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
The Amendment filed December 30, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-30 are pending in the application. Applicant has submitted amendments to the claims along with other remarks. Applicant’s amendments regarding 112(b) have not overcome the rejection. Claims 1-30 are still rejected by prior art references, refer to the following rejection for details.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments, see pp. 13-17 of the response, filed December 30, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-30 under §§ 102, 103 have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Please see below for details.
Regarding the rejection under § 112(b), Applicant has not amended the claims to overcome the rejection because they still recite an open list of alternatives (e.g., “wherein the set of security parameters . . . comprises at least one of a first identifier (ID) of [A, B, or C]”). See MPEP § 2173.05(h)(I).
Regarding the rejection under §§ 102, 103, Applicant has one argument, that “the cited paragraphs of Shi disclose aspects of an RRC request and specifically an RRC reestablishment request which is a layer 3 reestablishment procedure.” Remarks at 16. Applicant then relies on the recitation of “a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure” to distinguish its claims from the alleged layer 3 reestablishment procedure.
This argument relies on the broadest reasonable interpretation of “a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure.” This term is not explicitly defined in the specification, and the specification does not disavow any scope from the term.
Importantly, the claims themselves attempt to refine the scope of these terms to include layer 3 link reestablishment procedures (See e.g., claims 7 and 18). That is, the claims themselves purport to suggest that the “a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure” may simply reuse “layer 3 (L3) parameters associated with the radio link.”
Therefore, Applicant’s argument that the recitation of “a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure” avoids a reference that purportedly recites “a layer 3 reestablishment procedure” is not persuasive when the claims themselves recite reuse of “layer 3 (L3) parameters.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §§ 112(b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 2-3, 5, 8, 14-15, 24-26, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Claims 2-3, 5, 8, 14-15, 24-26, and 29-30 recite a list of alternatives (e.g., “comprises at least one of a first identifier (ID) of the wireless device, a cell radio network temporary ID (C-RNTI), a tunnel endpoint ID (TEID), at least one value used for a calculation of the authentication value, a security algorithm associated with at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, or a duration for which the set of security parameters is valid”). As such, Claims 2-3, 5, 8, 14-15, 24-26, and 29-30 are rejected on the basis that it contains an improper Markush grouping of alternatives. See In re Harnisch, 631 F.2d 716, 721-22 (CCPA 1980) and Ex parte Hozumi, 3 USPQ2d 1059, 1060 (Bd. Pat. App. & Int. 1984).
Claims that set forth a list of alternatives from which a selection is to be made are typically referred to as Markush claims, after the appellant in Ex parte Markush, 1925 Dec. Comm’r Pat. 126, 127 (1924). See MPEP § 2117
Treatment of claims reciting alternatives is not governed by the particular format used (e.g., alternatives may be set forth as “a material selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C” or “wherein the material is A, B, or C”). See, e.g., the Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications (“Supplementary Guidelines”), 76 Fed. Reg. 7162, 7166 (February 9, 2011). MPEP § 2173.05(h)(I).
“If a Markush grouping requires a material selected from an open list of alternatives (e.g., selected from the group ‘comprising’ or ‘consisting essentially of’ the recited alternatives), the claim should generally be rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as indefinite because it is unclear what other alternatives are intended to be encompassed by the claim. See In re Kiely, 2022 USPQ2d 532 at 2* (Fed. Cir. 2022). MPEP § 2173.05(h)(I).
To overcome this rejection, Applicant may set forth each alternative (or grouping of patentably indistinct alternatives) within an improper Markush grouping in a series of independent or dependent claims and/or present convincing arguments that the group members recited in the alternative within a single claim in fact share a single structural similarity as well as a common use.
Further, rejections for the claims pertain to only one of the enumerated list of elements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 7-14, 17-25, 27-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Publication No. 2024/0306238 (hereinafter “Shi”).
Regarding claim 1, Shi teaches: 1. An apparatus for wireless communication at a wireless device, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on stored information that is stored in the at least one memory, the at least one processor is configured to (e.g., UE): receive a set of security parameters associated with one of a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure ([0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.); detect a failure of a radio link between the wireless device and a first network node ([0003] a beam failure recovery failure; [0005] The method may include: determining a radio link failure (RLF) happens in a small data transmission (SDT) procedure); transmit, for a network node configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure and based on the set of security parameters, an authentication value included in at least one of an L1 link recovery request or an L2 link recovery request ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment, and the sourcePhysCellId is set to a physical cell identity of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the reestablishment. The PCell could be a cell the UE has service in the SDT procedure. The C-RNTI could be a C-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure, a C-RNTI used in a RACH based SDT procedure, or a configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure. [0131] In particular, inside the serving BS, the DU of the serving BS (also called serving BS DU) receives the RRC reestablishment request from the UE, and then in step 402 the serving BS DU transmits the RRC reestablishment request to the CU of the serving BS (serving BS CU).); and receive, based on at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request, a link recovery message ([0135] And then in step 407, the serving BS DU transmits a RRC reestablishment response to the UE. After receiving the RRC reestablishment response from the serving BS DU, the UE may enter the RRC connected mode).
Regarding claim 2, Shi teaches: wherein the set of security parameters for the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure comprises at least one of a first identifier (ID) of the wireless device, a cell radio network temporary ID (C-RNTI), a tunnel endpoint ID (TEID), at least one value used for a calculation of the authentication value, a security algorithm associated with at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, or a duration for which the set of security parameters is valid ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment; [0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.).
Regarding claim 3, Shi teaches: wherein the authentication value comprises a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) value, and the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request comprises at least one of the ID of the wireless device, the C-RNTI, the TEID, the MAC-I value, a cause value indicating a type of failure associated with the failure of the radio link, a second ID of the first network node, or a third ID of a network entity associated with the first network node, and wherein the network entity comprises a centralized unit (CU) ([0122] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the in the RRC resume request and is transmitted based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected in SDT procedure, or C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB. The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.).
Regarding claim 4, Shi teaches: wherein the radio link is a first radio link with a first cell associated with the first network node ([0122] The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.), wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: identify a new cell to which to connect (e.g., FIG. 3, Serving BS DU), wherein the new cell is one of the first cell or a second cell associated with the network node configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure; and determine that the new cell is configured for one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure ([0008] In an embodiment of the present application, performing the procedure comprises at least one of the following: the RLF happens in a configured grant (CG) based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering a random access channel (RACH) based SDT procedure, wherein the RACH based SDT procedure is a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure or a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure; the RLF happens in a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure; the RLF happens in a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure; the RLF happens in a SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure; or the RLF happens in a SDT procedure, the UE performs fallback to following procedure in an order of priority of: a CG based SDT procedure, a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure, a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure, a 2-step RACH based procedure, a 4-step RACH based procedure if the corresponding procedure is available to the UE.), wherein to transmit the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request for the new cell based on the determination that the new cell is configured for one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure ([0122] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the in the RRC resume request and is transmitted based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected in SDT procedure, or C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB. The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.).
Regarding claim 7, Shi teaches: wherein the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure reuses layer 3 (L3) parameters associated with the radio link ([0007] In an embodiment of the present application, the RLF happens in the SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure, triggering an RRC resume procedure in a RACH based SDT procedure or a CG based SDT procedure, triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure, or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a RACH based SDT procedure or a CG based SDT procedure. [0118] As shown in FIG. 3 , in step 301, the UE may transmit an RRC resume request to the serving BS. The RRC resume request may include an inactive-radio network temporary identifier (I-RNTI) of the UE and a resume cause value.).
Regarding claim 8, receive an update to at least one parameter in the set of security parameters; or update the at least one parameter in the set of security parameters, wherein to update the at least one parameter, the at least one processor is configured to update the at least one parameter in the set of security parameters for a calculation of a different authentication value to be used for a subsequent L1 link recovery request or a subsequent L2 link recovery request ([0038] In an embodiment of the present application, transmitting C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to a BS with a last serving cell in the retrieve UE context request message to the BS with the last serving cell such that the BS with the last serving BS validates the token in the RRC request message and give an validation indication on the request to the BS with the serving cell or to an anchor BS; or receiving the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell from an anchor BS or from the BS with the last serving cell. [0049] In order to calculate the token, the gNB shall use the negotiated NIA-algorithm from the 5G AS Security context from the gNB with the following inputs: source C-RNTI, source PCI and target Cell-ID, where source PCI and source C-RNTI are associated with the cell the UE last had an active RRC connection or SDT transmission with and target Cell-ID is the identity of the target cell where the RRCReestablishmentRequest, RRCResuemRequest, or UE request message is sent to.).
Regarding claim 9, Shi teaches: further comprising at least one of a transceiver or an antenna ([0079] the UE 101 may be a portable wireless communication device, a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a flip phone, a device having a subscriber identity module, a personal computer, a selective call receiver, or any other device that is capable of sending and receiving communication signals on a wireless network.) coupled to the at least one processor ([0255] The processer 1305 is configured to be coupled to the non-transitory computer readable medium 1307, the receiver 1301, and the transmitter 1303. It can be contemplated that the apparatus 1300 may include more computer-readable mediums, receiver, transmitters and processors in some other embodiments of the present application according to practical requirements), wherein to receive the link recovery message, the at least one processor is configured to receive, via at least one of the transceiver or the antenna, the link recovery message, and wherein the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is associated with one or more of a radio link control (RLC) layer ([0006] In an embodiment of the present application, determining the RLF happens comprises determining at least one of the following happens: expiry of a timer; a random access problem; achieving of maximum number of retransmission in radio link control (RLC); a beam failure recovery failure; and a listen before talk (LBT) failure.), a medium access control (MAC) layer, or a physical (PHY) layer ([0119] For example, the resume cause value may include information of at least one of an RLF in SDT; a random access problem; achieving of maximum number of retransmission in RLC; a beam failure recovery failure; a LBT failure; and resume or reestablish the DRB and/or SRB for SDT. For example, the achieving of the maximum number of retransmission is in a RLC layer, a MAC layer, or a (physical) PHY layer.).
Regarding claim 10, Shi teaches: An apparatus for wireless communication for a network node, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on stored information that is stored in the at least one memory, the at least one processor is configured to ([0255]): transmit, for a wireless device, a set of security parameters associated with one of a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure ([0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.); receive, from the wireless device experiencing a failure of a first radio link, at least one of an L1 link recovery request or an L2 link recovery request ([0003] a beam failure recovery failure; [0005] The method may include: determining a radio link failure (RLF) happens in a small data transmission (SDT) procedure), wherein at least one the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request includes an authentication value based on the set of security parameters ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment, and the sourcePhysCellId is set to a physical cell identity of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the reestablishment. The PCell could be a cell the UE has service in the SDT procedure. The C-RNTI could be a C-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure, a C-RNTI used in a RACH based SDT procedure, or a configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure. [0131] In particular, inside the serving BS, the DU of the serving BS (also called serving BS DU) receives the RRC reestablishment request from the UE, and then in step 402 the serving BS DU transmits the RRC reestablishment request to the CU of the serving BS (serving BS CU).); and transmit, for the wireless device, a link recovery message associated with a reestablishment of a second radio link ([0135] And then in step 407, the serving BS DU transmits a RRC reestablishment response to the UE. After receiving the RRC reestablishment response from the serving BS DU, the UE may enter the RRC connected mode).
Regarding claim 11, Shi teaches: wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: verify, based on the authentication value, that at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid, wherein to transmit the link recovery message, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the link recovery message based on a validity of the at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid ([0038] In an embodiment of the present application, transmitting C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to a BS with a last serving cell in the retrieve UE context request message to the BS with the last serving cell such that the BS with the last serving BS validates the token in the RRC request message and give an validation indication on the request to the BS with the serving cell or to an anchor BS; or receiving the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell from an anchor BS or from the BS with the last serving cell.).
Regarding claim 12, Shi teaches: wherein to verify that at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid, the at least one processor is configured to determine that the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request matches a locally-stored authentication value ([0199] In particular, the last serving BS store the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell, so that the last serving BS may validate the UE request (that is, the RRC request from the UE). And then in step 703, the last serving BS transmits the indication on UE request validation to the serving BS.).
Regarding claim 13, Shi teaches: wherein to verify that at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid, the at least one processor is configured to: transmit, for a network entity associated with the first radio link, a verification request including the authentication value; and receive a verification response verifying that the authentication value is valid ([0198] The serving BS transmits the C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to the last serving BS in SDT, so that the last serving BS may validate the UE request and give the indication on UE request validation to the serving BS or anchor gNB).
Regarding claim 14, Shi teaches: wherein the set of security parameters for the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure comprises at least one of an identifier (ID) of the wireless device, a cell radio network temporary ID (C-RNTI) ([0019] In an embodiment of the present application, the first RNTI is a C-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure, a C-RNTI used in a RACH based SDT procedure, or a configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI used in an CG based SDT procedure.), a tunnel endpoint ID (TEID), at least one value used for a calculation of the authentication value, a security algorithm associated with at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, or a duration for which the set of security parameters is valid.
Regarding claim 17, Shi teaches: wherein the authentication value comprises a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) value, and the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request comprises one or more of the ID of the wireless device, the C-RNTI, the TEID, the MAC-I value, a cause value indicating a type of failure associated with the failure of the first radio link, an ID of the network node, or an identify of a network entity associated with the network node ([0122] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the in the RRC resume request and is transmitted based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected in SDT procedure, or C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB. The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.).
Regarding claim 18, Shi teaches: wherein the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure reuses layer 3 (L3) parameters associated with the first radio link ([0007] In an embodiment of the present application, the RLF happens in the SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure, triggering an RRC resume procedure in a RACH based SDT procedure or a CG based SDT procedure, triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure, or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a RACH based SDT procedure or a CG based SDT procedure. [0118] As shown in FIG. 3 , in step 301, the UE may transmit an RRC resume request to the serving BS. The RRC resume request may include an inactive-radio network temporary identifier (I-RNTI) of the UE and a resume cause value.).
Regarding claim 19, Shi teaches: wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, for the wireless device and after a transmission of the link recovery message, an update to at least one parameter in the set of security parameters, wherein to update the at least one parameter, the at least one processor is configured to update the at least one parameter in the set of security parameters for a calculation of a different authentication value to be used for a subsequent L1 link recovery request or a subsequent L2 link recovery request [0049] In order to calculate the token, the gNB shall use the negotiated NIA-algorithm from the 5G AS Security context from the gNB with the following inputs: source C-RNTI, source PCI and target Cell-ID, where source PCI and source C-RNTI are associated with the cell the UE last had an active RRC connection or SDT transmission with and target Cell-ID is the identity of the target cell where the RRCReestablishmentRequest, RRCResuemRequest, or UE request message is sent to.).
Regarding claim 20, Shi teaches: wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from a network entity, the update to the at least one parameter in the set of security parameters ([0038] In an embodiment of the present application, transmitting C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to a BS with a last serving cell in the retrieve UE context request message to the BS with the last serving cell such that the BS with the last serving BS validates the token in the RRC request message and give an validation indication on the request to the BS with the serving cell or to an anchor BS; or receiving the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell from an anchor BS or from the BS with the last serving cell.).
Regarding claim 21, Shi teaches: further comprising at least one of a transceiver or an antenna coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to transmit the link recovery message, the at least one processor is configured to transmit, via at least one of the transceiver or the antenna, the link recovery message, and wherein the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is associated with one or more of a radio link control (RLC) layer ([0006] In an embodiment of the present application, determining the RLF happens comprises determining at least one of the following happens: expiry of a timer; a random access problem; achieving of maximum number of retransmission in radio link control (RLC); a beam failure recovery failure; and a listen before talk (LBT) failure.), a medium access control (MAC) layer, or a physical (PHY) layer ([0119] For example, the resume cause value may include information of at least one of an RLF in SDT; a random access problem; achieving of maximum number of retransmission in RLC; a beam failure recovery failure; a LBT failure; and resume or reestablish the DRB and/or SRB for SDT. For example, the achieving of the maximum number of retransmission is in a RLC layer, a MAC layer, or a (physical) PHY layer.).
Regarding claim 22, Shi teaches: receive, from a network entity, one or more indications of values associated with the set of security parameters ([0038] In an embodiment of the present application, transmitting C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to a BS with a last serving cell in the retrieve UE context request message to the BS with the last serving cell); and generate, before a transmission of the set of security parameters and based on the one or more indications, the set of security parameters ([0194] a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure).
Regarding claim 23, Shi teaches: A method for wireless communication for a wireless device, comprising: receiving a set of security parameters associated with one of a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure ([0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.); detecting a failure of a radio link between the wireless device and a first network node ([0003] a beam failure recovery failure; [0005] The method may include: determining a radio link failure (RLF) happens in a small data transmission (SDT) procedure); transmitting, for a network node configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure and based on the set of security parameters, an authentication value included in at least one of an L1 link recovery request or an L2 link recovery request ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment, and the sourcePhysCellId is set to a physical cell identity of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the reestablishment. The PCell could be a cell the UE has service in the SDT procedure. The C-RNTI could be a C-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure, a C-RNTI used in a RACH based SDT procedure, or a configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure. [0131] In particular, inside the serving BS, the DU of the serving BS (also called serving BS DU) receives the RRC reestablishment request from the UE, and then in step 402 the serving BS DU transmits the RRC reestablishment request to the CU of the serving BS (serving BS CU).); and receiving, based on at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request, a link recovery message ([0135] And then in step 407, the serving BS DU transmits a RRC reestablishment response to the UE. After receiving the RRC reestablishment response from the serving BS DU, the UE may enter the RRC connected mode).
Regarding claim 24, Shi teaches: wherein the set of security parameters comprises at least one of a first identifier (ID) of the wireless device, a cell radio network temporary ID (C-RNTI), a tunnel endpoint ID (TEID), at least one value used for a calculation of the authentication value, a security algorithm associated with at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, or a duration for which the set of security parameters is valid ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment; [0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.).
Regarding claim 25, Shi teaches: wherein the radio link is a first radio link with a first cell associated with the first network node ([0122] The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.), wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: identify a new cell to which to connect (e.g., FIG. 3, Serving BS DU), wherein the new cell is one of the first cell or a second cell associated with the network node configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure; and determine that the new cell is configured for one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure ([0008] In an embodiment of the present application, performing the procedure comprises at least one of the following: the RLF happens in a configured grant (CG) based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering a random access channel (RACH) based SDT procedure, wherein the RACH based SDT procedure is a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure or a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure; the RLF happens in a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure; the RLF happens in a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure; the RLF happens in a SDT procedure, and performing the procedure comprises: triggering an RRC resume procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure or triggering an RRC reestablishment procedure in a non-SDT RACH procedure; or the RLF happens in a SDT procedure, the UE performs fallback to following procedure in an order of priority of: a CG based SDT procedure, a 2-step RACH based SDT procedure, a 4-step RACH based SDT procedure, a 2-step RACH based procedure, a 4-step RACH based procedure if the corresponding procedure is available to the UE.), wherein to transmit the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request for the new cell based on the determination that the new cell is configured for one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure ([0122] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the in the RRC resume request and is transmitted based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected in SDT procedure, or C-RNTI that the UE had in a PCell it was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB. The sourcePhysCellId is set to the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected in SDT procedure, or the physical cell identity of the serving Cell the UE was connected to prior to suspension of the SDT DRB.).
Regarding claim 27, Shi teaches: An apparatus for wireless communication for a network node, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on stored information that is stored in the at least one memory, the at least one processor is configured to ([0255]): transmitting, for a wireless device, a set of security parameters associated with one of a layer 1 (L1) link reestablishment procedure or a layer 2 (L2) link reestablishment procedure ([0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.); receiving, from the wireless device experiencing a failure of a first radio link, at least one of an L1 link recovery request or an L2 link recovery request ([0003] a beam failure recovery failure; [0005] The method may include: determining a radio link failure (RLF) happens in a small data transmission (SDT) procedure), wherein at least one the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request includes an authentication value based on the set of security parameters ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment, and the sourcePhysCellId is set to a physical cell identity of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the reestablishment. The PCell could be a cell the UE has service in the SDT procedure. The C-RNTI could be a C-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure, a C-RNTI used in a RACH based SDT procedure, or a configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI used in a CG based SDT procedure. [0131] In particular, inside the serving BS, the DU of the serving BS (also called serving BS DU) receives the RRC reestablishment request from the UE, and then in step 402 the serving BS DU transmits the RRC reestablishment request to the CU of the serving BS (serving BS CU).); and transmitting, for the wireless device, a link recovery message associated with a reestablishment of a second radio link ([0135] And then in step 407, the serving BS DU transmits a RRC reestablishment response to the UE. After receiving the RRC reestablishment response from the serving BS DU, the UE may enter the RRC connected mode).
Regarding claim 28, Shi teaches: verifying, based on the authentication value, that at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid, wherein transmitting the link recovery message is based on a validity of the at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid ([0038] In an embodiment of the present application, transmitting C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a target cell to a BS with a last serving cell in the retrieve UE context request message to the BS with the last serving cell such that the BS with the last serving BS validates the token in the RRC request message and give an validation indication on the request to the BS with the serving cell or to an anchor BS; or receiving the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell from an anchor BS or from the BS with the last serving cell.).
Regarding claim 29, Shi teaches: wherein to verify that at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is valid, the at least one processor is configured to determine that the authentication value included in at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request matches a locally-stored authentication value. ([0199] In particular, the last serving BS store the UE's KeNB and/or the AS algorithms used in last serving cell, so that the last serving BS may validate the UE request (that is, the RRC request from the UE). And then in step 703, the last serving BS transmits the indication on UE request validation to the serving BS.).
Regarding claim 30, Shi teaches: wherein the set of security parameters comprises at least one of a first identifier (ID) of the wireless device, a cell radio network temporary ID (C-RNTI), a tunnel endpoint ID (TEID), at least one value used for a calculation of the authentication value, a security algorithm associated with at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, or a duration for which the set of security parameters is valid ([0130] A message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId. The source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment; [0194] As shown in FIG. 7, in step 701, the UE may transmit an RRC request to the serving BS. The RRC request may be an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC resume request or a request message. The RRC request may include C-RNTI of the UE, a token and an ID of a a source cell, or the I-RNTI, a token and ID of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the failure. In this embodiment, the token in the RRC request needs to be verified. The RRC reestablishment request may include an I-RNTI of the UE or may not include an I-RNTI of the UE.).
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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.
Claims 5-6, 15-16, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shi in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0053321 (hereinafter “Gao”)
Regarding claim 5, Shi does not teach: wherein the first network node comprises a first satellite-based distributed unit (DU) associated with a first satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN), wherein the wireless device is a user equipment (UE), and wherein to determine that the new cell is configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, the at least one processor is configured to determine one of (1) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite, (2) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite-based DU, or (3) that the new cell belongs to a set of cells configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, wherein the set of cells comprises at least one cell associated with an additional DU.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Gao teaches: wherein the first network node comprises a first satellite-based distributed unit (DU) associated with a first satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) ([0090] This message is used to transfer the NR RRC information used by the target gNB during handover preparation, including UE capability information. This message is also used for transferring the information between the CU and DU.), wherein the wireless device is a user equipment (UE) (e.g., UE 111), and wherein to determine that the new cell is configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, the at least one processor is configured to determine one of (1) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite ([0116] The length of RNTI is linked to cell type, in which case, the length of RNTI used for a certain type of cell is explicitly specified in specs. The cell type refers to NTN cell or TN cell. [0090-91]), (2) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite-based DU, or (3) that the new cell belongs to a set of cells configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, wherein the set of cells comprises at least one cell associated with an additional DU.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shi to include the feature of an NTN and a combination of Shi with Gao renders the claim prima facie obvious within the described scope of the prior art and any indicated differences within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., telecommunications engineer) according to a combination of known prior art elements with known methods to yield predictable results. MPEP 2143(I)(A) (e.g., providing access to an NTN).
Regarding claim 6, Shi teaches: wherein the at least one processor is configured to at least one of (1) determine that the new cell is associated with the first satellite based on an ID of the first satellite associated with the first cell and associated with the new cell ([0012] In an embodiment of the present application, a message authentication code-integrity (MAC-I) is included in the RRC reestablishment request, and is computed based on inputs of source-c-RNTI and sourcePhysCellId, wherein the source-c-RNTI is set to cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) that the UE had in the a physical cell (PCell) it was connected to prior to the reestablishment, wherein the sourcePhysCellId is set to a physical cell identity of the PCell the UE was connected to prior to the reestablishment, and the PCell is a cell the UE has service in the SDT procedure.), (2) determine that the new cell is associated with the first satellite-based DU based on a DU ID included in one of a system information or a dedicated indication, or (3) the at least one processor is further configured to: receive an indication of the set of cells configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure.
Regarding claim 15, Shi teaches: wherein the network node comprises a satellite-based distributed unit (DU) associated with a first satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) ([0120] In particular, inside the serving BS, the DU of the serving BS (also called serving BS DU) receives the RRC resume request from the UE, and then in step 302 the serving BS DU transmits the RRC resume request to the CU of the serving BS (serving BS CU).), wherein the wireless device is a user equipment (UE), and wherein at least one of the first satellite or the DU is associated with a plurality of cells associated with the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure ([0023] Some embodiments of the present application provide a method performed by a serving base station (BS) of a UE, the method may include: receiving an RRC reestablishment request message including cell ID of a last serving cell from the UE; and transmitting a request for an I-RNTI of the UE to a BS with the last serving cell in an SDT procedure based on the ID of the last serving cell, wherein the request for the I-RNTI of the UE includes a C-RNTI of the UE in the last serving cell.).
Regarding claim 16, Shi teaches: wherein the first radio link is associated with a first cell of the plurality of cells and at least one of the L1 link recovery request or the L2 link recovery request is associated with a second cell of the plurality of cells ([0024] In an embodiment of the present application, the method may further include: receiving the I-RNTI of the UE from the BS with last serving cell in the SDT procedure; and transmitting a retrieve UE context request message to an anchor BS by using the I-RNTI of the UE.).
Regarding claim 26, Shi does not teach: wherein the first network node comprises a first satellite-based distributed unit (DU) associated with a first satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN), wherein the wireless device is a user equipment (UE), and wherein to determine that the new cell is configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, the at least one processor is configured to determine one of (1) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite, (2) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite-based DU, or (3) that the new cell belongs to a set of cells configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, wherein the set of cells comprises at least one cell associated with an additional DU.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Gao teaches: wherein the first network node comprises a first satellite-based distributed unit (DU) associated with a first satellite in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) ([0090] This message is used to transfer the NR RRC information used by the target gNB during handover preparation, including UE capability information. This message is also used for transferring the information between the CU and DU.), wherein the wireless device is a user equipment (UE) (e.g., UE 111), and wherein to determine that the new cell is configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, the at least one processor is configured to determine one of (1) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite ([0116] The length of RNTI is linked to cell type, in which case, the length of RNTI used for a certain type of cell is explicitly specified in specs. The cell type refers to NTN cell or TN cell. [0090-91]), (2) that the new cell is associated with the first satellite-based DU, or (3) that the new cell belongs to a set of cells configured for at least one of the L1 link reestablishment procedure or the L2 link reestablishment procedure, wherein the set of cells comprises at least one cell associated with an additional DU.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shi to include the feature of an NTN and a combination of Shi with Gao renders the claim prima facie obvious within the described scope of the prior art and any indicated differences within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., telecommunications engineer) according to a combination of known prior art elements with known methods to yield predictable results. MPEP 2143(I)(A) (e.g., providing access to an NTN).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Publication No. 2021/0259021 (Huang) related to a method and apparatus for fallback action of small data transmission in a wireless communication system
U.S. Publication No. 2023/0262815 (Agiwal) related to a method and apparatus for enhanced resume protection
U.S. Publication No. 2018/0091485 (Lee) related to access stratum security for efficient packet processing
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JAB/ Examiner, Art Unit 2643
/JINSONG HU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2643