Cancelled).
14. (Cancelled).
15. (Cancelled).
19. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 20, Zhu discloses a terminal device, comprising one or more processors; and one or more memories comprising computer program codes, the one or more memories and the computer program codes configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the terminal device at least to perform the method according to claim 1(page 1, par (0015-0016), line 1-20, the first donor node receives a second identifier sent by the second donor node, the first donor node sends the second identifier to the first node, where the second identifier is used to identify the first node in a route of a wireless backhaul link, the target CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the source CU).
21. (Cancelled).
22. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 23, Zhu discloses a method performed by a first node, comprising:
obtaining configuration information of a terminal device, wherein the configuration
information indicates that a first identifier of the terminal device for an adaptation layer is to be reconfigured to a second identifier of the terminal device for the adaptation layer(page 1, par (0015-0016), line 1-20, the first donor node receives a second identifier sent by the second donor node, the first donor node sends the second identifier to the first node, where the second identifier is used to identify the first node in a route of a wireless backhaul link, the target CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the source CU, and the source CU sends the adaptation layer identifier to the IAB node #1, where the source CU is a donor node connected to the IAB node #1 before the IAB node #1 is handed over).
Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier, wherein the data unit is being transmitted or retransmitted to a second node by the terminal device; receiving an acknowledgement from the second node, wherein the acknowledgement indicates that at least part of the data unit is decoded successfully by the second node; and determining, based on the acknowledgement, to update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier, wherein the first node is a base station or a relay capable user equipment.
Park is the same field of invention teaches determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier(page 25, par (0377), line 1-10, a base station distributed unit configuration update message; a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message, the cell information of the one or more cells further indicate whether a second wireless device that is a non-member of the first closed access group is allowed to access a cell of the one or more cells, the cell information comprise a physical cell identifier (PCI) indicating the cell of the one or more cells),
wherein the data unit is being transmitted or retransmitted to a second node by the terminal device(page 16, par (0294), line 1-10, a base station assigns a C-RNTI to a UE, the UE perform contention resolution based on a reception of a PDCCH transmission that is addressed to the C-RNTI (a Base station transmitted data unit to the UE which is second node of the terminal device));
receiving an acknowledgement from the second node (page 16, par (0294), line 1-10, In response to detection (receiving an acknowledgement) of a C-RNTI on a PDCCH, a UE (from second node)),
wherein the acknowledgement indicates that at least part of the data unit is decoded successfully by the second node(page 16, par (0294), line 10-20, a MAC PDU is successfully decoded and a MAC PDU comprises a UE contention resolution identity MAC CE that matches the CCCH SDU transmitted in Msg3, a UE consider the contention resolution successful and may consider the random-access procedure successfully completed);
and determining, based on the acknowledgement, to update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier, wherein the first node is a base station or a relay capable user equipment (page 21, par (0338), line 10-20, a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message (e.g., gNB-DU configuration update acknowledge message), the configuration request message comprise of a gNB-DU identifier of the base station).
Zhu and Park are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of access to a service device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify based on the determining whether to update the first identifier of the terminal device for a data unit to the second identifier Zhu the teaching of the base station distributed unit configuration update message; a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message Park because it is providing the information transfer services to the MAC via one or more transport channels and indicate how and with what characteristics data are transferred over the radio interface.
24. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 25, Zhu discloses obtaining the configuration information of the terminal device comprises generating the configuration information of the terminal device by the first node (page 1, par (0007), line 1-5, first node an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node or a relay node in an LTE system).
26. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 27, Zhu discloses obtaining the configuration information of the terminal device comprises receiving the configuration information of the terminal device from a fourth node (page 2, par (0021), line 1-5, the first node sends the first identifier to a second node, where the second node is a parent node of the first node).
Regarding Claim 28, Zhu discloses the first node is a relay capable user equipment, and the fourth node is a base station, the terminal device another relay capable user equipment(page 4, par (0068), line 1-10, a network node performing the application is replaced with a network node in the EPS network, a wireless backhaul node referred to as an IAB node, a wireless backhaul node in the EPS network, the wireless backhaul node in the EPS network referred to as a relay node).
Regarding Claim 29, Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except the configuration information of the terminal device is generated by the base station, the terminal device or another relay capable user equipment.
Park is the same field of invention teaches the configuration information of the terminal device is generated by the base station, the terminal device or another relay capable user equipment (page 17, par (0309), line 1-10, when a wireless device in an RRC inactive state moves into a new RNA, the wireless device perform an RNA update (RNAU) procedure, which comprise a random-access procedure by the wireless device and/or a UE context retrieve procedure, a UE context retrieve comprise receiving, by a base station from a wireless device, a random-access preamble).
Regarding Claim 30, Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except the first node is a base station, and the fourth node is the terminal device or a relay capable user equipment.
Park is the same field of invention teaches the first node is a base station, and the fourth node is the terminal device or a relay capable user equipment (page 17, par (0309), line 1-10, when a wireless device in an RRC inactive state moves into a new RNA, the wireless device perform an RNA update (RNAU) procedure, which comprise a random-access procedure by the wireless device and/or a UE context retrieve procedure, a UE context retrieve comprise receiving, by a base station from a wireless device, a random-access preamble).
Regarding Claim 31, Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except the configuration information of the terminal device is generated by the terminal device or the relay capable user equipment.
Park is the same field of invention teaches the configuration information of the terminal device is generated by the terminal device or the relay capable user equipment (page 17, par (0309), line 1-10, when a wireless device in an RRC inactive state moves into a new RNA, the wireless device perform an RNA update (RNAU) procedure, which comprise a random-access procedure by the wireless device and/or a UE context retrieve procedure, a UE context retrieve comprise receiving, by a base station from a wireless device, a random-access preamble).
Regarding Claim 32, Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except transmitting the configuration information of the terminal device to the terminal device, a base station and/or a relay capable user equipment.
Park is the same field of invention teaches transmitting the configuration information of the terminal device to the terminal device, a base station and/or a relay capable user equipment (page 17, par (0309), line 1-10, when a wireless device in an RRC inactive state moves into a new RNA, the wireless device perform an RNA update (RNAU) procedure, which comprise a random-access procedure by the wireless device and/or a UE context retrieve procedure, a UE context retrieve comprise receiving, by a base station from a wireless device, a random-access preamble).
33-47. (Cancelled).
Regarding Claim 48, Zhu discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except the terminal device determines to immediately update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier, after processing the configuration information.
Park is the same field of invention teaches the terminal device determines to immediately update the first identifier of the terminal device for the data unit to the second identifier, after processing the configuration information (page 25, par (0377), line 1-10, a base station distributed unit configuration update message; a base station central unit configuration update acknowledge message, the cell information of the one or more cells further indicate whether a second wireless device that is a non-member of the first closed access group is allowed to access a cell of the one or more cells, the cell information comprise a physical cell identifier (PCI) indicating the cell of the one or more cells).
Examiner Notice
Claim 1 would be allowable if (i) claims 4 or 9 or 13 or 16 or 17 or 18 are incorporated into the independent claim 1.
Claim 23 would be allowable if (i) claims 4 or 9 or 13 or 16 or 17 or 18 are incorporated into the independent claim 23.
The claims 1, 7,9, 18, 32 are have the conditional limitation “user equipment and/or a base station” and “terminal device and/or wherein the terminal device” and “and/or whether the terminal device” and “and/or a relay capable user
equipment”, please clarify the claim language of the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure are:
Luo et al. (US 20220377541) teaches Key Management Method and Communication Apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IQBAL ZAIDI whose telephone number is (571)270-3943. The examiner can normally be reached on M to Thu 8.a.m to 6.p.m..
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/IQBAL ZAIDI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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