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 statements (IDS’s) submitted on 02/20/2024, 05/28/2025, 07/07/2025, 12/12/2025 and 02/26/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claims 5-6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5, line 5, the “RRC message” should read - - - the first RRC message - - -.
Claim 6 is objected to by virtue of its dependency on Claim 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 10, the is unclear/ambiguous for the claim is incomplete.
Claim 11 is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) by virtue of its dependency on Claim 10.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 10-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Babaei (US 20250098019 A1), hereinafter Babaei.
Regarding Claim 1, Babaei teaches a wireless communication method (Babaei, FIG. 16; ¶0009, method of resource allocation for MT data transmission) comprising:
receiving, by a wireless communication terminal (Babaei, FIG. 16, UE) from a wireless communication node (Babaei, FIG. 16, gNB/network) a paging message indicating the wireless communication terminal to receive mobile terminated small data transmission (MT-SDT) data via a first MT-SDT resource or a second MT-SDT resource (¶0008, [t]he mobile terminated (MT) notification message may be a paging message; FIG. 16, ¶0111 a UE receiving RAN paging from gNB comprising MT-SDT notification; see also ¶0108, DL assignment configured for SPS; ¶0169-0170, random access/RA resource(s)); and
receiving, by the wireless communication terminal from the wireless communication node, the MT-SDT data via the first MT-SDT resource or the second MT-SDT resource (Babaei, ¶0169-0170, UE may receive the MT data based on (e.g., via) the radio resources, “MT-SDT resource[s]”)).
Regarding Claim 2, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the first MT-SDT resource comprises a pre-configured downlink resource (Babaei, ¶0142, configuration and allocation of radio resources for MT-SDT in DL may be configured for a UE where Dynamic vs Configured Grants may be enabled , a configured grant for DL corresponds to a “pre-configured DL resource”; see also ¶0136).
Regarding Claim 3, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the second MT-SDT resource comprises a random access resource in a random access procedure (Babaei, ¶0149, in dynamic scheduling mode, which may be more suited for one-time SDT in DL, the data or the DL resource allocation information may be directly included as an upper later payload inside the notification signaling message or may be sent in subsequent message, e.g., Message 2/B in case of 4-step/2-step RACH procedure; ¶0151, for dynamic resource allocation the DL resource scheduling information may be included inside the MT-SDT notification message; ¶0136, MT-SDT triggering mechanism may be used for UEs in RRC_INACTIVE, supporting RA-SDT and CG-SDT as the UL response.).
Regarding Claim 5, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the wireless communication terminal receives an MT-SDT configuration for the first MT-SDT resource from the wireless communication node, wherein the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT configuration in a first radio resource control (RRC) message (Babaei, ¶0172, for resource allocation for mobile terminated (MT) data transmission, a UE may receive at least one message comprising configuration parameters for the MT data transmission in an RRC inactive state; see also ¶0174, the configuration parameters may indicate radio resources of at least on DL grant for receiving the mobile terminated (MT) data) and the RRC message is an RRC setup message, an RRC reconfiguration message, or an RRC release message (Babaei, ¶0168, the UE may receive an rRC release message comprising MT data; ¶0173, the first radio resource control (RRC) message may be an RRC release message indicating transitioning from the RRC connected state to the RRC inactive state;), and
wherein the wireless communication terminal transmits a second RRC message to the wireless communication node to confirm the MT-SDT configuration (Babaei, ¶0176, the UE may transmit a user equipment (UE) feedback in response to receiving the notification message . . . [or] ¶0176 in response to receiving mobile terminated (MT) data based on a downlink grant of the at least one downlink grant).
Regarding Claim 6, Babaei teaches Claim 5.
Babaei further teaches the MT-SDT configuration comprises at least one of:
frequency domain resource information; time domain resource information; a Configured Scheduling Radio Network Temporary Identifier (CS-RNTI); or Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) information (Babaei, ¶0108, RRC may configure the following parameters when the SPS is configured: cs-RNTI: CS-RNTI for activation, deactivation, and retransmission; nrofHARQ-Processes: the number of configured HARQ processes for SPS); and
wherein the frequency domain resource information comprises Bandwidth Part (BWP) information; the time domain resource information comprises at least one of an offset of a time-domain resource or an allocation of time-domain resource; and the HARQ information comprises at least one of a number of configured Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) processes for Semi Persistent Scheduling (SPS) or an offset of an HARQ process for SPS (Babaei, ¶0174, the configuration parameters may indicate radio resources of at least one downlink grant for receiving the mobile terminated (MT) data. [or] . . . the configuration parameters may comprise semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) configuration parameters; the SPS configuration parameters may indicate a frequency domain resource allocation used in determining the at least one downlink grant; ¶0175, the offset may be based on a configuration parameter. . . .[or] the offset may have a pre-configured value).
Regarding Claim 7, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT data on a slot: (numberOfSlotsPerFrame x SFN + slot number in the frame) =
numberOfSlotsPerFrame x SFNstarttime +slotstarttime] modulo (1024 x numberOfSiotsPerFrame),
wherein numberOfSlotsPerFrame denotes a number of slots per frame, SFN denotes a system frame number, SFNstarttime denotes a system frame number of a start time, and slotstarttime denotes a slot of the start time (Babaei, see ¶0110, timing expression/formula for data on a slot and modulo frame wrapping (numberOfSlotsPerFrame x SFN+slot number in the frame)=[(numberOfSlotsPerFrame x SFNstart time+slotstart time)+ N x periodicity x numberOfSlotsPerFrame/10]modulo(1024 x numberOfSlotsPerFrame)).
Regarding Claim 10 (As best understood by the examiner, please refer to 112(b) rejection herein), Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches . . . the wireless communication terminal receives an MT-SDT configuration for the second MT-SDT resource from the wireless communication node (Babaei, ¶0169-0170, UE may receive the MT data based on (e.g., via) the radio resources; examiner notes, a first MT-SDT resource OR a second MT-SDT resource in Claim 1, [emphasis added]), wherein the MT-SDT configuration indicates the wireless communication terminal to receive the MT-SDT data via a message MSG B in a 2-step random access channel (RACH) procedure or a message MSG 2 or a message MSG 4 in a 4-step RACH procedure, and. (Babaei,¶0170, reception of the MT data may be based on a random access process (e.g., a Msg 4 in a four-step random access process or a Msg B in a two-step random access process).
Regarding Claim 11 (As best understood by the examiner, please refer to 112(b) rejection herein), Babaei teaches Claim 10.
Babaei further teaches . . . the paging message comprises an MT-SDT indicator indicating the wireless communication terminal to receive the MT-SDT data via a message MSG B in a 2-step RACH procedure or a message MSG 2 or a message MSG 4 in a 4-step RACH procedure (Babaei,¶0170 reception of the MT data may be based on a random access process (e.g., a Msg 4 in a four-step random access process or a Msg B in a two-step random access process)), and wherein the wireless communication terminal initiates a 2-step RACH procedure or a 4-step RACH procedure based on the MT-SDT indication paging message (Babaei, FIG. 23, ¶0171, receiving the MT data may be based on a paging message).
Regarding Claim 12, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the wireless communication terminal receives system information comprising an MT-SDT configuration configuring the second MT-SDT resource (Babaei, ¶0169-0170, UE may receive the MT data based on (e.g., via) the radio resources), and
wherein the wireless communication terminal determines initiating a 2-step RACH procedure or a 4-step RACH procedure based on an MT-SDT configuration in system information (Babaei, ¶0170, reception of the MT data may be based on a random access process (e.g., a Msg 4 in a four-step random access process or a Msg B in a two-step random access process)).
Regarding Claim 13, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 1 and is rejected based on the same rationales of Claim 1 (Babaei, FIG. 16, a wireless communication method comprising: transmitting, by a wireless communication node (gNB) to a wireless communication terminal (UE)).
Regarding Claim 14, Babaei teaches Claim 13.
Babaei further teaches the first MT-SDT resource comprises a pre-configured downlink resource and wherein the second MT-SDT resource comprises a random access resource in a random access procedure (Babaei, ¶0136, MT-SDT triggering mechanism may be used for UEs in RRC_INACTIVE, supporting RA-SDT and CG-SDT as the UL response).
Regarding Claims 16-17, the claims disclose similar features of Claims 5-6 and are rejected based on the same rationales of Claims 5-6.
Regarding Claim 18, Babaei teaches Claim 13.
Babaei further teaches the wireless communication node transmits an MT-SDT configuration for the second MT-SDT resource to the wireless communication terminal, wherein the MT-SDT configuration indicates the wireless communication terminal to receive the MT-SDT data via a message MSG B in a 2-step random access channel (RACH) procedure or a message MSG 2 or a message MSG 4 in a 4-step RACH procedure (Babaei,¶0170 reception of the MT data may be based on a random access process (e.g., a Msg 4 in a four-step random access process or a Msg B in a two-step random access process; examiner notes, a first MT-SDT resource OR a second MT-SDT resource in Claim 13, [emphasis added]), and
wherein the paging message comprises an MT-SDT indicator indicating the wireless communication terminal to receive the MT- SDT data via a message MSG B in a 2-step RACH procedure or a message MSG 2 or a message MSG 4 in a 4-step RACH procedure (Babaei, FIG. 23, ¶0171, receiving the MT data may be based on a paging message).
Regarding Claim 19, Babaei teaches Claim 13.
Babaei further teaches the wireless communication node transmits system information comprising an MT-SDT configuration configuring the second MT-SDT resource to the wireless communication terminal (Babaei, examiner notes, a first MT-SDT resource OR a second MT-SDT resource in Claim 13, [emphasis added]), and
wherein the MT-SDT configuration indicates the wireless communication terminal to initiate a 2-step RACH procedure or a 4-step RACH procedure (Babaei, ¶0170, reception of the MT data may be based on a random access process (e.g., a Msg 4 in a four-step random access process or a Msg B in a two-step random access process)).
Regarding Claim 20, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 1 and is rejected same rationales of Claim 1, in apparatus form (Babaei, FIG. 15; FIG. 16, a wireless communication terminal (UE 1500/UE), comprising: a communication unit (transceiver 1520, antenna 1510); and a processor (processor, 1540).
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 4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Babaei in view of ZHANG et al. (US 20230379881 A1), hereinafter ZHANG.
Regarding Claim 4, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei further teaches the paging message comprises an MT-SDT indicator indicating the wireless communication terminal to receive the MT-SDT data (Babaei, ¶0177, the configuration parameters, in the notification message, may indicate radio resources of at least one downlink grant for receiving the mobile terminated (MT) data)).
Babaei does not explicitly teach the MT-SDT indicator comprises an indication on a paging cause with a value for an MT-SDT, and wherein the value for the MT-SDT comprises a first value for using the first MT-SDT resource for the MT-SDT or a second value for using the second MT-SDT resource for the MT-SDT.
However, in the analogous art, ZHANG explicitly discloses the MT-SDT indicator comprises an indication on a paging cause with a value for an MT-SDT (ZHANG, FIG. 8, ¶0362, PagingCause is an MT-SDT) , and wherein the value for the MT-SDT comprises a first value for using the first MT-SDT resource for the MT-SDT or a second value for using the second MT-SDT resource for the MT-SDT (ZHANG, FIG. 8, Case A, PagingCause = an ENUMERATED (SDT) value, a “[first or second] value for an MT-SDT”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine Babaei’s method of resource allocation for mobile terminated (MT) data transmission with ZHANG’s method and device supporting downlink-triggered (DL-triggered) Small Data Transmission (SDT). The motivation would be to reduce signaling overhead and flexibly support SDT and RRC data transmission [ZHANG, ¶0006; ¶0012].
Regarding Claim 15, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 4 and is rejected same rationales of Claim 4.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Babaei in view of FAN et al. (US 20210352640 A1), hereinafter FAN.
Regarding Claim 8, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei does not explicitly teach the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT data on a symbol: [(SFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) + (slot number in the frame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) + symbol number in the slot] = (timeReferenceSFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot + timeDomainOffset x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot + S) modulo (1024 x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot), wherein numberOfSlotsPerFrame denotes a number of slots per frame, numberOfSymbolsPerSlot denotes a number of symbols per slot, timeReferenceSFN denotes a time reference system frame number, timeDomainOffset denotes an offset in time domain, and S denotes a start symbol.
However, in the analogous art, FAN explicitly discloses the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT data on a symbol:
[(SFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) + (slot number in the frame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) + symbol number in the slot] = (timeReferenceSFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot + timeDomainOffset x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot + S) modulo (1024 x numberOfSlotsPerFrame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot),
wherein numberOfSlotsPerFrame denotes a number of slots per frame, numberOfSymbolsPerSlot denotes a number of symbols per slot, timeReferenceSFN denotes a time reference system frame number, timeDomainOffset denotes an offset in time domain, and S denotes a start symbol (FAN, ¶0084-0086, symbol calculation, formula (3); ¶0088-¶0090, repeat of symbol calculation in formula (4), for CG Type 2; see also ¶0093 for HARQ CURRENT_symbol is a time domain start position of the configured uplink grant resource, and CURRENT_symbol=(SFN*numberOfSlotsPerFrame*numberOfSymbolsPerSlot+slot number in the frame*numberOfSymbolsPerSlot+symbol number in the slot); CG – configured grant (CG type 1 / type 2)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine Babaei’s method of resource allocation for mobile terminated (MT) data transmission with FAN’s method for determining a configured resource. The motivation would be to address improve resource configuration efficiency [FAN, ¶0023].
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Babaei in view of LEE et al. (US20250274939 A1), hereinafter LEE.
Regarding Claim 9, Babaei teaches Claim 1.
Babaei does not explicitly teach the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT data on a symbol:
[(SFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame) + (slot number in the frame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) =
(timeReferenceSFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame + timeDomainOffset + S)modulo
(1024 x numberOfSlotsPerFrame),
wherein SFN denotes a system frame number, numberOfSlotsPerFrame denotes a number of slots per frame, numberOfSymbolsPerSlot denotes a number of symbols per slot, timeReferenceSFN denotes a time reference system frame number, timeDomainOffset denotes an offset in time domain, and S denotes a start symbol
However, in the analogous art, LEE explicitly discloses the wireless communication terminal receives the MT-SDT data on a symbol:
[(SFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame) + (slot number in the frame x numberOfSymbolsPerSlot) =
(timeReferenceSFN x numberOfSlotsPerFrame + timeDomainOffset + S)modulo(1024 x numberOfSlotsPerFrame),
wherein SFN denotes a system frame number, numberOfSlotsPerFrame denotes a number of slots per frame, numberOfSymbolsPerSlot denotes a number of symbols per slot, timeReferenceSFN denotes a time reference system frame number, timeDomainOffset denotes an offset in time domain, and S denotes a start symbol (LEE, ¶0131 CG Type 1 Equation 3; ¶0132, CG Type 2, Equation 4; In Equations 3 and 4, numberOfSlotsPerFrame represents the number of consecutive slots per frame, and numberOfSymbolsPerSlot represents the number of consecutive symbols per slot, timeReferenceSFN is used to determine an offset of resources in a time domain, and a UE may use an SEN closest to the indicated number before reception of the configured CG. timeDomainOffset represents an offset relative to a reference SFN indicated by periodicity represents a period of UL transmission for CG Type 1. timeReferenceSFN, timeDomainOffset, and periodicity can be configured by configuredGrantConfig . . ., S corresponds to a start symbol deduced from timeDomainAllocation (see Table 6), and N is an integer value corresponding to the Nth transmission occasion/opportunity).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine Babaei’s method of resource allocation for mobile terminated (MT) data transmission with LEE’s method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a configured grant (CG) PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) in a wireless communication system. The motivation would be to reduce power consumption and increase the efficiency of wireless resources while ensuring the availability and reliability of transmission resources [LEE, ¶0170].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Babaei (US 20230284321 A1): Abstract; ¶0132 paging triggered MT-SDT
ZHENG et al. (US 20250310949 A1): Abstract; FIG. 6, paging; MT-SDT same MSGb/MSG2
Huang et al. (US 20260020010 A1): Abstract; FIG. 7 (Prior Art); FIG. 15, paging method and apparatus for mobile terminated small data transmission in a wireless communication system
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