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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/03/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of new ground of rejection.
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.
Claims 1-2, 19-20 and 41-43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al. (US 2022/0217560) in view of Van der Velde et al. (US 2024/0196286).
Regarding Claim 1, Kumar teaches a method involving a user equipment (UE) for quality of experience (QoE) measurement, wherein the QoE measurement is application layer measurement associated with one or more service types ([0083] If simultaneous QoE measurements are performed, at 414, both RAN decodable and non-decodable QoE measurement parameters may be maintained at the application layer (e.g., stored at 416). The RAN decodable QoE measurement parameters may include a QoE satisfaction level, application layer throughput, delay, jitter, etc. Separate reporting triggers may be configured for the SA4 container/application layer container (e.g., per service type and/or per trace identifier (ID)/reference ID) for reporting, at 418, the QoE measurement information per service type and/or per reference ID; [0087] The measurement configuration for the application layer may include, and/or may indicate, the QoE configuration information and/or a service type of the application; [0094] the UE application layer may send QoE measurements per service type to the UE AS layer), the method comprising:
receiving a radio resource control (RRC) message comprising one or more QoE measurement configurations, the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one second QoE configuration parameter for an RRC inactive state ([0071] At 412a, the UE 402 may receive a RAN decodable QoE measurement information configuration from an OAM server for the UE application layer, via the base station 404, which may include triggering/reporting information for one or more QoE measurements of the UE 402. The triggering/reporting information may be received at the UE 402 as an application layer triggering/reporting condition. Alternatively, at 412b, the UE 402 may receive, from the RAN/base station 404, a RAN decodable parameter configuration (e.g., for storing the QoE measurement) and/or an indication of a trigger/reporting condition for reporting the QoE measurement to the base station 404. The information received, at 412b, by the UE 402 may be received for the RRC layer; [0087] The RRC configuration may include, and/or may indicate, a measurement configuration for the application layer (e.g., measConfigAppLayer). The measurement configuration for the application layer may include, and/or may indicate, the QoE configuration information and/or a service type of the application; [0104] the QoE configuration information may indicate that the UE is to report QoE measurements that are obtained while the UE is in RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode; [0105] As shown by reference number 610, the UE may receive, and the base station may transmit, an RRC configuration (e.g., RRCConfig, RRCReconfiguration, and/or measConfigAppLayer, among other examples) via the UE AS layer. The RRC configuration may include a QoE configuration and/or an indication of a service type associated with QoE measurements); and
performing second QoE measurements based on the at least one second QoE configuration parameter, while the UE is in the RRC inactive state ([0048] the UE 104 may include a QoE measurements component 198b configured to obtain, in association with a UE capabilities indication that the UE supports QoE measurements while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode or an RRC inactive mode, a set of QoE measurements associated with a service type; and transmit the obtained set of QoE measurements while in the RRC idle mode or the RRC inactive mode, after entering an RRC connected mode, the set of QoE measurements; [0094] the UE application layer may continue obtaining the QoE measurements during the RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode, based at least in part on the QoE configuration information; [0104] the QoE configuration information may indicate that the UE is to report QoE measurements that are obtained while the UE is in RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode).
However, Kumar does not teach the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one first QoE configuration parameter for an RRC connected state and at least one second QoE configuration parameter for an RRC inactive state; performing first QoE measurements based on the at least one first QoE configuration parameter, while the UE is in the RRC connected state.
In an analogous art, Van der Velde teaches the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one first QoE configuration parameter for an RRC connected state and at least one second QoE configuration parameter for an RRC inactive state ([0351] Options provided regarding the logMDT configuration used for QoE information include the following options: [0352] 1. For the purpose of QoE information, the UE supports one logMDT configuration that covers QoE information handling for both connected and idle or inactive modes. I.e. upon state change, the same configuration is used unless network reconfigures the configuration at such time [0353] 2. For the purpose of QoE information, the UE supports two logMDT configurations i.e. one covering QoE information handling in connected mode and another one covering the handling in idle or inactive mode. I.e. upon state transition, the UE switches from one configuration to the other and the network can use a different configuration in the two states, without having to reconfigure upon state transition);
performing first QoE measurements based on the at least one first QoE configuration parameter, while the UE is in the RRC connected state ([0109] in connected mode, the UE provides assistance information to the network, wherein the assistance information is provided when at least one of: [0110] a) additional QoE information becomes available; [0308] A further embodiment relates to UE initiated transfer in connected (Mode U). In this case, the UE initiates transfer upon arrival of QoE information from upper layers; [0359] 3. In case separate pools are used, the indication of available logMDT results can include the following options: [0360] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle or inactive mode [0361] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle or inactive mode; [0363] 4. In case separate pools are used, the retrieval request for logMDT results can include the following options: [0364] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle/inactive mode [0365] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle/inactive mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Van der Velde’s method with Kumar’s method so that it permits the general use of network initiated retrieval in connected mode. Some key benefits for such an approach include: 1. One mechanism for idle or inactive and connected, thereby reducing network complexity 2. If used generally, the network can control the retrieval and any further mechanisms to avoid overload by QoE information, such as an additional pause mechanism, can be avoided (Van der Velde [0135]-[0137]).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Kumar and Van der Velde, specifically Kumar teaches transitioning from the RRC connected state to the RRC inactive state in response to receiving an RRC release message ([0092] the UE may receive, and the base station may transmit, an RRC release (e.g., an RRCRelease). The RRC release may indicate that the UE is to enter RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode; [0109] the UE may enter RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode based at least in part on the RRC release received from the base station; [0126] the UE may enter RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode based at least in part on the RRC release received from the base station).
Regarding Claim 19, Kumar teaches transmitting the one or more QoE measurement reports based on the second QoE measurements via the one or more RRC messages ([0048] the UE 104 may include a QoE measurements component 198b configured to obtain, in association with a UE capabilities indication that the UE supports QoE measurements while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode or an RRC inactive mode, a set of QoE measurements associated with a service type; and transmit the obtained set of QoE measurements while in the RRC idle mode or the RRC inactive mode, after entering an RRC connected mode, the set of QoE measurements; [0072] The UE 402 may transmit, at 418, the QoE measurement information to the base station 404 via the application layer or the RRC layer).
However, Kumar does not teach transmitting one or more QoE measurement reports based on the first QoE measurements via one or more RRC messages.
In an analogous art, Van der Velde teaches transmitting one or more QoE measurement reports based on the first QoE measurements via one or more RRC messages ([0109] In an embodiment, in connected mode, the UE provides assistance information to the network, wherein the assistance information is provided when at least one of: [0110] a) additional QoE information becomes available; [0308] A further embodiment relates to UE initiated transfer in connected (Mode U). In this case, the UE initiates transfer upon arrival of QoE information from upper layers; [0359] 3. In case separate pools are used, the indication of available logMDT results can include the following options: [0360] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle or inactive mode [0361] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle or inactive mode; [0363] 4. In case separate pools are used, the retrieval request for logMDT results can include the following options: [0364] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle/inactive mode [0365] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle/inactive mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Van der Velde’s method with Kumar’s method so that it permits the general use of network initiated retrieval in connected mode. Some key benefits for such an approach include: 1. One mechanism for idle or inactive and connected, thereby reducing network complexity 2. If used generally, the network can control the retrieval and any further mechanisms to avoid overload by QoE information, such as an additional pause mechanism, can be avoided (Van der Velde [0135]-[0137]).
Regarding Claim 20, Kumar does not teach the one or more RRC messages are associated with a signaling radio bearer four (SRB4).
In an analogous art, , Van der Velde teaches the one or more RRC messages are associated with a signaling radio bearer four (SRB4) ([0246] Results are reported by MeasReportAppLayer message, via a separate Signaling Radio Bearer, SRB, i.e. SRB4, and immediately upon NAS providing the concerned information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Van der Velde’s method with Kumar’s method so that it permits the general use of network initiated retrieval in connected mode. Some key benefits for such an approach include: 1. One mechanism for idle or inactive and connected, thereby reducing network complexity 2. If used generally, the network can control the retrieval and any further mechanisms to avoid overload by QoE information, such as an additional pause mechanism, can be avoided (Van der Velde [0135]-[0137]).
Regarding Claim 41, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 42, Kumar teaches a method involving a base station for quality of experience (QoE) measurement, wherein the QoE measurement is application layer measurement associated with one or more service types ([0083] If simultaneous QoE measurements are performed, at 414, both RAN decodable and non-decodable QoE measurement parameters may be maintained at the application layer (e.g., stored at 416). The RAN decodable QoE measurement parameters may include a QoE satisfaction level, application layer throughput, delay, jitter, etc. Separate reporting triggers may be configured for the SA4 container/application layer container (e.g., per service type and/or per trace identifier (ID)/reference ID) for reporting, at 418, the QoE measurement information per service type and/or per reference ID; [0087] The measurement configuration for the application layer may include, and/or may indicate, the QoE configuration information and/or a service type of the application; [0094] the UE application layer may send QoE measurements per service type to the UE AS layer), the method comprising:
transmitting a radio resource control (RRC) message comprising one or more QoE measurement configurations, the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one second QoE configuration parameter for the UE to use for second QoE measurements in an RRC inactive state ([0071] At 412a, the UE 402 may receive a RAN decodable QoE measurement information configuration from an OAM server for the UE application layer, via the base station 404, which may include triggering/reporting information for one or more QoE measurements of the UE 402. The triggering/reporting information may be received at the UE 402 as an application layer triggering/reporting condition. Alternatively, at 412b, the UE 402 may receive, from the RAN/base station 404, a RAN decodable parameter configuration (e.g., for storing the QoE measurement) and/or an indication of a trigger/reporting condition for reporting the QoE measurement to the base station 404. The information received, at 412b, by the UE 402 may be received for the RRC layer; [0087] The RRC configuration may include, and/or may indicate, a measurement configuration for the application layer (e.g., measConfigAppLayer). The measurement configuration for the application layer may include, and/or may indicate, the QoE configuration information and/or a service type of the application; [0104] the QoE configuration information may indicate that the UE is to report QoE measurements that are obtained while the UE is in RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode; [0105] As shown by reference number 610, the UE may receive, and the base station may transmit, an RRC configuration (e.g., RRCConfig, RRCReconfiguration, and/or measConfigAppLayer, among other examples) via the UE AS layer. The RRC configuration may include a QoE configuration and/or an indication of a service type associated with QoE measurements); and
receiving one or more QoE measurement reports based on the second QoE measurements ([0048] the UE 104 may include a QoE measurements component 198b configured to obtain, in association with a UE capabilities indication that the UE supports QoE measurements while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode or an RRC inactive mode, a set of QoE measurements associated with a service type; and transmit the obtained set of QoE measurements while in the RRC idle mode or the RRC inactive mode, after entering an RRC connected mode, the set of QoE measurements; [0094] the UE application layer may continue obtaining the QoE measurements during the RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode, based at least in part on the QoE configuration information; [0104] the QoE configuration information may indicate that the UE is to report QoE measurements that are obtained while the UE is in RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode; [0117] the UE AS layer may transmit, and the base station may receive, a QoE measurement report. The QoE measurement report may include and/or indicate one or more QoE measurements obtained while the UE was in RRC idle mode or RRC inactive mode).
However, Kumar does not teach the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one first QoE configuration parameter for a user equipment (UE) to use for first QoE measurements in an RRC connected state and at least one second QoE configuration parameter for the UE to use for second QoE measurements in an RRC inactive state; receiving one or more QoE measurement reports based on the first QoE measurements.
In an analogous art, Van der Velde teaches the one or more QoE measurement configurations comprising at least one first QoE configuration parameter for a user equipment (UE) to use for first QoE measurements in an RRC connected state and at least one second QoE configuration parameter for the UE to use for second QoE measurements in an RRC inactive state ([0351] Options provided regarding the logMDT configuration used for QoE information include the following options: [0352] 1. For the purpose of QoE information, the UE supports one logMDT configuration that covers QoE information handling for both connected and idle or inactive modes. I.e. upon state change, the same configuration is used unless network reconfigures the configuration at such time [0353] 2. For the purpose of QoE information, the UE supports two logMDT configurations i.e. one covering QoE information handling in connected mode and another one covering the handling in idle or inactive mode. I.e. upon state transition, the UE switches from one configuration to the other and the network can use a different configuration in the two states, without having to reconfigure upon state transition);
receiving one or more QoE measurement reports based on the first QoE measurements ([0109] in connected mode, the UE provides assistance information to the network, wherein the assistance information is provided when at least one of: [0110] a) additional QoE information becomes available; [0308] A further embodiment relates to UE initiated transfer in connected (Mode U). In this case, the UE initiates transfer upon arrival of QoE information from upper layers; [0359] 3. In case separate pools are used, the indication of available logMDT results can include the following options: [0360] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle or inactive mode [0361] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle or inactive mode; [0363] 4. In case separate pools are used, the retrieval request for logMDT results can include the following options: [0364] A common field covering results of both results logged in connected and results logged in idle/inactive mode [0365] Separate fields i.e. one field covering results logged in connected and another field covering results logged in idle/inactive mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Van der Velde’s method with Kumar’s method so that it permits the general use of network initiated retrieval in connected mode. Some key benefits for such an approach include: 1. One mechanism for idle or inactive and connected, thereby reducing network complexity 2. If used generally, the network can control the retrieval and any further mechanisms to avoid overload by QoE information, such as an additional pause mechanism, can be avoided (Van der Velde [0135]-[0137]).
Regarding Claim 43, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in Claim 42.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al. in view of Van der Velde et al. and Liu et al. (US 2024/0188175).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Kumar and Van der Velde does not teach the RRC release message comprises a suspendconfig information element (IE); and the suspendconfig IE comprises configuration parameters for operation of the UE in the RRC inactive state.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches the RRC release message comprises a suspendconfig information element (IE); and the suspendconfig IE comprises configuration parameters for operation of the UE in the RRC inactive state ([0063] the UE 120 may transition from RRC connected mode 302 to RRC inactive mode 306 based at least in part on receiving an RRC release communication with a configuration suspension (e.g., an RRCRelease with suspendConfig message)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Liu’s method with Kumar’s method so that when transitioning to RRC inactive mode, the UE and/or a serving base station may store a UE context. This permits the UE, the base station, and/or a new base station to apply the stored UE context when the UE transitions from RRC inactive mode to RRC connected mode in order to resume communications, which reduces latency of transitioning to RRC connected mode relative to transitioning to the RRC connected mode from RRC idle mode (Liu [0064]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al. in view of Van der Velde et al. and Liu et al. (US 2024/0172027).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Kumar and Van der Velde does not teach each of the one or more QoE measurement configurations is associated with an identifier.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches each of the one or more QoE measurement configurations is associated with an identifier ([0066] As further shown in FIG. 4, and by reference number 420, the base station 110 may allocate an access stratum identifier to identify the QoE measurement configuration at an access stratum layer (e.g., an RRC layer). For example, in some aspects, the access stratum identifier allocated to the QoE measurement configuration may be derived from the application-level identifier associated with the QoE measurement configuration such that the base station 110 may store information related to a mapping between the application-level identifier and the access stratum identifier; [0069] the UE 120 may process the access stratum identifier included in the RRC message to determine a mapping or other relationship between the application-level identifier associated with the QoE measurement configuration and the access stratum identifier used to identify the QoE measurement configuration at the access stratum layer).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined Liu’s method with Kumar’s method so that when an application provides application layer QoE measurements to the access stratum layer, the access stratum layer may determine the appropriate access stratum identifier to associate with the application layer QoE measurements based on an identity of the application that provided the application layer QoE measurements to the access stratum layer (Liu [0070]).
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 YU-WEN CHANG whose telephone number is (408)918-7645. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00am-5:00pm PT.
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/YU-WEN CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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