Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/476,675

Signaling-less Data Transfer

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Sep 28, 2023
Priority
Feb 13, 2023 — continuation of 18/168,042
Examiner
LIU, SHU
Art Unit
2417
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Apple Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1m
Est. Remaining
33%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
5 granted / 6 resolved
+25.3% vs TC avg
Minimal -50% lift
Without
With
+-50.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
47
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
99.3%
+59.3% vs TC avg
§102
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 6 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 February 25, 2026 has been accepted and entered. Accordingly, claims 21 and 39 are amended, claims 25-27 are cancelled and claims 41-43 are added. In view of the amendment, the objection to the drawing of Figure 6 has been withdrawn. In view of the amendment, the objection to the specification has been withdrawn. In view of the amendment, the 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) rejection to claim 39 has been withdrawn. In view of the amendment, the 35 U.S.C. § 102 rejections to claims 21 and 24 have been withdrawn. Claims 21-24 and 28-43 are pending in this application. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments filed February 25, 2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 21 and 24 under 35 USC § 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of another references. The newly amended claim limitations are addressed, as below. Claim Objections Claim 36 is objected to because of the following informality: "The method of claim 31” should read “The method of claim 32”. 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 nonobviousness. Claims 21, 24 and 41-43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot). For claim 21, Xu discloses a method performed by a base station ([Para. 0006], methods for performing data communication in a cellular communication system.[Para. 0059], wireless communication system includes a base station), comprising: transmitting a paging message to a user equipment (UE) ([Para. 0117], the network 1404 may provide a paging message with downlink assignment information to the UE 1402), the paging message configured to initiate a mobile terminating connection between the UE and the base station ([Para. 0117], In 1408, the network 1404 may provide a paging message with downlink assignment information to the UE 1402. In 1410, the UE 1402 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information. This may trigger initiation of the T_activity timer, such that further data transmission/reception can subsequently be performed in 1412. During and after such data transmission/reception, the UE remains in the RRC inactive state); identifying a first configuration set assigned to the UE from the multiple configuration sets ([Para. 0117], the paging message with downlink assignment 1408 can include paging records for each of multiple UEs, the paging record for the UE 1402 could include a UE-Identity field 1420 …such that the UE 1402 may be able to determine the downlink assignment information used to receive the data. [Para. 0009], the wireless device may monitor a control channel provided by its serving cell for further uplink grants and/or downlink assignments, and may perform further uplink and/or downlink communication in accordance with the scheduled assignments/grants); and exchanging data with the UE using the first configuration set ([Para. 0117], In 1410, the UE 1402 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information), wherein exchanging data with network comprises at least one of receiving downlink data and transmitting uplink data ([Para. 0117], In 1410, the UE 1402 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information). Although teaching the UE receiving paging message and exchanging data with the network, Xu does not explicitly disclose receiving a stationary mode request from a user equipment (UE) indicating that the UE is entering a stationary mode with a serving cell, wherein the stationary mode request indicates that the UE is to operate in a stationary state, wherein the stationary mode request comprises an identification of a serving cell on which the UE is camped; transmitting the stationary mode request to a core network; receiving a paging request from the core network comprising an indication that the stationary mode is confirmed. Yang is directed to providing paging in a communication network. More specifically, Yang teaches receiving a stationary mode request from a user equipment (UE) indicating that the UE is entering a stationary mode with a serving cell ([Para. 0027], at an access network node, receiving mobility information of a terminal device from the terminal device served by the access network node. [Para. 0080], the terminal device may determine its mobility information such as stationary information of the terminal device. [Para. 0081], the terminal device may provide the mobility information to a core network node for determination of a paging policy for the terminal device. In the case that the mobility information indicates that the terminal device is stationary, the paging policy determined for the terminal device by the core network node may indicate that a paging area for the terminal device comprises a serving cell of the terminal device [Examiner’s Note: The determined paging by the core based on the terminal being stationary indicates that the stationary information the terminal provides indicates to the core that the terminal is entering stationary mode in the serving cell]), wherein the stationary mode request indicates that the UE is to operate in a stationary state ([Para. 0057], the present disclosure provides a paging solution to enable a core network node to configure differentiated paging policies based on mobility information of UEs. The proposed paging solution may be assisted by UEs. A UE may notify a core network node whether it is stationary. Accordingly, the core network node may send a paging message just to the UE's serving cell through an access network node in the case that the UE is a stationary device [Examiner’s Note: Configuring paging operation at the core node based on the information of the UE being stationary shows that the provided mobility information indicates that the UE is to operate in a stationary state]), transmitting the stationary mode request to a core network ([Para. 0081], the terminal device may provide the mobility information to a core network node, through an access network node serving the terminal device), receiving a paging request from the core network comprising an indication that the stationary mode is confirmed ([Para. 0057], A UE may notify a core network node whether it is stationary. Accordingly, the core network node may send a paging message just to the UE's serving cell through an access network node in the case that the UE is a stationary device. [Para. 0086], the access network node may receive a paging message for the terminal device from the core network node. The paging message may comprise the identifier of the serving cell of the terminal device. Accordingly, the access network node can page the terminal device in this serving cell [Examiner’s Note: Receiving the paging message from the core to page the terminal in just the serving cell indicates the stationary mode is confirmed]). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, so that the UE can notify the core network of the stationary information and the core network pages the UE in just the serving cell of the UE, as taught by Yang. The modification would have improved the network resource efficiency both on radio interface and on RAN entities, and achieved power saving for both stationary and mobile terminal devices (Yang [Para. 0058]). Although teaching the UE indicating to the core stationary request via base station, Xu and Yang do not explicitly disclose wherein the stationary mode request comprises an identification of a serving cell on which the UE is camped. Salot is directed to providing system and method for optimized idle and active state transitions of user equipment in a network environment. More specifically, Salot teaches wherein the stationary mode request comprises an identification of a serving cell on which the UE is camped ([Para. 0034], For stationary UEs, it is possible to reach them for delivery of downlink data by first paging the last cell identifier (ID) reported by the UE to avoid paging in a wider area to find the UE. [Examiner’s Note: UE reports cell ID]. [Para. 0036], a UE's location can be determined based on location updates or other mobility signaling received from the UE sent to access controller 122 via the RAN node to which the UE is attached. If the UE's location is determined to be stationary for a specific geographic area identified by one or more cell-ID(s) then the UE can be ‘pinned’ to the geographic area by the access controller and the UE can be informed that it has been pinned to the geographic area, meaning that an association can be stored for the UE and the specific geographic area that links the UE to the cell-ID(s)/eNB-ID(s) for the specific geographic area in which the UE is determined to be stationary [Examiner’s Note: Association by the core of the UE determined stationary and the cell ID based on the report of cell ID sent from the UE indicates the report is stationary mode request]. [Para. 0024], a core network (CN) 120, which can include an access controller 122). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu and Yang, so that stationary mode request comprises the serving cell ID, as taught by Salot. The modification would have avoided paging in a wider area to find the UE (Salot [Para. 0034]). For claim 24, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach wherein the first configuration set is assigned to only the UE during the mobile terminating connection (Xu [Para. 0117] and [FIG. 14], the paging message with downlink assignment 1408 can include paging records for each of multiple UEs. the paging record for the UE 1402 could include a UE-Identity field 1420, such that the UE 1402 may be able to determine the downlink assignment information used to receive the data for the UE 1402 [Examiner’s Note: Downlink assignment including the paging record for the UE is only assigned to the UE for the mobile terminating connection]). For claim 41, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach wherein the stationary mode request is received during a non-access stratum (NAS) registration procedure (Yang [Para. 0057], a UE may notify a core network node whether it is stationary in a non-access stratum (NAS) message when registering to the core network node). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu and Salot, so that the UE can notify the core network that it is in stationary mode in a non-access stratum (NAS) message when registering to the core network, as taught by Yang. The modification would have improved the network resource efficiency both on radio interface and on RAN entities, and achieved power saving for both stationary and mobile terminal devices (Yang, [Para. 0058]). For claim 42, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach wherein the stationary mode request is received during a tracking area update (TAU) procedure (Salot [Para. 0036], a UE's location can be determined based on location updates or other mobility signaling received from the UE such as, for example, Tracking Area Update (TAU) sent to access controller 122 via the RAN node to which the UE is attached. If the UE's location is determined to be stationary for a specific geographic area identified by one or more cell-ID(s) then the UE can be ‘pinned’ to the geographic area by the access controller and the UE can be informed that it has been pinned to the geographic area, meaning that an association can be stored for the UE and the specific geographic area that links the UE to the cell-ID(s)/eNB-ID(s) for the specific geographic area in which the UE is determined to be stationary [Examiner’s Note: Association by the core of the UE determined stationary and the cell ID based on the TAU signaling from the UE indicates the signaling is stationary mode request]. [Para. 0024], a core network (CN) 120, which can include an access controller 122). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu and Yang, so that stationary mode request is received in TAU procedure, as taught by Salot. The modification would have avoided paging in a wider area to find the UE (Salot [Para. 0034]). For claim 43, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach further comprising: receiving a message indicating that the UE has exited the stationary mode (Yang [Para. 0080], the terminal device may determine its mobility information by collecting information of motion characteristics (such as movable). Yang [Para. 0081], the terminal device may provide the mobility information to a core network node, through an access network node serving the terminal device. Yang [0081] the mobility information indicates that the terminal device is movable [Examiner’s Note: The indication of the movable mode indicates exit of stationary mode]). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu and Salot, so that the UE can indicate to the core node either movable or stationary mode, as taught by Yang. The modification would have improved the network resource efficiency both on radio interface and on RAN entities, and achieved power saving for both stationary and mobile terminal devices (Yang, [Para. 0058]). Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Navratil et al. (US20240236937A9, hereinafter Navratil). For claim 22, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and sending data in identified assignment, the references do not explicitly disclose further comprising: transmitting configuration information comprising the multiple configuration sets to the UE in a system information block (SIB). Navratil is directed to providing determining random-access resources for group paging. More specifically, Navratil teaches further comprising: transmitting configuration information comprising the multiple configuration sets to the UE in a system information block (SIB) ([Para. 0063], RACH-ConfigCommon is a set of configuration parameters that provides the UEs with the configuration of PRACH resources for individual paging and defines how many PRACH occasions there are in which slots of a system frame. The UEs may receive RACH-ConfigCommon for example in a system information block type 1 (SIB1) in the common configuration of a serving cell). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the UE may receive configuration information of multiple sets in system information block, as taught by Navratil. The modification would have allowed the better usage of resources to be provided to one or more terminal devices (Navratil, [Para. 0002]). Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Park et al. (US20230379880A1, hereinafter Park). For claim 23, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. Although teaching the base station transmitting paging message, identifying configuration information, and exchanging data with the UE, the references do not explicitly disclose wherein the configuration information comprising the multiple configuration sets is received from the base station in a dedicated message. Park is directed to providing paging for small data transmission. More specifically, Park teaches further comprising: transmitting configuration information comprising the multiple configuration sets to the UE in a dedicated message ([Para. 0204], The base station may transmit configuration parameters to the UE for a plurality of PUCCH resource sets using, for example, an RRC message). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the UE may receive multiple configuration sets in RRC message, as taught by Park. The modification would have allowed the system to facilitate implementation of SDT procedures, especially in the context of a base station split architecture (base station CU/DU and/or base station CU-UP/CU-CP/DU) (Park, [Para. 0253]). Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Lee et al. (US20220263812A1, hereinafter Lee) and Hong (US20240147426A1, hereinafter Hong). For claim 28, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header (Xu [Para. 0117], a UE 1402 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1404. In 1408, the network 1404 may provide a paging message with downlink assignment information to the UE 1402). Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and sending data in identified assignment, Xu, Yang and Salot do not explicitly disclose wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header, user plane data and integrity code, wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) security context is used for user plane data protection. Lee is directed to providing network security architecture. More specifically, Lee teaches wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header ([Para. 0100] and [FIG. 12], The security header field 1206 may indicate the presence of an encrypted client device context), user plane data and integrity code ([Para. 0100] and [FIG. 12], The payload field 1210 may include data or control information (e.g., a data packet or a control packet). [Para. 0101], The message authentication code (MAC) field 1212 may be used for integrity protection. The message authentication code in the MAC field 1212 may then be used by a receiving device or entity to verify that the integrity of the message has not been compromised), wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) security context is used for user plane data protection ([Para. 0100], the client device may generate a new encryption key based on the encryption key in the security context...a new integrity protection key based on the integrity protection key in the security context. The payload field 1210 may include data or control information (e.g., a data packet or a control packet)). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the payload structure includes header, data and integrity code, as taught by Lee. The modification would have allowed a nominal mode to establish a connection and transfer data and avoid substantial overhead for a client device in terms of signaling messages during idle mode to connected mode transition (Lee [Para. 0004 and 0045]). Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and receiving data in identified assignment with security and integrity protection, Xu, Yang, Salot and Lee do not explicitly disclose wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) security context is used for user plane data protection, and wherein a NAS layer generated integrity code is used for authentication. Hong is directed to providing paging method and apparatus, and communication device. More specifically, Hong teaches wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) security context is used for user plane data protection ([Para. 0129], When the AMF-2 performs paging and receives a response from the UE, the AMF-2 retrieves the busy token stored in a UE NAS security context and computes the MAC of the received short NAS message, and performs integrity authentication), and wherein a NAS layer generated integrity code is used for authentication ([Para. 0096], The terminal device may compute a 32-bit MAC through the integrity algorithm (NIA), to generate the first message. For instance, the generated MAC may be the NAS-MAC in FIG. 5. [Para. 0166], the first message is an MAC of a non-access stratum (NAS) message). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang, Salot and Lee, so that a non-access stratum (NAS) layer protection is provided, as taught by Hong. The modification would have allowed the system to handle an MT service for a terminal device having a plurality of USIMs while avoiding any unnecessary interruption of a running service in a currently-connected system (Hong [Para. 0037]). Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Lee et al. (US20220263812A1, hereinafter Lee) and Agiwal (US20230380003A1, hereinafter Agiwal). For claim 29, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. The references further teach wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header (Xu [Para. 0117], a UE 1402 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1404. In 1408, the network 1404 may provide a paging message with downlink assignment information to the UE 1402). Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and sending data in identified assignment, Xu, Yang and Salot do not explicitly disclose wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header, user plane data and integrity code. Lee is directed to providing network security architecture. More specifically, Lee teaches wherein a data payload structure for the mobile terminating connection comprises a header ([Para. 0100] and [FIG. 12], The security header field 1206 may indicate the presence of an encrypted client device context), user plane data and integrity code ([Para. 0100] and [FIG. 12], The payload field 1210 may include data or control information (e.g., a data packet or a control packet). [Para. 0101], The message authentication code (MAC) field 1212 may be used for integrity protection. The message authentication code in the MAC field 1212 may then be used by a receiving device or entity to verify that the integrity of the message has not been compromised) It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the payload structure includes header, data and integrity code, as taught by Lee. The modification would have allowed a nominal mode to establish a connection and transfer data and avoid substantial overhead for a client device in terms of signaling messages during idle mode to connected mode transition (Lee [Para. 0004 and 0045]). Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and receiving data in identified assignment with security and integrity protection, Xu, Yang, Salot and Lee do not explicitly disclose wherein an access stratum (AS) security context is used for user plane data protection, and wherein an AS layer generated integrity code is used for authentication. Agiwal is directed to providing method for handling non-small data transmission radio bearer during small data transmission and apparatus thereof. More specifically, Agiwal teaches wherein an access stratum (AS) security context is used for user plane data protection ([Para. 0073], The ResumeMAC-I is a 16-bit message authentication token. The ResumeMAC-I is a 16-bit message authentication token. The UE shall calculate it using the integrity algorithm (integrity algorithm for 5G (NIA) or evolved packet system (EPS) integrity algorithm (EIA)) in the stored access stratum (AS) security context), and wherein an AS layer generated integrity code is used for authentication ([Para. 0073], The ResumeMAC-I is a 16-bit message authentication token. The ResumeMAC-I is a 16-bit message authentication token. The UE shall calculate it using the integrity algorithm (integrity algorithm for 5G (NIA) or evolved packet system (EPS) integrity algorithm (EIA)) in the stored access stratum (AS) security context). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang, Salot and Lee, so that access stratum (NAS) layer protection is provided, as taught by Agiwal. The modification would have allowed the system to handle arrival of non-small data transmission data radio bearer data while SDT procedure is ongoing (Agiwal [Para. 0043]). Claims 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Griot et al. (US20160374048A1, hereinafter Griot). For claim 30, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. Although teaching the base station transmitting paging message, identifying configuration information, and exchanging data with the UE, the references do not explicitly disclose wherein the mobile terminating connection is a type of connection configured for a maximum number of downlink packets and wherein the mobile terminating connection ends after the maximum number of downlink packets are received. Griot is directed to providing small data transmission in a wireless communications system. More specifically, Griot teaches wherein the mobile terminating connection is a type of connection configured for a maximum number of downlink packets ([Para. 0056], The UE may receive the page message, and initiate an access procedure for transmission of the small data packet. [Para. 0069] and [FIG. 6], small data packet transfer procedure. UE is in idle mode. [Para. 0070], page message 615, random access response 625, connection setup message 635. [Examiner’s Note: The procedure does not receive more than three downlink messages]) and wherein the mobile terminating connection ends after the maximum number of downlink packets are received ([Para. 0070], The UE may enter RRC connected mode based on the connection setup message at 645 [Examiner’s Note: Change from idle state to connected state ends the terminating connection]). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the terminating connection ends after three downlink messages are received, as taught by Griot. The modification would have allowed the system to avoid significant amount of resources consumption to transmit the small amounts of data and reduction of the efficiency of a wireless communications system (Griot [Para. 0006]). For claim 31, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. Although teaching the base station transmitting paging message, identifying configuration information, and exchanging data with the UE, the references do not explicitly disclose wherein the mobile terminating connection is a type of connection configured for a maximum number of uplink packets and wherein the mobile terminating connection ends after the maximum number of uplink packets are transmitted. Griot is directed to providing small data transmission in a wireless communications system. More specifically, Griot teaches wherein the mobile terminating connection is a type of connection configured for a maximum number of uplink packets ([Para. 0056], The UE may receive the page message, and initiate an access procedure for transmission of the small data packet. [Para. 0069] and [FIG. 6], small data packet transfer procedure. UE is in idle mode. [Para. 0070], random access preamble 620, random access message 630, connection setup complete message 640. [Examiner’s Note: The procedure does not transmit more than three uplink messages]) and wherein the mobile terminating connection ends after the maximum number of uplink packets are transmitted (Griot [Para. 0070], The UE may enter RRC connected mode based on the connection setup message at 645 [Examiner’s Note: Change from idle state to connected state ends the terminating connection]). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the terminating connection ends after three uplink messages are transmitted, as taught by Griot. The modification would have allowed the system to avoid significant amount of resources consumption to transmit the small amounts of data and reduction of the efficiency of a wireless communications system (Griot [Para. 0006]). Claims 32-35 and 39-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang) and Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), and further in view of Ryu et al. (US20230422208A1, hereinafter Ryu). For claim 32, Xu, Yang and Salot teach the method of claim 21. Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and receiving data in identified assignment, the references do not explicitly disclose wherein the paging message indicates a first type of mobile terminating connection from a set of two different types of mobile terminating connections. Ryu is directed to providing data communication while in RRC inactive state. More specifically, Ryu teaches wherein the paging message indicates a first type of mobile terminating connection from a set of two different types of mobile terminating connections ([Para. 0306], The paging message 2310 may comprise an access type. The access type may indicate at least one of 3GPP access, non-3GPP access, and/or the like. The access type may comprise a 3GPP access). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the paging message indicates 3GPP access for connection between 3GPP and non-3GPP access types for connection, as taught by Ryu. The modification would have allowed the system to conserve radio resources (e.g., avoid retransmission(s) of the request) and/or improve wireless communication performance by notification message from the wireless device (Ryu [Para. 0004]). For claim 33, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 32. The references further teach wherein the first type of mobile terminating connection is configured to include three messages (Ryu [Para. 0306], The paging message 2310 may comprise an access type. The access type may comprise a 3GPP access. Xu [Para. 0063], a UE might be configured to communicate using 3GPP cellular communication standard. Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], in 1506, a UE 1502 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1504. In 1508, the network 1504 may provide a paging message. In 1510, the UE 1502 may transmit a RACH preamble to the network. In 1512, the network 1504 may provide a downlink assignment to the UE). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the paging message indicates 3GPP access for connection between 3GPP and non-3GPP access types for connection, as taught by Ryu. The modification would have allowed the system to conserve radio resources (e.g., avoid retransmission(s) of the request) and/or improve wireless communication performance by notification message from the wireless device (Ryu [Para. 0004]). For claim 34, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 32. The references further teach wherein the paging message is a first message of the first type of mobile terminating connection and a second message of the first type of mobile terminating connection comprises downlink data (Ryu [Para. 0306], The paging message 2310 may comprise an access type. The access type may comprise a 3GPP access. Xu [Para. 0063], a UE might be configured to communicate using 3GPP cellular communication standard. Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], in 1506, a UE 1502 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1504. In 1508, the network 1504 may provide a paging message with a status flag to the UE 1502. In 1512, the network 1504 may provide a downlink assignment to the UE 1502, and the UE 1502 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the paging message indicates 3GPP access for connection between 3GPP and non-3GPP access types for connection, as taught by Ryu. The modification would have allowed the system to conserve radio resources (e.g., avoid retransmission(s) of the request) and/or improve wireless communication performance by notification message from the wireless device (Ryu [Para. 0004]). For claim 35, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 34. The references further teach wherein the second message further comprises a downlink assignment for the downlink data (Xu [Para. 0118], In 1512, the network 1504 may provide a downlink assignment to the UE 1502, and the UE 1502 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information). For claim 39, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 32. The references further teach wherein the first type of mobile terminating connection is configured to include at least four messages (Xu [Para. 0127] and [FIG. 19], in 1922, the backoff timer T2 may be cancelled due to downlink paging with data initiation from the network 1904. This may again trigger initiation of the T_activity inactivity timer, such that in 1924, the UE may monitor the PDCCH and uplink grants. In 1926, the initial downlink data may be transmitted, in 1928, uplink data with RNTI may be transmitted, and in 1930, downlink data with RLC ACK and/or other data may be transmitted [Examiner’s Note: Messages in 1922, 1926, 1928 and 1930 constitute four messages and UE is in inactive state]). For claim 40, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 39. The references further teach wherein the paging message is a first message of the first type of mobile terminating connection (Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], in 1506, a UE 1502 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1504. In 1508, the network 1504 may provide a paging message.) and a second message of the first type of mobile terminating connection comprises initial information to be used by the network for radio resource management (Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], In 1510, the UE 1502 may transmit a RACH preamble to the network 1504). Claims 36-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang), Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot) and Ryu et al. (US20230422208A1, hereinafter Ryu), and further in view of Kim et al. (US20230189213A1, hereinafter Kim). For claim 36, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu teach the method of claim 32. The references further teach wherein the paging message is a first message of the first type of mobile terminating connection and a second message of the first type of mobile terminating connection comprises uplink data (Ryu [Para. 0306], The paging message 2310 may comprise an access type. The access type may comprise a 3GPP access. Xu [Para. 0063], a UE might be configured to communicate using 3GPP cellular communication standard. Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], in 1506, a UE 1502 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1504. In 1508, the network 1504 may provide a paging message). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang and Salot, so that the paging message indicates 3GPP access for connection between 3GPP and non-3GPP access types for connection, as taught by Ryu. The modification would have allowed the system to conserve radio resources (e.g., avoid retransmission(s) of the request) and/or improve wireless communication performance by notification message from the wireless device (Ryu [Para. 0004]). Although teaching the UE receiving configuration information, paging message and receiving data in identified assignment in a connection type, Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu do not explicitly disclose wherein the paging message is a first message of the first type of mobile terminating connection and a second message of the first type of mobile terminating connection comprises uplink data. Kim is directed to providing wireless device paging. More specifically, Kim teaches wherein the paging message is a first message of the first type of mobile terminating connection and a second message of the first type of mobile terminating connection comprises uplink data ([Para. 0051], Embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the RAN of a 3GPP 5G network. [Para. 0254], The UE in an RRC inactive or idle state may initiate/trigger to perform the small data transmission based on having small data to transmit or based on receiving paging message. The paging message may indicate the small data transmission. Based on the performing the small data transmission, the UE in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state may send uplink data via the Msg 3). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu, so that the UE can transmit uplink data after receiving the paging message, as taught by Kim. The modification would have allowed the system to reduce power consumption by the wireless device and latency of uplink transmission (Kim [Para. 0279]). For claim 37, Xu, Yang, Salot, Ryu and Kim teach the method of claim 36. The references further teach wherein the second message further comprises an uplink assignment for the uplink data (Kim [Para. 0254], the UE in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state may send uplink data via the Msg 3. The Msg 3 may be a message ...transmitted on CCCH SDU ...the UE in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state may send the CCCH SDU using a configured uplink grant. Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], In 1512, the network 1504 may provide a downlink assignment to the UE 1502, and the UE 1502 may receive the downlink data transmission in accordance with the downlink assignment information [Examiner’s Note: In Xu, 1512 in FIG. 15 teaches combination of assignment and data in one transmission. Therefore, uplink grant and uplink data may be combined in one message so that the second message comprise uplink data and the assignment]). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang, Salot and Ryu, so that the UE can transmit uplink data after receiving the paging message in accordance with uplink grant, as taught by Kim. The modification would have allowed the system to reduce power consumption by the wireless device and latency of uplink transmission (Kim [Para. 0279]). Claim 38 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US20210014926A1, hereinafter Xu) in view of Yang (US20200205121A1, hereinafter Yang), Salot et al. (US20170332424A1, hereinafter Salot), Ryu et al. (US20230422208A1, hereinafter Ryu) and Kim et al. (US20230189213A1, hereinafter Kim), and further in view of Yuan et al. (US20210345274A1, hereinafter Yuan). For claim 38, Xu, Yang, Salot, Ryu and Kim teach the method of claim 36. The references further teach wherein the second message further comprises uplink information for uplink data processing at the base station (Xu [Para. 0118] and [FIG. 15], in 1506, a UE 1502 may operate in the RRC inactive state with respect to a network 1504. In 1508, the network 1504 may provide a paging message. In 1510, the UE 1502 may transmit a RACH preamble to the network 1504 [examiner’s Note: preamble leads to subsequent uplink data processing]). Although teaching the UE transmitting preamble, Xu, Yang, Salot, Ryu and Kim do not explicitly disclose wherein the second message further comprises uplink information for uplink data processing at the base station. Yuan is directed to providing timing adjustments for data transmission in wireless systems. More specifically, Yuan teaches wherein the second message further comprises uplink information for uplink data processing at the base station ([Para. 0065] the uplink data transmitted by the terminal (UE) is a data symbol that is subsequently processed using blind detection by the BS. If the uplink data includes preamble information, the preamble information is used to calibrate the timing adjustment (TA)). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Xu, Yang, Salot, Ryu and Kim, so that the uplink data transmission includes preamble that is used for data processing, as taught by Yuan. The modification would have provided reduced latency requirements and lower overhead usage based on the open-loop timing adjustment techniques (Yuan [Para. 0067]). Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHU LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-5186. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. 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, REBECCA E SONG can be reached at (571)270-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /S.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2417 /REBECCA E SONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2417
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 28, 2023
Application Filed
Nov 25, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Feb 25, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 03, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 2 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
33%
With Interview (-50.0%)
2y 11m (~1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 6 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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