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 .
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)(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.
Claims 44-46, 48-54, 56-63 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Prakash et al. (US 2020/0107285).
Regarding claim 44, Prakash teaches a method performed by a receiver of receiving packets (fig. 4), the method comprising: receiving packets, wherein each packet includes an identifier that identifies a respective group of a plurality of groups (i.e., at 452, the base station 105-a may transmit to the modem 410, and the modem 410 may receive from the base station 105-a, the first data packet, as may have been identified at 450. As shown, the modem 410 receives the first data packet before the first delivery opportunity 417, where the first delivery opportunity 417 is based on the packet delivery time window configuration. In some cases, the first data packet may be of a traffic type for which the packet delivery time window configuration may have been identified [0105]); buffering the packets in a buffer (i.e., the modem 410 may buffer the first data packet, as may have been received at 452. In some cases, the modem 410 may buffer the first data packet before transmitting the first data packet based on having received the first data packet during the first delivery time window 418 before an upcoming delivery opportunity (e.g., the second delivery opportunity 422) [0107]); and delivering the packets from the buffer to a higher layer or application (i.e., the modem 410 may maintain the first data packet in a buffer for a holding time until a time at which the modem 410 may deliver the first data packet, for example, following the end time of the first delivery time window 456 [0107]-[0108]); wherein delivering the packets to a higher layer or application comprises delivering each packet in a delivery time period associated with the group identified by the identifier of the packet, wherein the delivery time period is based on a time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI (i.e., at 458, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) to the application 405, and the application 405 may receive from the modem 410, the first data packet. The modem 410 may deliver the first data packet during the time interval as may have been determined to be associated with the second delivery opportunity 422. As shown, the application 405 delivers the first data packet at the beginning of the second delivery opportunity 422 following the end time of the first delivery time window 418. Alternatively, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) the first data packet during an end portion of the first delivery time window 418 based on the packet delivery time window configuration [0107]-[0108]).
Regarding claim 45, Prakash further teaches the time periods associated with the plurality of groups are different ([0100]-[0102], [0128]).
Regarding claim 46, Prakash further teaches delivering each packet in the delivery time period associated with the group identified by the identifier of the packet comprises delivering packets that identify a particular group at a predetermined time within the time period associated with the group or at an end of the time period associated with the group (i.e., the device may identify a packet delivery time window configuration for communications with another device (e.g., for communications between a UE and a base station or an adapter function). The packet delivery window configuration may indicate a periodicity, offset, start time, end time, and/or duration (e.g., length) of the delivery windows, among other information [0005]-[0007], [0076], [0100]).
Regarding claim 48, Prakash further teaches receiving, from a base station, a configuration of at least one of a duration of each of the delivery time periods and a configuration of a start time or offset of one or more of the delivery time periods, obtained from the TSCAI (i.e., a packet delivery time window configuration may indicate a periodicity, offset, and/or duration for one or more delivery windows for delivery of packets to the receiving device. The packet delivery time window configuration may implicitly (e.g., based on the knowledge of the delivery windows) explicitly also indicate the periodicity, offset, and/or duration for one or more delivery opportunity during which the receiving device may transmit the corresponding data transmissions [0033], [0076]).
Regarding claim 49, Prakash further teaches transmitting, to a transmitter of the packets, a configuration of a duration of each of the delivery time periods and/or a configuration of a start time or offset of one or more of the delivery time periods (i.e., a network device (e.g., a UE, a base station, one or more adapter functions, or any other wireless communications device) may determine a packet delivery window configuration for transmitting and receiving data packets along the transmission timeline. The packet delivery window configuration may indicate a periodicity, offset, start time, end time, and/or duration (e.g., length) of the delivery windows [0033], [0076]).
Regarding claim 50, Prakash further teaches the method is performed by a user equipment, UE ([0033]).
Regarding claim 51, Prakash further teaches the method is performed by a base station ([0033]).
Regarding claim 52, Prakash teaches a method of transmitting packets ([0012]-[0013]), the method comprising: obtaining packets for transmission, wherein each packet is obtained in one of a plurality of time periods (i.e., at 452, the base station 105-a may transmit to the modem 410, and the modem 410 may receive from the base station 105-a, the first data packet, as may have been identified at 450. As shown, the modem 410 receives the first data packet before the first delivery opportunity 417, where the first delivery opportunity 417 is based on the packet delivery time window configuration. In some cases, the first data packet may be of a traffic type for which the packet delivery time window configuration may have been identified [0105]); and transmitting the packets to a receiver such that each packet includes an identifier that identifies a respective group of a plurality of groups, wherein each group is associated with a respective one of the time periods wherein delivering the packets to a higher layer or application in the receiver is performed in a delivery time period based on a time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI (i.e., at 458, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) to the application 405, and the application 405 may receive from the modem 410, the first data packet. The modem 410 may deliver the first data packet during the time interval as may have been determined to be associated with the second delivery opportunity 422. As shown, the application 405 delivers the first data packet at the beginning of the second delivery opportunity 422 following the end time of the first delivery time window 418. Alternatively, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) the first data packet during an end portion of the first delivery time window 418 based on the packet delivery time window configuration [0107]-[0108]).
Regarding claim 53, Prakash further teaches the plurality of groups comprise only a first group and a second group, wherein the first group is associated with a first one of the time periods and the second group is associated with a second one of the time periods (i.e., he process flow 400 includes a first period 415, a second period 420, a third period 430, and a fourth period 440. Initially, the modem 410 may identify a packet delivery time window configuration (e.g., a packet delivery window configuration) for communications of a traffic type (e.g., traffic categories). Traffic types may include or refer to communications traffic having different reliability thresholds, different latency thresholds, different services, or various combinations thereof [0100]-[0107]).
Regarding claim 54, Prakash further teaches transmitting, to the receiver, at least one of a configuration of a duration of delivery time periods for delivering the packets to a higher layer or application in the receiver and/or a configuration of a start time or offset of one or more of the delivery time periods (i.e., a network device (e.g., a UE, a base station, one or more adapter functions, or any other wireless communications device) may determine a packet delivery window configuration for transmitting and receiving data packets along the transmission timeline. The packet delivery window configuration may indicate a periodicity, offset, start time, end time, and/or duration (e.g., length) of the delivery windows [0033], [0076]).
Regarding claim 56, Prakash further teaches receiving, from the receiver, at least one of a configuration of a duration of delivery time periods for delivering the packets to a higher layer or application in the receiver and/or a configuration of a start time or offset of one or more of the delivery time periods, obtained from the TSCAI (i.e., a packet delivery time window configuration may indicate a periodicity, offset, and/or duration for one or more delivery windows for delivery of packets to the receiving device. The packet delivery time window configuration may implicitly (e.g., based on the knowledge of the delivery windows) explicitly also indicate the periodicity, offset, and/or duration for one or more delivery opportunity during which the receiving device may transmit the corresponding data transmissions [0033], [0076]).
Regarding claim 57, Prakash further teaches wherein the duration of the delivery time periods corresponds to a duration of the plurality of time periods in which the packets are available for transmission ([0100], [0128], [0199]).
Regarding claim 58, Prakash further teaches wherein the method is performed by a base station ([0033]).
Regarding claim 59, Prakash further teaches wherein the method is performed by a User Equipment, UE ([0033]).
Regarding claim 60, Prakash teaches an apparatus for receiving packets, the apparatus comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry (figs. 7-9) such that the apparatus is operable to: receive packets, wherein each packet includes an identifier that identifies a respective group of a plurality of groups (i.e., at 452, the base station 105-a may transmit to the modem 410, and the modem 410 may receive from the base station 105-a, the first data packet, as may have been identified at 450. As shown, the modem 410 receives the first data packet before the first delivery opportunity 417, where the first delivery opportunity 417 is based on the packet delivery time window configuration. In some cases, the first data packet may be of a traffic type for which the packet delivery time window configuration may have been identified [0105]); buffer the packets in a buffer (i.e., the modem 410 may buffer the first data packet, as may have been received at 452. In some cases, the modem 410 may buffer the first data packet before transmitting the first data packet based on having received the first data packet during the first delivery time window 418 before an upcoming delivery opportunity (e.g., the second delivery opportunity 422) [0107]); and deliver the packets from the buffer to a higher layer or application (i.e., the modem 410 may maintain the first data packet in a buffer for a holding time until a time at which the modem 410 may deliver the first data packet, for example, following the end time of the first delivery time window 456 [0107]-[0108]); wherein delivering the packets to a higher layer or application comprises delivering each packet in a delivery time period associated with the group identified by the identifier of the packet, wherein the delivery time period is based on a time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI (i.e., at 458, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) to the application 405, and the application 405 may receive from the modem 410, the first data packet. The modem 410 may deliver the first data packet during the time interval as may have been determined to be associated with the second delivery opportunity 422. As shown, the application 405 delivers the first data packet at the beginning of the second delivery opportunity 422 following the end time of the first delivery time window 418. Alternatively, the modem 410 may deliver (e.g., transmit) the first data packet during an end portion of the first delivery time window 418 based on the packet delivery time window configuration [0107]-[0108]).
Regarding claim 61, Prakash further teaches apparatus comprises or is comprised in a base station or a User Equipment, UE ([0033]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 47, 55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prakash et al. (US 2020/0107285)in view of Kanamarlapudi et al. (US 2021/0258409).
Regarding claim 47, Prakash further teaches all the limitations above except wherein the identifier for each packet is contained within a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, header of the packet.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kanamarlapudi teaches the wireless device processor may combine received packets at the PDCP level, and then deliver the packets to higher layers in the radio protocol stack, such as the radio resource control (RRC) and user plane layers… The number (or amount) of packets (or packet data) held or the size of the reordering buffer may be dictated by a window of time (e.g., a reordering timer) or number of packets (a reordering buffer window), such as a PDCP window. The duration or value of the reordering timer is typically set by a network device (such as by a base station). Upon expiration of the reordering timer, the wireless device processor may move the reordering buffer window and deliver packets temporarily stored in the reordering buffer to the higher layers of the radio protocol stack for processing in the intended order ([0035]). In the downlink, the PDCP sublayer 312 may provide functions that include in-sequence delivery of data packets, duplicate data packet detection, integrity validation, deciphering, and header decompression ([0078], [0095]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique of Kanamarlapudi in order to optimizes data transfer by providing header compression, security and sequence numbering, sitting above RLC layer.
Regarding claim 55, Prakash further teaches all the limitations above except transmitting each packet to the receiver such that each packet includes the identifier that identifies the respective group comprises inserting the identifier to a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, header of the packet.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kanamarlapudi teaches the wireless device processor may combine received packets at the PDCP level, and then deliver the packets to higher layers in the radio protocol stack, such as the radio resource control (RRC) and user plane layers… The number (or amount) of packets (or packet data) held or the size of the reordering buffer may be dictated by a window of time (e.g., a reordering timer) or number of packets (a reordering buffer window), such as a PDCP window. The duration or value of the reordering timer is typically set by a network device (such as by a base station). Upon expiration of the reordering timer, the wireless device processor may move the reordering buffer window and deliver packets temporarily stored in the reordering buffer to the higher layers of the radio protocol stack for processing in the intended order ([0035]). In the downlink, the PDCP sublayer 312 may provide functions that include in-sequence delivery of data packets, duplicate data packet detection, integrity validation, deciphering, and header decompression ([0078], [0095]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique of Kanamarlapudi in order to optimizes data transfer by providing header compression, security and sequence numbering, sitting above RLC layer.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEAN ALLAND GELIN whose telephone number is (571)272-7842. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FR 9-6 PM.
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/JEAN A GELIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643