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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 20240306147 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wang et al. teaches a method for performing data transmissions in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) INACTIVE state by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system (Paragraph 38, This describes uplink data transmission in RRC INACTIVE state by a terminal device (UE)), the method comprising: generating at least one Small Data Transmission (SDT) data unit that can be transmitted in the RRC INACTIVE state (Paragraph 37-38, These passages identify types of small data (SDT data units) and confirm that such uplink data is transmitted in RRC INACTIVE, teaching generation of SDT data); triggering a SDT procedure for transmitting the at least one SDT data unit in the RRC INACTIVE state (Paragraph 56, This directly shows that the UE triggers an SDT procedure when small data is available); generating a non-SDT data unit that cannot be transmitted in the RRC_INACTIVE state during the SDT procedure (Paragraph 38, Explicitly teaches generation/arrival of non-SDT data during an ongoing SDT); generating an indication message informing that there is the non-SDT data unit, based on an uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message being available (Paragraph 66, 105-106, These describe generation of an indication message upon arrival of non-SDT data, conditional on uplink grant availability); and transmitting the indication message via a Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) during the SDT procedure to a network (Paragraph 68, 129, This teaches transmitting the indication message via a DCCH to the network during SDT).
Regarding claim 2, Wang et al. teaches ciphering and integrity protection are applied to the indication message (Paragraph 48, 49, 54, 68, The passage teaches that the indication message is transmitted as an RRC message over SRB1 or SRB2, which—after security activation—uses PDCP to apply ciphering and integrity protection).
Regarding claim 3, Wang et al. teaches based on the uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message not being available, transmitting a RRC resume request message for transitioning to a RRC CONNECTED state via a Common Control Channel (CCCH) after receiving a message informing that the SDT procedure has finished (Paragraph 54, 77, 86, 140, The passage teaches that when no uplink grant is available during an SDT, the UE triggers a RRC resume request message (via CCCH per SRB0) to transition into the RRC CONNECTED state after receiving an RRC release message indicating the SDT has ended).
Regarding claim 4, Wang et al. teaches ciphering and integrity protection are not applied to the RRC resume request message (Paragraph 101-102, The RRCResumeRequest message is sent while security keys (ciphering and integrity) are discarded, so the message is transmitted without ciphering or integrity protection).
Regarding claim 5, Wang et al. teaches receiving RRC Resume message as a response indication message from the network; and transitioning to a RRC_CONNECTED state for transmitting the non- SDT data regardless of receiving a message informing that the SDT procedure has finished (Paragraph 63, 65, 72, 77-78, 81, 86-87, when non-SDT data arrives during SDT, the UE receives an RRCResume message, transitions to RRC_CONNECTED to send the data, and does so even if an RRCRelease ending the SDT was received).
Regarding claim 6, Wang et al. teaches a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations (Paragraph 33, 170-172, discloses a terminal device/UE ([0033]) that includes a TX/RX transceiver (TX/RX 1040 with antenna), processor 1010, and memory 1020 storing program 1030 whose instructions, when executed by the processor, perform device operations ([0170]–[0172]), thereby fully teaching the claimed UE with transceiver, processor, and instruction-storing memory.) comprising: generating at least one Small Data Transmission (SDT) data unit that can be transmitted in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) INACTIVE state (Paragraph 37-38, The passage identifies generation and handling of small data transmissions and directly teaches that SDT data units are transmitted while the terminal is in the RRC INACTIVE state); triggering a SDT procedure for transmitting the at least one SDT data unit in the RRC INACTIVE state (Paragraph 56, This directly shows that the UE triggers an SDT procedure when small data is available); generating a non-SDT data unit that cannot be transmitted in the RRC_INACTIVE state during the SDT procedure (Paragraph 38, Explicitly teaches generation/arrival of non-SDT data during an ongoing SDT); generating an indication message informing that there is the non-SDT data unit, based on an uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message being available (Paragraph 66, 105-106, These describe generation of an indication message upon arrival of non-SDT data, conditional on uplink grant availability); and transmitting the indication message via a Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) during the SDT procedure to a network (Paragraph 68, 129, This teaches transmitting the indication message via a DCCH to the network during SDT).
Regarding claim 7, Wang et al. teaches ciphering and integrity protection are applied to the indication message (Paragraph 48, 49, 54, 68, The passage teaches that the indication message is transmitted as an RRC message over SRB1 or SRB2, which—after security activation—uses PDCP to apply ciphering and integrity protection).
Regarding claim 8, Wang et al. teaches based on the uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message not being available, transmitting a RRC resume request message for transitioning to a RRC CONNECTED state via a Common Control Channel (CCCH) after receiving a message informing that the SDT procedure has finished (Paragraph 54, 77, 86, 140, The passage teaches that when no uplink grant is available during an SDT, the UE triggers a RRC resume request message (via CCCH per SRB0) to transition into the RRC CONNECTED state after receiving an RRC release message indicating the SDT has ended).
Regarding claim 9, Wang et al. teaches ciphering and integrity protection are not applied to the RRC resume request message (Paragraph 101-102, The RRCResumeRequest message is sent while security keys (ciphering and integrity) are discarded, so the message is transmitted without ciphering or integrity protection).
Regarding claim 10, Wang et al. teaches receiving RRC Resume message as a response indication message from the network; and transitioning to a RRC_CONNECTED state for transmitting the non- SDT data regardless of receiving a message informing that the SDT procedure has finished (Paragraph 63, 65, 72, 77-78, 81, 86-87, when non-SDT data arrives during SDT, the UE receives an RRCResume message, transitions to RRC_CONNECTED to send the data, and does so even if an RRCRelease ending the SDT was received).
Regarding claim 11, Wang et al. teaches an apparatus of a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations (Paragraph 33, 170-172, 176, 183, explicitly describes a UE/terminal device [0033] implemented as device 1000 [0170] comprising a processor [0171], a memory [0171] storing program instructions [0172], and operations executed by the processor (e.g., generating DCCH/MAC CE messages) [0176], [0183]) comprising: generating at least one Small Data Transmission (SDT) data unit that can be transmitted in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) INACTIVE state (Paragraph 37-38, The passage identifies generation and handling of small data transmissions and directly teaches that SDT data units are transmitted while the terminal is in the RRC INACTIVE state); triggering a SDT procedure for transmitting the at least one SDT data unit in the RRC INACTIVE state (Paragraph 56, This directly shows that the UE triggers an SDT procedure when small data is available); generating a non-SDT data unit that cannot be transmitted in the RRC_INACTIVE state during the SDT procedure (Paragraph 38, Explicitly teaches generation/arrival of non-SDT data during an ongoing SDT); generating an indication message informing that there is the non-SDT data unit, based on an uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message being available (Paragraph 66, 105-106, These describe generation of an indication message upon arrival of non-SDT data, conditional on uplink grant availability); and transmitting the indication message via a Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) during the SDT procedure to a network (Paragraph 68, 129, This teaches transmitting the indication message via a DCCH to the network during SDT).
Regarding claim 12, Wang et al. teaches a computer readable storage medium storing at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for a user equipment (UE), the operations (Paragraph 170-173, discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (memory 1020) storing program instructions (program 1030), which when executed by a processor (1010), cause operations to be performed at a terminal device/user equipment) comprising: generating at least one Small Data Transmission (SDT) data unit that can be transmitted in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) INACTIVE state (Paragraph 37-38, The passage identifies generation and handling of small data transmissions and directly teaches that SDT data units are transmitted while the terminal is in the RRC INACTIVE state); triggering a SDT procedure for transmitting the at least one SDT data unit in the RRC INACTIVE state (Paragraph 56, This directly shows that the UE triggers an SDT procedure when small data is available); generating a non-SDT data unit that cannot be transmitted in the RRC_INACTIVE state during the SDT procedure (Paragraph 38, Explicitly teaches generation/arrival of non-SDT data during an ongoing SDT); generating an indication message informing that there is the non-SDT data unit, based on an uplink grant related to the SDT procedure for transmitting the indication message being available (Paragraph 66, 105-106, These describe generation of an indication message upon arrival of non-SDT data, conditional on uplink grant availability); and transmitting the indication message via a Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) during the SDT procedure to a network (Paragraph 68, 129, This teaches transmitting the indication message via a DCCH to the network during SDT).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ying et al. (US 20230199891 A1)
Jeon et al. (US 20250024461 A1)
Kim et al. (US 20240032134 A1)
Lin (US 20230088082 A1)
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/ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/Chandrahas B Patel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464