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 Applicant didn’t submit any information disclosure statement (IDS). The Applicants and other individuals substantially involved with the preparation and/or prosecution of the application do have a duty to disclose to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, all material information known to the applicant(s) as defined in 37 CFR §1.56. See Brasseler, U.S.A. I, L.P. v. Stryker Sales Corp., 267 F.3d 1370, 1383, 60 USPQ2d 1482, 1490 (Fed. Cir. 2001) ("Once an attorney, or an applicant has notice that information exists that appears material and questionable, that person cannot ignore that notice in an effort to avoid his or her duty to disclose."). Materiality controls whether information must be disclosed to the Office, not the circumstances under which or the source from which the information is obtained. The duty to disclose material information extends to information such individuals are aware of prior to or at the time of filing the application or become aware of during the prosecution thereof. See MPEP § 2001.06.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 in line 8, "at least one protocol data unit” should be replaced by "the at least one protocol data unit ".
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
In 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 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 factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 7-10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN et al. (2020/0228194), HASSAN HUSSEIN hereinafter.
Re. claim 1, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches a method (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0008/¶0062/¶0066/¶0080/¶0096/¶0098), comprising: receiving, by a user equipment (Fig. 5a/Fig. 3-4, UE) comprising at least one processor (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE & ¶0149) from a non-terrestrial network node (Fig. 3-4, 10, non-terrestrial node), a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration comprising a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request indication indicative to the user equipment to enable transmission of a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request to a terrestrial radio network node with respect to unsuccessfully receiving at least one protocol data unit transmitted to the user equipment by the non-terrestrial network node (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - the system including a gateway, a non-terrestrial node, a terrestrial node and at least a user equipment, wherein terrestrial node includes a HARQ controller, wherein the gateway is configured to forward a data packet, said data packet to be transmitted to the user equipment, to the non-terrestrial node, wherein the non-terrestrial node is configured to forward the received data packet to the user equipment using a signal, wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality……. wherein the user equipment is configured to transmit the acknowledgement command and the non-acknowledgement command or the other signal to the terrestrial node which communicates with the non-terrestrial node, the user equipment including a transceiver which includes: a non-terrestrial signal receiver configured to receive the data packet from the non-terrestrial node; a unit for analyzing the signal quality of the data packet, said unit being configured to generate the acknowledgement command in case of a sufficiently correct reception of the data packet or to generate the non-acknowledgement command in case of an incorrect reception of the data packet; Fig. 2 & ¶0062 - Starting from this configuration, the bellow discussed concept enables buffering or generating the different redundancy versions (RVs) of an initial transmission RV0. The redundancy versions (RV1, RV2, . . . ) are later transmitted from a relay, buffer, or a terrestrial base-station 22 with satellite connection. More or different redundancy versions can also be transmitted via satellite on different or similar time slots. This optimized HARQ process enables allowing latency process for satellite (HAP) routed packets. In detail, the satellite 10 transmits the downlink channel to the ground user equipment 22. The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. Fig. 3-4 & ¶0080 - Starting from this configuration, a dual channel operation for the HARQ process (between the relay/base station/buffer node 40 and the satellite 10) may be performed in that way that the RVs are all forwarded by the satellite 10 to the remote relay/BS/buffer 40 with the option to transmit also a few RVs via the satellite/HAPS DL directly to the user equipment 22, as illustrated by the arrow D2′. Thus, according to embodiments, the satellite 10 comprising an internal buffer (not shown), the gateway 30 forwards some or all the RVS onto the satellite internal memory buffer. Hence, the ACKS/NACKS are sent to the terrestrial remote relay/base station/buffer 40 and forwarded by the node 40 back to the satellite 10 in order to reduce the satellite UL traffic and UE power consumption.); determining, by the user equipment, that at least one protocol data unit, corresponding to at least one non-terrestrial downlink traffic flow and received from the non-terrestrial network node, is unsuccessfully received to result in at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0076 - For determining the channel quality indicator or signal quality indicator, it is sufficient to analyze the non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22…. the NACK/ACK-signal is determined based on the decoded non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers. Also, see claims 1 & 5); transmitting, by the user equipment to the terrestrial radio network node, the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request comprising at least one protocol data unit identifier indicative of the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0066 - If NACK is received at the remote Relay/BS/Buffer 40, a retransmission has to be followed as per timing and retransmission ID sequence. If the Relay/BS/Buffer node 40 failed to generate the correct RV sequence ID, or buffer it (due to channel errors or memory congestion), the Relay/BS/Buffer relays 40 the NACK message again to the satellite/HAP 10 via a dedicated UL, wideband, and high carrier-to-noise-ratio channel. In all cases, ACKs and unattained NACKs (where a retransmission cannot be granted from the Relay/BS/Buffer node 40) may be relayed back to the satellite/HAP 10 via the mentioned dedicated UL, wideband, and high carrier-to-noise-ratio channel. Fig. 6 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number)); and responsive to the transmitting of the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request, receiving, by the user equipment from the terrestrial radio network node, at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0027 - a terrestrial signal transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledgement command or the non-acknowledgement command to the user equipment in order to initiate using the non-acknowledgement command a retransmission of the other data packet and/or a redundancy version of the other data packet, wherein parallel resources are used for the retransmission; ¶0032 - the transceiver of the user equipment comprises a terrestrial signal receiver for receiving the retransmitted data packet or the retransmitted redundancy version of the data packet from the terrestrial node. . Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3).).
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Even, though, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach the claimed feature “delegated” in reference to “delegated hybrid automatic repeat request”, however, a person of ordinary skill in the art, would readily appreciate that HARQ < hybrid automatic repeat request> as disclosed by HASSAN HUSSEIN, discloses that ACK/NACK between UE 22 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) and Satellite 110 (NTN/Non-Terrestrial Network) (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) are relayed by the base station 40 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7).
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 modify HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in routing acknowledgements at real-time buffering transmission for fast non-terrestrial communications in the wireless communication system. (¶0002/¶0085, HASSAN HUSSEIN)
Re. Claim 3, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration comprises at least one non-terrestrial downlink traffic identifier indicative of at least one downlink bearer or at least one downlink traffic flow with respect to which transmission, by the user equipment to the terrestrial radio network node, of the at least one delegated hybrid automatic repeat request is enabled (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0093 - base station 40 may comprise an uplink HARQ controller at the front end. This controller analyzes the uplink U2 and transmits, in accordance with the receive signal quality or in accordance with detected transmission errors, an information regarding the signal quality or acknowledgement commands or non-acknowledgement commands. The non-acknowledgement commands enable to initiate the user equipment 22 to retransmit the redundancy version of the broken frame as illustrated by the transmission path U5. This signal U5 is forwarded to the satellite 10 by the base station 40 via the parallel transmission path U6 (parallel means using different resources but simultaneously to U4) and vice versa forwarded to the gateway 30 via the transmission path U7 transmitted in parallel. Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3)).
Re. Claim 7, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request further comprises at least one of: a non-terrestrial network node identifier corresponding to the non-terrestrial network node; a redundancy version indication indicative of a redundancy version corresponding to transmission by the non-terrestrial network node of the determined at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0076 - For determining the channel quality indicator or signal quality indicator, it is sufficient to analyze the non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22…. the NACK/ACK-signal is determined based on the decoded non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers. Also, see claims 1 & 5. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one of” and “or” in the limitation); or a modulation and coding scheme indication indicative of a modulation and coding scheme corresponding to transmission by the non-terrestrial network node of the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit.
Re. Claim 8, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 7.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the redundancy version is a first redundancy version (Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers.), wherein the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit is transmitted by the terrestrial radio network node to the user equipment according to a second redundancy version that is sequentially subsequent to the first redundancy version (Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The redundancy versions (RV1, RV2, . . . ) are later transmitted from a relay, buffer, or a terrestrial base-station 22 with satellite connection. More or different redundancy versions can also be transmitted via satellite on different or similar time slots. This optimized HARQ process enables allowing latency process for satellite (HAP) routed packets. In detail, the satellite 10 transmits the downlink channel to the ground user equipment 22. The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers. This transmission is done using the terrestrial link marked by the reference numeral U1. Accordingly, the terrestrial base station buffering the redundancy versions RV0, RV1, . . . , transmits the buffered retransmission redundancy versions (RVS) directly to the user equipment 22 (cf. communication link D4) once an NACK (non-acknowledgement command) is received. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0085 - a so-called timing balancing approach may be used which enables fast retransmission for a limited number of packets. Here, the redundancy versions RV0, RV(n), RV(n+1) are buffered to the satellite or in general shall be buffered at a later time (when n belongs to the maximum retransmission, while the redundancy versions RV1, RV2, RV(n−1) are buffered to the relay/base station/buffer 40 for enabling fast retransmission without the non-terrestrial delay). ), and wherein the method further comprises: combining, by the user equipment, the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit with the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit based on the second redundancy version and the second redundancy version respectively, to result in at least one combined protocol data unit (Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - Due to the short distance between the buffer at the base station 40 and the user equipment 22 requesting a retransmission of an incorrectly transmitted data packet, a low-latency for delivering the redundancy version can be achieved. To sum up, the DL for RV0 is covered by the Satellite 10, while RV1, 2, . . . are covered by a dual connected remote base station 40 which regenerates the RVs 1, 2, 3, . . . from a correctly received RV0 at the remote BS. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0119 - For every successfully decoded frame/TB of a selected UE, the relay node shall generate the entire redundancy versions and fill them in a new soft-combining redundancy, e.g., circular, buffer as in LTE); and decoding, by the user equipment, the at least one combined protocol data unit (Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - Due to the short distance between the buffer at the base station 40 and the user equipment 22 requesting a retransmission of an incorrectly transmitted data packet, a low-latency for delivering the redundancy version can be achieved. To sum up, the DL for RV0 is covered by the Satellite 10, while RV1, 2, . . . are covered by a dual connected remote base station 40 which regenerates the RVs 1, 2, 3, . . . from a correctly received RV0 at the remote BS. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0119 - For every successfully decoded frame/TB of a selected UE, the relay node shall generate the entire redundancy versions and fill them in a new soft-combining redundancy, e.g., circular, buffer as in LTE).
Re. Claim 9, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the at least one protocol data unit identifier comprises at least one sequence number corresponding to the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit. (Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3)).
Re. Claim 10, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the at least one protocol data unit identifier is usable by the terrestrial radio network node to retrieve, from a core network component, the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit. (Fig. 1 & ¶0051 - FIG. 1 shows a satellite 10 (non-terrestrial node) connecting a remote client 20 with the gateway 30. The gateway 30 which is connected to the cellular/mobile core network (CN) and/or connected to a donor base-station, communicates with the satellite 10 using the communication link t1, e.g. via a dedicated wideband channel, i.e., transmitting both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) data. Regarding the term uplink and downlink, it should be noted that both terms describe the transmission situation from the point of view of the user equipment 22. Therefore, the downlink is referred to the transmission of data from the gateway 30 via the satellite 10 to the user equipment, while uplink refers to a transmission from the user equipment 22 to the base station 30 via the entities 40 and 10. Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3).).
Re. claim 19, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches a non-transitory machine-readable medium (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE & ¶0150), comprising executable instructions (¶0149) that, when executed by at least processor (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE & ¶0149) of a user equipment (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE), facilitate performance of operations (¶0149-¶0150), comprising: receiving, from a non-terrestrial network node, a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration comprising a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request indication indicative to the user equipment to enable transmission of a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request to a terrestrial radio network node with respect to unsuccessfully receiving at least one packet transmitted to the user equipment by the non-terrestrial network node (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - the system including a gateway, a non-terrestrial node, a terrestrial node and at least a user equipment, wherein terrestrial node includes a HARQ controller, wherein the gateway is configured to forward a data packet, said data packet to be transmitted to the user equipment, to the non-terrestrial node, wherein the non-terrestrial node is configured to forward the received data packet to the user equipment using a signal, wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality……. wherein the user equipment is configured to transmit the acknowledgement command and the non-acknowledgement command or the other signal to the terrestrial node which communicates with the non-terrestrial node, the user equipment including a transceiver which includes: a non-terrestrial signal receiver configured to receive the data packet from the non-terrestrial node; a unit for analyzing the signal quality of the data packet, said unit being configured to generate the acknowledgement command in case of a sufficiently correct reception of the data packet or to generate the non-acknowledgement command in case of an incorrect reception of the data packet; Fig. 2 & ¶0062 - Starting from this configuration, the bellow discussed concept enables buffering or generating the different redundancy versions (RVs) of an initial transmission RV0. The redundancy versions (RV1, RV2, . . . ) are later transmitted from a relay, buffer, or a terrestrial base-station 22 with satellite connection. More or different redundancy versions can also be transmitted via satellite on different or similar time slots. This optimized HARQ process enables allowing latency process for satellite (HAP) routed packets. In detail, the satellite 10 transmits the downlink channel to the ground user equipment 22. The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. Fig. 3-4 & ¶0080 - Starting from this configuration, a dual channel operation for the HARQ process (between the relay/base station/buffer node 40 and the satellite 10) may be performed in that way that the RVs are all forwarded by the satellite 10 to the remote relay/BS/buffer 40 with the option to transmit also a few RVs via the satellite/HAPS DL directly to the user equipment 22, as illustrated by the arrow D2′. Thus, according to embodiments, the satellite 10 comprising an internal buffer (not shown), the gateway 30 forwards some or all the RVS onto the satellite internal memory buffer. Hence, the ACKS/NACKS are sent to the terrestrial remote relay/base station/buffer 40 and forwarded by the node 40 back to the satellite 10 in order to reduce the satellite UL traffic and UE power consumption); determining that at least one packet, corresponding to at least one non-terrestrial downlink traffic flow, received from the non-terrestrial network node is unsuccessfully received to result in at least one packet determined to be unsuccessfully received (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0076 - For determining the channel quality indicator or signal quality indicator, it is sufficient to analyze the non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22…. the NACK/ACK-signal is determined based on the decoded non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers. Also, see claims 1 & 5); based on a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request retransmission being indicated in the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration being enabled with respect to the at least one non-terrestrial downlink traffic flow, determining to transmit, to the terrestrial radio network node, the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request comprising at least one packet identifier indicative of the at least one packet determined to be unsuccessfully received to result in a determined delegated hybrid automatic repeat request (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0066 - If NACK is received at the remote Relay/BS/Buffer 40, a retransmission has to be followed as per timing and retransmission ID sequence. If the Relay/BS/Buffer node 40 failed to generate the correct RV sequence ID, or buffer it (due to channel errors or memory congestion), the Relay/BS/Buffer relays 40 the NACK message again to the satellite/HAP 10 via a dedicated UL, wideband, and high carrier-to-noise-ratio channel. In all cases, ACKs and unattained NACKs (where a retransmission cannot be granted from the Relay/BS/Buffer node 40) may be relayed back to the satellite/HAP 10 via the mentioned dedicated UL, wideband, and high carrier-to-noise-ratio channel. Fig. 6 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number));
transmitting, to the terrestrial radio network node, the determined delegated hybrid automatic repeat request; and responsive to the transmitting of the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request, receiving, from the terrestrial radio network node, at least one terrestrial retransmitted packet corresponding to the at least one packet identifier (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0027 - a terrestrial signal transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledgement command or the non-acknowledgement command to the user equipment in order to initiate using the non-acknowledgement command a retransmission of the other data packet and/or a redundancy version of the other data packet, wherein parallel resources are used for the retransmission; ¶0032 - the transceiver of the user equipment comprises a terrestrial signal receiver for receiving the retransmitted data packet or the retransmitted redundancy version of the data packet from the terrestrial node. . Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3).).
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Even, though, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach the claimed feature “delegated” in reference to “delegated hybrid automatic repeat request”, however, a person of ordinary skill in the art, would readily appreciate that HARQ < hybrid automatic repeat request > as disclosed by HASSAN HUSSEIN, discloses that ACK/NACK between UE 22 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) and Satellite 110 (NTN/Non-Terrestrial Network) (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) are relayed by the base station 40 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7).
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 modify HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in routing acknowledgements at real-time buffering transmission for fast non-terrestrial communications in the wireless communication system. (¶0002/¶0085, HASSAN HUSSEIN)
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Suh et al. (2026/0025234), Suh hereinafter.
Re. Claim 2, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach wherein the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration is received via a radio resource control signal.
However, in the analogous art, Suh explicitly discloses wherein the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration is received via a radio resource control signal. (Fig. 1A-2B/Fig. 8A-8B/Fig. 13-19 & ¶0009 - The PUCCH2 may be received using only a HARQ process preconfigured through a radio resource control (RRC) message by a second base station of the NTN link. Fig. 1A-2B/Fig. 8A-8B/Fig. 13-19 & ¶0273 - a new HARQ feedback timing may be calculated considering the latency t2 of data transmission through the NTN link and the latency t1 of HARQ feedback transmission through the TN link. Considering that the HARQ feedback timing is K1 in data transmission through the TN link and HARQ feedback transmission through the TN link, the new HARQ feedback timing may be a value between K1 when using only the TN link and (K1+K_offset) when using only the NTN link. The newly calculated HARQ feedback timing may be indicated from the TN base station to the NTN base station (not shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B) and/or the gateway 1330 through RRC signaling. Fig. 1A-2B/Fig. 8A-8B/Fig. 13-19 & ¶0284 - the base station (e.g. MN or SN) may distinguish HARQ process(es) that transmit HARQ feedback information using the TN link among all HARQ process IDs, and indicate them through RRC signaling. That is, the base station may select HARQ processes for which HARQ feedbacks are transmitted through the NTN link or TN link in response to data received through the NTN link, and then indicate the selected HARQ processes to the terminal through RRC signaling.)
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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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Suh’s invention of a system and a method for providing a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in a multi-connectivity environment where a terrestrial network and a non-terrestrial network are simultaneously connected to a terminal in a 5G/NR (New Radio)/6G wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in enhancing link reliability and data transmission throughput through multi-connectivity with reduced latency for TN < terrestrial network>-NTN < non-terrestrial network > multi-connectivity in the 5G/NR (New Radio)/6G wireless communication system. (¶0002-¶0007, Suh)
Claims 4 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Jassal et al. (2025/0233697), Jassal hereinafter.
Re. Claims 4 and 20, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claims 1 and 19.
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach determining, by the user equipment, a remaining time budget corresponding to retransmission, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, of the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit to result in a determined remaining time budget; analyzing, by the user equipment, the determined remaining time budget with respect to a latency criterion to result in an analyzed determined remaining time budget; and determining, by the user equipment, to facilitate the transmitting of the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request based on the analyzed determined remaining time budget being determined to violate the latency criterion.
However, in the analogous art, Jassal explicitly discloses determining, by the user equipment, a remaining time budget corresponding to retransmission, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, of the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit to result in a determined remaining time budget (Fig. 7-21 & ¶0005:¶0006 - In non-terrestrial scenarios, propagation delays are expected to be significantly larger relative to decoding time, which creates a challenge for retransmission techniques developed from terrestrial scenarios. Decoded bits of a TB may remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to complete processing related to TB reception and decoding, also referred to as TB-decoding-time. Incorrectly decoded bits may stay in the soft buffer for up to T=(TB-decoding-time*number of transmission attempts)+(2*propagation delay*number of retransmission attempts). This is the amount of time that corresponding HARQ processes are “locked out” for scheduling purposes, and the corresponding soft buffer space is unable to hold any further decoded bits, even if some of the corresponding soft buffer space for that HARQ process is free. These soft buffer size and timing features are illustrative of aspects of conventional HARQ approaches that can be particularly challenging in wireless communications, especially in longer propagation delay scenarios such as in non-terrestrial network applications. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0110 - In FIG. 7, 720 represents reception of the data block at the UE, after a propagation delay 730. The decoding time 732 represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD <i.e., time until discard> of 16 slots in this example is shown at 734, and is applied from the time at which the UE has determined that the data block has been incorrectly decoded, shown at 722. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0113 – TUD <i.e., time until discard> …. is a time interval or period during which a data block is to remain in memory for the purpose of a retransmission procedure,); analyzing, by the user equipment, the determined remaining time budget with respect to a latency criterion to result in an analyzed determined remaining time budget (Fig. 7-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0110 - In FIG. 7, 720 represents reception of the data block at the UE, after a propagation delay 730. The decoding time 732 represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD <i.e., time until discard> of 16 slots in this example is shown at 734, and is applied from the time at which the UE has determined that the data block has been incorrectly decoded, shown at 722. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0113 – TUD <i.e., time until discard> …. is a time interval or period during which a data block is to remain in memory for the purpose of a retransmission procedure. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0114 - FIG. 8. 810 represents a data block for transmission, 820 represents reception of the data block at the UE after a propagation delay 830, and decoding time is shown at 832 and represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD is shown at 834, and is applied from the time at which the data block is received and not from the time 822 at which the UE determines that the data block has been incorrectly decoded); and determining, by the user equipment, to facilitate the transmitting of the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request based on the analyzed determined remaining time budget being determined to violate the latency criterion (Fig. 6-21 & ¶0005:¶0006 - In non-terrestrial scenarios, propagation delays are expected to be significantly larger relative to decoding time, which creates a challenge for retransmission techniques developed from terrestrial scenarios. Decoded bits of a TB may remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to complete processing related to TB reception and decoding, also referred to as TB-decoding-time. Incorrectly decoded bits may stay in the soft buffer for up to T=(TB-decoding-time*number of transmission attempts)+(2*propagation delay*number of retransmission attempts). This is the amount of time that corresponding HARQ processes are “locked out” for scheduling purposes, and the corresponding soft buffer space is unable to hold any further decoded bits, even if some of the corresponding soft buffer space for that HARQ process is free. These soft buffer size and timing features are illustrative of aspects of conventional HARQ approaches that can be particularly challenging in wireless communications, especially in longer propagation delay scenarios such as in non-terrestrial network applications. Fig. 6-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 12 & ¶0124 - In order to assist the network with scheduling, the UE may generate a memory space occupancy or availability report, also referred to herein by way of example as an SBSR, to indicate DL soft buffer occupancy (or availability) to the network. In some embodiments, an SBSR <i.e., soft buffer status report> is a report that indicates, for respective levels of QoS, a percentage or other measure of occupied soft buffer space (OSBS) holding decoded bits of data blocks. This is an example, and an SBSR may instead indicate a percentage or other measure of available soft buffer space. …. Occupancy status of memory space, as referenced herein, is intended to encompass not only an amount of memory space (such as a soft buffer) that is occupied. Occupancy status may also or instead relate to an amount of memory space (such as a soft buffer) that is available or unoccupied. Fig. 12 & ¶0125 - an SBSR <i.e., soft buffer status report> may be or include a bitstream generated by a UE, which is then mapped to Uplink Control Information (UCI) and multiplexed with other UCI such as ACK/NAK bits, Retransmission Request (RTQ) bits, scheduling request (SR) bits, and/or channel state information (CSI) bits.).
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Jassal’s invention of a system and a method for retransmission of data in a 5G/NR <New Radio>/6G wireless communication systems having a relatively large propagation delay with non-terrestrial network applications, because it provides an efficient and a flexible mechanism in which a UE (User Equipment) soft buffers for retransmission in hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes in the 5G/NR/6G wireless communication systems. (¶0002-¶0009, Jassal)
Re. claim 16, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches a user equipment (Fig. 5a/Fig. 3-4, UE), comprising: at least one processor (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE & ¶0149) configured to process executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, facilitate performance of operations (Fig. 5a/Fig. 2-4, UE & ¶0149), comprising: receiving, from a non-terrestrial network node, a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request configuration comprising a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request indication indicative to the user equipment to enable transmission of a delegated hybrid automatic repeat request to a terrestrial radio network node with respect to unsuccessfully receiving at least one protocol data unit transmitted to the user equipment by the non-terrestrial network node (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - the system including a gateway, a non-terrestrial node, a terrestrial node and at least a user equipment, wherein terrestrial node includes a HARQ controller, wherein the gateway is configured to forward a data packet, said data packet to be transmitted to the user equipment, to the non-terrestrial node, wherein the non-terrestrial node is configured to forward the received data packet to the user equipment using a signal, wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality……. wherein the user equipment is configured to transmit the acknowledgement command and the non-acknowledgement command or the other signal to the terrestrial node which communicates with the non-terrestrial node, the user equipment including a transceiver which includes: a non-terrestrial signal receiver configured to receive the data packet from the non-terrestrial node; a unit for analyzing the signal quality of the data packet, said unit being configured to generate the acknowledgement command in case of a sufficiently correct reception of the data packet or to generate the non-acknowledgement command in case of an incorrect reception of the data packet; Fig. 2 & ¶0062 - Starting from this configuration, the bellow discussed concept enables buffering or generating the different redundancy versions (RVs) of an initial transmission RV0. The redundancy versions (RV1, RV2, . . . ) are later transmitted from a relay, buffer, or a terrestrial base-station 22 with satellite connection. More or different redundancy versions can also be transmitted via satellite on different or similar time slots. This optimized HARQ process enables allowing latency process for satellite (HAP) routed packets. In detail, the satellite 10 transmits the downlink channel to the ground user equipment 22. The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. Fig. 3-4 & ¶0080 - Starting from this configuration, a dual channel operation for the HARQ process (between the relay/base station/buffer node 40 and the satellite 10) may be performed in that way that the RVs are all forwarded by the satellite 10 to the remote relay/BS/buffer 40 with the option to transmit also a few RVs via the satellite/HAPS DL directly to the user equipment 22, as illustrated by the arrow D2′. Thus, according to embodiments, the satellite 10 comprising an internal buffer (not shown), the gateway 30 forwards some or all the RVS onto the satellite internal memory buffer. Hence, the ACKS/NACKS are sent to the terrestrial remote relay/base station/buffer 40 and forwarded by the node 40 back to the satellite 10 in order to reduce the satellite UL traffic and UE power consumption.); determining that at least one packet, corresponding to at least one non-terrestrial downlink traffic flow and received from the non-terrestrial network node, is unsuccessfully received to result in at least one unsuccessfully received packet (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0076 - For determining the channel quality indicator or signal quality indicator, it is sufficient to analyze the non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22…. the NACK/ACK-signal is determined based on the decoded non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers. Also, see claims 1 & 5); and responsive to the transmitting of the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request, receiving, from the terrestrial radio network node, at least one terrestrial retransmitted packet corresponding to the at least one packet identifier (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0027 - a terrestrial signal transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledgement command or the non-acknowledgement command to the user equipment in order to initiate using the non-acknowledgement command a retransmission of the other data packet and/or a redundancy version of the other data packet, wherein parallel resources are used for the retransmission; ¶0032 - the transceiver of the user equipment comprises a terrestrial signal receiver for receiving the retransmitted data packet or the retransmitted redundancy version of the data packet from the terrestrial node. . Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3)).
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Even, though, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach the claimed feature “delegated” in reference to “delegated hybrid automatic repeat request”, however, a person of ordinary skill in the art, would readily appreciate that HARQ < hybrid automatic repeat request > as disclosed by HASSAN HUSSEIN, discloses that ACK/NACK between UE 22 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) and Satellite 110 (NTN/Non-Terrestrial Network) (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7) are relayed by the base station 40 (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7).
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 modify HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in routing acknowledgements at real-time buffering transmission for fast non-terrestrial communications in the wireless communication system. (¶0002/¶0085, HASSAN HUSSEIN)
Even further, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach determining a remaining time budget corresponding to retransmission, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, of the at least one unsuccessfully received packet to result in a determined remaining time budget; analyzing the determined remaining time budget with respect to a latency criterion to result in an analyzed determined remaining time budget; based on the analyzed determined remaining time budget being determined to violate the latency criterion, transmitting, to the terrestrial radio network node, the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request comprising at least one packet identifier indicative of the at least one unsuccessfully received packet;
However, in the analogous art, Jassal explicitly discloses determining a remaining time budget corresponding to retransmission, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, of the at least one unsuccessfully received packet to result in a determined remaining time budget (Fig. 7-21 & ¶0005:¶0006 - In non-terrestrial scenarios, propagation delays are expected to be significantly larger relative to decoding time, which creates a challenge for retransmission techniques developed from terrestrial scenarios. Decoded bits of a TB may remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to complete processing related to TB reception and decoding, also referred to as TB-decoding-time. Incorrectly decoded bits may stay in the soft buffer for up to T=(TB-decoding-time*number of transmission attempts)+(2*propagation delay*number of retransmission attempts). This is the amount of time that corresponding HARQ processes are “locked out” for scheduling purposes, and the corresponding soft buffer space is unable to hold any further decoded bits, even if some of the corresponding soft buffer space for that HARQ process is free. These soft buffer size and timing features are illustrative of aspects of conventional HARQ approaches that can be particularly challenging in wireless communications, especially in longer propagation delay scenarios such as in non-terrestrial network applications. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0110 - In FIG. 7, 720 represents reception of the data block at the UE, after a propagation delay 730. The decoding time 732 represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD <i.e., time until discard> of 16 slots in this example is shown at 734, and is applied from the time at which the UE has determined that the data block has been incorrectly decoded, shown at 722. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0113 – TUD <i.e., time until discard> …. is a time interval or period during which a data block is to remain in memory for the purpose of a retransmission procedure); analyzing the determined remaining time budget with respect to a latency criterion to result in an analyzed determined remaining time budget (Fig. 7-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0110 - In FIG. 7, 720 represents reception of the data block at the UE, after a propagation delay 730. The decoding time 732 represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD <i.e., time until discard> of 16 slots in this example is shown at 734, and is applied from the time at which the UE has determined that the data block has been incorrectly decoded, shown at 722. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0113 – TUD <i.e., time until discard> …. is a time interval or period during which a data block is to remain in memory for the purpose of a retransmission procedure. Fig. 7-21 & ¶0114 - FIG. 8. 810 represents a data block for transmission, 820 represents reception of the data block at the UE after a propagation delay 830, and decoding time is shown at 832 and represents the amount of time needed by the UE to decode the data block. The TUD is shown at 834, and is applied from the time at which the data block is received and not from the time 822 at which the UE determines that the data block has been incorrectly decoded); based on the analyzed determined remaining time budget being determined to violate the latency criterion, transmitting, to the terrestrial radio network node, the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request comprising at least one packet identifier indicative of the at least one unsuccessfully received packet; (Fig. 6-21 & ¶0005:¶0006 - In non-terrestrial scenarios, propagation delays are expected to be significantly larger relative to decoding time, which creates a challenge for retransmission techniques developed from terrestrial scenarios. Decoded bits of a TB may remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to complete processing related to TB reception and decoding, also referred to as TB-decoding-time. Incorrectly decoded bits may stay in the soft buffer for up to T=(TB-decoding-time*number of transmission attempts)+(2*propagation delay*number of retransmission attempts). This is the amount of time that corresponding HARQ processes are “locked out” for scheduling purposes, and the corresponding soft buffer space is unable to hold any further decoded bits, even if some of the corresponding soft buffer space for that HARQ process is free. These soft buffer size and timing features are illustrative of aspects of conventional HARQ approaches that can be particularly challenging in wireless communications, especially in longer propagation delay scenarios such as in non-terrestrial network applications. Fig. 6-21 & ¶0086 - Decoded bits of a TB remain in the soft buffer for at least the amount of time that a UE needs to do processing related to TB reception and decoding. Fig. 12 & ¶0124 - In order to assist the network with scheduling, the UE may generate a memory space occupancy or availability report, also referred to herein by way of example as an SBSR, to indicate DL soft buffer occupancy (or availability) to the network. In some embodiments, an SBSR <i.e., soft buffer status report> is a report that indicates, for respective levels of QoS, a percentage or other measure of occupied soft buffer space (OSBS) holding decoded bits of data blocks. This is an example, and an SBSR may instead indicate a percentage or other measure of available soft buffer space. …. Occupancy status of memory space, as referenced herein, is intended to encompass not only an amount of memory space (such as a soft buffer) that is occupied. Occupancy status may also or instead relate to an amount of memory space (such as a soft buffer) that is available or unoccupied. Fig. 12 & ¶0125 - an SBSR <i.e., soft buffer status report> may be or include a bitstream generated by a UE, which is then mapped to Uplink Control Information (UCI) and multiplexed with other UCI such as ACK/NAK bits, Retransmission Request (RTQ) bits, scheduling request (SR) bits, and/or channel state information (CSI) bits.).
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Jassal’s invention of a system and a method for retransmission of data in a 5G/NR <New Radio>/6G wireless communication systems having a relatively large propagation delay with non-terrestrial network applications, because it provides an efficient and a flexible mechanism in which a UE (User Equipment) soft buffers for retransmission in hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes in the 5G/NR/6G wireless communication systems. (¶0002-¶0009, Jassal)
Re. Claim 17, HASSAN HUSSEIN and Jassal teach claim 16.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the at least one protocol data unit identifier comprises at least one sequence number corresponding to the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit. (Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3)), and wherein the at least one packet identifier is usable by the terrestrial radio network node to retrieve, from a core network component, the at least one terrestrial retransmitted packet. (Fig. 1 & ¶0051 - FIG. 1 shows a satellite 10 (non-terrestrial node) connecting a remote client 20 with the gateway 30. The gateway 30 which is connected to the cellular/mobile core network (CN) and/or connected to a donor base-station, communicates with the satellite 10 using the communication link t1, e.g. via a dedicated wideband channel, i.e., transmitting both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) data. Regarding the term uplink and downlink, it should be noted that both terms describe the transmission situation from the point of view of the user equipment 22. Therefore, the downlink is referred to the transmission of data from the gateway 30 via the satellite 10 to the user equipment, while uplink refers to a transmission from the user equipment 22 to the base station 30 via the entities 40 and 10. Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3).)
Re. Claim 18, HASSAN HUSSEIN and Jassal teach claim 16.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches wherein the at least one packet identifier comprises at least one sequence number corresponding to the at least one unsuccessfully received packet. (Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3)), and wherein the at least one packet identifier is usable by the terrestrial radio network node to retrieve, via a non-terrestrial gateway corresponding to the non-terrestrial network node, the at least one terrestrial retransmitted packet.(Fig. 1 & ¶0051 - FIG. 1 shows a satellite 10 (non-terrestrial node) connecting a remote client 20 with the gateway 30. The gateway 30 which is connected to the cellular/mobile core network (CN) and/or connected to a donor base-station, communicates with the satellite 10 using the communication link t1, e.g. via a dedicated wideband channel, i.e., transmitting both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) data. Regarding the term uplink and downlink, it should be noted that both terms describe the transmission situation from the point of view of the user equipment 22. Therefore, the downlink is referred to the transmission of data from the gateway 30 via the satellite 10 to the user equipment, while uplink refers to a transmission from the user equipment 22 to the base station 30 via the entities 40 and 10. Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number). Fig. 6-7 & ¶0098 - FIG. 7 shows the used Frame Number encapsulation at the terrestrial node for the UE-UL-1 Frame/sequence/HARQ-Process. ID=3 represents the missing frame and the parallel transmission thereof. For the retransmission of the missing frame an identifier ix is used such that the gateway is enabled to insert the missing frame which is then transmitted in parallel (cf. U6 and U7) correctly in the sequence (cf. Data-3).)
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Ying et al. (2024/0260116), Ying hereinafter.
Re. Claim 12, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach wherein a redundancy version indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request, and wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to a default redundancy version.
However, in the analogous art, Ying explicitly discloses wherein a redundancy version indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request (Fig. 21-24 & ¶0107 - In addition, to overcome the large delay caused by HARQ feedback and/or possible retransmission, mechanism for disabling and/or enabling HARQ feedback may be supported for NTN. For example, enabling and/or disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling. Fig. 21-24 & ¶0158 - DCI format 1_3 may include a redundancy version (RV). … The number of bits in this bit field may be determined by the satellite type and/or network type (i.e. TN or NTN). The number of bits in this bit field may be determined by a mechanism for disabling/enabling HARQ feedback. The field size may be 0 bit if HARQ feedback is disabled as mentioned above. For example, if HARQ feedback is disabled for a HARQ process(es) (by RRC configuration), the RV field may be absent or 0 bit for the scheduling DCI format (current DCI format or new DCI format) of the corresponding HARQ process(es)… In case that RV field is not used to indicate the RV of corresponding/scheduled PDSCH transmission(s), a predefined/fixed/default RV or RV sequence is used by the corresponding/scheduled PDSCH transmission(s)), and wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to a default redundancy version (Fig. 21-24 & ¶0060 - configurations of the systems and methods described herein teach approaches for NTN transmission and/or retransmission management to meet the constraints and requirements. Fig. 21-24 & ¶0107 - In addition, to overcome the large delay caused by HARQ feedback and/or possible retransmission, mechanism for disabling and/or enabling HARQ feedback may be supported for NTN. For example, enabling and/or disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling. Fig. 21-24 & ¶0158 - Bit(s) or part of bits of the RV field for the scheduling DCI format (current DCI format or new DCI format) may be reused/reinterpreted to indicated HARQ process number with the HARQ process number field, e.g., 1 bit of RV field and 4 bits of HARQ process field can be used to indicate up to 32 HARQ processes. In case that RV field is not used to indicate the RV of corresponding/scheduled PDSCH transmission(s), a predefined/fixed/default RV or RV sequence is used by the corresponding/scheduled PDSCH transmission(s). Fig. 21-24 & ¶0289 - … the UE operations module 124 may inform the receiver(s) 120 when to receive retransmissions. ).
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Ying’s invention of a system and a method for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a non-terrestrial networks (NTN), because it provides an improved communication flexibility and/or efficiency in a wireless communication system which incorporates the non-terrestrial networks (NTN) in addition to terrestrial networks (TN). (¶0002-¶0004, Ying)
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Ying, further in view of RICO ALVARINO et al. (2022/0077972), RICO ALVARINO hereinafter.
Re. Claim 13, HASSAN HUSSEIN and Ying teach claim 12.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches decoding, by the user equipment, the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit. (Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0096 - The UE 22 send a sequence of data where transport block 3 fails: 0, 1, 2, 3(E), 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . . The terrestrial access node 40 detects that frame/transport-block 3 fails; hence it keep sending NACKs. The UE 22 sends a parallel retransmission on dedicated resources or channels. The terrestrial access node 40 forward only the correct data in sequence excluding the faulty one (i.e., 3): e.g.: 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, . . . (here 3 fails). Once frame 3 is correctly decoded, the terrestrial node sends it on a dedicated resources (parallel resources) to the SAT with its location in the older data transmission (i.e., between 2 and 4 in a certain frame sequence number. Also, see claims 1 & 9).
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN and Ying do not expressly teach flushing, by the user equipment from a memory corresponding to the user equipment, the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit;
However, in the analogous art, RICO ALVARINO explicitly discloses flushing, by the user equipment from a memory corresponding to the user equipment, the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit; (Fig. 1-13 & ¶0093 - Based on the NAK feedback, the UE determines that the network entity will not trigger a retransmission of the missing packet and flushes a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) buffer based on the determination.)
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system and Ying’s invention of a system and a method for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a non-terrestrial networks (NTN) to include RICO ALVARINO’s invention of a system and a method for sending feedback regarding unsuccessful transmission in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient techniques for using a radio access network (RAN) level negative acknowledgement (NAK) feedback to indicate at least one missing frame from an encoding device in the wireless communication system. (¶0078, RICO ALVARINO)
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Chae et al. (2021/0051594), Chae hereinafter, further in view of MolavianJazi et al. (2022/0053522), MolavianJazi hereinafter.
Re. Claim 14, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach wherein a modulation and coding scheme indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request, and wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to a default modulation and coding scheme configured in the user equipment.
However, in the analogous art, Chae explicitly discloses wherein a modulation and coding scheme indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request (Fig. 1-28 & ¶0237 - If the HARQ or CSI feedback is not supported in sidelink operation, the transmitting UE may blindly determine the number of retransmission numbers, MCS, transmission power, etc., in the absence of feedback),
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Chae’s invention of power control for sidelink feedback operation in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in mitigating in-band emission (IBE) interference for sidelink feedback, in turns, enhances the detection performance of sidelink feedback operation in the wireless communication system. (¶0235, Chae).
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN and Chae do not expressly teach wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to a default modulation and coding scheme configured in the user equipment.
However, in the analogous art, MolavianJazi explicitly discloses wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to a default modulation and coding scheme configured in the user equipment. (Fig. 1-56 & ¶0308 - UE determines whether a specified group of DCI fields, such as one or more of modulation and coding scheme (MCS), HARQ process number (HPN), redundancy version (RV), are set to specified default values, such as all zero(s) or all one(s) values. Fig. 1-56 & ¶0464 - The gNB schedules each uplink transmission and retransmission using the uplink grant on DCI. For operation with shared spectrum channel access, UE can also retransmit on configured grants. Also, see Table 11 & ¶0497).
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system and Chae’s invention of power control for sidelink feedback operation in a wireless communication system to include MolavianJazi’s invention of method and and apparatuses for adaptive cross-carrier scheduling and flexible physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) groups in a wireless communication system, because it provides enhancements for cross-carrier scheduling in a CA operation to enable dynamic and adaptive mechanisms for offloading of control overhead corresponding to different serving cells among the scheduling cells operating in the wireless communication system. (¶0125, MolavianJazi)
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HASSAN HUSSEIN, in view of Chae.
Re. Claim 15, HASSAN HUSSEIN teaches claim 1.
HASSAN HUSSEIN further teaches determining, by the user equipment, a modulation and coding scheme corresponding to the terrestrial radio network node based on at least one channel condition parameter metric corresponding to a communication link between the terrestrial radio network node and the user equipment to result in a determined modulation and coding scheme, wherein the receiving of the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier is facilitated according to the determined modulation and coding scheme. (Fig. 3-4 & ¶0008 - wherein the user equipment is configured to analyze the received data packet with regard to a transmission error and/or to analyze the signal from the non-terrestrial node with regard to a signal quality and to generate a negative acknowledgment command or an acknowledgement command dependent on the transmission error or to generate another signal indicating the reception signal quality dependent on the reception signal quality. Fig. 2-4/Fig. 6-7 & ¶0027 - wherein the user equipment is configured to transmit the acknowledgement command and the non-acknowledgement command or the other signal to the terrestrial node which communicates with the non-terrestrial node, the terrestrial node including: a terrestrial signal receiver configured to receive another data packet from the user equipment, the other data packet is to be transmitted to the gateway; a unit for analyzing the signal quality of the other data packet, said unit being configured to generate an acknowledgement command in case of a sufficiently correct reception of the data packet or to generate an non-acknowledgement command in case of an incorrect reception of the data packet; and a terrestrial signal transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledgement command or the non-acknowledgement command to the user equipment in order to initiate using the non-acknowledgement command a retransmission of the other data packet and/or a redundancy version of the other data packet, wherein parallel resources are used for the retransmission; further including a controller configured to choose or adapt the modulation and coding scheme in accordance to the communication requirements of the transmission between the user equipment and the terrestrial node and in accordance to the communication requirements of the transmission between the terrestrial node and the non-terrestrial node. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0076 - For determining the channel quality indicator or signal quality indicator, it is sufficient to analyze the non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22…. the NACK/ACK-signal is determined based on the decoded non-terrestrial signal received by the user equipment 22. Fig. 2-4 & ¶0062 - The user equipment 22 analyzes the received data packet RV0 in order to generate an HARQ acknowledgement command. The HARQ acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) is transmitted to the terrestrial base station 40 in the neighborhood using a terrestrial connection, i.e. by use of terrestrial transceivers).
Yet, HASSAN HUSSEIN does not expressly teach wherein a modulation and coding scheme indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request,
However, in the analogous art, Chae explicitly discloses wherein a modulation and coding scheme indication is absent from the delegated hybrid automatic repeat request (Fig. 1-28 & ¶0237 - If the HARQ or CSI feedback is not supported in sidelink operation, the transmitting UE may blindly determine the number of retransmission numbers, MCS, transmission power, etc., in the absence of feedback),
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 HASSAN HUSSEIN’s invention of method and device for non-terrestrial communication in a wireless communication system to include Chae’s invention of power control for sidelink feedback operation in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in mitigating in-band emission (IBE) interference for sidelink feedback, in turns, enhances the detection performance of sidelink feedback operation in the wireless communication system. (¶0235, Chae).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 11 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: The Examiner has conducted a search of Patent and Non-Patent Literature and was unable to find any prior art which solely or in combination with another reference teaches the limitation of:
Claim 5 – wherein the determining of the determined remaining time budget is based on a roundtrip time to transmit, by the user equipment to the non-terrestrial network node, hybrid automatic repeat request negative acknowledgement, and to transmit, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, a non-terrestrial at least one retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one protocol data unit identifier.
Claim 6 – Depends on claim 5.
Claim 11 – wherein the at least one unsuccessfully received protocol data unit is at least one first unsuccessfully received non-terrestrial protocol data unit, wherein the determined remaining time budget is a first determined remaining time budget, wherein the analyzed determined remaining time budget is a first analyzed determined remaining time budget, wherein the at least one terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit is at least one first terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit, wherein the at least one protocol data unit identifier is at least one first protocol data unit identifier, and wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the user equipment, that at least one second non-terrestrial protocol data unit, received from the non-terrestrial network node, is unsuccessfully received to result in at least one second unsuccessfully received protocol data unit; determining, by the user equipment, a second remaining time budget corresponding to retransmission, by the non-terrestrial network node to the user equipment, of the at least one second unsuccessfully received protocol data unit to result in a second determined remaining time budget; analyzing, by the user equipment, the second determined remaining time budget with respect to the latency criterion to result in a second analyzed determined remaining time budget; based on the second analyzed determined remaining time budget being determined to satisfy the latency criterion, transmitting, by the user equipment to the non-terrestrial network node, a hybrid automatic repeat request negative acknowledgement comprising at least one second protocol data unit identifier indicative of the at least one second unsuccessfully received protocol data unit; and responsive to the transmitting of the hybrid automatic repeat request negative acknowledgment, receiving, by the user equipment from the non-terrestrial network node, at least one second terrestrial retransmitted protocol data unit corresponding to the at least one second protocol data unit identifier.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #107; R2-1908987; Source: Nomor Research GmbH; Title: Report of Email Discussion [106#71][NR/NTN] HARQ (Nomor); Prague, CZ, August 26 - 30, 2019. See §2-§5.
3GPP RAN WG2 Meeting #116bis-e; R2-2201899; Source to WG: InterDigital; Title: Stage-3 running CR for TS 38.321 for Rel-17 NTN; eMeeting January 17th – 25th, 2022. See §3-§6.
3GPP RAN WG2 Meeting #117-e; R2-2203424; Source: InterDigital; Title: Report of [Pre117-e][NTN][103] MAC open issues; eMeeting February 21st – March 3rd, 2022. See §2-§4.
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/MOHAMMED S CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467