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 12/23/2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6-9 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being anticipated by US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang.
Regarding claims 1 and 19, Dai teaches a data transmission method, performed by a terminal and a communications device (a UE for performing a data transmission method, Fig. 3-8), comprising:
a memory storing computer-readable instructions (the UE comprises a medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, paragraph [102]); and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer-readable instructions (the UE further includes a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, paragraph [102]), wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations (wherein when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method, paragraph [102]) comprising:
receiving configuration information of a target transmission mode of a multicast service (the UE receives a target mode configuration, i.e. PTP mode or PTM mode, of a multicast service, Fig. 3, step 330, Fig. 4, step 430, Fig. 5-8 and paragraphs [44-46, 56-58, 84, 93-95]); and
continuously receiving service data of a target service based on the configuration information of the target transmission mode (the UE continuously receives a service data of the multicast service, i.e. target service, planned by the UE, based on the target mode configuration, after switching to a new/target transmision mode, Fig. 3-8 and paragraphs [45, 51-54, 60-63, 68-71, 77-81, 85-87]),
wherein when the target transmission mode is a Point-To-Multipoint (PTM) transmission mode (when the target transmision mode is a PTM mode, paragraphs [55-56, 70-71, 77-79, 84-85, 94] and Fig. 4, 5-8), the continuously receiving service data comprises obtaining explicit or implicit first indication information (the UE continuously receives the service data by obtaining a handover command or a PTM mode configuration, paragraphs [44, 73, 91]), establishing a bearer based on the first indication information to continuously receive the service data of the target service (the UE establishes a bearer/connection, in response to receive the handover command or the PTM mode configuration, to continuously receive service data of the PTM mode service, paragraphs [44, 73, 91]).
However, Dai does not explicitly teach establishing “a multicast bearer from the sequence number (SN) initialization state”.
Wang teaches a continuously receiving service data comprises obtaining explicit or implicit first indication information (a UE continuously receives the service data by obtaining switch order, paragraphs [6, 40-41]), establishing a multicast bearer from the sequence number (SN) initialization state based on the first indication information to continuously receive the service data of the target service (establishing a multicast radio bearer, i.e. MRB, using sequence number when starting transmission of a target service, i.e. multicast service, via the established MRB, in response to the switch order, paragraphs [6, 21, 24, 40-41]).
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 establishing a multicast bearer from the sequence number (SN) initialization state based on the first indication information to continuously receive the service data of the target service as taught by Wang, with the teachings of Dai, for a purpose of preventing any lost packet during a switch over to the target service when establishing the multicast bearer (see Wang, paragraphs [6, 21, 24]).
Regarding claim 2, Dai further teaches establishing an associated unicast bearer for the target service (when the target transmission mode is the PTM mode, the UE establishes a dedicated/unicast bearer associated with a multicast bearer to enable the UE to receive the missing data of the target service and to continue receive the service data of the target service after switching, paragraphs [36, 37, 44, 84, 94]) when the terminal is in the PTM transmission mode (when the UE is in the PTM mode, paragraphs [36-37, 44]), and continuously receiving the service data of the target service based on the associated unicast bearer (UE provides a status report(s) via the unicast/dedicated bearer, and receives missing multicast service data via the dedicated or unicast bearer, based on the status report, thus enable the UE to continue receive the multicast service data, i.e. receiving the missing multicast service data during the switching and receiving other multicast service data after switching, paragraphs [36-38, 55-63, 84-89, 94-97] and Fig. 4, last step).
Regarding claim 4, Dai further teaches when a source transmission mode is the PTM transmission mode, the continuously receiving service data further comprises:
establishing a multicast bearer based on the target transmission mode (when the target transmision mode/second mode is the PTM mode, the UE establishes a multicast bearer based on PTM mode to continue receive the service data, paragraphs [44, 57]), maintaining an SN state of the target transmission mode the same as an SN state of the source transmission mode, and continuously receiving the service data (the UE uses a common sequence number that is shared between the target transmission mode/second mode and the source transmission mode/first mode to determine status of each received multicast service packet and for continuously receiving the multicast service packet(s)/data, paragraphs [38-39, 51, 60-63, 71, 77, 87, 96, 123]).
Regarding claim 6, Dai further teaches when the associated unicast bearer is established, the continuously receiving service data comprises at least one of the following:
sending service reception state information to the network side device by using the associated unicast bearer (when the unicast bearer associated with the PTM mode is established, the UE sends a data receiving status report to the base station/BS using the associated with unicast bearer, paragraphs [57-59, 84-87]);
receiving first target data sent by the network side device, and reordering the first target data and received data (the UE receives multicast service data sent by the base station(s), when switching to the target transmission mode, and reordering the multicast service data with the prior received multicast service data, see paragraphs [57-62, 84-88); or
receiving target SN correspondence sent by the network side device (the UE receives a target SN, i.e. minimum common SN of data packets received in the PTM mode, sent by a new/target base station, paragraphs [39, 62, 68, 77-79]), and receiving and reordering the service data based on the target SN correspondence (the UE receives and reorders the service data based on the target SN, requesting any missing service data based on the target SN, paragraphs [39, 62, 68, 77-79]), wherein the target SN correspondence is a correspondence between the SN of a source transmission mode and the SN of the target transmission mode (wherein the minimum common SN of data packets received in PTM mode is a correspondence between the SN of the PTP mode and the SN of the PTM, mode, paragraphs [60-62]).
Regarding claim 7, Dai further teaches when the target transmission mode is a Point-To-Point (PTP) transmission mode (when the target transmission mode is a PTP transmission mode, Fig. 3 and paragraphs [14, 43-44]), the continuously receiving service data comprises:
establishing a unicast bearer (the UE establishes a unicast bearer to continue receiving service data, paragraphs [44-46] and Fig. 3), and receiving multicast service data based on the unicast bearer (the UE receives the multicast service data via the unicast bearer, paragraphs [46, 53-54] and Fig. 3), wherein an SN state of service data received in the target transmission mode is maintained based on an SN state of service data received in a source transmission mode (wherein the SN number of the service data in the target transmision mode is continued from the SN of the service data in the source transmission mode, paragraphs [45, 51, 65-68, 71]).
Regarding claim 8, Dai further teaches wherein when the target transmission mode is a Point-To-Point (PTP) transmission mode (when the target transmission mode is a PTP transmission mode, Fig. 3 and paragraphs [14, 43-44]), and a SN state of service data received in the target transmission mode is maintained based on an SN state of service data received in a source transmission mode (and when the SN number of the service data in the target transmision mode is continued from the SN of the service data in the source transmission mode, paragraphs [45, 51, 65-68, 71]), the method further comprises:
reporting SN state information of received service data, wherein the SN state information comprises at least one of service data that is successfully received and service data that fails to be received (the UE sends a data receiving status report to the base station indicating SN state information of received service data, wherein the SN state information indicates at least one of the service data is successfully received and/or one of the service data that fails to be received, i.e. data packets are missing, paragraph [51]).
Regarding claim 9, Dai teaches a data transmission method, performed by a network side device (a base station for performing a data transmission method, Fig. 3-8), wherein the method comprises:
sending configuration information of a target transmission mode of a multicast service to a terminal (the base station sends a target mode configuration, i.e. PTP mode or PTM mode, of a multicast service, to a UE, Fig. 3, step 330, Fig. 4, step 430, Fig. 5-8 and paragraphs [44-46, 56-58, 84, 93-95]),
wherein the configuration information is used to instruct the terminal to continuously receive service data of a target service based on the target transmission mode (the wherein the target mode configuration is used to instruct the terminal to continuously receive a service data of the multicast service planned by the UE, based on the target mode configuration, by switching to a new/target transmision mode, Fig. 3-8 and paragraphs [44, 45, 51-54, 56, 60-63, 68-71, 77-81, 85-87]),
wherein in a case that the target transmission mode is a Point-To-Multipoint (PTM) transmission mode (when the target transmision mode is a PTM mode, paragraphs [55-56, 70-71, 77-79, 84-85, 94] and Fig. 4, 5-8), the method further comprises sending explicit or implicit first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used to instruct the terminal to establish a bearer to continuously receive the service data of the target service (the base station sends a handover command or a PTM mode configuration to the UE to instruct the UE to establish/setup connection to continuously receive service data of the PTM mode service, paragraphs [44, 73, 91]).
However, Dai does not explicitly teach establishing a “multicast bearer from a Sequence Number (SN) initialization state”.
Wang teaches sending explicit or implicit first indication information (a base station/NR network a switch order, paragraphs [6, 40-41]), wherein the first indication information is used to instruct a terminal to establish a multicast bearer from a Sequence Number (SN) initialization state to continuously receive the service data of the target service (wherein the switch order is to instruct a UE to switch to multicast for multicast service, by establish a new MRB, i.e. multicast radio bearer, with a starting SN value, wherein the starting SN value is based on an SN of a last non-acknowledged PDCP packet or lowest value among all UEs switched for the multicast service, to continuously receive the multicast service data of the multicast service, paragraphs [6, 21, 24, 40-41]).
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 sending explicit or implicit first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used to instruct a terminal to establish a multicast bearer from a Sequence Number (SN) initialization state to continuously receive the service data of the target service as taught by Wang, with the teachings of Dai, for a purpose of preventing any lost packet during a switch over to the target service while establishing the multicast bearer for the target service (see Wang, paragraphs [6, 21, 24]).
Regarding claim 16, Dai further teaches when the target transmission mode is the PTM transmission mode (when the target transmission mode is a PTM transmission mode, paragraphs [14, 43-44, 55-60, 83-87]), the method further comprises at least one of the following:
receiving SN state information of received service data that is reported by the terminal (the base station receives a data receiving status report of received service data that is reported by the UE, paragraphs [57-59, 84-87]), wherein the SN state information comprises at least one of service data that is successfully received and service data that fails to be received (wherein the data receiving status report includes SN state information indicating at least one of the service data is successfully received and/or one of the service data that fails to be received, i.e. data packets are missing, paragraph [51]); or
sending second target data to the terminal, wherein the second target data is unicast service data that fails to be received by the terminal (the base station transmits target service data to the UE, wherein the target service data is unicast service data that fails to be received by the UE, i.e. missing data, paragraphs [51-54, 60-62, 87-89]).
Regarding claim 17, Dai further teaches when a target node corresponding to the target transmission mode is different from a source node corresponding to a source transmission mode (wherein in a cast that a target BS corresponding to the target transmission mode, which is different from a source base station corresponding to the source transmission mode, Fig. 6, 8), the method further comprises at least one of the following:
receiving service data on which the source node performs data forwarding (the target Base station receives a service data, i.e. including the missing data, on which the source base station perform data forwarding, to forward to the UE, paragraphs [6, 65-71, 78, 87-89]);
for service data corresponding to a Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI) (for service data corresponding to a TMGI, see paragraph [74]), receiving an upper limit of an SN value of service data that has been sent by the source node (receives a maximum common SN value of service data that has been sent the first mode, by the source base station, paragraphs [38, 39, 60, 77, 86-88]), wherein the SN is at least one of a Layer (L2) SN or an SN of a core network (wherein the SN is a PDCP or a radio link control layer, paragraphs [45, 57], and/or the SN is shared by both the source BS and the target BS, paragraphs [38, 67, 68, 87, 96]); or
receiving SN information of service data that fails to be sent by the source node (the base station receives SN information of serviced that that fails to be sent by the source base station, i.e. missing data, paragraphs [38-39, 51, 53, 60-61, 68, 87]), wherein the SN is at least one of an L2 SN or an SN of a core network (wherein the SN is a PDCP or a radio link control layer, paragraphs [45, 57], and/or the SN is shared by both the source BS and the target BS, paragraphs [38, 67, 68, 87, 96]).
Regarding claim 18, Dai further teaches wherein the upper limit of the SN value is determined by using any one of the following:
an SN value of a last data packet sent by the source node on the TMGI before sending a mode switching request command to the terminal (wherein the maximum common SN value of service data is a SN value of a last data packet sent by the first mode, i.e. via the first cell/source BS, on the TMGI, before performing handover, i.e. sending handover command to the UE, paragraphs [39, 62, 67-69]),
an SN value of a last data packet sent by the source node on the TMGI before performing SN state transfer (wherein the maximum common SN value of service data is a SN value of a last data packet sent by the first mode, i.e. via the first cell/source BS, on the TMGI, before performing handover, i.e. sending handover command to the UE, paragraphs [39, 62, 67-69]); or
an SN value of any data packet sent by the source node on the TMGI (wherein the maximum common SN value of service data is a SN value of a last data packet sent by the first mode, i.e. via the first cell/source BS, on the TMGI, paragraphs [39, 62, 67-69]).
Regarding claim 20, Dai further teaches a communications device (the base station, Fig. 3-8), comprising:
a memory storing computer-readable instructions (the base station includes a memory for storing computer-executable instructions, paragraphs [8-10, 129]); and
a processor coupled to the memory (the base station includes a processor coupled to the memory, paragraphs [8-10, 129]) and configured to execute the computer-readable instructions, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the data transmission method according to claim 9 (the processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to perform the method/steps of Fig. 3-8, paragraphs [8-10, 129]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2020/0374690 A1 to Yao et al. (hereafter refers as Yao).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Dai and Wang does not explicitly teach wherein “when the first assistance information is sent based on the UP, the first assistance information is carried in a Layer 2 (L2) control Protocol Data Unit (PDU) or an L2 PDU header”.
Yao teaches receiving first assistance information sent by a network side device based on a User Plane (UP) (a UE receives a first indication information sent by a network device, paragraphs [71-73], wherein the UE is communicated with the network device, via a user plane, paragraph [68]), and receiving and reordering the service data based on the first assistance information (the UE receives service data and reorders the service data based on first indication information indicating the SNs associated with the service data, see paragraphs [94-95, 125-126, 128]), wherein the first assistance information is configured to indicate a correspondence between a Sequence Number (SN) of a source transmission mode and an SN of the target transmission mode (wherein the first indication information indicates an offset and/or correlation between SN of packet(s) in a first type transmission and a SN of packet in a second type transmision, paragraphs [73-74, 80, 91, 94, 95, 97]),
wherein when the first assistance information is sent based on the UP (a UE receives a first information sent by a network device, paragraphs [71-73], wherein the UE is communicated with the network device, via a user plane, paragraph [68]), the first assistance information is carried in a Layer 2 (L2) control Protocol Data Unit (PDU) (the first indication information is carried in a control PDU, paragraphs [91, 94, 95], wherein the control PDU is a L2 control PDU, paragraphs [2, 68, 80, 82, 89]) or an L2 PDU header (the first indication information is carried in a PDU header, paragraph [92], wherein the control PDU is a L2 control PDU, paragraphs [2, 68, 80, 82, 89]).
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 when the first assistance information is sent based on the UP, the first assistance information is carried in a Layer 2 (L2) control Protocol Data Unit (PDU) or an L2 PDU header as taught by Yao, with the teachings of combination of Dai and Wang, for a purpose of increase reception of the service data of the target transmission mode by provide the correspondence between the Sequence Number (SN) of the source transmission mode and the SN of the target transmission mode from the UP, thus allow the terminal to determine which service data is missing and how to reorder the service data, when the SN of the target transmision mode is different from the SN of the source transmission mode (see Yao, paragraphs [94-95, 125-126, 128]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2023/0354473 A1 to Cao et al. (hereafter refers as Cao).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Dai and Wang further teaches wherein the establishing an associated unicast bearer comprises:
when the source transmission mode is switched to the target transmission mode, establishing the associated unicast bearer based on third indication information (when switching from a source/first mode to a second mode, see Dai, paragraphs [55-56, 65-67, 85-87, 90-94], receives signaling to activate unicast bearer, see Dai, paragraphs [44-46, 74, 84-86, 128]), wherein the third indication information is configured to indicate the target service for which the associated unicast bearer (receives signaling to activate unicast bearer for transmitting the UE specific information, see Dai, paragraphs [36-37, 44-46, 74, 84-861, 128]).
However, the combination of Dai and Wang does not explicitly teach the third indication information is to indicate the associated unicast bearer “needs to be established”.
Cao teaches establishing a unicast bearer based on third indication information (a UE receives a request for setup a unicast bearer and establishes the unicast bearer based on the request, i.e. wherein when the UE is in state 3, the UE has both the unicast bearer and a multicast bearer, paragraphs [19, 36, 60, 61, 66-67]), wherein the third indication information is configured to indicate the associated unicast bearer needs to be established (wherein the request for setup unicast cast bearer indicates to the UE needs to establish the unicast bearer to receive the multicast service, paragraphs [60, 61, 65-67]).
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 the third indication information is configured to indicate the associated unicast bearer needs to be established as taught by Cao, with the teachings of the third indication information is configured to indicate the associated unicast bearer as taught by combination of Dai and Wang, for a purpose of increasing efficiency in establishing the unicast bearer by clearly indicate to the UE to establish the associated unicast bearer, instead of activate the unicast bearer, thus allowing the UE to establish the unicast bearer even when there is not unicast bearer being activated (see Cao, paragraphs [19, 36, 60, 61, 66-67]).
Claims 10-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2020/0374690 A1 to Yao et al. (hereafter refers as Yao).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Dai and Wang does not explicitly teach “sending first assistance information to the terminal based on a user plane (UP), wherein the first assistance information is used to indicate a correspondence between a Sequence Number (SN) of a source transmission mode and an SN of the target transmission mode”.
Yao teaches sending first assistance information to the terminal based on a user plane (UP) (an access network device transmits a first indication information to a terminal device/UE, paragraphs [71-73], wherein the UE is communicated with the access network device, via a user plane, paragraph [68]), wherein the first assistance information is used to indicate a correspondence between an SN of a source transmission mode and an SN of the target transmission mode (wherein the first indication information indicates an offset and/or correlation between SN of packet(s) in a first type transmission and a SN of packet in a second type transmision, paragraphs [73-74, 80, 91, 94, 95, 97]).
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 sending first assistance information to the terminal based on a user plane (UP), wherein the first assistance information is used to indicate a correspondence between a Sequence Number (SN) of a source transmission mode and an SN of the target transmission mode as taught by Yao, with the teachings of combination of Dai and Wang, for a purpose of increase reception of the service data of the target transmission mode by provide the correspondence between the Sequence Number (SN) of the source transmission mode and the SN of the target transmission mode, thus allow the terminal to determine which service data is missing and how to reorder the service data, even when the SN of the target transmision mode is different from the SN of the source transmission mode (see Yao, paragraphs [94-95, 125-126, 128]).
Regarding claim 11, Yao further teaches when the first assistance information is sent based on the UP (a UE receives a first information sent by a network device, paragraphs [71-73], wherein the UE is communicated with the network device, via a user plane, paragraph [68]), the first assistance information is carried in a Layer 2 (L2) control Protocol Data Unit (PDU) (the first indication information is carried in a control PDU, paragraphs [91, 94, 95], wherein the control PDU is a L2 control PDU, paragraphs [2, 68, 80, 82, 89]) or an L2 PDU header (the first indication information is carried in a PDU header, paragraph [92], wherein the control PDU is a L2 control PDU, paragraphs [2, 68, 80, 82, 89]).
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 when the first assistance information is sent based on the UP the first assistance information is carried in a Layer 2 (L2) control Protocol Data Unit (PDU) or an L2 PDU header as taught by Yao, with the teachings of combination of Dai and Wang, for a purpose of increase reception of the service data of the target transmission mode by provide the correspondence between the Sequence Number (SN) of the source transmission mode and the SN of the target transmission mode, thus allow the terminal to determine which service data is missing and how to reorder the service data, even when the SN of the target transmision mode is different from the SN of the source transmission mode (see Yao, paragraphs [94-95, 125-126, 128]).
Regarding claim 13, Dai further teaches wherein after the sending third indication information, the method further comprises at least one of the following:
receiving reception state information of multicast service data of the terminal (after sending activation of the unicast bearer associated with the PTM mode and/or PTP mode, the base station receives a data receiving status report of the multicast service data of the UE, via the unicast bearer, paragraphs [51-53, 59-61]), or
sending first target data to the terminal, wherein the first target data is multicast service data that fails to be received by the terminal (after sending activation of the unicast bearer associated with the PTM mode and/or PTP mode, the base station sends a missing data to the UE, via the unicast bearer, paragraphs [53, 61-64]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang and US 2020/0374690 A1 to Yao et al. (hereafter refers as Yao) as applied to claims above, and further in view of in view of US 2023/0354473 A1 to Cao et al. (hereafter refers as Cao) and US 2014/0286225 A1 to Yu et al. (hereafter refers as Yu).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Dai, Wang and Yao further teaches establishing an associated unicast bearer for the target service when the terminal (the base station/BS establishes an unicast bearer, associated with a multicast bearer, see Dai, paragraphs [36, 37, 44, 84, 94], wherein the dedicated/unicast bearer enable the UE to receive the missing data of the target service and to continue receive the service data of the target service after switching, see Dai, paragraphs [36, 37, 44, 84, 94]) is in the PTM transmission mode (when the UE is in the PTM mode, see Dai, paragraphs [36-37, 44]), wherein the service data of the target service is continuously received based on the associated unicast bearer (based on a status report(s) via the unicast/dedicated bearer, and the missing multicast service data via the dedicated or unicast bearer, the UE to continue receive the multicast service data, after switching, see Dai, paragraphs [36-38, 55-63, 84-89, 94-97] and Fig. 4, last step).
However, the combination of Dai, Wang and Yao does not explicitly teach “sending a third indication information is used to instruct the terminal” to establish the associated unicast bearer.
Cao teaches sending third indication information (a base station transmits a request for setup a unicast bearer and establishes the unicast bearer based on the request, i.e. wherein when the UE is in state 3, the UE has both the unicast bearer and a multicast bearer, paragraphs [19, 36, 60, 61, 66-67]), the third indication information is used to instruct the terminal to establish an associated unicast bearer for a target service (wherein the request for setup unicast cast bearer indicates to the UE needs to establish the unicast bearer to receive a service data of the multicast service, paragraphs [60, 61, 65-67]).
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 the third indication information is configured to indicate the associated unicast bearer needs to be established as taught by Cao, with the teachings of the third indication information is configured to indicate the associated unicast bearer as taught by combination of Dai, Wang and Yao, for a purpose of increasing efficiency in establishing the unicast bearer by clearly indicate to the UE, the instruction to establish the associated unicast bearer (see Cao, paragraphs [19, 36, 60, 61, 66-67]).
However, the combination of Dai, Wang, Yao and Cao does not explicitly teach the third indication information comprises “configuration information” of the associated unicast bearer.
Yu teaches sending a third indication information comprises configuration information of the associated unicast bearer (a network device transmits a configuration information to a UE, to establish unicast bearer, paragraph [51]).
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 sending a third indication information comprises configuration information of the associated unicast bearer as taught by Yu, with the teachings of sending the third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used to instruct the terminal to establish an associated unicast bearer as taught by combination of Dai, Wang, Yao and Cao, for a purpose of increasing efficiency in establishing the unicast bearer by clearly provide the configuration information of the associated unicast bearer for the UE to establish the unicast bearer (see Yu, paragraph [51]).
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0284101 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai) in view of US 2022/0353642 A1 to Wang and US 2020/0374690 A1 to Yao et al. (hereafter refers as Yao) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2023/0292200 A1 to Dai et al. (hereafter refers as Dai’200).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Dai, Wang and Yao further teaches when the source transmission mode is the PTM transmission mode (wherein in case that the source transmission mode is a PTM transmision mode, see Dai, paragraphs [14-15, 43, 81-83]), receiving information of service data sent by a source node (the target base station receives MBS receiving status from a source base station, see Dai, Fig. 6, step 640, Fig. 8, step 840 and paragraphs [74, 92]).
However, the combination of Dai, Wang and Yao does not explicitly teach “receiving a mapping relationship between a Layer (L2) SN of service data sent by a source node in the source transmission mode and an SN of core network data, and determining an L2 SN of service data in the target transmission mode based on the mapping relationship, wherein the L2 SN of the service data in the target transmission mode is the same as the L2 SN of the service data in the source transmission mode”.
Dai’200 teaches wherein in a case that the source transmission mode is a PTM transmission mode (when a source transmision mode is a PTM transmision mode, paragraphs [38, 43, 45, 117-119] and Fig. 3-6), the method further comprises at least one of the following:
receiving a mapping relationship between a Layer (L2) SN of service data sent by a source node in the source transmission mode and an SN of core network data (the target base station/target gNodeB, receives SN mapping rule indicating relation between SN of service data sent by a source base station in a source transmission mode, i.e. PTM, and an SN of a core network, paragraphs [118, 124], wherein the SN is a layer 2 SN of PDU, paragraphs [42, 111]), and determining an L2 SN of service data in the target transmission mode based on the mapping relationship (the target base station determines an SN of service data in the target transmission mode based on the mapping rule, paragraphs [119, 123-125]), wherein the L2 SN of the service data in the target transmission mode is the same as the L2 SN of the service data in the source transmission mode (wherein the SN of the service data in the target transmission mode is the same as the SN of the service data in the source transmission mode, paragraphs [113, 115, 118-121, 128, 138]).
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 receiving a mapping relationship between a Layer (L2) SN of service data sent by a source node in the source transmission mode and an SN of core network data, and determining an L2 SN of service data in the target transmission mode based on the mapping relationship, wherein the L2 SN of the service data in the target transmission mode is the same as the L2 SN of the service data in the source transmission mode as taught by Dai’200, with the teachings of combination of Dai, Wang and Yao, for a purpose of increasing efficiency for receiving the service data from the target transmission mode, by allowing the network side device to align its SN of the service data with the SN of the service data of the source transmision mode, using the mapping relationship, as such enabling continuity of transmission of the service data and reducing packet lost (see Dai’200, paragraphs [52, 80-82, 114-120]).
Regarding claim 15, Dai’200 further teaches wherein the mapping relationship between the L2 SN of the service data and the SN of the core network data is determined by using at least one of the following:
a centralized control network node (wherein the mapping rule indication is determined using a core network node 101, Fig. 1, 4-6 and paragraphs [116-121]), wherein the centralized control network node is used to distribute data to another network node that accesses the centralized control network node (wherein the core network node 101 distributes data to multiple network nodes in communication with the core network node 101, Fig. 6).
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 the mapping relationship between the L2 SN of the service data and the SN of the core network data is determined by using at least one of the following: a centralized control network node, wherein the centralized control network node is used to distribute data to another network node that accesses the centralized control network node as taught by Dai’200, with the teachings of combination of Dai, Wang and Yao, for a purpose of aligning the SN number between the centralized control network node and the other network node(s), i.e. target base station (see Dai’200, paragraphs [116-121]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2013/0294320 A1 discloses receiving from a network entity a request to setup a radio bearer for delivery of MBMS service via unicast (see paragraphs [16, 26, 112]).
US 2022/0053583 A1 discloses bearer configuration of a unicast connection (paragraphs [33, 45, 294, 402, 417]).
US 2016/0157065 A1 discloses a network establishes an unicast bearer for service continuity of group communication (See paragraphs [44, 118]).
US 2016/0381517 A1 discloses an UE establishes a groupcast service 2 over an unicast bearer and a groupcast service 1 over MBMS bearer, when switched to a target cell (Fig. 11).
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.
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 July 25, 2026
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