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 elected claims 1-14, 21-34, and 41 of invention I for examination.
Claims 15-20, 35-40, and 42 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 11/19/2025.
However, Examiner still believes as cited in the previous restriction, inventions I and II are separate inventions and the restriction still apply.
Information Disclosure Statement
IDS(es) submitted on 4/24/2023 has/have been considered.
Oath/Declaration
Oath/Declaration filed on 6/7/2023 has been acknowledged.
Drawings
Drawing(s) submitted on 4/24/2023 have been acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-14, 21-34, and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by OZTURK et al. (US 2020/0053791; hereinafter OZTURK).
Regarding claims 1, 21 and 42, OZTURK discloses a user equipment for use in a cellular communication system, the user equipment comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (Abstract; Fig. 8; UE component), cause the user equipment at least to perform:
determining a triggering of a small data transmission in an inactive state of the user equipment ([0064]-[0065]: paging triggered while UE remains in inactive mode for small data transmission);
selecting a first transmission method or a second transmission method for performing the small data transmission at least based on a cell of the cellular communication system in which the small data transmission is to be performed by the user equipment ([0064]-[0065]: paging triggered while UE remains in inactive mode for small data transmission or transition to connected mode); and
performing the small data transmission using the selected first or second transmission method ([9967], [0069]: indicating to the UE that it can use small data transmission to perform small data transmission).
Regarding claims 2, and 22, OZTURK discloses wherein the first transmission method is based on a radio resource control, RRC, protocol and the second transmission method is not based on the RRC protocol ([0065]: small data can be transmitted using NAS, otherwise UE can transition to RRC connected mode to receive and transmit data).
Regarding claims 3, and 23 OZTURK discloses the selecting comprising detecting whether or not the cell in which the small data transmission is to be performed by the user equipment is controlled by a last serving node, wherein the last serving node is a node of an access network of the cellular communication system, which served the user equipment before it transited to the inactive state ([0076]: the last serving node has UE context in RRC inactive mode for communication); and
in case the cell is controlled by the last serving node, selecting the second transmission method, and in case the cell is not controlled by the last serving node, selecting the first transmission method ([0060]: establishing a new RRC).
Regarding claims 4, and 24 OZTURK discloses wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to further perform:
acquiring information of cells or areas of the cellular communication system, wherein the information indicates that, for the small data transmission, the first or second transmission method is to be applied in the cells or areas ([0056]-[0058]: RRC inactive assistance information include registration area for the UE); and
referring to the information for selecting the first or second transmission method ([0058]: UE using RRC inactive mode).
Regarding claims 5, and 25, OZTURK discloses wherein the information indicates the cells or areas of the cellular communication system, which are controlled by a last serving node, wherein the last serving node comprises a node of an access network of the cellular communication system, which served the user equipment before it transited to the inactive state ([0076]: the last serving node has UE context in RRC inactive mode for communication).
Regarding claims 6, and 26, OZTURK discloses the acquiring comprising at least one out of the following:
acquiring the information from the cellular communication system;
acquiring the information from an access network of the cellular communication system;
acquiring the information based on signaling related to radio access network, RAN, notification area provisioning;
acquiring the information from the cell in which the small data transmission is to be performed by the user equipment;
acquiring the information from a last serving node which is a node of an access network of the cellular communication system, which served the user equipment before it transited to the inactive state;
acquiring the information in connection with acquiring a configuration of the small data transmission;
acquiring the information in connection with acquiring an RRC release message ([0070]: release message);
acquiring the information in connection with acquiring a suspend configuration, wherein at least one out of the following applies: the information indicates cells or areas of the cellular communication system out of RAN notification areas configured in the user equipment;
the information comprises cell identifiers;
the information comprises area identifiers;
the information comprises RAN area code identifiers; the information comprises tracking area identifiers;
the information comprises closed area group identifiers;
the information comprises cell identifiers wherein a cell identifier identifies all cells of a serving node which controls the cells; or
the information comprises area identifiers wherein an area identifier identifies all areas of a serving node which controls the areas.
Regarding claims 7, and 27, OZTURK discloses the selecting comprising:
detecting whether or not the cell in which the small data transmission is to be performed by the user equipment is comprised in the information on areas acquired by the user equipment ([0076]-[0079]: may communicate in RRC inactive mode); and
in case the cell is comprised in the information of areas, selecting the second transmission method, and in case the cell is not comprised in the information on areas acquired by the user equipment, selecting the first transmission method ([0083]: fall back to RRC connected mode for transmission).
Regarding claims 8, and 28 OZTURK discloses wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to further perform:
deciding, at least based on the selected first or second transmission method, whether or not to use a protection function which protects data integrity for a data radio bearer associated with the small data transmission ([0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not).
Regarding claims 9 and 29, OZTURK discloses the deciding comprising: deciding based on an instruction acquired from the cellular communication system, whether or not to use the protection function ([0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not).
Regarding claims 10, and 30 OZTURK discloses wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to further perform:
sending an indication from a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer of the user equipment to a packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, layer of the user equipment, to apply or not apply the protection function based on a decision whether or not to use the protection function ([0048]: PDCP layer is associated with RRC layer which also includes security layer; [0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not).
Regarding claims 11, and 31 OZTURK discloses wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to further perform:
based on a decision whether or not to use the protection function, sending an indication from a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer of the user equipment to a first entity of a packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, layer of the user equipment, wherein the first entity is associated with a data radio bearer without integrity protection for which the protection function is not applied, wherein the data radio bearer without integrity protection is associated with the small data transmission, or
sending an indication from the RRC protocol layer of the user equipment to a second entity of the PDCP layer of the user equipment, wherein the second entity is associated with a data radio bearer with integrity protection for which the protection function is applied, wherein the data radio bearer with integrity protection is associated with the small data transmission ([0048]: PDCP layer is associated with RRC layer which also includes security layer; [0063]-[0065]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not).
Regarding claims 12, and 32, OZTURK discloses the sending comprising: sending the indication on a per payload or packet data unit basis within the small data transmission, or
sending the indication for the small data transmission ([9967], [0069]: indicating to the UE that it can use small data transmission to perform small data transmission).
Regarding claims13, and 33 OZTURK discloses the deciding comprising at least one of the following:
deciding to use the protection function in case the second transmission method is selected and deciding not to use the protection function in case the first transmission method is selected ([0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not);
deciding to use the protection function in case the first or second transmission method is selected ([0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not).
Regarding claims 14, and 34, OZTURK discloses wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to further perform at least one of the following:
receiving, in response to the small data transmission performed by the second transmission method, a request from the cellular communication network to change a key used by the protection function, wherein the request is based on the first transmission method ([0063]: depending on RCC inactive or connected mode, integrity protection is determined to be used or not; [0070]: key derived using NCC); or
switching the second transmission method to the first transmission method for performing a subsequent small data transmission after performing a predetermined number of small data transmissions by the second transmission method, and, in response to the switching, receiving a request from the cellular communication network to change a key used by the protection function, wherein the request is based on the first transmission method.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUCK HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-7866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am - 6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHUCK HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644