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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the amendments filed on 12/03/2025.
Claims 1-2, 4-12, 14-16 and 18-20 are currently pending.
Claims 1-2, 4-12, 14-16 and 18-20 are rejected.
Claims 1, 12 and 16 are independent claims.
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
8. Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-8, 11-12, 15-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bin FENG et al. (US 2019/0045574 A1), hereinafter FENG, in view of Youngdae Lee et al. (US 2019/0268964 A1), hereinafter LEE, and Karthika Paladugu et al. (US 2021/0289392 A1), hereinafter Paladugu.
For claim 1, FENG teaches a method for establishing relay connection, comprising:
sending, by a relay User Equipment (UE), a first connection establishment request message to a network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 370 and paragraph 453 teaches In S370, the relay terminal device may send the data packet #6 to the network device through, for example, the Uu interface. See also paragraphs 452 and 454.);
wherein the first connection establishment request message is configured to request an establishment of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection between the relay UE and the network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 365 and paragraph 452 teaches In S365, the relay terminal device may generate a data packet #6 containing the RRC connection establishment request message and the device identifier of the remote terminal device (or the specific index) according to the data packet #5.);
wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, by the relay UE, first information sent by a remote UE, wherein the first information triggers the relay UE to establish the RRC connection with the network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step S360 and paragraph 451 In S360, the remote terminal device may send the data packet #5 to the relay terminal device through, for example, the PC5 interface. See also paragraph 450.).
LEE further teaches the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value (LEE, paragraph 65 teaches the RRCConnectionRequest message includes an establishment cause field (“establishmentCause”). The establishment cause field provides the establishment cause for the RRC connection request as provided by the upper layers.);
wherein the method further comprises:
filling directly, by the relay UE, the connection establishment cause value into the first connection establishment request message (LEE, paragraph 85 teaches a relay UE may configure an RRC connection establishment cause based on a cause value received from a remote UE, and perform an RRC connection establishment procedure with a network. That is, the remote UE may transmit its own cause value of an RRC connection and the relay UE may configure a cause value of an RRC connection request message based on the cause value received from the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG with the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value; wherein the method further comprises: filling directly, by the relay UE, the connection establishment cause value into the first connection establishment request message taught in LEE. Because both FENG and LEE belong to the field of mobile communications and are capable of solving the same technical problem and of achieving the same technical effect.
Paladugu further teaches an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE (Paladugu, paragraph 100 teaches Based on the configuration message, the relay UE and the remote UE may adjust parameters of the sidelink connection and the access link connection to meet the specifications of the QoS configuration. For example, the relay UE may configure an access stratum (AS) entity for the Uu interface between the relay UE and the network entity and for the PC5 interface between the relay UE and the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG and LEE with an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE taught in Paladugu to have wherein the connection establishment cause value is directly sent to an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE by the remote UE. Because all FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach relay connection establishment method, Paladugu explicitly teach an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE.
For claim 2, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises an RRC message (FENG, Fig. 7 step S355 and paragraph 450 In S355, the remote terminal device may decapsulate the data packet #4 to acquire the RRC connection establishment message, the device identifier of the remote terminal device and the specific index and determine that the network device sets up the RRC connection for the remote terminal device according to the device identifier of the remote terminal device and the RRC connection establishment message, and moreover, may generate an RRC connection establishment completed message. The remote terminal device generates a data packet #5 encapsulated with the RRC connection establishment completed message, and moreover, the data packet #5 contains the device identifier of the remote terminal device or the specific index.).
For claim 4, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 1, comprising: receiving, by the relay UE, connection establishment success indication information sent by the network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 340 and paragraphs 446-448 teach the relay terminal device receives the data packet #3 which includes the RRC connection establishment message from the network device. In other words, the data packet #3 is connection establishment success indication information. See also LEE, paragraph 66.).
For claim 5, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 4, further comprising: sending, by the relay UE, first indication information to the network device, the first indication information being configured to indicate related information of a Sidelink (SL) between the relay UE and the remote UE (LEE, paragraph 69 teaches a relay UE performing sidelink communication for ProSe UE-to-network relay operation has to be in RRC_CONNECTED. After receiving a layer-2 link establishment request or temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) monitoring request (upper layer message) from the remote UE, the relay UE indicates to the eNB that it is a relay UE and intends to perform ProSe UE-to-network relay sidelink communication.).
For claim 7, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving, by the relay UE, first configuration information sent by the network device, the first configuration information being used for the relay UE and the remote UE to transmit information (FENG, Fig. 7 step 340 and paragraphs 446-448 teach the relay terminal device receives the data packet #3 which includes the RRC connection establishment message from the network device. In other words, the data packet #3 is connection establishment success indication information.).
For claim 8, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the relay UE, second information to the network device based on the first information (FENG, Fig. 7 step S360, S370 and paragraph 453 teaches In S370, the relay terminal device may send the data packet #6 based on the data packet #5 received from the remote terminal. See also paragraphs 452 and 454.).
For claim 11, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 1, wherein the relay UE adopts a manner of a layer 2 relay to establish the connection with the network device; and/or the remote UE establishes a connection with the relay UE through a sidelink (FENG, Fig. 6 step S230 and paragraph 231 teach In S230, the relay terminal device sends the second access-stratum data packet to the network device according to a second communication protocol. paragraphs 115-120 teach PDCP layer, RLC layer and/or MAC corresponding to the second communication protocol. In other words, a manner of a layer 2 relay to establish the connection with the network device.).
For claim 12, FENG teaches a method for establishing relay connection, comprising:
sending, by a remote User Equipment (UE), first information to a relay UE (FENG, Fig. 7 step S360 and paragraph 451 In S360, the remote terminal device may send the data packet #5 to the relay terminal device through, for example, the PC5 interface. See also paragraph 450.), wherein the first information triggers the relay UE sends a connection establishment request message to a network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 370 and paragraph 453 teaches In S370, the relay terminal device may send the data packet #6 to the network device through, for example, the Uu interface. See also paragraphs 452 and 454.), wherein the first connection establishment request message is configured to request an establishment of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection between the relay UE and the network device, and the first information further triggers the relay UE to establish the RRC connection with the network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 365 and paragraph 452 teaches In S365, the relay terminal device may generate a data packet #6 containing the RRC connection establishment request message and the device identifier of the remote terminal device (or the specific index) according to the data packet #5.).
LEE further teaches the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value (LEE, paragraph 65 teaches the RRCConnectionRequest message includes an establishment cause field (“establishmentCause”). The establishment cause field provides the establishment cause for the RRC connection request as provided by the upper layers); and wherein the connection establishment cause value is filled directly by the relay UE into the first connection establishment request message (LEE, paragraph 85 teaches a relay UE may configure an RRC connection establishment cause based on a cause value received from a remote UE, and perform an RRC connection establishment procedure with a network. That is, the remote UE may transmit its own cause value of an RRC connection and the relay UE may configure a cause value of an RRC connection request message based on the cause value received from the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG with the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value; wherein the method further comprises: filling directly, by the relay UE, the connection establishment cause value into the first connection establishment request message taught in LEE. Because both FENG and LEE belong to the field of mobile communications and are capable of solving the same technical problem and of achieving the same technical effect.
Paladugu further teaches an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE (Paladugu, paragraph 100 teaches Based on the configuration message, the relay UE and the remote UE may adjust parameters of the sidelink connection and the access link connection to meet the specifications of the QoS configuration. For example, the relay UE may configure an access stratum (AS) entity for the Uu interface between the relay UE and the network entity and for the PC5 interface between the relay UE and the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG and LEE with an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE taught in Paladugu to have wherein the connection establishment cause value is directly sent to an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE by the remote UE. Because all FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach relay connection establishment method, Paladugu explicitly teach an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE.
For claim 15, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 12, wherein the relay UE adopts a manner of a layer 2 relay to establish a connection with the network device; and/or the remote UE establishes a connection with the relay UE through a Sidelink (SL) (FENG, Fig. 6 step S230 and paragraph 231 teach In S230, the relay terminal device sends the second access-stratum data packet to the network device according to a second communication protocol. paragraphs 115-120 teach PDCP layer, RLC layer and/or MAC corresponding to the second communication protocol. In other words, a manner of a layer 2 relay to establish the connection with the network device.).
For claim 16, FENG teaches a method for establishing relay connection, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a first connection establishment request message sent by a relay User Equipment (UE) (FENG, Fig. 7 step 370 and paragraph 453 teaches In S370, the relay terminal device may send the data packet #6 to the network device through, for example, the Uu interface. See also paragraphs 452 and 454.), and the first connection establishment request message being configured to request an establishment of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection between the relay UE and the network device (FENG, Fig. 7 step 365 and paragraph 452 teaches In S365, the relay terminal device may generate a data packet #6 containing the RRC connection establishment request message and the device identifier of the remote terminal device (or the specific index) according to the data packet #5.).
LEE further teaches the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value (LEE, paragraph 65 teaches the RRCConnectionRequest message includes an establishment cause field (“establishmentCause”). The establishment cause field provides the establishment cause for the RRC connection request as provided by the upper layers); and wherein the connection establishment cause value is filled directly by the relay UE into the first connection establishment request message (LEE, paragraph 85 teaches a relay UE may configure an RRC connection establishment cause based on a cause value received from a remote UE, and perform an RRC connection establishment procedure with a network. That is, the remote UE may transmit its own cause value of an RRC connection and the relay UE may configure a cause value of an RRC connection request message based on the cause value received from the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG with the first connection establishment request message carries a connection establishment cause value; wherein the method further comprises: filling directly, by the relay UE, the connection establishment cause value into the first connection establishment request message taught in LEE. Because both FENG and LEE belong to the field of mobile communications and are capable of solving the same technical problem and of achieving the same technical effect.
Paladugu further teaches an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE (Paladugu, paragraph 100 teaches Based on the configuration message, the relay UE and the remote UE may adjust parameters of the sidelink connection and the access link connection to meet the specifications of the QoS configuration. For example, the relay UE may configure an access stratum (AS) entity for the Uu interface between the relay UE and the network entity and for the PC5 interface between the relay UE and the remote UE.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG and LEE with an access stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE taught in Paladugu to have wherein the connection establishment cause value is directly sent to an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE by the remote UE. Because all FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach relay connection establishment method, Paladugu explicitly teach an Access Stratum (AS) entity of the relay UE.
For claim 18, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 16, further comprising: sending, by the network device, connection establishment success indication information to the relay UE (FENG, Fig. 7 step 340 and paragraphs 446-448 teach the relay terminal device receives the data packet #3 which includes the RRC connection establishment message from the network device. In other words, the data packet #3 is connection establishment success indication information. See also LEE, paragraph 66.).
For claim 19, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach the method of claim 18, further comprising: receiving, by the network device, first indication information sent by the relay UE, the first indication information being configured to indicate related information of a Sidelink (SL) between the relay UE and the remote UE (LEE, paragraph 69 teaches a relay UE performing sidelink communication for ProSe UE-to-network relay operation has to be in RRC_CONNECTED. After receiving a layer-2 link establishment request or temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) monitoring request (upper layer message) from the remote UE, the relay UE indicates to the eNB that it is a relay UE and intends to perform ProSe UE-to-network relay sidelink communication.).
For claim 20, FENG, LEE and Paladugu further teach a relay User Equipment (UE), comprising a processor and a memory configured to store a computer program runnable on the processor, wherein, the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the steps of the method for establishing relay connection of claim 1 (FENG, Fig. 13 and paragraph 610 teach an apparatus includes a processor and a memory.).
9. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bin FENG et al. (US 2019/0045574 A1), hereinafter FENG, in view of Youngdae Lee et al. (US 2019/0268964 A1), hereinafter LEE, and Karthika Paladugu et al. (US 2021/0289392 A1), hereinafter Paladugu and Fangli Xu et al. (US 2024/0267983 A1), hereinafter Xu.
For claim 6, FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach all the limitations of parent claim 5. FENG, LEE and Paladugu do not explicitly teach a sidelink radio link failure or sidelink RRC reconfiguration failure has been detected.
However, Xu explicitly teaches a sidelink radio link failure or sidelink RRC reconfiguration failure has been detected (Xu, Fig. 23 step 2330 teaches the relay UE sends relay link failure indication to the gNB after the relay link failure is detected.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG and LEE with a sidelink radio link failure or sidelink RRC reconfiguration failure has been detected taught in Xu to have wherein the related information of the SL comprises at least one of: Quality of Service (QoS) parameters and QoS profile related to New Radio (NR) sidelink communication, a sidelink radio link failure or sidelink RRC reconfiguration failure has been detected, sidelink UE capability information of an associated peer UE for unicast communication, or Radio Link Control (RLC) mode information of a sidelink data radio bearer received from the associated peer UE for unicast communication. Because FENG, LEE, Paladugu and Xu teach connection establishment using relay, Xu explicitly teaches a sidelink radio link failure or sidelink RRC reconfiguration failure has been detected.
10. Claims 9-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bin FENG et al. (US 2019/0045574 A1), hereinafter FENG, in view of Youngdae Lee et al. (US 2019/0268964 A1), hereinafter LEE, and Karthika Paladugu et al. (US 2021/0289392 A1), hereinafter Paladugu and Xiangdong ZHANG et al. (US 2019/0124563 A1), hereinafter ZHANG.
For claim 9, FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach all the limitations of parent claim 1. FENG, LEE and Paladugu do not explicitly teach receiving, by the relay UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the network device.
However, ZHANG explicitly teaches receiving, by the relay UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the network device (ZHANG, Fig. 6 step S630 paragraph 225 teach a second eNB receives the second request message sent by the RUE, and returns a response message, where the response message carries indication information indicating whether a relay service can be provided for the UE. In other words, the response message contain connection establishment failure indication information.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG, LEE and Paladugu with receiving, by the relay UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the network device taught in ZHANG to effectively improve the communication rate [ZHANG: background].
For claim 10, FENG, LEE, Paladugu and ZHANG further teach the method of claim 9, further comprising: sending, by the relay UE, the connection establishment failure indication information to the remote UE (ZHANG, Fig. 6 step S640 paragraph 226 teach The RUE returns a response message to the UE, where the response message carries the indication information indicating whether a relay service can be provided for the UE. In other words, the response message contains connection establishment failure indication information.).
For claim 14, FENG, LEE and Paladugu teach all the limitations of parent claim 12. FENG, LEE and Paladugu do not explicitly teach receiving, by the remote UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the relay UE.
However, ZHANG explicitly teaches receiving, by the remote UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the relay UE (ZHANG, Fig. 6 step S640 paragraph 226 teach The RUE returns a response message to the UE, where the response message carries the indication information indicating whether a relay service can be provided for the UE. In other words, the response message contains connection establishment failure indication information.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in FENG, LEE and Paladugu with receiving, by the remote UE, connection establishment failure indication information sent by the relay UE taught in ZHANG to effectively improve the communication rate [ZHANG: background].
Response to Arguments
11. Applicant's arguments filed 12/03/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot because of the new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
12. 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.
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILL W LIN whose telephone number is (571)272-8749. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/WILL W LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412