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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
The certified English translation of the foreign application has been submitted on 07/15/2025.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/11/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 07/15/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding amended claims 1, 9 and 14, and their respective dependent claims, the Applicant argued that “…Narayanan et al. employs conditions such as changing an MBMS transmission mode and receiving an indication of an MBMS configuration change as triggering conditions for acquiring MBMS transmission resources. However, MBMS transmission resources and MBMS configuration are two entirely distinct concepts. In Narayanan et al., a WTRU may acquire MBMS transmission resources when requesting MBMS reception and when valid transmission resources are not associated with an MBMS configuration. This indicates that the WTRU is already aware of or has acquired the MBMS configuration when triggering the acquisition of MBMS transmission resources. Narayanan et al. uses the aforementioned triggering condition to acquire MBMS transmission resources so that they become associated with an MBMS configuration. Therefore, the triggering conditions described in Narayanan et al. are for triggering the acquisition of MBMS transmission resources associated with an MBMS configuration, not for triggering the acquisition of the MBMS configuration itself… Narayanan et al. does not disclose initiation conditions(s) for the RRC connection event corresponding to the RRC response used to receive the MBMS configuration. Narayanan et al. merely relates to the WTRU receiving an MBMS configuration according to conditions, which may be associated with unicast transmission and/or dedicated to (e.g., associated only with) MBMS transmission. Narayanan et al. does not disclose such trigger conditions as: the terminal having a multimedia broadcast service capability; the terminal being interested in the multimedia broadcast service; the terminal receiving the multimedia broadcast service’ or the configuration of the multimedia broadcast service being updated. Moreover, there is no disclosed correlation in Narayanan et al. between the conditions for triggering the acquisition of MBMS transmission resources and an RRC connection event. Based on the disclosure of Narayanan et al., a person skilled in the art would have no motivation to use the triggering conditions for acquiring MBMS transmission resources as the initiation condition(s) for an RRC connection event…” (emphasis added) (see Remarks, pages 10-12).
In response to applicant’s argument, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the argument above. Narayanan teaches on paragraphs [94-99] (supported by the provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [86-91]) as follows:
MBMS Service Area Acquisition
[0094] According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured to acquire a MBMS configuration. According to embodiments, a WTRU may perform any of the following: (1) (e.g., first) acquire timing and synchronization for a (e.g., given) set of physical resources (e.g., a cell), (2) acquire system frame numbering (SFN), (3) perform beam management (if applicable), and/or (4) acquire and start decoding a control channel. According to embodiments, a MBMS configuration may be broadcast(ed). According to embodiments, a WTRU may acquire a MBMS configuration using (e.g., via, from, etc.) any of a cell-based broadcasted System Information (e.g., Syslnfo, or SIBx for MBMS) and a separate set of resources dedicated to MBMS configuration.
[0095] According to embodiments, a MBMS configuration may be received (e.g., by a WTRU) on-demand. For example, a WTRU may be configured to obtain MBMS configuration using an on-demand request procedure. According to embodiments, an on-demand request may be based on transmission of a preamble associated with a MBMS configuration. According to embodiments, (e.g., different, separate, unique, etc.) preambles may be configured for any of different MBMS transmission modes and different MBMS services. According to embodiments, an on-demand request may be based on transmission of an radio resource control (RRC) request message. According to embodiments, such a RRC request message may provide further information about any of: MBMS services of interest, WTRU capability (e.g., regarding MBMS transmission modes), link quality, RRM measurement results of neighbor cells, etc.
[0096] According to embodiments, a MBMS counting procedure and on-demand request procedure may be combined into a single procedure. According to embodiments, a WTRU may request (e.g., for) a MBMS configuration and/or a MBMS service in any of an RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured to receive a MBMS configuration in any of system information (e.g., a SIB) or in an RRC response (e.g. a MSG4, or similar). According to embodiments, a WTRU may receive a response in a current active BWP, and the response may indicate (e.g. command) a WTRU to switch to a BWP associated with a MBMS service. In such a case, a WTRU may (e.g., then) receive a MBMS configuration in the (e.g., switched to) MBMS BWP. According to embodiments, a response to an on-demand request (e.g., from a WTRU executing an on-demand request procedure) may be a RRC response message configuring the WTRU to enter connected state to receive MBMS service.
[0097] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an MBMS counting procedure and on-demand request procedure as a single procedure, according to embodiments.
[0098] According to embodiments, as a first operation, for example, referring to FIG. 3, a WTRU may send a request (e.g., transmit a message including and/or indicating a request) for any of an MBMS configuration and an MBMS service, for example, in any of an RRC connection request message, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message. According to embodiments, such request may be an on-demand request. According to embodiments, as a second operation, a WTRU may receive a MBMS configuration in any of system information or an RRC response, and for example, such system information and/or response may be received in an active BWP. According to embodiments, such system information and/or response may include information commanding the WTRU to switch (e.g., from the active BWP) to a BWP associated with a (e.g., specific) MBMS service. According to embodiments, such response to an on-demand request (e.g., from a WTRU executing an on-demand request procedure) may be a RRC response message for configuring the WTRU to enter connected state, for example, to receive MBMS service. According to embodiments, as a third operation, for example, in a case where a WTRU has entered a connected state, the WTRU may receive a MBMS configuration, for example in the MBMS BWP associated with (e.g., instructed/indicated in) the command.
[0099] According to embodiments, a WTRU may receive a MBMS configuration according to conditions, for example, such that the MBMS configuration reception (e.g., acquisition by the WTRU) may be a conditional acquisition. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured to receive MBMS configuration as a part of a conditional reconfiguration message. According to embodiments, a WTRU may start MBMS acquisition when one or more trigger conditions are satisfied. For example, such trigger conditions may be associated with unicast transmission, and/or such trigger conditions may be dedicated to (e.g., associated only with) MBMS transmissions.
Therefore, Narayanan clearly teaches the UE/WTRU is configured to transmit the on-demand request for the MBMS configuration based on a conditional acquisition, such as when associated with the MBMS transmissions (which also agreed by the Applicant, see above arguments). Thus, the acquisition of the MBMS configuration via the RRC connection event, is triggered when the WTRU/terminal has a multimedia broadcast service capability and/or is receiving the MBMS transmission(s).
Furthermore, Narayanan teaches on paragraphs [109-110, 123] (supported by the provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [100-101, 111]) as follows:
[0109] According to embodiments, a WTRU may determine a MBMS transmission mode according to changing of MBMS transmission resources. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with a first MBMS transmission resource and a second MBMS transmission resource, wherein each of the first and second MBMS transmission resources may be associated with respective (e.g., different) transmission modes. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured to monitor for changes in MBMS transmission resources. According to embodiments, in a case of (e.g., upon a WTRU detecting) a change from a first MBMS transmission resource to a second transmission resource, a WTRU may apply a (e.g., corresponding) change in a MBMS transmission mode.
[0110] According to embodiments, MBMS transmission resources may correspond to a BWP. According to embodiments, a WTRU may determine a change in MBMS transmission mode according to a BWP switch. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured to monitor for changes in an active BWP part, wherein a BWP change may be triggered by a BWP switch command. According to embodiments, such command may be received via PDCCH, for example, indicating any of: a DL assignment, a UL grant, a BWP inactivity timer, RRC signaling, and a random-access procedure. In such a case, for example, upon detecting any of a switch, a command, or a change in a BWP, a WTRU may acquire and/or apply the MBMS configuration associated with a new BWP. If no MBMS configuration is associated with the new BWP, then the WTRU may trigger a MBMS BWP acquisition procedure.
[0123] According to embodiments, in a case where a WTRU determines that the MBMS transmissions are started on a SCell, if the WTRU is interested in the MBMS service, then it may acquire (e.g., should start acquiring) a MBMS configuration (e.g., if not provided already) and may start receiving MBMS transmissions. According to embodiments, in a case of more than one MBMS transmission resources being preconfigured for a MBMS service, including, for example, a BWP on a PCell and a MBMS SCell, according to activation of the MBMS SCell, a WTRU may perform any of the following: (1) stop MBMS reception on the BWP; (2) switch to a default BWP, for example, if no other unicast transmissions are ongoing on that BWP; (3) apply a MBMS transmission mode associated with the MBMS SCell; and (4) start MBMS reception on the SCell.
Hence, Narayanan has evidently taught the UE/WTRU initiating/starting the MBMS configuration acquisition when the UE/WTRU has detected the change(s) in the MBMS transmission(s), therefore, the UE/WTRU is receiving the MBMS transmission(s) and has the MBMS capability. Additionally, the UE/WTRU also initiates/starts the MBMS configuration acquisition when interested in the MBMS service (see paragraph [123]).
Accordingly, Narayanan has clearly taught the correlation in Narayanan et al. between the conditions for triggering the acquisition of MBMS transmission resources and an RRC connection event.
For the above reasons, claim 1 is not patentable over the cited prior art reference. The other claims depend from claim 1 are also not patentable for at least the same reasons as the independent claim 1 and for other reason(s) as set forth below.
Independent claims 9 and 14 include similar features, so they are NOT patentable for at least similar reasons.
Consequently, the claims10-13, 16-20 are also NOT allowable for at least the same reasons, AND for other reasons as set forth in the rejection(s) below.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 6, 9-11, 14, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2023/0029998 A1 to Narayanan Thangaraj et al. (hereafter refers as Narayanan).
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Narayanan teaches an information transmission method, performed by a terminal, and a terminal (a method and a WTRU for performing the method, Fig. 3-4 and paragraphs [94-98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [86-91]), comprising
a processor (the UE/WTRU comprises a CPU, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116]), a memory (the UE/WTRU comprises a memory, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116]), and an instruction stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the instruction, when executed by the processor, implementing steps of an information transmission method (wherein the memory stores therein the instructions which when executed by the CPU cause the WTRU to perform the method, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116]), the steps comprising:
obtaining configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service through radio resource control (RRC) signaling (the WTRU obtains configuration information of MBMS service, i.e. MBMS configuration, through RRC signaling, via RRC signaling for establishing RRC connection, direct RRC signaling and/or etc., paragraphs [95-98, 121], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [89-90, 109]);
wherein the obtaining configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service through radio resource control RRC signaling comprises:
initiating an RRC connection event (the WTRU obtains the configuration information of MBMS service, by initiating an RRC connection event, via a transmission of a RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]); and
obtaining the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service through the RRC signaling in the RRC connection event (the WTRU obtains the configuration information of MBMS service via the RRC signaling(s), i.e. RRC request and/or RRC response message, in the RRC connection event, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
wherein the RRC connection event comprises:
an RRC connection establishment process, or an RRC connection resume process, or an RRC connection re-establishment process (wherein the RRC connection event is an RRC connection establishment process, an RRC connection resume process or an RRC connection re-establishment process, paragraph [96], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
wherein the RRC connection event is used for obtaining configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service (wherein the RRC connection event is an RRC connection establishment process, an RRC connection resume process or an RRC connection re-establishment process, for obtaining the MBMS configuration information, paragraphs [95-98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [89-90]), and a triggering condition of the RRC connection event (the UE/WTRU is triggered to transmit the RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message with the MBMS configuration request, when the UE/WTRU is determined to obtain the MBMS configuration, paragraphs [95-97, 99, 109-110, 123], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [89-91, 100-101, 111]) comprises at least one of:
the terminal has a multimedia broadcast service capability (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when associated with MBMS transmissions, paragraph [99], and provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [91], or when the UE/WTRU determines that the MBMS transmission resource has been changed, paragraphs [109-110], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [100-101], thus the WTRU has a MBMS service capability);
the terminal is interested in the multimedia broadcast service (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when the WTRU is interested in receiving the MBMS service, paragraph [123] and provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [111]);
the terminal is receiving the multimedia broadcast service (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when the UE/WTRU determines that the MBMS transmission resource/BWP has been changed, paragraphs [109-110, 123], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [100-101, 111], thus receiving the MBMS transmission); or
a configuration of the multimedia broadcast service is updated (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when there is a change in MBMS configuration, paragraphs [93-94, 109-110, 123] and provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [87-88, 100-101, 111]).
Regarding claim 2, Narayanan further teaches wherein the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service comprises at least one of:
information related to multimedia broadcast service scheduling (wherein the configuration information specifying resource(s) for receiving MBMS service, abstract and paragraphs [69, 78, 92, 100, 110,], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [64, 74, 87, 88, 92-93, 101]); or
information related to service continuity of the multimedia broadcast service (or to indicate information related to service continuity of MBMS, i.e. BWP change/update, paragraphs [72-73, 84, 109-112], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [69, 80, 84-85, 96, 100, 102-104]); and/or
wherein the RRC signaling comprises at least one of:
an RRC re-establishment message (wherein the WTRU transmits a RRC connection re-establishment request to a network/base station and thereby receives a RRC connection re-establishment response including the MBMS configuration, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
an RRC setup message (WTRU receives a RRC connection response including the MBMS configuration to establish RRC connection for receiving MBMS service, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [90]); or
an RRC resume message (or wherein the WTRU transmits a RRC connection resume request to a network/base station and thereby receives a RRC connection resume response including the MBMS configuration, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Narayanan further teaches comprising:
obtaining an indication message, wherein the indication message is used for indicating whether the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service changes (the WTRU obtains an indication of change to MBMS configurations and/or MBMS transmission mode, paragraphs [73, 93, 105, 109, 110], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [72, 83-85, 87, 96, 100-103]).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Narayana teaches an information transmission method, performed by a network side device, and a network side device (a method and a base station for performing the method, paragraphs [11-13, 93-98, 105], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [8-11, 63, 86-91]), comprising a processor (the base station comprises a CPU, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116]), a memory (the base station comprises a memory, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116]), and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the program or instruction, when executed by the processor, implementing steps of the information transmission method (wherein the memory stores therein the instructions which when executed by the CPU cause the base station to perform the method, paragraphs [125-128], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [114-116])comprising:
sending configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service through radio resource control (RRC) signaling (the base station transmits configuration information of MBMS service, i.e. MBMS configuration, through RRC signaling, via RRC signaling for establishing RRC connection, direct RRC signaling and/or etc., paragraphs [93, 95-98, 105, 121], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [63, 87, 89-90, 109]);
wherein the sending configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service through radio resource control RRC signaling comprises:
sending the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service through the RRC signaling in the RRC connection event (the base station transmits configuration information of MBMS service, i.e. MBMS configuration, through RRC signaling, i.e. RRC response, during an RRC connection event, paragraphs [96, 98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [88, 90] which is initiated by a transmission of a RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
wherein the RRC connection event comprises:
an RRC connection establishment process, or an RRC connection resume process, or an RRC connection re-establishment process (wherein the RRC connection event is an RRC connection establishment process, an RRC connection resume process or an RRC connection re-establishment process, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
wherein the RRC connection event is used for obtaining configuration information of a multimedia broadcast service (wherein the RRC connection event is an RRC connection establishment process, an RRC connection resume process or an RRC connection re-establishment process, for obtaining the MBMS configuration information, paragraphs [95-98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [89-90]), and a triggering condition of the RRC connection event (the UE/WTRU is triggered to transmit the RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message with the MBMS configuration request, when the UE/WTRU is determined to obtain the MBMS configuration, paragraphs [95-97, 99, 109-110, 123], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [89-91, 100-101, 111]) comprises at least one of:
the terminal has a multimedia broadcast service capability (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when associated with MBMS transmissions, paragraph [99], and provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [91], or when the UE/WTRU determines that the MBMS transmission resource has been changed, paragraphs [109-110], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [100-101], thus the WTRU has a MBMS service capability);
the terminal is interested in the multimedia broadcast service (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when the WTRU is interested in receiving the MBMS service, paragraph [123] and provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [111]);
the terminal is receiving the multimedia broadcast service (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when the UE/WTRU determines that the MBMS transmission resource/BWP has been changed, paragraphs [109-110, 123], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [100-101, 111], thus receiving the MBMS transmission); or
a configuration of the multimedia broadcast service is updated (wherein the WTRU is triggered to obtain the MBMS configuration, when there is a change in MBMS configuration, paragraphs [93-94, 109-110, 123] and provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [87-88, 100-101, 111]).
Regarding claim 10, Narayanan further teaches wherein the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service comprises at least one of:
information related to multimedia broadcast service scheduling (wherein the configuration information specifying resource(s) for receiving MBMS service, abstract and paragraphs [69, 78, 92, 100, 110,], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [64, 74, 87, 88, 92-93, 101]); or
information related to service continuity of the multimedia broadcast service (or to indicate information related to service continuity of MBMS, i.e. BWP change/update, paragraphs [72-73, 84, 109-112], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [69, 80, 84-85, 96, 100, 102-104]); and/or
wherein the RRC signaling comprises at least one of:
an RRC re-establishment message (wherein the WTRU transmits a RRC connection re-establishment request to a network/base station and thereby receives a RRC connection re-establishment response including the MBMS configuration, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]);
an RRC setup message (WTRU receives a RRC connection response including the MBMS configuration to establish RRC connection for receiving MBMS service, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [90]); or
an RRC resume message (or wherein the WTRU transmits a RRC connection resume request to a network/base station and thereby receives a RRC connection resume response including the MBMS configuration, paragraph [98], provisional 62/951,038, paragraph [90]).
Regarding claims 11 and 19, Narayanan further teaches sending an indication message, wherein the indication message is used for indicating whether the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service changes (the base station transmits an indication of change to MBMS configurations and/or MBMS transmission mode, paragraphs [73, 93, 105, 109, 110], provisional 62/951,038, paragraphs [72, 83-85, 87, 96, 100-103]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0029998 A1 to Narayanan Thangaraj et al. (hereafter refers as Narayanan) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2019/0191279 A1 to Fujishiro et al. (hereafter refers as Fujishiro) and US 2019/0268964 A1 to Lee et al. (hereafter refers as Lee).
Regarding claim 4, Narayanan does not explicitly teach “a cause value in the RRC connection event, the cause value in the RRC connection event comprises at least one of: a value of an establishment cause during the RRC connection establishment process; a value of a resume cause during the RRC connection resume process; or a value of a re-establishment cause during the RRC connection re-establishment process”.
Fujishiro teaches an information transmission method, performed by a terminal, and a terminal (a method and a UE for performing the method, paragraphs [139-141]), comprising
a processor (the UE comprises a CPU, paragraph [35]), a memory (the UE comprises a memory, paragraph [35]), and an instruction stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the instruction, when executed by the processor, implementing steps of an information transmission method (wherein the memory stores therein the instructions which when executed by the CPU cause the WTRU to perform the method, paragraph [35]), the steps comprising:
initiating an RRC connection event (the UE obtains initiating an RRC connection event, via a transmission of a RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message, paragraphs [139-141]); and
wherein the RRC connection event comprises:
an RRC connection establishment process, or an RRC connection resume process, or an RRC connection re-establishment process (wherein the RRC connection event is an RRC connection establishment process, an RRC connection resume process or an RRC connection re-establishment/restoration process, paragraph [141]);
wherein a triggering condition of the RRC connection event (the UE/WTRU is triggered to start the RRC connection event, i.e. transmitting the RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message, to establish an RRC connection, paragraphs [139-141]) comprises at least one of:
the terminal has a multimedia broadcast service capability (when the UE is receiving the MBMS service or interested in the MBMS service, paragraph [141], thus has a MBMS capability);
the terminal is interested in the multimedia broadcast service (when the UE is interested in the MBMS reception, paragraph [141]); or
the terminal is receiving the multimedia broadcast service (when the UE is receiving the MBMS service, paragraph [141]),
a cause value in the RRC connection event (wherein the RRC connection request, a RRC connection re-establishment message, and a RRC resume message includes a cause field, paragraph [142]),
the cause value in the RRC connection event comprises at least one of:
a value of an establishment cause during the RRC connection establishment process (the RRC connection request includes the cause field indicating cause for establishing RRC connection, paragraph [142]);
a value of a resume cause during the RRC connection resume process (the RRC resume request includes the cause field indicating cause for establishing RRC connection, paragraph [142]); or
a value of a re-establishment cause during the RRC connection re-establishment process (the RRC restoration request includes the cause field indicating cause for establishing RRC connection, paragraph [142]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of a cause value in the RRC connection event, the cause value in the RRC connection event comprises at least one of: a value of an establishment cause during the RRC connection establishment process; a value of a resume cause during the RRC connection resume process; or a value of a re-establishment cause during the RRC connection re-establishment process as taught by Fujishiro, with the teachings of the RRC connection event as taught by Narayanan, for a purpose of increase efficiency in establishing the RRC connection by clearly specifying the cause for RRC connection event (see Fujishiro, paragraphs [142-143]).
However, the combination of Narayanan and Fujishiro does not explicitly teach the cause value is a “cause value already defined or a newly set cause value, the newly set cause value is a cause value different from the cause value already defined”.
Lee teaches a cause value in a RRC connection event (RRC connection establishment event includes a cause value, paragraphs [65, 89-91]) is a cause value already defined or a newly set cause value (wherein the cause value is one of already defined cause values or a newly set cause value, paragraphs [105, 108]), the newly set cause value is a cause value different from the cause value already defined (wherein the newly set cause value is different from the cause value already defined, paragraphs [105, 108]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the cause value is a cause value already defined or a newly set cause value, the newly set cause value is a cause value different from the cause value already defined as taught by Lee, with the teachings of the cause value as taught by combination of Narayanan and Fujishiro, for a purpose of increase efficiency in identifying the cause value by provide flexibility in selecting the cause value, i.e. selecting the cause value from the already defined cause value or a newly set cause value (see Lee, paragraphs [105, 108]).
Claims 5 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0029998 A1 to Narayanan Thangaraj et al. (hereafter refers as Narayanan) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2021/0410045 A1 to Kadiri et al. (hereafter refers as Kadiri).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Narayanan does not explicitly teach “wherein unified access control (UAC) in the RRC connection establishment process or the RRC connection resume process comprises at least one of:
a defined access value, and
the access value comprises at least one of a value of an access category or a value of an access identity”.
Kadiri teaches a unified access control (UAC) in a RRC connection establishment process or the RRC connection resume process (providing a unified access control parameter(s) in the RRC connection establishment process or the RRC connection resume process, paragraphs [55, 79-80, 90, 150], provisional 63/044,339, paragraphs [5, 56, 71-73, 87, 145-148]) comprises at least one of:
a defined access value (comprises an access value for access identity, paragraphs [79, 90-92], provisional 63/044,339, paragraphs [81, 92-93] and access category value, paragraphs [83-85, 94-96, 145-146], provisional 63/044,339, paragraphs [84-86, 94-96, 145-146]), and
the access value comprises at least one of a value of an access category or a value of an access identity (wherein the access value comprises the access category value or access identity value, paragraphs 79, 83-85, 90-95, 145-146], provisional 63/044,339, paragraphs [81, 92-96, 145-146]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein unified access control (UAC) in the RRC connection establishment process or the RRC connection resume process comprises at least one of: a defined access value, and the access value comprises at least one of a value of an access category or a value of an access identity as taught by Kadiri, with the teachings of the RRC connection establishment process or the RRC connection resume process as taught by Narayanan, for a purpose of controlling access overload, by using the unified access control (UAC) with defined access value to define service associated with the user equipment/wtru for controlling which access is allowed (see Kadiri, paragraphs [79-81, 184-185, 195], provisional 63/044,339, paragraphs [81, 92-96, 145-146]).
Claims 7, 8, 12, 13 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0029998 A1 to Narayanan Thangaraj et al. (hereafter refers as Narayanan) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2018/0042033 A1 to Xu et al. (hereafter refers as Xu).
Regarding claims 7, 12 and 20, Narayanan does not explicitly teach the indication message is “downlink control information scrambled by a first radio network temporary identity (RNTD, and the first RNTI is an RNTI different from an already defined RNTI”.
Xu teaches obtaining an indication message, wherein the indication message is used for indicating whether the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service changes (a UE obtains an indication of whether the MBMS resource configuration(s) has changed, paragraphs [107, 160-167, 193]),
the indication message is downlink control information scrambled by a first radio network temporary identity (RNTI), and the first RNTI is an RNTI different from an already defined RNTI (wherein the indication is DCI scrambled with a new Gs-RNTI, which is different from an original activated Gs-RNTI, paragraphs [7, 11, 66-67, 104, 107, 163-164]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the indication message is downlink control information scrambled by a first radio network temporary identity (RNTI), and the first RNTI is an RNTI different from an already defined RNTI as taught by Xu, with the teachings of obtaining an indication message, wherein the indication message is used for indicating whether the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service changes as taught by Narayanan, for a purpose of increase efficiency in identifying whether the indication message is used by simply determine whether the first RNTI is different from the already defined RNTI (see Xu, paragraphs [104, 107, 163-164]).
Regarding claims 8 and 13, Xu further teaches wherein a terminal to which the first RNTI is applicable comprises at least one of:
a terminal having a multimedia broadcast service capability (wherein the new Gs-RNTI is used by the UE to determine whether the MBMS configuration is changed, thus the UE is having the MBMS capability, paragraphs [104, 107, 109, 163-164]);
a terminal interested in the multimedia broadcast service (wherein the new Gs-RNTI is used by the UE to determine whether the MBMS configuration is changed, and the UE interested in a MBMS, paragraphs [107, 109]);or
all terminals (wherein the new Gs-RNTI is a group RNTI, paragraphs [11, 101, 104]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of t herein a terminal to which the first RNTI is applicable comprises at least one of: the terminal having a multimedia broadcast service capability, a terminal interested in the multimedia broadcast service, or all terminals as taught by Xu, with the teachings of obtaining an indication message, wherein the indication message is used for indicating whether the configuration information of the multimedia broadcast service changes as taught by Narayanan, for a purpose of increase efficiency in providing the indication message by identifying which terminal is applicable with the first RNTI (see Xu, paragraphs [104, 107, 163-164]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2021/0185566 A1 discloses base station transmits to a UE, an indication of measurement configuration associated with MBS channel, via an RRC release message (paragraphs [95-97] and Fig. 9A-9B).
US 2016/0021516 A1 discloses a UE sends an RRC connection request to a base station, triggered because of MBMS service paging, and thereby the base station sends the MBMS configuration information to the UE (see paragraphs [396-402]).
US 2016/0021516 A1 discloses a UE sends an RRC connection request, wherein the request message is triggered because of MBMS service paging, and the request message is also included a cause value (See paragraphs [394-396]).
US 2020/0413241 A1 discloses a cause value is one of defined cause values or a newly defined cause value (see paragraph [295]).
US 2018/0160342 A1 discloses a base station receives a RRC message comprising MBMS services interested by a wireless device/UE, from the wireless device/UE, and thereby transmits an MBMS configuration to the wireless device/UE (paragraphs [174-176, 186, 197] and Fig. 13-18).
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 January 2, 2026