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 .
1. Claims 1-2, 4-6, 8-21, 23-25, 27-38, 40-42, 44-56, 59-61 and 63-74 are pending. Claims 3, 7, 22, 26, 39, 43, 57-58, 62 are cancelled.
Response to Arguments
2. In light of the amendments to the claims, the claim objections of claims 1-19 and 73 are withdrawn.
3. Regarding claims 1, 15-17, 20, 34, 37, 51-53, 56, 73, and 74, on pages 17-18, the applicant argues that the combination of Freda, Wu and Jung fails to disclose "taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection comprises exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure" and "the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted".
In response to applicant's argument, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant's response. Jung Fig. 18 was cited in the previous action and discloses at step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316] correspond to Fig. 18). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18 S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]). The Examiner interprets the connection request message to correspond to the reselection request.
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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.
The factual inquiries 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.
4. Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, 8-11, 15-17, 20-21, 23-25, 27-30, 34, 37-38, 40-42, 44-47, 51-53, 56, 59-61, 63-67, 70 and 73-74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda et al, US 2023/0180313 in view of Wu et al, US 2023/0362881 hereafter Wu and further in view of Jung et al, US 2020/0221532 hereafter Jung.
As for claim 1, Freda discloses:
A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
taking or more actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link) separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE);
establishing a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0114]-[0115], [0134], [0165], [0176], Establish a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE); and
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE).
Freda discloses taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
Freda does not explicitly disclose exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure.
However, Wu disclose exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request (Wu, [0083]-[0087], A reselection request from the relay UE triggering a reselection procedure) and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure (Wu, [0088]-[0090], A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
The combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted (Wu, Fig. 16, 163, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], The remote UE transmits to the relay UE a direct connection release accept message (this may be referred to as ‘DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE_ACCEPT’). At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claims 2, 21, 38, the combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection procedure comprises deselecting the first relay UE and selecting the second relay UE as a relay through which the UE communicates with a network entity.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection procedure comprises deselecting the first relay UE and selecting the second relay UE as a relay through which the UE communicates with a network entity (Wu, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection procedure comprises deselecting the first relay UE and selecting the second relay UE as a relay through which the UE communicates with a network entity as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claims 4, 23, 40 and 59, Freda does not explicitly disclose exchanging the relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages comprises transmitting the relay reselection request message to the first relay UE (Freda, [0292], [0294], a relay WTRU may inform a remote WTRU of a mobility procedure. The relay WTRU may include one or more of the following in such a message: the nature of the mobility e.g., cell reselection).
Freda does not explicitly disclose receiving the relay reselection response message from the first relay UE.
However, Wu discloses receiving the relay reselection response message from the first relay UE (Wu, [0088]-[0090], A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with receiving the relay reselection response message from the first relay UE as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claim 5, 24, 41 and 60, Freda discloses exchanging the relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages comprises receiving the relay reselection request message from the first relay UE (Freda, [0292], [0294], a relay WTRU may inform a remote WTRU of a mobility procedure. The relay WTRU may include one or more of the following in such a message: the nature of the mobility e.g., cell reselection).
Freda does not explicitly disclose transmitting the relay reselection response message to the first relay UE.
However, Wu discloses transmitting the relay reselection response message to the first relay UE (Wu, [0088]-[0090], A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with discloses transmitting the relay reselection response message to the first relay UE as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claims 6, Freda discloses exchanging the relay reselection request message is triggered by degradation of link quality of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE below a threshold link quality (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claims 8, 27, 44 and 63, the combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message upon reception of the relay reselection response from the first relay UE.
However, Jung discloses releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message upon reception of the relay reselection response from the first relay UE (Jung, [0285]-[0290], [0294], Transmitting a connection release upon receiving an instruction for connection release).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claim 9, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message after completion of the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0173], Releasing the link between the WTRUs comprises transmitting a link release message after confirmation of successful completion of configuration).
As for claim 10, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection request message is carried in a reselection request field in a disconnect request message, and the relay reselection response message is carried in a reselection response field in a disconnect response message (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 11, Freda discloses:
a value of the reselection request field indicates that the disconnect request message is being used to request relay reselection and release of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE subsequent to relay reselection (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 15, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection procedure is triggered based on determining that a signal strength of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is less than a threshold signal strength (Freda, [0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claims 16, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is performed after performing the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0084], [0298], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: it receives a layer-2 link release message (e.g., upper layer message) from the ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay.)
As for claim 17, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is performed prior to performing the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0298], The remote WTRU may release the PC5 connection and/or trigger a cell/relay reselection procedure. It is implicit that releasing can take place prior to reselection)
As for claim 20, Freda discloses:
A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
performing a relay reselection procedure with a remote UE (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE); and
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE).
As for claim 25, Freda discloses exchanging the relay reselection request message is triggered by degradation of link quality of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE below a threshold link quality (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claims 28, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message after completion of the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0173], Releasing the link between the WTRUs comprises transmitting a link release message after confirmation of successful completion of configuration).
As for claims 29, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection request message is carried in a reselection request field in a disconnect request message, and the relay reselection response message is carried in a reselection response field in a disconnect response message (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claims 30, Freda discloses:
a value of the reselection request field indicates that the disconnect request message is being used to request relay reselection and release of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE subsequent to relay reselection (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 34, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection procedure is triggered based on determining that a signal strength of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is less than a threshold signal strength (Freda, [0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claim 37, Freda discloses:
An apparatus (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor and memory) for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising: a processor configured to:
take or more actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE);
establish a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0114]-[0115], [0134], [0165], [0176], Establish a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE); and
release the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE); and a memory.
Freda does not explicitly disclose exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure.
However, Wu disclose exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request (Wu, [0083]-[0087], A reselection request from the relay UE triggering a reselection procedure) and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure (Wu, [0088]-[0090], A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
The combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted (Wu, Fig. 16, 163, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], The remote UE transmits to the relay UE a direct connection release accept message (this may be referred to as ‘DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE_ACCEPT’). At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claim 42, Freda discloses exchanging the relay reselection request message is triggered by degradation of link quality of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE below a threshold link quality (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claim 45, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message after completion of the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0173], Releasing the link between the WTRUs comprises transmitting a link release message after confirmation of successful completion of configuration).
As for claim 46, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection request message is carried in a reselection request field in a disconnect request message, and the relay reselection response message is carried in a reselection response field in a disconnect response message (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 47, Freda discloses:
a value of the reselection request field indicates that the disconnect request message is being used to request relay reselection and release of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE subsequent to relay reselection (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 51, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection procedure is triggered based on determining that a signal strength of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is less than a threshold signal strength (Freda, [0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claims 52, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is performed after performing the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0084], [0298], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: it receives a layer-2 link release message (e.g., upper layer message) from the ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay.)
As for claim 53, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is performed prior to performing the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0298], The remote WTRU may release the PC5 connection and/or trigger a cell/relay reselection procedure. It is implicit that releasing can take place prior to reselection)
As for claim 56, Freda discloses:
An apparatus (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor and memory) for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a processor configured to: perform a relay reselection procedure with a remote UE (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link) separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE); and release the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE).; and a memory.
Freda discloses taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
Freda does not explicitly disclose in order to perform the relay reselection procedure, the one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to exchange relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE.
However, Wu disclose in order to perform the relay reselection procedure, the one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to exchange relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Wu, [0083]-[0090], A reselection request from the relay UE triggering a reselection procedure. A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with in order to perform the relay reselection procedure, the one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to exchange relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
The combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted (Wu, Fig. 16, 163, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], The remote UE transmits to the relay UE a direct connection release accept message (this may be referred to as ‘DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE_ACCEPT’). At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claim 61, Freda discloses exchanging the relay reselection request message is triggered by degradation of link quality of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE below a threshold link quality (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claim 64, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message after completion of the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0173], Releasing the link between the WTRUs comprises transmitting a link release message after confirmation of successful completion of configuration).
As for claim 65, Freda discloses:
releasing the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE comprises transmitting a connection release message after completion of the relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0173], Releasing the link between the WTRUs comprises transmitting a link release message after confirmation of successful completion of configuration).
As for claim 66, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection request message is carried in a reselection request field in a disconnect request message, and the relay reselection response message is carried in a reselection response field in a disconnect response message (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 67, Freda discloses:
a value of the reselection request field indicates that the disconnect request message is being used to request relay reselection and release of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE subsequent to relay reselection (Freda, [0254], A WTRU (e.g., relay) may release the new SL RLC bearers for Uu signaling upon one or more of the following: SL RLF is detected with the relay WTRU; Uu RLF, or a similar message indicating a disconnection is indicated by the relay WTRU to the remote WTRU).
As for claim 70, Freda discloses:
the relay reselection procedure is triggered based on determining that a signal strength of the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE is less than a threshold signal strength (Freda, [0084], The Remote WTRU may trigger ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay reselection when: PC5 signal strength of current ProSe WTRU-to-Network Relay is below configured signal strength threshold).
As for claim 73, Freda discloses:
An apparatus (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor and memory) for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
means for taking or more actions (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor) to trigger a relay reselection procedure (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE);
means for establishing (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor) a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0114]-[0115], [0134], [0165], [0176], Establish a unicast link between the UE and a second relay UE); and
means for releasing (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor) the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE).
Freda does not explicitly disclose the means for taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection comprises means for exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure.
However, Wu discloses the means for taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection comprises means for exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure (Wu, [0083]-[0090], A reselection request from the relay UE triggering a reselection procedure. A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with the means for taking one or more actions to trigger relay reselection comprises means for exchanging, via the unicast link between the UE and the first relay UE, relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages that trigger the relay reselection procedure as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
The combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted (Wu, Fig. 16, 163, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], The remote UE transmits to the relay UE a direct connection release accept message (this may be referred to as ‘DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE_ACCEPT’). At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
As for claim 74, Freda discloses:
An apparatus (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor and memory) for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
means for performing (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor) a relay reselection procedure with a remote UE (Freda, [0080], [0083]-[0084], [0273], [0286], [0330]-[0332], Taking actions to trigger a relay reselection procedure separately from releasing the link) separately from releasing a unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, [0084], [0091], [0210], [0287], Taking actions to trigger releasing the unicast link between the remote UE and the relay UE); and
means for releasing (Freda, FIG. 1B, [0032], The WTRU including a processor) the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Freda, FIG. 1E, [0228], [0348], Releasing the unicast link between the UE and a first relay UE).
Freda does not explicitly disclose the means for performing the relay reselection procedure comprises means for exchanging relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE.
However, Wu discloses the means for performing the relay reselection procedure comprises means for exchanging relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE (Wu, [0083]-[0090], A reselection request from the relay UE triggering a reselection procedure. A reselection response/notification indicating successful recovery).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Freda with the means for performing the relay reselection procedure comprises means for exchanging relay reselection request and relay reselection response messages via the unicast link between the UE and the remote UE as taught by Wu to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
The combination of Freda and Wu does not explicitly disclose the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted.
However, Jung discloses the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted (Wu, Fig. 16, 163, Fig. 18, [0303], [0306], The remote UE transmits to the relay UE a direct connection release accept message (this may be referred to as ‘DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE_ACCEPT’). At step 2030, relay UE1 is selected. At step 2080, the remote UE selects a candidate relay UE and excludes UE 1 which corresponds to reselecting a relay (see [0314]-[0316]). A connection accept message step 2100 is received in response to the connection request message step 2090 (see Fig. 18, S2030-S2050, S2080-S2100, [0314]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the combination of the teachings of Freda and Wu with the relay reselection response message indicates whether the relay reselection request was accepted as taught by Jung to provide improved signal quality and throughput.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 12-14, 18-19, 31-33, 35-36, 48-50, 54-55, 68-69, 71-72 are 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
6. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENEE HOLLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-7196. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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JENEE HOLLAND
Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/JENEE HOLLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469