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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 11, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Applicant should note that the large number of references in the attached IDSs have been considered by the examiner in the same manner as other documents in Office search files are considered by the examiner while conducting a search of the prior art in a proper field of search. See MPEP 609.05(b). Applicant is invited to point out any particular reference(s) in the IDS that they believe may be of particular relevance to the instant claimed invention in response to this Office Action. It is desirable to avoid the submission of long lists of documents if it can be avoided. If a long list is submitted, highlight those documents which have been specifically brought to applicant’s attention and/or are known to be of most significance. See Penn Yan Boats, Inc. v. Sea Lark Boats, Inc., 359 F. Supp. 948, 175 USPQ 260 (S.D. Fla. 1972), aff ’d, 479 F.2d 1338, 178 USPQ 577 (5th Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 874 (1974). But cf. Molins PLC v. Textron Inc., 48 F.3d 1172, 33 USPQ2d 1823 (Fed. Cir. 1995).
Response to Amendment
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 11/11/2025.
Claims 1-6 and 8-11 have been amended.
Claims 21-30 have been added.
Claims 7 and 12-20 have been canceled.
Objection to the Specification is withdrawn since it has been amended accordingly.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 21 filed on 11/11/2025 have been considered but are moot because the applicant’s arguments were drawn to newly added features to independent claims, which have been addressed in the instant office action with newly identified prior art, Park (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20180270895, hereinafter “Park”), thus rendering Applicant’s arguments moot.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 21 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claims 1 and 21, “system radio bearer 1 (SRB1)” should be “signalling radio bearer 1 (SRB1)”. See para [0590] of the Specification as originally filed.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 11, lines 1 and 2, “wherein the the multicast transmission is received …” should be “wherein the [[the]] multicast transmission is received …”
Claims 6 and 26 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claims 6 and 26, “short data transmission (SDT) …” should be “small data transmission (SDT) …”, see para [0003] of the Specification as originally filed.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 2 and 22 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 2 and 22 recite the limitation “wherein the first time interval and a second time interval belong to a given time interval, the second time interval is orthogonal in time to the first time interval, …”. Time, being a scalar and linear dimension, does not possess a ‘perpendicular’ component in standard physics or telecommunication technology. Does the term merely mean the intervals are non-overlapping in time? Because the specification does not provide a special definition for ‘orthogonal in time’ and because ‘orthogonality’ is not an inherent property of time intervals the metes and bounds of the claim are unclear. Thus, the limitation renders the claim indefinite as it is unclear how the intervals are orthogonal in time.
Claims 3-5 and 23-25 depend from one of claims 2 and 22, thus carry the same issues as described above, and therefore are rejected on the same grounds discussed above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 21 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20180270895, hereinafter “Park”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Wu unless otherwise mentioned.
Regarding claim 1, Park teaches A user equipment (UE) (Fig. 1: a Wireless Device 110A) for wireless communications, the UE comprising:
a receiver configured to receive, while the UE is in a radio resource control inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, an RRC paging message that identifies the UE and that indicates that the UE is to perform a data transmission while in the RRC_INACTIVE state (para [0333]: In an example, paging may carry the message indicating direct small data transmission in inactive (interpreted as “indicates that the UE is to perform a data transmission while in the RRC_INACTIVE state”) other than state transition which may make difference on UE behaviors.)(para [0338]: In an example, when a wireless device (interpreted as “a UE”) is in an RRC inactive state, a core network entity may transmit downlink packets for the wireless device to an anchor base station, which has a wireless device context of the wireless device, and the anchor base station may initiate an RNA paging procedure to forward the downlink packets. In an example, the downlink packets may require an RRC connected state of the wireless device, and/or may be transmitted to the wireless device staying in the RRC inactive state. The RNA paging procedure may comprise transmitting a first RNA paging message to a plurality of base stations belonging to an RNA associated with the wireless device by the anchor base station and/or broadcasting a second RNA paging message (interpreted as “an RRC paging message”) via a radio interface by base stations that receives the first RNA paging message. )(para [0339]: … A base station receiving the first RNA message may broadcast/multicast the second RNA paging message in one or more beam coverage area and/or in one or more cell coverage area at least based on the RNA identifier. In an example, the second RNA paging message may comprise at least one of an AS context identifier, a wireless device identifier (interpreted as “an RRC paging message that identifies the UE”), and/or a reason of the RNA paging.); and
a transmitter configured to transmit on at least one activated radio bearer without establishing system radio bearer 1 (SRB1), in response to the RRC paging message, an uplink message in the RRC_INACTIVE state to initiate a data transmission procedure while the UE remains in the RRC_INACTIVE state (para [0333]: In an example, paging may carry the message indicating direct small data transmission in inactive other than state transition which may make difference on UE behaviors. A UE receiving the paging may send UE ID on pre-configured contention based resources (interpreted as “a transmitter configured to transmit … in response to the RRC paging message, an uplink message in the RRC_INACTIVE state to initiate a data transmission procedure while the UE remains in the RRC_INACTIVE state”, the ‘UE ID’ is interpreted as “an uplink message” ) (e.g. grant free/preamble+UE ID, wherein UE ID used here may be valid at least in RAN notification area). The gNB receiving may confirm the UE location upon the reception of UE ID, and then, if needed, may fetch the UE context and schedule DL data transmission on a pre-configured receiving window along with UL grant for ACK (interpreted as “initiate a data transmission procedure while the UE remains in the RRC_INACTIVE state” because the small data transmission is performed in inactive state of the UE ).)(para [0398]: ... Unlike the RRC idle state, in an RRC inactive state, a wireless device may be configured with one or more logical channels (and/or one or more bearers), and the wireless device may have a configured buffer to queue packets associated with the one or more logical channels in the RRC inactive state (without transitioning to an RRC connected state) (interpreted as “on at least one activated radio bearer without establishing system radio bearer 1 (SRB1)”).(Examiner’s note: the ‘without transitioning to an RRC connected state’ discussed in para [0398] of Park is interpreted as “without establishing system radio bearer 1 (SRB1)” because Park discloses that, in para [0216] of Park, an RRC connection establishment procedure may comprise SRB1 establishment.)
Regarding claim 21, it is a method claim corresponding to the UE claim 1, and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 2-3, 5-6, 8, 22-23, and 25-27 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Wu (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20250220763 (Priority to and the benefit of the filing date of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/329,353 filed on Apr. 8, 2022, hereinafter “Wu”).
Regarding claim 2, Park teaches The UE of claim 1, wherein:
the receiver is further configured to:
monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for one or more radio network temporary identifiers (RNTIs) within a first time interval (para [0272]: A UE may start a time window (e.g., ra-Response Window) to monitor a random access response. … A UE may monitor a PDCCH of a cell for at least one random access response identified by a RA-RNTI or for at least one response to beam failure recovery request identified by a C-RNTI while a timer for a time window is running (interpreted as “within a first time interval”).), wherein at least one RNTI of the one or more RNTIs is not a paging RNTI (P-RNTI) (Examiner’s note: The RA-RNTI (“Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identifier”, see para [0150]) and the C-RNTI (“Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier”, see para [0067]) are not a P-RNTI (“a paging RNTI”)),
Park fails to teach:
wherein the first time interval and a second time interval belong to a given time interval, the second time interval is orthogonal in time to the first time interval, the PDCCH for the one or more RNTIs is not monitored by the receiver in the second time interval, a beginning of the given time interval is based on a first parameter set, the first parameter set includes at least one of a system frame number, a subframe number, or a first configurable time length, a length of the given time interval is related to the first configurable time length, a length of the first time interval is related to a second configurable time length, and the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state in the first time interval; and
receive, within the second time interval, a downlink control information (DCI) and a paging message;
wherein the DCI is scrambled by the P-RNTI, the DCI indicates scheduling information of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and the PDSCH is used to carry at least the paging message.
In analogous art, Wu teaches the missing features. Wu discloses that, during an SDT session, the UE 102 monitors a PDCCH using a C-RNTI to receive a DCI (see para [0128] of Wu and para [0107] of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/329,353; hereinafter “63/329,353”).
Wu teaches the missing features as follows:
wherein the first time interval and a second time interval belong to a given time interval, the second time interval is orthogonal in time to the first time interval (para [0095] of Wu and para [0076] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 starts or restarts the UE CG-SDT timer (i.e., a first UE CG-SDT timer) with the CG-SDT time alignment timer value (interpreted as “given time interval”))(para [0114] of Wu and para [0093] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 starts a UE timer (e.g., a second UE CG-SDT timer) (interpreted as “a first time interval”)(para [0115] of Wu and para [0094] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 receives 432, 434 an RRC release message including the UE timer value (interpreted as “second time length”) from the base station 104, similar to the events 332, 334.)(Examiner’s note: As discussed in FIG. 4 and paragraphs [0095, 0114-0115], the stop point of the first time interval and the start point of the second time interval are linked to the RRC Release message received at step 434, and thus, the first and second time intervals of Wu are interpreted as are belongs to the given time interval (“starts or restarts the UE CG-SDT timer with the CG-SDT time alignment timer value” in para [0095] of Wu) and are orthogonal in time domain.), the PDCCH for the one or more RNTIs is not monitored by the receiver in the second time interval (para [0109] of Wu and para [0088] of 63/329,353 : the UE 102 starts an SDT session timer (interpreted as “a first time interval”) in response to initiating the SDT.) (para [0115] of Wu and para [0094] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 receives 432, 434 an RRC release message including the UE timer value (interpreted as “a second time interval”) from the base station 104, similar to the events 332, 334. … While the UE timer is running, the UE 102 in the inactive state or SDT session refrains from retransmitting the UL MAC PDU on the CG resources.) (para [0128] of Wu and para [0107] of 63/329,353: In response to or after receiving 434 the RRC release message, the UE 102 ends the SDT session and stops using the C-RNTI to monitor a PDCCH (interpreted as “the PDCCH for the one or more RNTIs is not monitored by the receiver in the second time interval”), a beginning of the given time interval is based on a first parameter set, the first parameter set includes at least one of a system frame number, a subframe number, or a first configurable time length (para [0092] of Wu and para [0074] of 63/329,353: the SDT DU configuration includes at least one of a buffer status reporting (BSR) configuration, a power headroom reporting (PHR) configuration, configured grant (CG) configuration(s) for CG-SDT, a UL bandwidth part (BWP) configuration, a DL BWP configuration for CG-SDT, a time alignment timer value for CG-SDT (e.g., CG-SDT time alignment timer (CG-SDT-TAT) value) (interpreted as “first parameter set”), and/or a timing advance validity threshold for CG-SDT.)(para [0093] and para [0074] of 63/329,353: each of the CG configuration(s) (interpreted as “first parameter set”) configures or includes an offset indicating a time domain offset (e.g., timeDomainOffset) (interpreted as “first time length” ), related to a reference time (e.g., system frame number (SFN)), for the CG resources.), a length of the given time interval is related to the first configurable time length (para [0095] of Wu and para [0076] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 starts or restarts a UE CG-SDT timer (e.g., CG-SDT-TAT) in response to or after receiving the CG-SDT configuration(s). In some implementations, the UE 102 starts or restarts the UE CG-SDT timer (i.e., a first UE CG-SDT timer) (interpreted as “first time length” ) with the CG-SDT time alignment timer value (interpreted as “first parameter set” and “a length of the given time interval”), in response to or after receiving the CG-SDT configuration(s).), a length of the first time interval is related to a second configurable time length(para [0115] of Wu and para [0094] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 receives 432, 434 an RRC release message including the UE timer value (interpreted as “second configurable time length”) from the base station 104, similar to the events 332, 334. … While the UE timer (interpreted as “second time interval”) is running, the UE 102 in the inactive state or SDT session refrains from retransmitting the UL MAC PDU on the CG resources.)(Examiner’s note: As discussed in FIG. 4 and paragraphs [0109 and 0128] of Wu, the UE monitors a PDCCH (using a C-RNTI) during the first time interval (an SDT session timer discussed in para [0109] of Wu). As discussed in para [0115], upon receiving an RRC Release message at step 434 of FIG. 4, the UE starts the timer included in the received message. Furthermore, as discussed in paragraphs [0128-0129] of Wu and paragraphs [0107-0108] of 63/329,353, UE102 begins monitoring a PDCCH (using a paging RNTI (P-RNTI)) after step 434. Therefore, the stop point of the first time interval and the start point of the second time interval are linked to the RRC Release message received at step 434, and thus, the first and second time intervals of Wu are interpreted as being related. Furthermore, the second time interval is configured with the timer value included in the RRC Release message received at step 434.), and the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state in the first time interval (para [0096] of Wu and para [0077] of 63/329,353: While the UE CG-SDT timer is running, the UE 102 in the inactive state communicates (e.g., performs CG-SDT, transmits SRS(s), and/or receives DL control signals (e.g., DCI) and/or data) with the DU 174 via the dedicated DL BWP and dedicated UL BWP.); and
receive, within the second time interval, a downlink control information (DCI) and a paging message (para [0129] of Wu and para [0108] of 63/329,353: After the UE 102 ends the SDT session(interpreted as “within the second time interval”), the UE 102 in the inactive state monitors a PDCCH using a paging RNTI (P-RNTI). …The UE 102 receives the DCI and the scrambled CRC on the PDCCH and verifies the scrambled CRC with the P-RNTI. In cases where the UE 102 verifies that the scrambled CRC is valid, the UE 102 receives and decodes the PDSCH transmission in accordance with the DCI. The UE 102 subsequently retrieves the paging message from the PDSCH transmission.);
wherein the DCI is scrambled by the P-RNTI, the DCI indicates scheduling information of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and the PDSCH is used to carry at least the paging message (para [0129] of Wu and para [0108] of 63/329,353: After the UE 102 ends the SDT session, the UE 102 in the inactive state monitors a PDCCH using a paging RNTI (P-RNTI). …The UE 102 receives the DCI and the scrambled CRC on the PDCCH and verifies the scrambled CRC with the P-RNTI. In cases where the UE 102 verifies that the scrambled CRC is valid, the UE 102 receives and decodes the PDSCH transmission in accordance with the DCI. The UE 102 subsequently retrieves the paging message from the PDSCH transmission.).
Park and Wu are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of Small Data Transmission Technology. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Park to incorporate the teachings of Wu in order to receive a downlink control information (DCI) and a paging message within a configured time period. Doing so would provide the SDT configuration and procedure to the UE to enable the SDT.
Regarding claim 3, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 2, comprising: Wu further teaches
a processor (Fig. 1A of Wu and Fig. 1A of 63/329,353; processing hardware 150) configured to start a timer at a beginning of the given time interval (para [0109] of Wu and para [0088] of 63/329,353 : the UE 102 starts an SDT session timer in response to initiating the SDT.), wherein a running of the timer is based on the second configurable time length ((para [0095] of Wu and para [0076] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 starts or restarts the UE CG-SDT timer (i.e., a first UE CG-SDT timer) with the CG-SDT time alignment timer value (interpreted as “given time interval”))( para [0114] of Wu and para [0093] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 starts a UE timer (e.g., a second UE CG-SDT timer) (interpreted as “a timer”))( para [0115] of Wu and para [0094] of 63/329,353: the UE 102 receives 432, 434 an RRC release message including the UE timer value (interpreted as “second configurable time length”) from the base station 104, similar to the events 332, 334.)(Examiner’s note: As discussed in FIG. 4 and paragraphs [0095, 0114-0115] of Wu, the stop point of the first time interval and the start point of the second time interval are linked to the RRC Release message received at step 434, and thus, the first and second time intervals of Wu are interpreted as “a running of the timer is based on the second configurable time length”.).
Regarding claim 5, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 2, wherein: Wu further teaches
the receiver is further configured to receive an RRC message that indicates that the UE is to enter into or maintain the RRC_INACTIVE state (FIG. 4, step 402 and para [0107] of Wu and para [0087] of 63/329,35: the scenario 400 illustrates a procedure for when the UE 102 begins in an inactive state (e.g., event 402). … For example, the UE 102 receives, from a base station (e.g., the base station 104 or base station 106), an RRC release message causing the UE 102 to transition to the inactive state (interpreted as “an RRC message that indicates that the UE is to enter into or maintain the RRC_INACTIVE state”));
wherein between a time when the RRC message is received and a beginning of the given time interval, the UE does not receive any RRC message indicating that the UE is to enter into or maintain the RRC_INACTIVE state (para [0107] of Wu and para [0087] of 63/329,35: The UE 102 in the inactive state, with or without SDT configured, performs a RAN notification area (RNA) update with the base station without state transitions.)(Examiner’s note: After performing step 402 (see para [0107] of Wu) in Fig.4, FIG. 4 depicts that the UE102 does not received any RRC message indicating that the UE is to enter into or maintain the RRC_INACTIVE state).
Regarding claim 6, Park teaches The UE of claim 1, Park fails to explicitly teach
wherein the data transmission procedure includes short data transmission (SDT) and the SDT in the RRC_INACTIVE state is used to determine monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for at least one candidate radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) (
In analogous art, Wu discloses the above missing feature as following:
wherein the data transmission procedure includes short data transmission (SDT) and the SDT in the RRC_INACTIVE state is used to determine monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for at least one candidate radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) (para [0128] of Wu and para [0107] of 63/329,353: During an SDT session (interpreted as “the SDT in the RRC_INACTIVE state”)(i.e., events 492 and 494), the UE 102 monitors a PDCCH using a C-RNTI to receive a DCI.)
Park and Wu are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of Small Data Transmission Technology. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Park to incorporate the teachings of Wu in order to monitor the PDCCH for at least one candidate radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) during the SDT procedure. Doing so would provide the SDT configuration and procedure to the UE to enable the SDT.
Regarding claim 8, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 6, Park teaches
wherein the RRC paging message includes a first field that indicates that the UE is to perform the data transmission procedure and the RRC paging message includes a second field that includes a first identity that identifies the UE (para [0333]: In an example, paging may carry the message indicating direct small data transmission in inactive (interpreted as “a first field that indicates that the UE is to perform the data transmission procedure”) other than state transition which may make difference on UE behaviors.)(para [0339]: … A base station receiving the first RNA message may broadcast/multicast the second RNA paging message in one or more beam coverage area and/or in one or more cell coverage area at least based on the RNA identifier. In an example, the second RNA paging message may comprise at least one of an AS context identifier, a wireless device identifier (interpreted as “a second field that includes a first identity that identifies the UE”), and/or a reason of the RNA paging.).
Regarding claim 22, claim 22, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 2, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 2.
Regarding claim 23, claim 23, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 3, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 3.
Regarding claim 25, claim 25, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 5, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 5.
Regarding claim 26, claim 26, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 6, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 6.
Regarding claim 27, claim 27, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 8, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 8.
Claim(s) 4 and 24 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Wu, and further in view of 3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0 (2022-03) included in the IDS submitted November 11, 2025.
Regarding claim 4, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 3, wherein: Wu teaches
the receiver is further configured to receive a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) (para [0058] of Wu and para [0043] of 63/329,353: The base station 104 in some implementations generates a first DL PDU, such as a DL PDCP PDU, using the security-protected packet, includes the first DL PDU in a second DL PDU associated with the MAC layer for example (e.g., a DL MAC PDU), and transmits the second DL PDU to the UE 102 without first causing the UE 102 to transition from the RRC_INACTIVE or RRC_IDLE state to the RRC_CONNECTED state.);
the first processor is further configured to stop the timer in response to the MAC PDU being correctly received (para [0113] of Wu and para [0092] of 63/329,353: If the UE 102 verifies the CRC is correct and the DCI includes a downlink assignment, the UE 102 uses the downlink assignment to receive 418 DL data (interpreted as “MAC PDU”) from the DU 174.)([0114]: when the UE 102 receives a DCI and a CRC for the DCI on a PDCCH from the DU 174 and verifies that the CRC is correct using the C-RNTI, the UE 102 stops the UE timer.);
wherein the MAC PDU includes a MAC service data unit (SDU) (Fig. 2A and para [0071] of Wu and para [0056] of 63/329,353: The EUTRA PDCP sublayer 208 and the NR PDCP sublayer 210 receive packets (e.g., from an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, layered directly or indirectly over the PDCP layer 208 or 210) that can be referred to as service data units (SDUs), and output packets (e.g., to the RLC layer 206A or 206B) that can be referred to as protocol data units (PDUs). Except where the difference between SDUs and PDUs is relevant, this disclosure for simplicity refers to both SDUs and PDUs as “packets.” (interpreted as “the MAC PDU includes a MAC service data unit (SDU)”)), and
Park and Wu fail to teach the MAC PDU does not include a MAC subheader with a logical channel ID (LCID) field set to 59 or 60.
In 5G NR (New Radio) MAC layer specifications, specifically 3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0 (2022-03), Table 6.2.1-1 explicitly categorizes LCID values to distinguish between user data and control information. In particular, 3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0 (2022-03) discloses that LCIDs (1-32) categorized in table 6.2.1-1 are assigned to identify of the logical channel and are used for MAC SDUs (see 3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0, 6.2.1 MAC subheader for DL-SCH and UL-SCH, pages 204-205: LCID: The Logical Channel ID field identifies the logical channel instance of the corresponding MAC SDU or the type of the corresponding MAC CE or padding as described in Tables 6.2.1-1 and 6.2.1-2 for the DL-SCH and UL-SCH respectively.). See table 6.2.1-1 Values of LCID for DL-SCH.
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1074
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(3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0, Table 6.2.1-1 in page 205)
As reproduced above, LCIDs (1-32) categorized in table 6.2.1-1 of 3GPP TS 38.321 V17.0.0 discloses “the MAC PDU does not include a MAC subheader with a logical channel ID (LCID) field set to 59 or 60.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify a combination of Park and Wu by using the standard features of 3GPP TS 38.321 V16.1.0 in order to have received the MAC SDU by the UE.
Regarding claim 24, claim 24, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 4, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 4.
Claim(s) 9 and 28 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Wu, and further in view of Du et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20150195831, hereinafter “Du”).
Regarding claim 9, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 8, Park and Wu fail to explicitly teach wherein the first field and the second field are associated with a same Paging Record.
It, however, had been known in the art at the time of instant application as shown by Du as following:
wherein the first field and the second field are associated with a same Paging Record (para [0016] of Du: When the second message is a paging message, the method may further comprise: identifying a device with which the relatively small data transmission indication is associated; and providing a relatively small data transmission indication in a paging record corresponding to the identified device in the paging message (interpreted as “the first field and the second field are associated with a same Paging Record”) (para [0078] of Du: At step 305, an SDT-indication may be included in a paging-record for the individual or subset of UEs being paged in the paging message.).
Park, Wu, and Du are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of Small Data Transmission Technology. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Park and Wu to incorporate the teachings of Du in order to associate a wireless device identifier and an indication of SDT in inactive state with a same paging record. Doing so would provide the SDT configuration and procedure to the UE to enable the SDT.
Regarding claim 28, claim 28, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 9, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 9.
Claim(s) 10-11 and 29-30 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Wu, and further in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20250008483 (Priority to and the benefit of the filing date of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/270,006 filed on Oct. 20, 2021, hereinafter “Wu483”).
Regarding claim 10, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 8, Park and Wu fails to disclose wherein the receiver is further configured to receive multicast transmission in the RRC_INACTIVE state.
It, however, had been known in the art at the time of instant application as shown by Wu483 as following:
wherein the receiver is further configured to receive multicast transmission in the RRC_INACTIVE state (para [0140] of Wu483 and para [0140] of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/270,006; hereinafter “63/270,006”: Collectively, the transmission of MBS content data from the CN 110 to the UE 102 via the established common DL tunnel (e.g., the collection of the events 624, 626, 628) is referred to in FIG. 6A as an MBS content data delivery procedure 696. Further, in the scenario 600A, the UE 102 does not change its operational state for receiving MBS content data. That is, the UE 102 can maintain its operation state as idle or inactive 602 while activating 622 for MBS (‘Multicast and/or Broadcast Services’) content data reception and while receiving 628 MBS data (interpreted as “receive multicast transmission in the RRC_INACTIVE state”).).
Park, Wu, and Wu483 are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Park and Wu to incorporate the teachings of Wu483 in order to receive multicast transmission in the RRC_INACTIVE state. Doing so would manage paging for Multicast and/or Broadcast Services (MBS) of interested UEs that do not have an active radio connection with the RAN (see para [0009] of Wu483).
Regarding claim 11, Park and Wu teach The UE of claim 10, Wu483 further teaches wherein the the multicast transmission is received following receiving a paging message and via multicast multicast-broadcast services (MBS) radio bearer (MRB) (Fig. 6A and para [0130] of Wu483 and para [0130] of 63/270,006: In turn, the CU 172 transmits a corresponding, single second multicast paging message 616 indicating the group of UEs to a DU 174 of the BS 104, and the DU 174 pages 620 one or more UEs (including UE 102) that are interested in the MBS service while the UEs are operating in an idle state or an inactive state 602 to thereby activate MBS data reception 622 for the MBS service at the UEs without the UEs changing state (interpreted as “receiving a paging message”), e.g., as described in more detail below.) (para [0052] of Wu483 and para [0052] of 63/270,006: In MBS operation, the UE 102A can use an MBS radio bearer (MRB) (interpreted as “the multicast transmission is received … via multicast multicast-broadcast services (MBS) radio bearer (MRB)”))
Regarding claim 29, claim 29, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 10, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 10.
Regarding claim 30, claim 30, has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 11, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 11.
Conclusion
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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/WON JUN CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411