DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
Priority
The priority document(s), which have been placed on record in the file, are acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/31/2023 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 48-77 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiamin LIU (US 20230023135 A1), hereinafter referenced as Liu, in view of Suresh P. Nair (US 20180020442 A1), hereinafter referenced as Nair.
Regarding claim 48, Liu teaches a method for managing network traffic in a network, wherein the method is performed by a remote user equipment, UE (Para. [0011-0013]-Liu discloses method for remote terminal connection management, applied to a relay terminal, where the method includes: ... sending a first relay request to a network-side device, where the first relay request is used to request the network-side device to perform relay function-related configuration; and ... receiving first configuration information sent by the network-side device, where the first configuration information includes configuration information of a first Uu radio link control (RLC) bearer, and the first Uu RLC bearer is used to transmit Uu signaling of a remote terminal), the method comprising:
receiving a first message from a first network node via a relay UE in response to signaling from the remote UE to the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal. Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal),
one or both of the relay UE and the remote UE is in a radio resource control, RRC, idle state (Para. [0083-0085]-Liu discloses Relay Terminal in Idle State ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the relay terminal needs to enter an RRC connected state first, because only the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the first relay request is carried in an RRC connection setup request to be sent to the network-side device) and
the signaling to the first network node comprises a first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried),
the signaling to the first network node is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE by the signaling to the first network node comprising the first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried),
the relay UE is capable of relaying network traffic between the first network node and the remote UE when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried).
Liu fails to teach wherein the first message comprises identity information for use in identifying the remote UE to the first network node when the first network node is serving the remote UE.
However, Nair teaches the first message comprises identity information for use in identifying the remote UE to the first network node when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Figs. 2 and 5, Para. [0071-0075]-Nair discloses the relay device 220 executes a random access procedure, and receives on behalf of the remote device 210 a CRNTI-R for connection by the remote device 210 to the PLMN. The CRNTI of the remote device 210 is referred to herein as CRNTI-R. The relay device 220 then makes the ‘RRC Connection Request’ ... the network node 230 recognizes that the connection is an indirect connection with the remote device 210 through the relay device 220 ... Step 3: The network node 230 returns an ‘RRC Connection Setup’ message and assigns the CRNT-R to identify the indirect connection ... Step 4: The relay device 220 forwards ‘RRC Connection Setup’ from the network node 230 to the remote device 210 over PC5).
Liu and Nair are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communications, dealing with methods and apparatus useful for communications among emergency service providers or public safety personnel.
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 Liu to incorporate the teachings of Nair on relay function, with a motivation for the network node to assign an identifier for the remote terminal, and guarantee improvements in performance and/or reduction of cost of relative to conventional approaches, (Nair, Para. [0004]).
Regarding claim 57, Liu teaches method for managing network traffic in a network, wherein the method is performed by a relay user equipment, UE (Para. [0011-0013]-Liu discloses method for remote terminal connection management, applied to a relay terminal, where the method includes: ... sending a first relay request to a network-side device, where the first relay request is used to request the network-side device to perform relay function-related configuration; and ... receiving first configuration information sent by the network-side device, where the first configuration information includes configuration information of a first Uu radio link control (RLC) bearer, and the first Uu RLC bearer is used to transmit Uu signaling of a remote terminal), the method comprising:
receiving, from a first network node of the network, a first message destined for a remote UE and comprising identity information for use in identifying the remote UE to the first network node when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal. Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal),
the relay UE is capable of relaying network traffic between the first network node and the remote UE when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried); and
one or both of the relay UE and the remote UE is in a radio resource control, RRC, idle state (Para. [0083-0085]-Liu discloses Relay Terminal in Idle State ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the relay terminal needs to enter an RRC connected state first, because only the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the first relay request is carried in an RRC connection setup request to be sent to the network-side device) and
the signaling from the remote UE comprises a first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried), and
the signaling from the remote UE is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE by the signaling from the remote UE comprising the first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried).
Liu fails to teach initiating transmission of the first message comprising the identity information towards the remote UE in response to signaling from the remote UE to the first network node via the relay UE.
However, Nair teaches initiating transmission of the first message comprising the identity information towards the remote UE in response to signaling from the remote UE to the first network node via the relay UE (Figs. 2 and 5, Para. [0071-0075]-Nair discloses the relay device 220 executes a random access procedure, and receives on behalf of the remote device 210 a CRNTI-R for connection by the remote device 210 to the PLMN. The CRNTI of the remote device 210 is referred to herein as CRNTI-R. The relay device 220 then makes the ‘RRC Connection Request’ ... the network node 230 recognizes that the connection is an indirect connection with the remote device 210 through the relay device 220 ... Step 3: The network node 230 returns an ‘RRC Connection Setup’ message and assigns the CRNT-R to identify the indirect connection ... Step 4: The relay device 220 forwards ‘RRC Connection Setup’ from the network node 230 to the remote device 210 over PC5).
Liu and Nair are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communications, dealing with methods and apparatus useful for communications among emergency service providers or public safety personnel.
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 Liu to incorporate the teachings of Nair on relay function, with a motivation for the network node to assign an identifier for the remote terminal, and guarantee improvements in performance and/or reduction of cost of relative to conventional approaches, (Nair, Para. [0004]).
Regarding claim 71, Liu teaches method for managing network traffic in a network, wherein the method is performed by a first network node of the network (Para. [0011-0013]-Liu discloses method for remote terminal connection management, applied to a relay terminal, where the method includes: ... sending a first relay request to a network-side device, where the first relay request is used to request the network-side device to perform relay function-related configuration; and ... receiving first configuration information sent by the network-side device, where the first configuration information includes configuration information of a first Uu radio link control (RLC) bearer, and the first Uu RLC bearer is used to transmit Uu signaling of a remote terminal), the method comprising:
initiating transmission of a first message towards a remote user equipment, UE, via a relay UE in response to signaling from an entity, wherein the entity is the remote UE and the signaling is via the relay UE or the entity is the relay UE (Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal. Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal),
one or both of the relay UE and the remote UE is in a radio resource control, RRC, idle state (Para. [0083-0085]-Liu discloses Relay Terminal in Idle State ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the relay terminal needs to enter an RRC connected state first, because only the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... if the relay terminal is in the idle state, the first relay request is carried in an RRC connection setup request to be sent to the network-side device) and
the signaling from the entity comprises a first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried),
the signaling from the entity is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE by the signaling from the entity comprising the first request for the remote UE to randomly access the first network node (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried),
the relay UE is capable of relaying network traffic between the first network node and the remote UE when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Para. [0084-0086]-Liu discloses the relay terminal in the RRC connected state can forward data and provide a relay service function for a remote terminal. The relay terminal may send a first relay request to a network-side device in a process of entering the RRC connected state, or may send the first relay request to the network-side device through a dedicated signaling procedure after RRC connection setup succeeds ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection setup request, the RRC connection setup request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling that can be carried).
Liu fails to teach the first message comprises identity information for use in identifying the remote UE to the first network node when the first network node is serving the remote UE.
However, Nair teaches the first message comprises identity information for use in identifying the remote UE to the first network node when the first network node is serving the remote UE (Figs. 2 and 5, Para. [0071-0075]-Nair discloses the relay device 220 executes a random access procedure, and receives on behalf of the remote device 210 a CRNTI-R for connection by the remote device 210 to the PLMN. The CRNTI of the remote device 210 is referred to herein as CRNTI-R. The relay device 220 then makes the ‘RRC Connection Request’ ... the network node 230 recognizes that the connection is an indirect connection with the remote device 210 through the relay device 220 ... Step 3: The network node 230 returns an ‘RRC Connection Setup’ message and assigns the CRNT-R to identify the indirect connection ... Step 4: The relay device 220 forwards ‘RRC Connection Setup’ from the network node 230 to the remote device 210 over PC5).
Liu and Nair are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communications, dealing with methods and apparatus useful for communications among emergency service providers or public safety personnel.
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 Liu to incorporate the teachings of Nair on relay function, with a motivation for the network node to assign an identifier for the remote terminal, and guarantee improvements in performance and/or reduction of cost of relative to conventional approaches, (Nair, Para. [0004]).
Regarding claim 49, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 48,
Liu further teaches the first message is received over a sidelink interface between the remote UE and the relay UE and a Uu interface between the relay UE and the first network node or over a Packet Control Unit, PCU, in a predefined protocol layer; and/or the first message is received in a Uu RRC message (Para. [0217]-Liu discloses after parsing out the Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal, the network-side device processes the Uu RRC signaling, performs related response or configuration, and transmits a downlink Uu RRC message in a downlink pipe for Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal).
Regarding claim 50, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 48,
Liu fails to teach the identity information is allocated to the remote UE by the first network node or by the relay UE.
However, Nair teaches the identity information is allocated to the remote UE by the first network node or by the relay UE (Figs. 2 and 5, Para. [0071-0075]-Nair discloses the relay device 220 executes a random access procedure, and receives on behalf of the remote device 210 a CRNTI-R for connection by the remote device 210 to the PLMN. The CRNTI of the remote device 210 is referred to herein as CRNTI-R. The relay device 220 then makes the ‘RRC Connection Request’ ... the network node 230 recognizes that the connection is an indirect connection with the remote device 210 through the relay device 220 ... Step 3: The network node 230 returns an ‘RRC Connection Setup’ message and assigns the CRNT-R to identify the indirect connection ... Step 4: The relay device 220 forwards ‘RRC Connection Setup’ from the network node 230 to the remote device 210 over PC5).
Nair is considered to be analogous because it is in the same field of wireless communications, dealing with methods and apparatus useful for communications among emergency service providers or public safety personnel.
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 Liu to incorporate the teachings of Nair on relay function, with a motivation for the network node to assign an identifier for the remote terminal, and guarantee improvements in performance and/or reduction of cost of relative to conventional approaches, (Nair, Para. [0004]).
Regarding claims 51 and 59 and 72, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claims 48 and 57 and 71 respectively,
Liu further teaches the signaling to the first network node comprises a second request and the first message is a response to the second request (Para. [0155-0157]-Liu discloses the relay terminal may also send a second relay request to the network-side device individually, to request the network-side device to configure a sidelink RLC bearer for transmitting the Uu signaling of the remote terminal. In this case, the network-side device may separately send the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer to the relay terminal, ... (2) being configured by the relay terminal ... (3) being specified by a protocol),
the second request is a request for a connection to be established for the remote UE to be served by the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0155-0157]-Liu discloses the relay terminal may also send a second relay request to the network-side device individually, to request the network-side device to configure a sidelink RLC bearer for transmitting the Uu signaling of the remote terminal. In this case, the network-side device may separately send the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer to the relay terminal, ... (2) being configured by the relay terminal ... (3) being specified by a protocol) and
the response comprises an instruction for the remote UE to use the established connection (Para. [0252-0253]-Liu discloses receiving a second relay request sent by the relay terminal, where the second relay request is used to request the network-side device to configure a sidelink RLC bearer for transmitting the Uu signaling of the remote terminal ..., the network-side device separately sends the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer to the relay terminal based on the second relay request);
the second request is a request for a connection to be resumed for the remote UE to be served by the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0094-0095]-Liu discloses relay request is carried in an RRC connection resume request to be sent to the network-side device ... the first relay request is carried in the RRC connection resume request, the RRC connection resume request generally carries the first relay request by using MsgA or Msg3 of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. Such manner determines that capacity of signaling) and
the response comprises an instruction for the remote UE to use the resumed connection (Para. [0217]-Liu discloses after parsing out the Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal, the network-side device processes the Uu RRC signaling, performs related response or configuration, and transmits a downlink Uu RRC message in a downlink pipe for Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal. Para. [0122]-Liu discloses in the relay related discovery procedure and/or connection establishment procedure, for example, the first broadcast address discovery request and/or establishment request message is transmitted ... Such message is PC5-S layer signaling that requires encryption and integrity protection, for example, a discovery response message or a relay connection establishment complete message);
the second request is a request for a connection to be re-established for the remote UE to be served by the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0223]-Liu discloses RRC signaling between the remote terminal and the network-side device, such as an RRC connection setup request/command/complete (RRC connection setup request, RRC connection setup, and RRC connection setup complete), and an RRC reconfiguration/complete (RRC reconfiguration and RRC reconfiguration complete)) and
the response comprises an instruction for the remote UE to use the re-established connection (Para. [0217]-Liu discloses after parsing out the Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal, the network-side device processes the Uu RRC signaling, performs related response or configuration, and transmits a downlink Uu RRC message in a downlink pipe for Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal. Para. [0122]-Liu discloses in the relay related discovery procedure and/or connection establishment procedure, for example, the first broadcast address discovery request and/or establishment request message is transmitted ... Such message is PC5-S layer signaling that requires encryption and integrity protection, for example, a discovery response message or a relay connection establishment complete message); or
the second request is a request for a connection to be re-configured for the remote UE to be served by the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0223]-Liu discloses RRC signaling between the remote terminal and the network-side device, such as an RRC connection setup request/command/complete (RRC connection setup request, RRC connection setup, and RRC connection setup complete), and an RRC reconfiguration/complete (RRC reconfiguration and RRC reconfiguration complete)) and
the response comprises an instruction for the remote UE to use the re-configured connection (Para. [0217]-Liu discloses after parsing out the Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal, the network-side device processes the Uu RRC signaling, performs related response or configuration, and transmits a downlink Uu RRC message in a downlink pipe for Uu RRC signaling of the remote terminal).
Regarding claims 52 and 60 and 66 and 73, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 48 and 57 and 65 and 71 respectively,
Liu further teaches the signaling to the first network node is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE by the signaling to the first network node comprising any one or more of: an indication of whether or not valid identity information is already allocated to the remote UE; a third request for identity information to be allocated to the remote UE; an identifier that identifies the remote UE; an indication that the signaling to the first network node is from the remote UE via the relay UE; an indication that identity information needs to be allocated to the remote UE; a fourth request for an RRC connection to be set up for the remote UE; and information indicative that the relay UE is to relay network traffic between the first network node and the remote UE (Para. [0091]-Liu discloses to notify the network-side device that the relay terminal has entered the RRC connected state with an aim of implementing a relay function, the relay information may carry, for example, a special value (such as relay indicator (relay indicator)) through a cause value; or a 1-bit relay field is set to true; or a UE identifier of the remote terminal is carried, so that the network-side device can perform basic relay function signaling bearer or default data bearer configuration).
Regarding claims 53 and 61 and 67 and 74, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 52 and 60 and 66 and 73 respectively,
Liu further teaches the identifier that identifies the remote UE signals that an RRC connection is to be set up for the remote UE; and/or the signaling to the first network node further comprises information on a pairing between the remote UE and the relay UE, the information on the pairing signals that an RRC connection is to be set up for the remote UE (Para. [0062]-Liu discloses the relay terminal may send the Uu signaling of the remote terminal ..., that is, adding the Uu signaling of the remote terminal to an RRC message of the relay terminal to be transmitted to the network-side device ..., the RRC message may carry at least one of the following information: an identifier of the remote terminal and indication information of a type of the Uu signaling of the remote terminal, where the type of the Uu signaling includes at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) signaling).
Regarding claims 54 and 62 and 68 and 75, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 52 and 60 and 66 and 73 respectively,
Liu further teaches the signaling to the first network node comprises any one or more of the indication of whether or not valid identity information is already allocated to the remote UE, the third request for identity information to be allocated to the remote UE, and the identifier that identifies the remote UE; and the signaling to the first network node is over a sidelink interface between the remote UE and the relay UE and a Uu interface between the relay UE and the first network node or over a Packet Control Unit, PCU, in a predefined protocol layer; and/or the signaling to the first network node only occurs if the identity information already allocated to the remote UE is invalid and/or the first network node is a different network node to a second network node of the network that last served the remote UE (Para. [0091]-Liu discloses to notify the network-side device that the relay terminal has entered the RRC connected state with an aim of implementing a relay function, the relay information may carry, for example, a special value (such as relay indicator (relay indicator)) through a cause value; or a 1-bit relay field is set to true; or a UE identifier of the remote terminal is carried, so that the network-side device can perform basic relay function signaling bearer or default data bearer configuration).
Regarding claims 55 and 63 and 69 and 76, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 52 and 60 and 66 and 73 respectively,
Liu further teaches the signaling to the first network node comprises: one or both of the indication that the signaling to the first network node is from the remote UE via the relay UE and the indication that identity information needs to be allocated to the remote UE, the signaling to the first network node is RRC signaling; and/or the fourth request for the RRC connection to be set up for the remote UE if identity information already allocated to the remote UE is invalid and/or the relay UE is in an RRC connected state (Para. [0062]-Liu discloses the relay terminal may send the Uu signaling of the remote terminal ..., that is, adding the Uu signaling of the remote terminal to an RRC message of the relay terminal to be transmitted to the network-side device ..., the RRC message may carry at least one of the following information: an identifier of the remote terminal and indication information of a type of the Uu signaling of the remote terminal, where the type of the Uu signaling includes at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) signaling).
Regarding claims 56 and 64 and 70 and 77, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 48 and 60 and 65 and 71 respectively,
Liu further teaches the signaling to the first network node is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE by the signaling to the first network node indicating that the remote UE has connected to the first network node via the relay UE and/or the first network node has started to serve the remote UE via the relay UE (Para. [0091]-Liu discloses to notify the network-side device that the relay terminal has entered the RRC connected state with an aim of implementing a relay function, the relay information may carry, for example, a special value (such as relay indicator (relay indicator)) through a cause value; or a 1-bit relay field is set to true; or a UE identifier of the remote terminal is carried, so that the network-side device can perform basic relay function signaling bearer or default data bearer configuration. (See also Para. [0088])).
Regarding claim 58, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 57,
Liu further teaches the transmission of the first message is initiated over a sidelink interface between the remote UE and the relay UE or over a Packet Control Unit, PCU, in a predefined protocol layer (Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal. Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal).
Regarding claim 65, Liu in view of Nair teaches the method of claim 60, the method comprising:
Liu further teaches signaling to the first network node (Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal. Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal),
the signaling to the first network node is indicative that the remote UE is to be served by the first network node via the relay UE (Para. [0091]-Liu discloses to notify the network-side device that the relay terminal has entered the RRC connected state with an aim of implementing a relay function, the relay information may carry, for example, a special value (such as relay indicator (relay indicator)) through a cause value; or a 1-bit relay field is set to true; or a UE identifier of the remote terminal is carried, so that the network-side device can perform basic relay function signaling bearer or default data bearer configuration. (See also Para. [0088])),
the first message is received in response to the signaling to the first network node (Para. [0153]-Liu discloses the configuration information of the first sidelink RLC bearer is sent by the network-side device to the relay terminal, and then forwarded by the relay terminal to the remote terminal. Para. [0168]-Liu discloses the relay terminal can receive the Uu signaling from the remote terminal by using the first sidelink RLC bearer established between the relay terminal and the remote terminal, or send, to the remote terminal, the Uu signaling sent by the network-side device to the remote terminal).
Conclusion
Listed below are the prior arts made of record and not relied upon but are considered pertinent to applicant`s disclosure.
Wei et al. (US 20230388904 A1)-discloses communications device acting as a relay device receives a request for system information from another communications device via a sidelink interface between the communications device and the other communications device. The communications device acts as a relay device for the other communications device as a remote device, via which relay device the remote device can transmit data to or receive data from a radio network infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network. The infrastructure equipment may be a first infrastructure equipment which forms a first cell of the wireless communications network via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network…. …Fig. 1-5
Kim et al. (US 20200178343 A1)-discloses method of performing a radio resource control (RRC) connection procedure of a relay user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes, if a RRC connection procedure of a remote UE associated with the relay UE is triggered, receiving, from the remote UE, a first RRC establishment cause for a RRC connection of the remote UE; and if a RRC connection request of the relay UE is not allowed, transmitting, to a base station, a first RRC connection request including the first RRC establishment cause of the remote UE…. …Fig. 1-5
Tseng et al. (US 20210329510 A1)-discloses user equipment (UE) and a method for sidelink failure management are provided. The method includes receiving, from a source cell, a first message including a sidelink Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration associated with a target cell; determining that a sidelink failure event associated with an associated sidelink destination UE occurs; and transmitting a sidelink failure report indicating the sidelink failure event to the target cell after performing a handover procedure to switch from the source cell to the target cell.… …Fig. 1-5
Parkvall et al. (US 20170331577 A1)-discloses Methods and apparatus in a fifth-generation wireless communications, including an example method, in a wireless device, that includes receiving a downlink signal comprising an uplink access configuration index, using the uplink access configuration index to identify an uplink access configuration from among a predetermined plurality of uplink access configurations, and transmitting to the wireless communications network according to the identified uplink access configuration. The example method further includes, in the same wireless device, receiving, in a first subframe, a first Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmission formatted according to a first numerology and receiving, in a second subframe, a second OFDM transmission formatted according to a second numerology, the second numerology differing from the first numerology…. …Fig. 1-5
Parkvall et al. (US 20170331670 A1)-discloses Methods and apparatus in a fifth-generation wireless communications network, including an example method, in a wireless device, that includes determining a reporting quality threshold for a parameter related to channel state information (CSI); performing a measurement for each of a plurality of beams from a first predetermined set of beams for evaluation; evaluating the measurement for each of the plurality of beams against the reporting quality threshold; discontinuing the performing and evaluating of measurements in response to determining that the reporting quality threshold is met for one of the beams, such that one or more beams in the first predetermined set of beams are not measured and evaluated; and reporting, to the wireless communications network, CSI for the one of the beams…. …Fig. 1-5
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/OO/
Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472