DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to Amendment filed on 2/18/2026. Claim 5 have been canceled.
Claims 1 and 6-7 have been amended. Claims 1-4 and 6-8 remain pending in the application.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 2/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments (page 5-7), filed on 2/18/2026, with respect to the 103 rejections of
claim 1 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Regarding remarks in page 6, for independent claims 1, applicant asserts that Kim fails to disclose or suggest configuring the initial value autonomously upon receiving the MBS data without such an explicit indication. According to an embodiment of the present application, an initial value (setup process) may be set based on the first received data. The amended claims may concern a related configuration. However, in Kim, the "initial value" appears to be strictly "0" or a "configured value." "Updating," on the other hand, is an operation premised on the pre-existence of a variable.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. In multicast transport protocol, the MBS data has packet sequence number. This packet sequence number can be used for the initial value of the variable used for a predetermined RLC operation (reordering or inorder delivery).
Kadiri discloses “the base station may use an RLC AM transmission window for transmission of RLC packets. The RLC AM transmission window may dictate which RLC packets are stored in memory of the base station for potential retransmission after an initial transmission. In the example of FIG. 5, the base station transmits RLC packets having sequence numbers 0 through 5 and maintains those RLC packets in memory until the RLC AM transmission window is adjusted, such as due to reception of an RLC status report indicating that one or more oldest RLC packets (for example, having the lowest sequence numbers in the window) have been received by all UEs (or a threshold number of UEs) subscribed to receive the RLC packets. if a UE receives an RLC packet with a sequence number (SN) that matches an SN in the RLC AM reception window, then the UE may deliver the RLC packet to an upper layer (or may store the RLC packet for later delivery to the upper layer, such as in the example of in-sequence RLC packet delivery). the indication of the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window may indicate an SN of a start of the RLC AM transmission window (for example, a lowest sequence number in the window), Kadiri: Fig.5, [0074], [0077], [0094]”.
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that
are applied 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 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al. (US
2021/0392467 Al, hereinafter “Kim”) in view of KADIRI et al. (US 2021/0126745 Al, hereinafter “Kadiri”).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses:
A communication control method used in a mobile communication system for providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS) from a base station to a user equipment, the communication control method comprising (a method, performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, is provided. The method includes transmitting, to a UE, configuration information on MBS, and transmitting, based on the configuration information, MBS data in a RRC Connected mode, Kim: [0014]):
wherein the message comprises an information element designating an operation mode for the RLC entity for an MBS traffic channel transmitting MBS data (a unacknowledged mode (UM) DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an unacknowledged mode (UM), and an AM DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an acknowledged mode (AM). MBS user data, or MBS may be demultiplexed and transmitted to each RLC entity. That is, to support the MBS, a different logical channel ID may be configured or defined for each of the MBS control data channel, the MBS user data channel, and the MBS. In the second bearer structure, the configured RLC entity may be configured to be in a transparent mode TM, Kim: [0204], [0211]);
configuring, by the user equipment, a RLC entity based on the message (UE may configure an RLC entity corresponding to an MBS control data channel, an MBS user data channel, or a logical channel ID (or an MBS) of the MBS user data channel which is connected to an MAC entity, Kim: [0211]); and
receiving, by the user equipment, MBS data from the base station (UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212], [0215], [0218], [0542]); and
configuring, by the RLC entity of the user equipment, an initial value of a variable used for a predetermined RLC operation to be a sequence number of the MBS data received first from the base station (a size of an RLC reception window may be configured and operated as a value greater than 0 (for example, value=2'(RLC serial number length-1)). reordering of the MBS data may have to be performed based on the RLC reception window or the RLC serial number, or a reordering timer may have to run, to support the MBS in sequence, Kim: [0212], Kim: [0212]-[0213], [0241]).
UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212]-[0213], [0241], [0542]).
Kim does not explicitly disclose:
receiving by the user equipment from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment,
configuring, by the RLC entity of the user equipment,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kadiri teaches:
receiving by the user equipment from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment (sending, by the access network device, to-be-sent multicast service data to a unicast radio link control (radio link control, RLC) entity by using a packet data convergence protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer, and sending the to-be-sent multicast service data in the unicast manner. the base station may configure a set of UEs for a multicast or broadcast traffic flow. the base station may transmit, to one or more UEs of the set of UEs, an indication of the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window, Kadiri: [0056], [0150]-[0152]),
configuring, by the RLC entity of the user equipment, the base station may use an RLC AM transmission window for transmission of RLC packets. The RLC AM transmission window may dictate which RLC packets are stored in memory of the base station for potential retransmission after an initial transmission. In the example of FIG. 5, the base station transmits RLC packets having sequence numbers 0 through 5 and maintains those RLC packets in memory until the RLC AM transmission window is adjusted, such as due to reception of an RLC status report indicating that one or more oldest RLC packets (for example, having the lowest sequence numbers in the window) have been received by all UEs (or a threshold number of UEs) subscribed to receive the RLC packets. if a UE receives an RLC packet with a sequence number (SN) that matches an SN in the RLC AM reception window, then the UE may deliver the RLC packet to an upper layer. the indication of the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window may indicate an SN of a start of the RLC AM transmission window (for example, a lowest sequence number in the window), Kadiri: Fig.5, [0074], [0077], [0094]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim in view of Kadiri in order to further modify receiving by the user equipment from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment, and configuring an initial value of a variable used for a predetermined RLC operation to be a sequence number of the MBS data received first from the teachings of Kadiri.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because the described techniques can be used to improve reliability of communications via the MRB by enabling retransmissions in an RLC AM (Kadiri: [0047]).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses:
An apparatus controlling a user equipment in a mobile communication system for providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS) from a base station to the user equipment, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the processor configured to (a method, performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, is provided. The method includes receiving configuration information on a MBS, The UE includes a transceiver and at least one processor connected with the transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to receive configuration information on a MBS, Kim: [0013], [0015])
the message comprises an information element designating an operation mode for the RLC entity for an MBS traffic channel transmitting MBS data (a unacknowledged mode (UM) DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an unacknowledged mode (UM), and an AM DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an acknowledged mode (AM). MBS user data, or MBS may be demultiplexed and transmitted to each RLC entity. That is, to support the MBS, a different logical channel ID may be configured or defined for each of the MBS control data channel, the MBS user data channel, and the MBS. In the second bearer structure, the configured RLC entity may be configured to be in a transparent mode TM, Kim: [0204], [0211]);
configure a RLC entity based on the message (UE may configure an RLC entity corresponding to an MBS control data channel, an MBS user data channel, or a logical channel ID (or an MBS) of the MBS user data channel which is connected to an MAC entity, Kim: [0211]);
receive MBS data from the base station (UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212], [0215], [0218], [0542]); and
configure, in the RLC entity of the user equipment, an initial value of a variable used for a predetermined RLC operation to be a sequence number of the MBS data received first from the base station (a size of an RLC reception window may be configured and operated as a value greater than 0 (for example, value=2'(RLC serial number length-1)). reordering of the MBS data may have to be performed based on the RLC reception window or the RLC serial number, or a reordering timer may have to run, to support the MBS in sequence, Kim: [0212], Kim: [0212]-[0213], [0241]), and
UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212]-[0213], [0241], [0542]).
Kim does not explicitly disclose:
receive from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment, wherein
configure, in the RLC entity of the user equipment,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kadiri teaches:
receive from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment (the user equipment may receive the data packet by using the multicast RLC entity or the unicast RLC entity based on a configuration of the access network device, and then deliver the data packet to the multicast PDCP layer, Kadiri: [0288]), wherein
configure, in the RLC entity of the user equipment, the base station may use an RLC AM transmission window for transmission of RLC packets. The RLC AM transmission window may dictate which RLC packets are stored in memory of the base station for potential retransmission after an initial transmission. In the example of FIG. 5, the base station transmits RLC packets having sequence numbers 0 through 5 and maintains those RLC packets in memory until the RLC AM transmission window is adjusted, such as due to reception of an RLC status report indicating that one or more oldest RLC packets (for example, having the lowest sequence numbers in the window) have been received by all UEs (or a threshold number of UEs) subscribed to receive the RLC packets. if a UE receives an RLC packet with a sequence number (SN) that matches an SN in the RLC AM reception window, then the UE may deliver the RLC packet to an upper layer. the indication of the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window may indicate an SN of a start of the RLC AM transmission window (for example, a lowest sequence number in the window), Kadiri: Fig.5, [0074], [0077], [0094]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim in view of Kadiri in order to further modify receiving from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment, and configuring an initial value of a variable used for a predetermined RLC operation to be a sequence number of the MBS data received first from the teachings of Kadiri.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because the described techniques can be used to improve reliability of communications via the MRB by enabling retransmissions in an RLC AM (Kadiri: [0047]).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses:
A user equipment in a mobile communication system for providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS) from a base station to the user equipment, the user equipment comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the processor configured to (a method, performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, is provided. The method includes receiving configuration information on a MBS, The UE includes a transceiver and at least one processor connected with the transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to receive configuration information on a MBS, Kim: [0013], [0015])
wherein the message comprises an information element designating an operation mode for the RLC entity for an MBS traffic channel transmitting MBS data (a unacknowledged mode (UM) DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an unacknowledged mode (UM), and an AM DRB may denote a DRB using an RLC entity operating in an acknowledged mode (AM). MBS user data, or MBS may be demultiplexed and transmitted to each RLC entity. That is, to support the MBS, a different logical channel ID may be configured or defined for each of the MBS control data channel, the MBS user data channel, and the MBS. In the second bearer structure, the configured RLC entity may be configured to be in a transparent mode TM, Kim: [0204], [0211]);
configure a RLC entity based on the message (UE may configure an RLC entity corresponding to an MBS control data channel, an MBS user data channel, or a logical channel ID (or an MBS) of the MBS user data channel which is connected to an MAC entity, Kim: [0211]);
receive MBS data from the base station (UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212], [0215], [0218], [0542]); and
UE may receive MBS data according to an MBS configuration, Kim: [0212]-[0213], [0241], [0542]).
Kim does not explicitly disclose:
receive from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment,
configure, in the RLC entity of the user equipment,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kadiri teaches:
receive from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment (the user equipment may receive the data packet by using the multicast RLC entity or the unicast RLC entity based on a configuration of the access network device, and then deliver the data packet to the multicast PDCP layer, Kadiri: [0288]),
configure, in the RLC entity of the user equipment, the base station may use an RLC AM transmission window for transmission of RLC packets. The RLC AM transmission window may dictate which RLC packets are stored in memory of the base station for potential retransmission after an initial transmission. In the example of FIG. 5, the base station transmits RLC packets having sequence numbers 0 through 5 and maintains those RLC packets in memory until the RLC AM transmission window is adjusted, such as due to reception of an RLC status report indicating that one or more oldest RLC packets (for example, having the lowest sequence numbers in the window) have been received by all UEs (or a threshold number of UEs) subscribed to receive the RLC packets. if a UE receives an RLC packet with a sequence number (SN) that matches an SN in the RLC AM reception window, then the UE may deliver the RLC packet to an upper layer. the indication of the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window may indicate an SN of a start of the RLC AM transmission window (for example, a lowest sequence number in the window), Kadiri: Fig.5, [0074], [0077], [0094]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim in view of Kadiri in order to further modify receiving from the base station, a message used to perform configuration related to a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the user equipment, and configuring an initial value of a variable used for a predetermined RLC operation to be a sequence number of the MBS data received first from the teachings of Kadiri.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because the described techniques can be used to improve reliability of communications via the MRB by enabling retransmissions in an RLC AM (Kadiri: [0047]).
Regarding claim 8, Kim in view of Kadiri teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Kim further discloses:
The communication control method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined RLC operation is for controlling a window used for reception, and the variable provides an edge of the window (the RLC entity or the PDCP entity may perform variable initialization (for example, initialization as 0) or reconfiguration. the RLC entity may update a reception window variable, Kim: [0535]-[0538]).
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Kadiri and in
further view of HUANG et al. (US 2020/0323024 Al, hereinafter “Huang”).
Regarding claim 2, Kim in view of Kadiri teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Kim in view of Kadiri does not explicitly disclose:
The communication control method according to claim 1, wherein
the information element designates, as the operation mode of the RLC entity, a first mode in which automatic retransmission control is performed and/or a second mode in which the automatic retransmission control is not performed.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Huang teaches:
the information element designates, as the operation mode of the RLC entity, a first mode in which automatic retransmission control is performed and/or a second mode in which the automatic retransmission control is not performed (The RLC configuration information may be a corresponding acknowledged mode (acknowledged mode, AM) RLC configuration or an unacknowledged mode (Unacknowledged Mode, UM) RLC configuration, and a mapping relationship between the RLC configuration and a logical channel, to be specific, the RLC configuration may be mapped to a unicast logical channel or a multicast logical channel, or may be mapped to both a unicast logical channel and a multicast logical channel, Huang: [0225]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim and Kadiri in view of Huang in order to further modify the information element designates, as an operation mode of the RLC entity, a first mode and a second mode from the teachings of Huang.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a communication method and a
related product are provided, to improve the transmission efficiency of the multicast communication (Huang: [0006]).
Regarding claim 3, Kim in view of Kadiri teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Kim further discloses:
the message further comprises an identifier identifying the MBS traffic channel (UE may configure an RLC entity corresponding to an MBS control data channel, an MBS user data channel, or a logical channel ID (or an MBS) of the MBS user data channel which is connected to an MAC entity, Kim: [0213]), and
Kim in view of Kadiri does not explicitly disclose:
the information element is associated with the identifier.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Huang teaches:
the information element is associated with the identifier (multicast service receiving information carries a multicast service identifier, Huang: [0207]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim and Kadiri in view of Huang in order to further modify the information element that is associated with the identifier from the teachings of Huang.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a communication method and a
related product are provided, to improve the transmission efficiency of the multicast communication (Huang: [0006]).
Regarding claim 4, Kim-Kadiri-Huang teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above.
Kim further discloses:
The communication control method according to claim 2, further comprising:
configuring the operation mode of the RLC entity in accordance with the information element when the user equipment is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state (a base station or a network supports a multicast or broadcast service (MBS) for a terminal in an RRC connected mode, an RRC inactive mode, or an RRC idle mode by configuring the MBS by using system information, an RRC message, or a control message for an MBS channel or a structure of a bearer that is established for the terminal to receive the MBS. When the UE in the RRC connected mode, the RRC inactive mode, or the RRC idle mode is configured to process the process of transmitting HARQ ACK or NACK, retransmitting HARQ. base station may perform retransmission of the MBS data only for the UE in the RRC connected mode, the RRC idle mode, or the RRC inactive mode, which transmits NACK or indicates an unsuccessful reception through the transport resource, Kim: [0026], [0212]), and
configuring the second mode regardless of the information element when the user equipment is in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state (a base station or a network supports a multicast or broadcast service (MBS) for a terminal in an RRC connected mode, an RRC inactive mode, or an RRC idle mode by configuring the MBS by using system information, an RRC message, or a control message for an MBS channel or a structure of a bearer that is established for the terminal to receive the MBS. When the UE in the RRC connected mode, the RRC inactive mode, or the RRC idle mode is configured to process the process of transmitting HARQ ACK or NACK, retransmitting HARQ. base station may perform retransmission of the MBS data only for the UE in the RRC connected mode, the RRC idle mode, or the RRC inactive mode, which transmits NACK or indicates an unsuccessful reception through the transport resource, Kim: [0026], [0212]).
Conclusion
In the case of amendments, applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the
specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and support, for ascertaining the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG C LEE whose telephone number is (703)756-1461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HASSAN PHILLIPS can be reached on (571)272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.C.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2467
/HASSAN A PHILLIPS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2467
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