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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Palat does not disclose the all the limitations of the independent claims, especially the limitations of
receiving an indication message transmitted from a network device, wherein the indication message comprises association information of a signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1) and/or a signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2); and
determining whether to transmit data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in a small data transmission (SDT) mode based on the indication message.
However, due to the broadness of the claim language, Examiner asserts that Palat does disclose the argued limitation of
receiving an indication message transmitted from a network device, wherein the indication message comprises association information of a signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1) and/or a signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) (Fig. 8, steps [4] wherein the UE receives a message over SRB1 from the network device gNB); and
determining whether to transmit data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in a small data transmission (SDT) mode based on the indication message (Fig. 8, step [5] wherein the UE determined to transmit data on the SRB1 over the SDT previously indicated in step [1]).
Due to the broadness of the claim language, Palat does disclose said argued limitations and therefore, the claims are still not yet in condition for allowance, and are still rejected as shown below and explained above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 9, 11, 17, 21, and 22 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 2, 9, 11, 17, 21, and 22 are allowable because there are no prior art references that can encompass all the features and limitations of the claims, nor can any references be combined to render said limitations obvious in combinations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5-8 16, 20, 32-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Palat et al. (US 2022/0039192; hereinafter Palat).
Regarding claim 1, 16, and 32-34, Palat discloses a method for data transmission, applied to a terminal, comprising:
receiving an indication message transmitted from a network device, wherein the indication message comprises association information of a signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1) and/or a signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) ([0108]-[0112]: the gNB indicates to the UE an UL grant for SDT, grants includes the use of SRB0, SRB1 or SRB2) ; and
determining whether to transmit data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in a small data transmission (SDT) mode based on the indication message ([0116]: wherein the use of UL SDT can belong to a single radio bearer such as SRB1).
Regarding claim 5, Palat discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the indication message is transmitted by a broadcast message or dedicated signaling ([0122]: RRC signaling).
Regarding claims 6, and 20 Palat discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the association information comprises one or more of the followings:
whether a serving cell where terminal camps supports transmitting the data on the SRB1 and/or the SRB2 in the SDT mode ([0116]: wherein the use of UL SDT can belong to a single radio bearer such as SRB1; [0155]-[0156] can use the current gNB context or may move to a new one);
whether a neighboring cell of the serving cell where the terminal camps supports transmitting the data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in the SDT mode ([0116]: wherein the use of UL SDT can belong to a single radio bearer such as SRB1; [0155]-[0156] can use the current gNB context or may move to a new one);
transmission configuration for transmitting the data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in the SDT mode; and
service scenarios of transmitting the data on the SRB 1 and/or the SRB2 in the SDT mode.
Regarding claim 7, Palat discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the transmission configuration comprises one or more of the followings:
a threshold of signaling data for transmission ([0121]: acceptable TBS size granted for UL SDT; [0130]: maximum TBS size allowed for msg 3); and
resources corresponding to transmission, wherein the resources comprise configuration grant (CG) resources or random access (RA) resources.
Regarding claim 8, Palat discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the service scenarios of transmitting the data on the SRB2 in the SDT mode comprise one or more of:
positioning information reporting,
tracking area update (TAU), and
deregistration ([0139]-[0143]: cell reselection occurs during SDT session; [0142]: UE context in gNB is released).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 CHUCK HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-7866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am - 6pm.
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, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUCK HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
