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) submitted on 11/30/23 and 7/28/25. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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:
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, 45, 47 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US Publication 2023/0013067) disclosed PCT/CN21/089116.
Regarding claims 1, 45, 47, Liu teaches an apparatus and a data transmission method, comprising: (i.e. fig. 9 shows a UE comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 246)
receiving transmission configuration information; (i.e. fig. 3 shows a UE may receive configuration parameters for sidelink communications (element 101); see paragraphs 64, 65) and
transmitting data according to the transmission configuration information. (i.e. fig. 3 shows the UE device may perform sidelink communications based upon the received parameters (element 102); see paragraphs 66, 67, 68) (See Also; fig. 3 showing a relay UE comprising a Uu interface and a sidelink interface for sidelink communications; see paragraphs 60 - 62)
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, 18, 20, 21, 24, 45, 47 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (US Publication 2020/0107218).
Regarding claims 1, 45, 47, Wang teaches an apparatus and a data transmission method, comprising: (i.e. fig. 14 shows a terminal device comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 201)
receiving transmission configuration information; (i.e. fig. 7 shows the terminal device may receive configuration information for sidelink communications (element 701); see paragraphs 95) and
transmitting data according to the transmission configuration information. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the terminal device may perform sidelink communications with the network and a target device based upon the configuration information; see paragraphs 97, 98)
Regarding claims 2, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising:sending proximity information of a destination user equipment (UE); sending proximity information of a destination user equipment (UE). (i.e. fig. 7 shows the terminal device may transmit collected service data to the network, the service data includes parameter information on proximate devices for sidelink communications; see paragraphs 131, 132, 135)
wherein the proximity information comprises at least one of: an identity of a source UE, an identity of a destination UE, a transmission type, an application identity of the source UE, an application identity of the destination UE, a serving cell identity of the destination UE, a service node identity of the destination UE, a link state between the source UE and the destination UE, quality of service (QoS) of a data stream between the source UE and the destination UE, a hop count between the source UE and the destination UE, and a node identity of a relay node; wherein the link state comprises at least one of: a link measurement result, a link load, and a sidelink (SL) resource utilization rate. (See Also; the terminal device transmits service data parameters to the network, the parameters may include source identifiers, destination identifiers and other data; see paragraphs 92, 134)
Regarding claims 4, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein: the transmission configuration information comprises at least one of bearer configuration information and path configuration information or the transmission configuration information further comprises at least one of: a data
duplication indication, a data separation transmission indication, a data split threshold, a data split ratio, a primary path indication, a secondary path indication, a path switching indication; wherein the path switching indication comprises at least one of: an identity of a source UE, an identity of a destination UE, an SL RB identity, and path indication. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the configuration information received by the terminal device comprises both bearer and path configuration information; see paragraph 95)
Regarding claims 5, Wang teaches the method according to claim 4, wherein the bearer configuration information comprises at least one of:
the bearer configuration information comprises at least one of: a Uu radio link layer control protocol (RLC) protocol channel configuration;, a Uu RLC channel identity; a Uu logical channel configuration; a service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) configuration corresponding to a sidelink radio bearer (SL RB)ᵢ₁ a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) configuration corresponding to an SL RB and mapping information between an SL RB and a Uu RLC channel; or the bearer configuration information comprises at least one of: SDAP configuration corresponding to an SL RB, PDCP configuration corresponding to an SL RB, PC5 RLC channel configuration, and PC5 logical channel configuration; or the bearer configuration information comprises mapping information between an information type and a Uu RLC channel; wherein the information type comprises at least one of: discovery information, PC5-S, PC5 radio resource control (RRC) information, an SL signaling radio bearer (SRB) identity, and an SL data radio bearer (DRB) identity. (i.e. Wang discloses the bearer information the terminal device receives for configuration may comprise sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) identifier, data radio bearer (DRB) id, PC5 air interface information etc..; see paragraphs 92, 93, 132)
Regarding claims 8, Wang teaches the method according to claim 4, wherein the path configuration information comprises one of: a Uu transmission path, an SL transmission path, a Uu transmission path and an SL transmission path. (i.e. Wang discloses the path information transmitted in the path configuration information may comprise Uu or a sidelink transmission path; see paragraphs 97 – 99, 103, 104, 131)
Regarding claims 12, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending first discovery information or SL signaling or SL data through a PC5 interface;
or receiving, through a PC5 interface, second discovery information or SL signaling or SL data sent by a destination UE or forwarded by a relay UE;
wherein the second discovery information comprises at least one of: an application layer identity of the destination UE, a service node identity of the destination UE, a serving cell identity, a resident cell identity, maximum hop count information, transmitted hop count information, and a node identity of a relay node. (i.e. Wang discloses sidelink data may be sent to a destination UE via a PC5 interface; see paragraph 97, 99)
Regarding claims 18, Wang teaches the method according to claim 4, further comprising: receiving, through a Uu interface, discovery information or SL signaling or SL data sent by a destination UE and forwarded by a service node, wherein the discovery information or the SL signaling or the SL data carries at least one of: an identity of a source UE, an identity of a destination UE, and an SL RB identity; or receiving a local transmission indication information sent by a network element of a core network, wherein the local transmission indication information is used to indicate or request a service node to transmit discovery information or SL signaling or SL data through a Uu interface; wherein the local transmission indication information includes at least one of: a service node
forwarding request or indication, an identity of a source UE, an identity of a destination UE, a service node identity of the source UE, a service node identity of the destination UE, a serving cell identity of the source UE, a serving cell identity of the destination UE, and QoS flow information; wherein the QoS flow information comprises at least one of: a QoS flow identity (QFI), a QoS parameter. (i.e. Wang discloses the terminal device may receive sidelink (SL) information from the network, via a Uu interface, the information may comprise a source identifier, a destination identifier and other information; see paragraph 92)
Regarding claims 20, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending at least one of the following to a service node: a UE identity assigned by a core network, a destination identity corresponding to an
interested traffic type, and a transmission type corresponding to a destination identity. (i.e. Wang discloses the service data that is transmitted to the network device by the terminal may comprise a destination identifier assigned by the network; see paragraph 133, 134; See also figs 8 and 9 )
Regarding claims 21, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending a service node forwarding SL data indication to a destination UE; and in response to the destination UE being in an idle or inactive state, entering, by the destination UE, an RRC connected state after receiving the service node forwarding SL data indication. (i.e. Inherent to UE operation is switching from RRC Inactive/Idle to RRC connected in 5G NR/LTE network. It By definition it involves transitioning a user equipment (UE) from a power-saving, non-transmitting state to an active state with dedicated resources. The UE is simply in a "suspended" state where the RRC connection is inactive but the Access Stratum (AS) context is stored in both the UE and the network (gNB) the switch to connected is Triggered by uplink data, downlink paging, or small data transmission (SDT) which occurs in this limitation by receiving “paging” triggering exit from power saving mode)
Regarding claims 24, Wang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission configuration information is sent by a service node;
the service node comprises a base station, a distributed unit (DU), a centralized unit (CU), or an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the network device may comprise a base station; see paragraphs 108 - 110)
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) 25, 26, 46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bai et al. (US Publication 2021/0051602).
Regarding claims 25 and 46, Bai teaches am apparatus and a data transmission method, comprising:
receiving proximity information about a destination user equipment (UE); (i.e. fig. 8 shows a network communications manager (800) may comprise a proximity parameter component (845) which receive sidelink proximity parameters about destination UEs; see paragraph 160) and
sending transmission configuration information according to the proximity information. (i.e. fig. 8 shows a network communications manager (800) may comprise a power control adjustment component (835) may send power control configuration information based on the determined sidelink proximity parameters; see paragraph 158)
Regarding claims 26, Bai teaches the method according to claim 25, wherein, the proximity information is sent by a source UE, or sent by a network element of a core network. (i.e. the information on proximate UEs may be send by a source UE; see paragraphs 109. 160)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 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.
Claim 11 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.
Claim 14 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.
Claim 17 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.
Claim 19 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.
Conclusion
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
January 22, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471