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 .
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finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s submission filed on 03/16/2026 has been entered. Claim(s) 1-8, 10-23 and 25-32 are pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
The claim limitations, “means for communicating extended reality (XR) traffic” and “means for switching from communicating the XR traffic” in lines 2 and 4, respectively, in claim 30 are interpreted under 112(f) under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph and proper support can be found in Applicant’s specification
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 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.
Claims 1-8, 10-23 and 25-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over De Foy et al. (US 2025/0323983 A1), hereinafter "DEFOY" in view of Freda et al. (US 2026/0067958 A1), hereinafter “FREDA”.
Regarding claim 1, DEFOY teaches, An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132… among others. Paragraph [0032], Any of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c and 102d may be interchangeably referred to as a UE):
‘communicate extended reality (XR) traffic with a network node via an access link,’ (Paragraph [0107], XR flows may be video/audio/haptic/object service data flows that include an XR application session and are subject to XR services by the mobile network. XR flows may be transmitted over single-access and/or multi-access PDU sessions between WTRU and UPF. Paragraph [0098], Proxied connections may be established… between the WTRU and UPF, to carry XR flows),
‘wherein the XR traffic comprises a plurality of XR traffic flows;’ (Paragraph [0106], XR services described herein may apply to multiple XR flows to/from multiple WTRUs. Paragraph [0198], Different
media flows (e.g., video, audio, etc.)… may be requested over a single MOQ/Web Transport session, resulting in multiple media streams multiplexed over this session);
‘and switch from communicating an XR traffic flow of the plurality of XR traffic flows via the access link to communicating the XR traffic flow via a relay UE using a device- to-device communication link, (Paragraph [0087], In examples, a WTRU involved in an XR application session may access the mobile network through a relay WTRU, e.g., over a device-to-device (D2D) link. For example, tethering may include an AR/VR glass WTRU to a phone. Paragraph [0090], traffic from a service data flow may be sent over access… ATSSS may rely on steering functionality logic to enable the switching, steering, or splitting),
‘based at least in part on a flow type of the XR traffic flow,’ (Paragraph [0116], The selection of packets for congestion marking, dropping, and/or reordering may be determined using XR service IEs, including XR flow ID, XR flow priority… PDU set priority… In examples of integration with ATSSS, a
WTRU/UPF may select the path(s) to use for sending a packet based on XR service IEs. ATSSS steering modes may be described using XR service IEs to determine path selection (e.g., send packets from PDU sets of a specified priority on a path with the lowest packet loss ratio)),
‘…and a power consumption of the XR traffic flow exceeds a power threshold.’ (Paragraph [0069], The MTC devices may include a battery with a battery life above a threshold ( e.g., to maintain a very long battery life).
DEFOY does not explicitly teach but FREDA teaches, ‘and responsive to satisfaction of a condition relating to a power usage of the UE and congestion level of the access link or the device-to-device communication link,’ (FREDA – Paragraphs [0099]-[0105], According to an embodiment, a remote WTRU may be configured with conditions in which it enables/disables duplication on a multipath bearer. Such conditions may depend on any or a combination of the following factors: Measurements of Uu quality (e.g. Uu Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP)); Measurements of SL quality… Flow control indication/measure received from the relay WTRU… Priority [Note: tracking a simultaneous condition containing a direct interface metric like Uu network link quality alongside localized sidelink/relay congestion states to toggle a multipath offload]),
‘wherein the condition is that an estimated congestion level of the access link exceeds a congestion threshold…’ (FREDA – Paragraph [0154], following reception of a flow control message from a relay WTRU indicating congestion at the relay e.g. measure of congestion above a threshold). The remote WTRU may continue to use the Uu grant(s) until subsequent flow control message from the relay indicating the congestion situation is resolved ( e.g. measure of congestion below a threshold). Paragraph [0139], Measurements of the link (e.g., RSRP, Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), CBR) above/below a certain threshold [Note: CBR refers to Channel Busy Ratio, which represents interface congestion level])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of FREDA with DEFOY because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor and for a battery-constrained XR device, creating a conditional rule that checks if interface congestion metrics cross an upper bound in combination with checking if localized power profiles violate a safety or consumption threshold represents a predictable execution of known parameters to prevent the device from prematurely draining its battery or overheating. DEFOY provides the fundamental framework for checking a metric against a threshold (such as maintaining a device’s structural metric above/below a designated threshold level) while executing dynamic proxy switching to a local D2D link to achieve power-saving enhancements for individual XR flows. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of FREDA into DEFOY is that FREDA provides the logic of evaluating network metrics against thresholds – such as triggering transmission changes when a measured congestion level or link metric moves “above a threshold” or “below a certain threshold”. (See Paragraphs [0097]-[0098], [0139], [0154], FREDA)
Regarding claims 2 and 17, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors, to communicate the XR traffic via the relay UE, are configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
‘communicate uplink XR traffic and downlink XR traffic via the relay UE.’ (Paragraph [0188], In scenario (2)… This may be used to apply an XR service on downlink and uplink media streams)… In scenario (4)… This may be used to apply an XR service on downlink and uplink legs of a peer-to-peer (e.g., WTRU1-to-WTRU2) media stream].
Regarding claims 3 and 18, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors, to communicate the XR traffic via the relay UE, are configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
‘communicate uplink XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link’ (Paragraph [0087], a WTRU involved in an XR application session may access the mobile network through a relay WTRU, e.g., over a device-to-device (D2D) link. For example, tethering may include an AR/VR glass WTRU to a phone. Paragraphs [0188]-[0189], In scenario (2), secure MOQ relays may be collocated with both WTRU and UPF. This may be used to apply an XR service on downlink and uplink
media streams… the user may be producing uplink VR traffic, leading to scenario (2))
‘and communicating downlink XR traffic via the access link.’ (Paragraph [0107], XR flows may be transmitted over single-access and/or multi-access PDU sessions between WTRU and UPF. Paragraphs [0188]-[0189], In scenario (1), a secure (e.g., a single secure) MOQ relay, collocated with a UPF… may be used between a WTRU/MOQ client and an AS/MOQ server. This may be used to apply an XR service on downlink media stream from the AS… the user may be consuming downlink AR traffic, leading to scenario (1)).
Regarding claims 4 and 18, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors, to communicate the XR traffic via the relay UE, are configured to: communicate the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link or via the access link on a per-flow basis,’ (Paragraph [0014], A procedure that may be used to establish XR flow connectivity and enable XR services on these flows. XR flows may be transported between wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), user plane function (UPF), and/or application server (AS) over a proxied connection. Paragraph [0110], XR services may be provided by RAN and core network (CN) functions… For example, XR services applicable to multiple flows concurrently… may be performed in the traffic management function, while other XR services, such as PDU set marking or intra-flow synchronization support may be performed in the proxy connection management function),
‘…a power consumption of the other XR traffic flow, or a total power consumption of the UE.’ (Paragraph [0102], Combining ATSSS and XR services may reduce, e.g., through code reuse, the cost of implementing the XR proxy-based mechanism, as described herein… The markings may be used by WTRU/UPF to apply XR services and/or may be relayed to the application).
DEFOY does not explicitly teach but FREDA teaches, ‘wherein another XR traffic flow of the plurality of XR traffic flows is communicated in accordance with at least one of: a traffic size of the other XR traffic flow,’ (FREDA - Paragraphs [0099]-[0103], Such conditions may depend on any or a combination of the following factors… Buffer status associated with the multipath bearer. Paragraphs [0134]-[0151], Events related to a path, which may cause compensation on the other path, may consist of any of the following… Buffer status for a multipath bearer),
‘a channel condition of at least one of the access link or the device-to- device communication link,’ (FREDA – Paragraphs [0134]-[0139], Events related to a path, which may cause compensation on the other path, may consist of any of the following… Measurements of the link (e.g., RSRP, Channel
Quality Indicator (CQI), CBR) above/below a certain threshold [Note: RSRP and CQI directly measure the physical channel condition of the direct access link, and CBR captures the sidelink/D2D channel state]),
‘an estimated delivery latency of the other XR traffic flow,’ (FREDA – Paragraphs [0134]-[0150], Events related to a path, which may cause compensation on the other path, may consist of any of the following… Detection that one or more transmission on SL may be performed after the configured PDB [Note: PDB refers to Packet Delay Budget, which represents the allowable delivery latency limit]),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of FREDA with DEFOY because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor and for a battery-constrained XR device, creating a conditional rule that checks if interface congestion metrics cross an upper bound in combination with checking if localized power profiles violate a safety or consumption threshold represents a predictable execution of known parameters to prevent the device from prematurely draining its battery or overheating. DEFOY provides the fundamental framework for checking a metric against a threshold (such as maintaining a device’s structural metric above/below a designated threshold level) while executing dynamic proxy switching to a local D2D link to achieve power-saving enhancements for individual XR flows. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of FREDA into DEFOY is that FREDA provides the logic of evaluating network metrics against thresholds – such as triggering transmission changes when a measured congestion level or link metric moves “above a threshold” or “below a certain threshold”. (See Paragraphs [0097]-[0098], [0139], [0154], FREDA)
Regarding claims 5, 20 and 31, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors, to communicate the XR traffic via the relay UE, are configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
‘…and non-delay-sensitive flows of the plurality of XR traffic flows via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link.’ (Paragraph [0087], In examples, a WTRU involved in an XR
application session may access the mobile network through a relay WTRU, e.g., over a device-to-device (D2D) link. For example, tethering may include an AR/VR glass WTRU to a phone. Paragraph [0110], XR services applicable to multiple flows concurrently (e.g., interflow synchronization support) may be performed in the traffic management function, while other XR services, such as PDU set marking or intra-flow synchronization support may be performed in the proxy connection management function).
DEFOY does not explicitly teach but FREDA teaches, ‘communicate delay-sensitive flows of the plurality of XR traffic flows via the access link’ (FREDA - Paragraph [0098], a WTRU may be configured with a bearer configured for multipath… a Uu RLC entity for transmission/reception directly on Uu, and a SL RLC entity for transmission/reception via SL (to a WTRU to NW relay). Paragraph [0120], this may consist of increasing/decreasing the Packet Delay Budget (PDB) of transmissions on SL. Paragraph [0121], a remote WTRU may be configured with a first and second PDB to be used for transmissions associated with a relayed SL LCH [Note: PDB stands for Packet Delay Budget, which represents the delay-sensitivity or latency requirement of the flow]),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of FREDA with DEFOY because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor and for a battery-constrained XR device, creating a conditional rule that checks if interface congestion metrics cross an upper bound in combination with checking if localized power profiles violate a safety or consumption threshold represents a predictable execution of known parameters to prevent the device from prematurely draining its battery or overheating. DEFOY provides the fundamental framework for checking a metric against a threshold (such as maintaining a device’s structural metric above/below a designated threshold level) while executing dynamic proxy switching to a local D2D link to achieve power-saving enhancements for individual XR flows. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of FREDA into DEFOY is that FREDA provides the logic of evaluating network metrics against thresholds – such as triggering transmission changes when a measured congestion level or link metric moves “above a threshold” or “below a certain threshold”. (See Paragraphs [0097]-[0098], [0139], [0154], FREDA)
Regarding claims 6, 21 and 32, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the device-to-device communication link is’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132. Paragraph [0087], a WTRU involved in an XR application session may access the mobile network through a relay WTRU, e.g., over a device-to-device (D2D) link)
‘a sidelink’ (Paragraph [0107], In other settings (e.g., not shown in FIGS. 2A-2D), XR flows may be transmitted over device-to-device links (e.g., over PCS reference point) between a WTRU… and a relay WTRU [Note: In 3GPP standards, the PC5 reference point explicitly defines the sidelink interface])
‘or a wireless local area network link.’ (Paragraph [0041], the base station 114b and the WTRUs 102c, 102d may implement a radio technology such as IEEE 802.11 to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN). Paragraph [0225], The first network node (e.g., the SMF) may select the second network node (e.g., the UPF). Paragraph [0224], which may be used to infer the supported MOQ functionalities. Paragraph [0186], transmit the PDUs over distinct access technologies (e.g., 5G NR, WIFI).
Regarding claims 7 and 22, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: switch from communicating another XR traffic flow of the plurality of XR traffic flows via the access link to communicating the other XR traffic flow via the relay UE using a device- to-device communication link responsive to satisfaction of another condition,’ (Paragraph [0106], XR services described herein may apply to multiple XR flows to/from multiple WTRUs. Paragraph [0110], XR services applicable to multiple flows concurrently… may be performed in the traffic management function, while other XR services, such as PDU set marking or intra-flow synchronization support may be performed in the proxy connection management function. Paragraph [0221], a WTRU application may decide to establish a MOQ flow/connection (e.g., new MOQ/flow/connection)… the WTRU may determine to add a MOQ service request indication in the PDU session establishment request/update),
‘wherein the other condition is that at least one of: a power consumption of the UE satisfies a threshold,’ (Paragraph [0102], Combining ATSSS and XR services may reduce, e.g., through code reuse, the cost of implementing the XR proxy-based mechanism, as described herein… The markings may be used by WTRU/UPF to apply XR services and/or may be relayed to the application [Note: this tracks the dynamic execution of alternative relay connections in accordance with a power consumption tradeoff]),
‘a battery level of the UE satisfies a threshold,’ (Paragraph [0069], The MTC devices may include a battery with a battery life above a threshold (e.g., to maintain a very long battery life),
‘or a low power mode of the UE is activated.’ (Paragraph [0087], or power saving enhancements. In examples, a WTRU involved in an XR application session may access the mobile network through a relay WTRU, e.g., over a device-to-device (D2D) link).
Regarding claims 8 and 23, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 7, DEFOY further teaches, wherein the other condition is that’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132)
DEFOY does not explicitly teach but FREDA teaches, ‘a first estimated throughput of the access link is less than a threshold,’ (FREDA - Paragraph [0134], Events related to a path, which may cause compensation on the other path, may consist of any of the following. Paragraph [0201], measurements on the Uu link respectively the SL being below a threshold, wherein the measurements are any of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) [Note: Uu represents the direct network access link. CQI values directly correlate to an estimated data rate/throughput capability on a wireless access link]),
‘or that the first estimated throughput of the access link is less than a second estimated throughput of the device-to-device communication link by a threshold amount.’ (FREDA - Paragraph [0110], According to an embodiment, a remote WTRU may enable duplication if the Uu quality and the sidelink quality are within a threshold difference/offset from each other [Note: In wireless communications, comparing link “quality” profiles across different interfaces to determine whether one is underperforming the other by a configured “difference/offset” explicitly maps to measuring if an estimated link parameter is less than another by a threshold amount]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of FREDA with DEFOY because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor and for a battery-constrained XR device, creating a conditional rule that checks if interface congestion metrics cross an upper bound in combination with checking if localized power profiles violate a safety or consumption threshold represents a predictable execution of known parameters to prevent the device from prematurely draining its battery or overheating. DEFOY provides the fundamental framework for checking a metric against a threshold (such as maintaining a device’s structural metric above/below a designated threshold level) while executing dynamic proxy switching to a local D2D link to achieve power-saving enhancements for individual XR flows. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of FREDA into DEFOY is that FREDA provides the logic of evaluating network metrics against thresholds – such as triggering transmission changes when a measured congestion level or link metric moves “above a threshold” or “below a certain threshold”. (See Paragraphs [0097]-[0098], [0139], [0154], FREDA)
Regarding claims 10 and 25, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
‘transmit a request to switch from communicating the XR traffic via the access link to communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link or to switch from communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link to communicating the XR traffic via the access link;’ (Paragraph [0003], receive a session request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), wherein the session request message requests a data session and requests a media over QUIC (MOQ) service),
‘and receive an indication to switch from communicating the XR traffic via the access link to communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link or to switch from communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link to communicating the XR traffic via the access link.’ (Paragraph [0005], send a session establishment message to the WTRU based on the local proxy deployment, and the session establishment message may request that the WTRU provide a local MOQ proxy that supports the data session to communicate with the network MOQ proxy).
Regarding claim 11, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 10, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the request’ (Paragraph [0003], receive a session request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and the session request message may request a data session and request a media over QUIC (MOQ) service)
‘relates to one of uplink XR traffic (Paragraphs [0198]-[0199], The AS may send a media request to request an uplink media stream. At 5, the WTRU (e.g., based on a user interaction) may decide to request media… At 6, the WTRU may send a MOQ media request message over the Web Transport session ID3)
‘or downlink XR traffic.’ (Paragraphs [0198]-[0199], Different media flows (e.g., video, audio, etc.)… may be requested over a single MOQ/Web Transport session, resulting in multiple media streams multiplexed over this session… the user may be consuming downlink AR traffic, leading to scenario (1); the user may be producing uplink VR traffic, leading to scenario (2)).
Regarding claims 12 and 26, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
‘transmit an indication of switching from communicating the XR traffic via the access link to communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link’ (Paragraph [0003], receive a session request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and the session request message may request a data session and request a media over QUIC (MOQ) service)
‘or of switching from communicating the XR traffic via the relay UE using the device-to-device communication link to communicating the XR traffic via the access link.’ (Paragraph [0133], the WTRU may connect to a second proxy associated with the synchronization group ID and establish a second XR flow session through the second proxy, towards the AS, as described in XR flow establishment request. The WTRU may start forwarding XR flow packets over this second XR flow session and close the first XR flow session).
Regarding claim 13, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 12, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the indication’ (Paragraph [0003], receive a session request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and the session request message may request a data session and
request a media over QUIC (MOQ) service)
‘relates to one of uplink XR traffic (Paragraphs [0198]-[0199], The AS may send a media request to request an uplink media stream. At 5, the WTRU (e.g., based on a user interaction) may decide to request media… At 6, the WTRU may send a MOQ media request message over the Web Transport session ID3)
‘or downlink XR traffic.’ (Paragraphs [0198]-[0199], Different media flows (e.g., video, audio, etc.)… may be requested over a single MOQ/Web Transport session, resulting in multiple media streams multiplexed over this session… the user may be consuming downlink AR traffic, leading to scenario (1); the user may be producing uplink VR traffic, leading to scenario (2)).
Regarding claims 14 and 27, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: obtain, from a cellular network modem of the UE,’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120),
‘information relating to at least one of a power consumption of the cellular network modem,’ (Paragraph [0046], The processor 118 may perform signal coding, data processing, power control, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the WTRU 102 to operate in a wireless environment [Note: the processor extracts these localized metrics to implement its explicit power saving enhancements]),
‘an estimated throughput of the access link,’ (Paragraph [0042], The data may have varying quality of service (QoS) requirements, such as differing throughput requirements, latency requirements, error tolerance requirements, reliability requirements, data throughput requirements),
‘or the estimated congestion level of the access link.’ (Paragraph [0116], The selection of packets for congestion marking, dropping, and/or reordering may be determined using XR service IEs, including XR flow ID… Congestion marking of packets may be performed when a forwarding queue buffer usage reaches a threshold… or when experiencing or anticipating congestion).
Regarding claims 15 and 28, DEFOY and FREDA teach, The apparatus of claim 1, DEFOY further teaches, ‘wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: obtain, from a wireless local area network (WLAN) modem of the UE,’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120. Paragraph [0049], the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, such as NR and IEEE 802.11, for example),
‘information relating to at least one of a power consumption of the WLAN modem,’ (Paragraph [0102], Combining ATSSS and XR services may reduce, e.g., through code reuse, the cost of implementing the XR proxy-based mechanism, as described herein… The markings may be used by WTRU/UPF to apply XR services and/or may be relayed to the application [Note: the processor monitors these localized parameters to execute its explicit power saving enhancements over the local interfaces]),
DEFOY does not explicitly teach but FREDA teaches, ‘an estimated throughput of the device-to-device communication link, or the estimated congestion level of the device-to-device communication link. (FREDA - Paragraph [0134], Events related to a path, which may cause compensation on the other path, may consist of any of the following. Paragraph [0201], measurements on the Uu link respectively the SL being below a threshold, wherein the measurements are any of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) [Note: CBR represents the Channel Busy Ratio, which serves as an estimated congestion level of the sidelink/D2D interface]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of FREDA with DEFOY because both are in the same/similar field of endeavor and for a battery-constrained XR device, creating a conditional rule that checks if interface congestion metrics cross an upper bound in combination with checking if localized power profiles violate a safety or consumption threshold represents a predictable execution of known parameters to prevent the device from prematurely draining its battery or overheating. DEFOY provides the fundamental framework for checking a metric against a threshold (such as maintaining a device’s structural metric above/below a designated threshold level) while executing dynamic proxy switching to a local D2D link to achieve power-saving enhancements for individual XR flows. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of FREDA into DEFOY is that FREDA provides the logic of evaluating network metrics against thresholds – such as triggering transmission changes when a measured congestion level or link metric moves “above a threshold” or “below a certain threshold”. (See Paragraphs [0097]-[0098], [0139], [0154], FREDA)
Regarding claims 16, 29 and 30, the claims include features identical to the subject matter
mentioned in the rejection to claim 1. The claim are mere reformulation of claim 1 in order to define the corresponding method, computer-readable medium and apparatus, and the rejection to claim 1 are applied hereto.
For claim 16, DEFOY teaches, ‘A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:’ (Paragraph [0003], Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed herein for enabling extended reality (XR) service proxies. A first network node may receive a session request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and the session request message may request a data session and request a media over QUIC (MOQ) service).
For claim 29, DEFOY teaches, ‘A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions for wireless communication, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), cause the UE to:’ (Paragraph [0239], The processes described above may be implemented in a computer program, software, and/or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium for execution by a computer and/or processor. Examples of computer-readable media include… computer-readable storage media. Examples of computer-readable storage media include… a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM)… semiconductor memory devices… A processor in association with software may be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for use in a WTRU, terminal, base station):
For claim 30, DEFOY teaches, ‘An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:’ (Paragraph [0045], As shown in FIG. 1B, the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122… non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132):
Conclusion
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/HAESHIL JESSICA CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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