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 following is a final office action in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 03/24/2026 for response of the office action mailed on 01/07/2026. Independent Claims 1 and 8 and dependent Claims 4 and 11 are amended. Claims 3 and 10 are canceled. Claims 1-2, 4-9, and 11-14 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to independent Claims 1 and 8 have been fully considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In the preamble of Claim 4, “claim 3” should read - - - claim 1 - - -.
In the preamble of Claim 11, “claim 10” should read - - - claim 8 - - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 non- obviousness.
Claims 1-2, 6-9 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Xu et al. (US 20250380281 A1), hereinafter Xu in view of YU et al. (US 20230247711 A1), hereinafter YU.
Regarding Claim 1, Xu teaches a method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system (Xu, disclosed throughout, including but not limited to FIG. 4, FIG. 10; FIG. 11, methods to provide multicast transmissions during an inactive state of a UE; ¶0157-0158), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station (BS), a radio resource control (RRC) release message including suspend configuration information for an RRC inactive state (Xu, FIG. 4, ¶0071 at 202/408; gNB 404 “base station” may transmit an RRCRelease with Suspendconfig message 408 [to the UE 402]; the UE 402 may transition to an inactive state based on the RRCRelease with Suspendconfig message 408 as indicated by inactive 41; see also Fig. 10, ¶0115-¶0116 at 1008 and 1010; FIG. 11, ¶0125 at 1108 and 1110);
identifying whether multicast and broadcast service (MBS) multicast reception is configured by an upper layer (Xu, ¶0049, the broadcast MBS 104 utilizes MTCH; FIG. 1 ¶0051, an access stratum configuration 118 is defined for each of the multicast MBS 102 and the broadcast MBS; [f]or the broadcast MBS 104, the AS configuration is broadcast and MCCH configuration ¶0058, the MBSBroadcastConfiguration message 212 is transmitted via MCCH and/or PDSCH, interpreted as an “upper layer” configuration message);
in case that the MBS multicast reception is configured by the upper layer, performing paging channel monitoring for paging using a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) (Xu, ¶0059, the UE 202 further applies the physical layer (PHY) configuration and informs upper layer about the temporary mobile group identity (TMGI); ¶0126; ¶0152, the network element 1104/1304 may transmit an MBS session activation notification message 1308 to the UE 1102/1302 while the UE 1302 is in the inactive state; [and] [t]he MBS session activation notification message 1308 may be a special, specific paging message from the NW side);
Xu further teaches the RRC resume procedure is initiated after the ongoing SDT procedure is completed. (Xu FIG. 1, ¶0188 at 1700 and at 1712, determining whether to maintain the UE in an SDT procedure for transmission of multicast data or initiate an RRC resume procedure, examiner interprets to correspond to a completed SDT procedure triggering the initiated RRC Resume procedure; FIG. 15, ¶0170 at 1504-1508, determining to trigger an RRC Resume procedure based on a condition related to a radio quality or a transmission quality; see also ¶0224).
Xu does not explicitly teach in case that a paging message including information on the TMGI is received based on the paging channel monitoring, identifying whether a small data transmission (SDT) procedure is ongoing in the RRC inactive state; and in case that the SDT procedure is ongoing, not initiating an RRC resume procedure associated with the paging message.
However, in the analogous art, YU explicitly discloses in case that a paging message including information on the TMGI is received based on the paging channel monitoring, identifying whether a small data transmission (SDT) procedure is ongoing in the RRC inactive state (YU ¶0004, a protocol /solution support[ing] the UE in receiving a paging message while performing SDT procedure in an RRC_INACTIVE state, which leads to a result that the UE cannot receive MBS during a SD;¶0027 using a channel related to SDT to notify the UE that data shall be transmitted via an MRB during a period of performing SDT in the RRC Inactive state; see also ¶0178 the first paging message comprises a TMGI, the first node being joined in one or more MBS sessions identified by the TMGI); and in case that the SDT procedure is ongoing, not initiating an RRC resume procedure associated with the paging message (YU, FIG. TBD, ¶0004, if no paging message can be received, and when a downlink data transmission is ongoing in the base station, it cannot notify the UE via the paging message; ¶0063 avoiding the usage of paging messages, which helps reduce power consumption of other UEs in RRC Inactive state;, examiner interprets default alternative per YU method disclosed),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine Xu’s apparatus, systems, and methods to provide multicast transmissions during an inactive state of a user equipment with YU’s a method and a device in a communication node for wireless communications. The motivation would be to have some enhancement in how to ensure support to other service transmissions while performing SDT or receiving MBS in an RRC_INACTIVE state, such as enhancing efficiency of paging. [YU, ¶0004; ¶0065].
Regarding Claim 2, Xu and YU teach Claim 1.
Xu further teaches the TMGI is used for identifying an MBS session associated with the MBS multicast reception (Xu, ¶0040, if the same Multicast/Broadcast service is provided by two (or more) operators separately, this service would be recognized as separate temporary mobile group identities (TMGIs) resulting in duplicated point to multipoint (PTM) radio resources consumption in the same cell for transmission of the same content; ¶0046, [e]ach of the multicast MBS 102 and the broadcast MBS 104 have packet data unit session types 108 . . [t]he multicast MBS 102 has a multicast session type [and] the broadcast MBS 104 has a broadcast session type).
Regarding Claim 6, Xu and YU teach Claim 2.
Xu further teaches configuration information on a bearer associated with the MBS session is received from the BS via dedicated RRC signaling, while the terminal is in an RRC connected state (Xu, ¶0047, [e]ach of the multicast MBS 102 and the broadcast MBS 104 utilize a radio bearer type 110 . . .[t] he multicast MBS 102 utilizes multicast MRB [and] the broadcast MBS 104 utilizes broadcast MRB; ¶0072, [t]he UE 402 may be configured with SDT criteria that defines when an SDT transmission procedure can be performed [and] [w]hen the UL data has arrived and the SDT criteria is fulfilled, the UE 402 may resume an SDT-data radio bearer).
Regarding Claim 7, Xu and YU teach Claim 1.
Xu further teaches the RRC release message further includes information on an SDT configuration (Xu, ¶0071; FIG. 4, the RRCRelease with Suspendconfig message 408 may include . . . . [an] SDT configuration).
Regarding Claims 8-9 and 13-14, the claim discloses similar features of Claims 1-2 and 6-7, respectively and are rejected based on the same rationales of Claims 1-2 and 6-7, in apparatus form (Xu, ¶0001, disclosed throughout, including but not limited to FIG. 10, ¶0114; FIG. 14, ¶0157 a UE (such as the UE 402 (FIG. 4), the UE 502 (FIG. 5), the UE 602 (FIG. 6), the UE 1002 (FIG. 10), the UE 1102 (FIG. 11), the UE 1202 (FIG. 12), the UE 1302 (FIG. 13) and/or the UE 1800 (FIG. 18))/ “terminal” in a wireless communication system).
Claims 4 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu and YU and further in view of LIU (US 20250151026 A1, previously cited).
Regarding Claim 4, Xu and YU teach Claim 1.
Xu further teaches the multicast specific SDT request 1014 may include an indication of a multicast session identifier (ID) that the UE 1002 is expected to receive (Xu ¶0118).
Xu and YU do not explicitly teach in case that a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) included in the paging message matches an ID allocated for the terminal, the RRC connection resumption procedure is initiated.
However, in the analogous art, LIU explicitly discloses in case that a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) included in the paging message matches an ID allocated for the terminal, the RRC connection resumption procedure is initiated (LIU, ¶0096 the terminal may receive a paging message about the UE ID of the terminal, where the UE ID may be an I-RNTI, an S-TMSI, or the like, or may be a new ID, and is used to indicate that this paging is performed for which the multicast service changes . . .[and] if a matched new ID is received, the terminal restores connection establishment, interpreted to correspond to “initiating connection resumption”; ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine Xu’s apparatus, systems, and methods to provide multicast transmissions during an inactive state of a user equipment and YU’s a method and a device in a communication node for wireless communications with LIU’s notification processing apparatus and method. The motivation would be improved reliability and an improved effect receiving the multicast service by the terminal [LIU ¶0181; ¶0267].
Regarding Claim 11, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 4 and is rejected based on the same rationales of Claim 4, in apparatus form.
Claims 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu and YU and further in view of TSENG et al. (US 20230088189 A1), hereinafter TSENG.
Regarding Claim 5, Xu and YU teach Claim 1.
Xu and YU do not explicitly teach the SDT procedure is identified as ongoing based on an SDT error detection timer running.
However, in the analogous art, TSENG explicitly discloses the SDT procedure is identified as ongoing based on an SDT error detection timer running (TSENG, disclosed throughout including but not limited to ¶0009; ¶0019; ¶0145;¶0365, FIG. 5, @530 SDT procedure ongoing while UE is still staying in the RRC inactive state and the configured SDT failure detection timer is still running/ active).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine to combine Xu’s apparatus, systems, and methods to provide multicast transmissions during an inactive state of a user equipment and YU’s a method and a device in a communication node for wireless communications with TSENG’s apparatus and methods for method for performing an idle mode measurement in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state. The motivation would be to improve different aspects of wireless communication for next-generation wireless communication systems, such as the fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) system, by improving data rate, latency, reliability, and mobility. [TSENG, ¶0003]
Regarding Claim 12, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 5 and is rejected based on the same rationales of Claim 5, in apparatus form.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
LEE (US 20240276586 A1): Abstract; a method of performing a data reception in a radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state by a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system; ¶0056, [a]t RRC connection establishment/re-establishment/handover, one serving cell provides the non-access stratum (NAS) mobility information, and at RRC connection reestablishment/handover, one serving cell provides the security input; ¶0202-0206; ¶0210.
LEI et al. (US 20250358819 A1): Abstract; techniques and apparatuses for resource configuration and selection for downlink small data transmissions; FIG. 4, ¶0077;¶0082; FIG. 5, ¶0086, at 505, the network node 110 may transmit, and the UE 120 may receive, an RRC release communication (e.g., an RRCRelease). . . [t]he RRC release communication may be an RRCRelease with suspendConfig communication); ¶0082 a configuration of configured grant (CG) resources for UE MO-SDT can be contained in the RRC release message.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACY L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7694. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRACY L WILLIAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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