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 .
Response to Amendment
Amendments filed on 12/18/2025 are entered. The amendments change the scopes of the previously presented claims. New grounds of rejections are applied to the currently amended claims. The current Office Action is made FINAL as necessitated by the claim amendments.
The currently amended claims are no longer interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) as the claims have been amended to recite structural components.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2 and 5-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Esswie (US 2024/0236941) in view of Alfarhan (US 2023/0189245).
Esswie discloses the following features.
Regarding claim 1, a terminal (see WTRU 102 in Fig. 1B and throughout the reference) comprising: a processor (see processor 118 in Fig. 1B) that controls, in either state of an idle state or an inactive state (see “WTRUs which are in an INACTIVE mode” recited in paragraph [0098] and “inactive WTRU” recited in paragraph [0101]; and see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 is in the RRC Inactive state), operation for at least one of reception of downlink data (see step 820 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 receives DL SDT data; “As shown in FIG. 9, the inactive WTRU may perform decoding and buffering of the DL SDT payload on the one or more (e.g., activated)” recited in paragraph [0206]) and transmission of uplink data (see “UL small data payloads to be transmitted while a WTRU is in the inactive mode” recited in paragraph [0146]); and a transceiver (see transceiver 120 in Fig. 1B) that performs the operation without transmitting, before the operation, a random access preamble in the state (see Fig. 8, wherein no random access preamble is transmitted in the RRC inactive state prior to the operation of receiving the DL SDT; see paragraph [0150], wherein uplink transmission may utilize configured grant without using the random access procedure; and see Fig. 3 step 312, wherein the inactive WTRU may receive DL SDT without transmitting a RACH preamble when it has DL SDT).
Regarding claim 5, a radio communication method for a terminal (see WTRU 102 in Fig. 1B and throughout the reference), the radio communication method comprising: controlling, in either state of an idle state or an inactive state (see “WTRUs which are in an INACTIVE mode” recited in paragraph [0098] and “inactive WTRU” recited in paragraph [0101]; and see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 is in the RRC Inactive state), an operation for at least one of reception of downlink data (see step 820 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 receives DL SDT data; “As shown in FIG. 9, the inactive WTRU may perform decoding and buffering of the DL SDT payload on the one or more (e.g., activated)” recited in paragraph [0206]) and transmission of uplink data (see “UL small data payloads to be transmitted while a WTRU is in the inactive mode” recited in paragraph [0146]); and performing the operation without transmitting, before the operation, a random access preamble in the state (see Fig. 8, wherein no random access preamble is transmitted in the RRC inactive state prior to the operation of receiving the DL SDT; see paragraph [0150], wherein uplink transmission may utilize configured grant without using the random access procedure; and see Fig. 3 step 312, wherein the inactive WTRU may receive DL SDT without transmitting a RACH preamble when it has DL SDT).
Regarding claim 6, a base station (see base station 114a or 114b in Fig. 1A) comprising: a processor (see “processor…base station” recited in paragraph [0442]) that controls, for a terminal in either state of an idle state or an inactive state (see “WTRUs which are in an INACTIVE mode” recited in paragraph [0098] and “inactive WTRU” recited in paragraph [0101]; and see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 is in the RRC Inactive state), an operation for at least one of reception of downlink data (see step 820 in Fig. 8, wherein the WTRU 102 receives DL SDT data; “As shown in FIG. 9, the inactive WTRU may perform decoding and buffering of the DL SDT payload on the one or more (e.g., activated)” recited in paragraph [0206]) and transmission of uplink data (see “UL small data payloads to be transmitted while a WTRU is in the inactive mode” recited in paragraph [0146]); and a transceiver (see “transceiver…base station” recited in paragraph [0442]) that performs the operation without receiving, before the operation, a random access preamble in the state (see Fig. 8, wherein no random access preamble is transmitted in the RRC inactive state prior to the operation of receiving the DL SDT; see paragraph [0150], wherein uplink transmission may utilize configured grant without using the random access procedure; and see Fig. 3 step 312, wherein the inactive WTRU may receive DL SDT without transmitting a RACH preamble when it has DL SDT).
Esswie does not disclose the following features: regarding claims 1 and 5, wherein when the downlink data is received, the processor controls transmission of an uplink signal corresponding to an ACK for the downlink data, and wherein a specific resource is configured, and the processor uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the transmission of the uplink data, and use some or all resources of the specific resource for the transmission of the uplink signal; regarding claim 6, wherein when the downlink data is transmitted, the processor controls reception of an uplink signal corresponding to an ACK for the downlink data, and wherein a specific resource is configured for the terminal, and the processor uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the reception of the uplink data, and uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the reception of the uplink signal.
Alfarhan discloses the following features.
Regarding claims 1 and 5, wherein when the downlink data is received, the processor controls transmission of an uplink signal corresponding to an ACK for the downlink data (see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0114], wherein after the WTRU receives a DL transmission on DL CG for SDT, the WTRU may send an HARQ feedback on UL CG as UCI on PUSCH based on the received configuration information of UL CGs and DL CGs for SDT), and wherein a specific resource is configured (see top of Fig. 2, wherein the UL CGs and DL CGs for SDT are configured), and the processor uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the transmission of the uplink data (see “the WTRU may stay in Inactive Mode and may continue to receive DL SDT (or transmit UL SDT), and/or send HARQ feedback on UL CG(s) for SDT (e.g., as UCI on PUSCH or PUCCH)” recited in paragraph [0115] and see “each of the one or more UL CGs is associated with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource for UL SDT” recited in paragraph [0117]), and use some or all resources of the specific resource for the transmission of the uplink signal (see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0114], wherein after the WTRU receives a DL transmission on DL CG for SDT, the WTRU may send an HARQ feedback on UL CG as UCI on PUSCH based on the received configuration information of UL CGs and DL CGs for SDT).
Regarding claim 6, wherein when the downlink data is transmitted, the processor controls reception of an uplink signal corresponding to an ACK for the downlink data (see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0114], wherein after the WTRU receives a DL transmission on DL CG for SDT, the WTRU may send an HARQ feedback on UL CG as UCI on PUSCH based on the received configuration information of UL CGs and DL CGs for SDT), and wherein a specific resource is configured for the terminal, and the processor uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the reception of the uplink data, and uses some or all resources of the specific resource for the reception of the uplink signal (see “the WTRU may stay in Inactive Mode and may continue to receive DL SDT (or transmit UL SDT), and/or send HARQ feedback on UL CG(s) for SDT (e.g., as UCI on PUSCH or PUCCH)” recited in paragraph [0115] and see “each of the one or more UL CGs is associated with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource for UL SDT” recited in paragraph [0117]; also see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0114]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current application to modify the system of Esswie using features, as taught by Alfarhan, in order to reduce battery consumption (see paragraph [0002] of Alfarhan).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Esswie and Alfarhan as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Thangarasa (US 2024/0172155).
Esswie discloses the features as shown above.
Esswie does not disclose the following features: regarding claim 2, wherein the processor judges, based on a parameter for at least one of downlink signal synchronization deviation time, a movement distance of the terminal, a result of measurement by the terminal, elapsed time, a type of the terminal, and a capability of the terminal, whether to transmit the random access preamble before the transmission of the uplink data in the state.
Thangarasa discloses the following features.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the processor judges, based on a parameter for at least one of downlink signal synchronization deviation time, a movement distance of the terminal, a result of measurement by the terminal, elapsed time, a type of the terminal, and a capability of the terminal, whether to transmit the random access preamble before the transmission of the uplink data in the state (see Fig. 4 and paragraph [0121]-[0122], wherein the UE determines whether to use preconfigured uplink resources or perform fallback procedure, such as random access transmission, based on determination of TA validity, wherein the determination of TA validity is based on signal synchronization deviation time, a result of measurement by the terminal and a capability of the terminal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current application to modify the system of Esswie and Alfarhan using features, as taught by Thangarasa, in order to maintain the timing advance (see paragraph [0042] of Thangarasa).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUTAI KAO whose telephone number is (571)272-9719. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-17:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached at (571)272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUTAI KAO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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