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 Objections
Claim 31 is objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 12-13 which recite the claim limitation “perform, an uplink carrier, a CG-SDT procedure” should be corrected to recite “perform, on an uplink carrier, a CG-SDT procedure” as similarly recited in independent claim 21. 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.
Claims 21-22, 24, 26-27, 29, 31-32, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoglund et al. US (2025/0056618) in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Regarding Claim 21, Hoglund discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (see Figures 1-2 i.e., UE 105) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a radio resource control (RRC) release message including information on a configured grant (CG) resource for small data transmission (SDT) and a time threshold related to a mobile terminated-SDT (MT-SDT), (see Para [0105] i.e., Rel-17 CG-SDT is for example configured for the UE 105 in the RRC Release message when releasing the connection i.e., the UE 105 is in RRC_CONNECTED, preceding the RRC_INACTIVE mode where the CG-SDT configuration is applied…For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message…In one alternative, this configuration may be added as a Rel-18 extension to the Rel-17 CG-SDT RRC configuration which is provided to the UE 105 in the RRC release message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold. The threshold may be defined in milliseconds (ms), a number of symbols or slots, number of radio frames or subframes, etc. The threshold may be provided in dedicated RRC signaling, e.g., in RRC Release as a Rel-18 extension to the CG-SDT configuration)
receiving a paging message including an indication of the MT-SDT, (see Para’s [0105] i.e., For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold)
determining whether a time between initiating an SDT procedure for the MT-SDT and a first available CG occasion for an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is less than the time threshold; (see Para’s [0013] i.e., CG-SDT occasions, [0118] i.e., UE 105 should interpret the MT-SDT indication in the paging record. That is, there may be an indication in paging message for indicating to the UE 105 that it should initiate a procedure for MT-SDT response (SDT procedure is initiated based on the received MT-SDT indication in the paging message), [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “first available CG occasion for initial CG-SDT transmission”) is below the configured threshold, [0127] i.e., the UE 105 may determine if the time until the next upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is less than the configured threshold or not, & [0128-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure)
and in response to determining that the time between initiating the SDT procedure for the MT-SDT and the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission is less than the time threshold (see Para’s [0119] & [0127-0129]), performing, on an uplink carrier, a CG-SDT procedure using the CG resource for SDT, (see Para’s [0013], [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “first available CG occasion for initial CG-SDT transmission”) is below the configured threshold, [0127-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure, [0155] i.e., UL carrier & [0163-0165])
Hoglund does not disclose the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Lohr discloses an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message which is transmitted by the UE when performing a CG-SDT procedure (see Fig. 6, step 612 i.e., CG-SDT: RRC Resume Request & Para’s [0073] i.e., common control channel (“CCCH”) message size [0089-0090] i.e., the first UL message (e.g., the CG transmission for CG) may contain at least the following contents i.e., CCCH message, [0104-0106], [0112-0114], [0116] i.e., the UE 601 shall initiate the UL SDT procedure based on SDT triggering indication received within the paging message, [0122] i.e., As shown in Fig. 6, UE 601 transmits (e.g., messaging 612) on the selected CG resources, e.g., the UE 601 determines to perform CG-SDT procedure (see block 606) based on the SDT resource selection procedure as described above (see block 606), the RRC Resume Request message (CCCH) (i.e., initial CG-SDT with CCCH) & [0124]).
(Lohr suggests the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption, (see Para’s [0042-0045], [0067-0068], [0082-0088], [0112-0114], & [0122-0124])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission by the UE during the SDT procedure as disclosed in Hoglund to include the RRC resume request message with CCCH transmitted by the UE as an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission during the CG-SDT procedure as disclosed in Lohr, because the motivation lies in Lohr that the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption.
Regarding Claim 22 and 32, Hoglund discloses the method and UE of claims 21 and 31, but does not disclose wherein the performing the CG-SDT procedure comprises transmitting an RRC resume request message using the CG resource for SDT. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Lohr discloses wherein the performing the CG-SDT procedure comprises transmitting an RRC resume request message using the CG resource for SDT (see Fig. 6 i.e., RRC resume request message 612 & Para’s [0104-0106] & [0122] i.e., the UE 601 transmits (see message 612) on the selected CG resources…the RRC resume request message (CCCH)).
(Lohr suggests the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption, (see Para’s [0042-0045], [0067-0068], [0082-0088], [0112-0114], & [0122-0124])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the SDT procedure performed by the UE as disclosed in Hoglund to comprise transmitting, by the UE, the RRC resume request message using the CG resource for SDT during the CG-SDT procedure as disclosed in Lohr, because the motivation lies in Lohr that the RRC resume request message is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption.
Regarding Claims 24, 29, and 34 Hoglund discloses the method, base station, and UE of claims 21, 26, and 31 wherein CG-SDT is configured on the uplink carrier (see Para’s [0155-0156]), but does not disclose the claim features of wherein a timing advance for CG-SDT is valid in the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission with the CCCH message, and wherein at least one synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SSB) configured for CG-SDT with a reference signal received power (RSRP) above an RSRP threshold is available. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Lohr discloses wherein a timing advance for CG-SDT is valid in the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission with the CCCH message (see Para’s [0106] i.e., a new TA timer for TA maintenance for configured grant based small data transfer in RRC_INACTIVE should be introduced. The TA timer is configured with the CG configuration in the RRC release message, [0108] i.e., the UE can use the configured grant based small data transfer if at least the following criteria is fulfilled…UE has valid TA & [0122] i.e., RRC resume request message (CCCH))
and wherein at least one synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SSB) configured for CG-SDT with a reference signal received power (RSRP) above an RSRP threshold is available, (see Para [0119] i.e., as association between CG resources (used for CG-SDT) and SSBs has been introduced…the UE 601 checks during the SDT initiation stage (SDT resource selection procedure) if at least one of the SSB’s RSRP is above a configured threshold to determine if at least one of the SSB is qualified to be selected for CG transmission)
(Lohr suggests the determining if the timing advance and the RSRP threshold for SSB are satisfied for the CG-SDT is performed by the UE for determining if the UE can use the configured grant for small data transmission and if the SSB is qualified to be selected for CG transmission, (see Para’s [0106], [0108], & [0119])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission based on the SDT procedure performed by the UE as disclosed in Hoglund to perform determining whether a timing advance for CG-SDT is valid in the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission with the CCCH message and whether at least one synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SSB) configured for CG-SDT with a reference signal received power (RSRP) above an RSRP threshold is available as disclosed in the teachings of Lohr, because the motivation lies in Lohr that the determining if the timing advance and the RSRP threshold for SSB are satisfied for the CG-SDT is performed by the UE for determining if the UE can use the configured grant for small data transmission and if the SSB is qualified to be selected for CG transmission.
Regarding Claim 26, Hoglund discloses a base station in a wireless communication system (see Fig. 1 i.e., base station 101, Fig. 12b & Para’s [0050] i.e., network node 101 may be a base station & [0196-0197] i.e., network node 101), the base station comprising: a transceiver (see Fig. 12b i.e., radio circuitry 2103 & Para [0205-0206]); and a processor operably coupled with the transceiver (see Fig. 12b i.e., processing circuitry 2101 & Para [0206]), the processor (see Fig. 12b , 2101) configured to: transmit, via the transceiver (see Fig. 12b i.e., 2103), a radio resource control (RRC) release message including information on a configured grant (CG) resource for small data transmission (SDT) and a time threshold related to a mobile terminated-SDT (MT-SDT); (see Para [0105] i.e., Rel-17 CG-SDT is for example configured for the UE 105 in the RRC Release message when releasing the connection i.e., the UE 105 is in RRC_CONNECTED, preceding the RRC_INACTIVE mode where the CG-SDT configuration is applied…For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message…In one alternative, this configuration may be added as a Rel-18 extension to the Rel-17 CG-SDT RRC configuration which is provided to the UE 105 in the RRC release message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold. The threshold may be defined in milliseconds (ms), a number of symbols or slots, number of radio frames or subframes, etc. The threshold may be provided in dedicated RRC signaling, e.g., in RRC Release as a Rel-18 extension to the CG-SDT configuration)
transmit, via the transceiver, a paging message including an indication of the MT- SDT; (see Para’s [0105] i.e., For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold)
and if a time between initiating an SDT procedure for the MT-SDT and a first available CG occasion for an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is less than the time threshold, (see Para’s [0013] i.e., CG-SDT occasions, [0118] i.e., UE 105 should interpret the MT-SDT indication in the paging record. That is, there may be an indication in paging message for indicating to the UE 105 that it should initiate a procedure for MT-SDT response (SDT procedure is initiated based on the received MT-SDT indication in the paging message), [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “first available CG occasion for initial CG-SDT transmission”) is below the configured threshold, [0127] i.e., the UE 105 may determine if the time until the next upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is less than the configured threshold or not, & [0128-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure)
receive, via the transceiver on an uplink carrier, a message using the CG resource for SDT, (see Para’s [0013], [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “message”) is below the configured threshold, [0127-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure, [0155] i.e., UL carrier & [0163-0165])
Hoglund does not disclose the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message received in an RRC resume request message. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Lohr discloses an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message which is transmitted by the UE to the base station as an RRC resume request message when performing a CG-SDT procedure (see Fig. 6, step 612 i.e., CG-SDT: RRC Resume Request & Para’s [0073] i.e., common control channel (“CCCH”) message size [0089-0090] i.e., the first UL message (e.g., the CG transmission for CG) may contain at least the following contents i.e., CCCH message, [0104-0106], [0112-0114], [0116] i.e., the UE 601 shall initiate the UL SDT procedure based on SDT triggering indication received within the paging message, [0122] i.e., As shown in Fig. 6, UE 601 transmits (e.g., messaging 612) on the selected CG resources, e.g., the UE 601 determines to perform CG-SDT procedure (see block 606) based on the SDT resource selection procedure as described above (see block 606), the RRC Resume Request message (CCCH) (i.e., initial CG-SDT with CCCH) & [0124]).
(Lohr suggests the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption, (see Para’s [0042-0045], [0067-0068], [0082-0088], [0112-0114], & [0122-0124])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission by the UE during the SDT procedure as disclosed in Hoglund to include the RRC resume request message with CCCH transmitted by the UE as an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission during the CG-SDT procedure as disclosed in Lohr, because the motivation lies in Lohr that the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption.
Regarding Claim 27, the claim is directed towards a base station which performs the same claim feature as claim 22 with regards to a receiving step. Therefore claim 27 is rejected as obvious over the combination of Hoglund in view of Lohr for the same reasons as claim 22.
Regarding Claim 31, Hoglund discloses a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system (see Fig. 1 i.e., UE 105, Fig. 11b & Para’s [0052] & [0193-0194]), the UE comprising: a transceiver (see Fig. 11b i.e., radio circuitry 1113 & Para’s [0193-0194]); and a processor operably coupled with the transceiver (see Fig. 11b i.e., processing circuitry 1111 & Para [0194]), the processor configured to: receive, via the transceiver, a radio resource control (RRC) release message including information on a configured grant (CG) resource for small data transmission (SDT) and a time threshold related to a mobile terminated-SDT (MT-SDT), (see Para [0105] i.e., Rel-17 CG-SDT is for example configured for the UE 105 in the RRC Release message when releasing the connection i.e., the UE 105 is in RRC_CONNECTED, preceding the RRC_INACTIVE mode where the CG-SDT configuration is applied…For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message…In one alternative, this configuration may be added as a Rel-18 extension to the Rel-17 CG-SDT RRC configuration which is provided to the UE 105 in the RRC release message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold. The threshold may be defined in milliseconds (ms), a number of symbols or slots, number of radio frames or subframes, etc. The threshold may be provided in dedicated RRC signaling, e.g., in RRC Release as a Rel-18 extension to the CG-SDT configuration)
Receive, via the transceiver, a paging message including an indication of the MT-SDT, (see Para’s [0105] i.e., For Rel-18 MT-SDT, the UE 105 may be configured to apply CG-SDT in case of the MT indication in the paging message & [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is below the configured threshold)
And if a time between initiating an SDT procedure for the MT-SDT and a first available CG occasion for an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is less than the time threshold; (see Para’s [0013] i.e., CG-SDT occasions, [0118] i.e., UE 105 should interpret the MT-SDT indication in the paging record. That is, there may be an indication in paging message for indicating to the UE 105 that it should initiate a procedure for MT-SDT response (SDT procedure is initiated based on the received MT-SDT indication in the paging message), [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “first available CG occasion for initial CG-SDT transmission”) is below the configured threshold, [0127] i.e., the UE 105 may determine if the time until the next upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is less than the configured threshold or not, & [0128-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure)
perform, on an uplink carrier, a CG-SDT procedure using the CG resource for SDT, (see Para’s [0013], [0119] i.e., a time threshold may be configured for the UE 105 and the UE 105 may only respond to the MT-SDT triggering in the paging message using its configured CG-SDT resources if the time until the upcoming CG-SDT UL grant (i.e., “first available CG occasion for initial CG-SDT transmission”) is below the configured threshold, [0127-0129] i.e., If the time is less than the configured threshold, then the UE 105 may perform step 607 i.e., the UE may trigger the CG-SDT procedure, [0155] i.e., UL carrier & [0163-0165])
Hoglund does not disclose the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244).
Lohr discloses an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission is with a common control channel (CCCH) message which is transmitted by the UE when performing a CG-SDT procedure (see Fig. 6, step 612 i.e., CG-SDT: RRC Resume Request & Para’s [0073] i.e., common control channel (“CCCH”) message size [0089-0090] i.e., the first UL message (e.g., the CG transmission for CG) may contain at least the following contents i.e., CCCH message, [0104-0106], [0112-0114], [0116] i.e., the UE 601 shall initiate the UL SDT procedure based on SDT triggering indication received within the paging message, [0122] i.e., As shown in Fig. 6, UE 601 transmits (e.g., messaging 612) on the selected CG resources, e.g., the UE 601 determines to perform CG-SDT procedure (see block 606) based on the SDT resource selection procedure as described above (see block 606), the RRC Resume Request message (CCCH) (i.e., initial CG-SDT with CCCH) & [0124]).
(Lohr suggests the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption, (see Para’s [0042-0045], [0067-0068], [0082-0088], [0112-0114], & [0122-0124])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission by the UE during the SDT procedure as disclosed in Hoglund to include the RRC resume request message with CCCH transmitted by the UE as an initial configured grant-based SDT (CG-SDT) transmission during the CG-SDT procedure as disclosed in Lohr, because the motivation lies in Lohr that the RRC resume request message with CCCH is transmitted by the UE during the SDT procedure for resuming the small data transmission DRBs for performing SDT transmission for the UE within an RRC_INACTIVE state without requiring the UE to transit to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption.
Claims 23, 28, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoglund et al. US (2025/0056618) in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244) as applied to claims 21, 26, and 31 above, and further in view of Lin US (2025/0287385).
Regarding Claims 23, 28, and 33, Hoglund discloses the method, base station, and UE of claims 21, 26, and 31 further comprising: in response to determining that the time between initiating the SDT procedure for the MT- SDT and the first available CG occasion for the initial CG-SDT transmission with the CCCH message is not less than the time threshold (see Fig. 6 i.e., step 608 & Para’s [0119], [0128], & [0130] i.e., The UE 105 may trigger the RA-SDT procedure if the time until the next upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is not less than the configured threshold), performing and/or receiving, on the uplink carrier, a random access-based SDT (RA-SDT) procedure and/or RA-SDT message (see Fig. 6 i.e., step 608 & Para’s [0059] i.e., UL access procedure such as RA-SDT, [0119], [0128], [0130] i.e., The UE 105 may trigger the RA-SDT procedure if the time until the next upcoming CG-SDT UL grant is not less than the configured threshold (i.e., RA-SDT procedure includes receiving RACH messages by the base station from the UE), & [0155-0156] & see Lohr, Para [0128] i.e., 4-step RACH-SDT procedure), but the combination of Hoglund in view of Lohr does not disclose the claim features of performing the random access-based SDT (RA-SDT) procedure using a random access resource received in system information. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lin US (2025/0287385).
Lin discloses performing the random access-based SDT (RA-SDT) procedure using a random access resource received in system information (see Fig. 3 & Para’s [0089] i.e., RACH based SDT & [0092] i.e., the UE 310 may determine UL radio resource for RACH, for example, by monitoring system information broadcasted by the gNB 120, and then attempt random access procedure by transmitting an RACH preamble over a PRACH or Msg1 on the configured RACH resource at step 310 & [0097-0098])
(Lin suggests the UE monitors the system information broadcasted by the gNB for determining radio resources in order to efficiently perform the random access based SDT procedure without transitioning its state to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption and signaling overhead by performing NR small data transmission in RRC_INACTIVE state, (see Para’s [0004], [0089], [0092], & [0097-0098])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the RA-SDT procedure performed by the UE as disclosed in Hoglund in view of Lohr to perform the random access-based SDT (RA-SDT) procedure using a random access resource received in system information as disclosed in the teachings of Lin, because the motivation lies in Lin that the UE monitors the system information broadcasted by the gNB for determining radio resources in order to efficiently perform the random access based SDT procedure without transitioning its state to the RRC_CONNECTED state for avoiding unnecessary power consumption and signaling overhead by performing NR small data transmission in RRC_INACTIVE state.
Claims 25, 30, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoglund et al. US (2025/0056618) in view of Lohr et al. US (2024/0349244) as applied to claims 21, 26, and 31 above, and further in view of Lu et al. US (2024/0155556).
Regarding Claim 25, 30, and 35 Hoglund in view of Lohr discloses the method, base station, and UE of claims 21, 26, and 31 including wherein the paging message includes a first list of paging records and a second list of paging records , (Hoglund, see Table of Para [0078] i.e., paging record on the left including UE-identity, access type may be interpreted as the “first list of paging records” and paging record including mt-SDT-r18 indication may be interpret as the “second list of paging records)
and wherein an ith entry in the first list of paging records includes an inactive-radio network temporary identifier (I-RNTI) of the UE (Hoglund, see Table of Para [0078] i.e., UE- identity (i.e., “ith entry”) may include I-RNTI) and an ith entry in the second list of paging records includes the indication of the MT-SDT (Hoglund, see Table of Para’s [0078] i.e., paging record including mt-SDT-r18 indication (i.e., “ith entry”) may be interpret as the “second list of paging records, [0118] i.e., MT-SDT indication in the paging record. That is, there may be an indication in paging message for indicating to the UE 105 that it should initiate a procedure for MT-SDT response, & [0122]), but does not disclose the claim feature of the second list of paging records including a same number of entries and being listed in a same order as the first list of paging records. However the claim feature would be rendered obvious in view of Lu et al. US (2024/0155556).
Lu discloses wherein the paging message includes a first list of paging records and a second list of paging records, (see Fig. 1, paging message 110 & Para [0105] i.e., For example, the base station 104 can generate the paging message 110 by addressing at least a portion of the paging message 110 with an I-RNTI (i.e., I-RNTI portion may be interpreted as the “first list of paging records” including a single ith entry of I-RNTI) or other identifier of the UE 102, and including the MT-SDT paging cause 112 in the portion of the paging message 110 associated with the UE 102. As discussed above, the MT-SDT paging cause 112 can be a particular value of a “Paging Cause” field (i.e., paging cause field may be interpreted as the “second list of paging record” including a single ith entry of the MT-SDT indication 112), such as “mT-SDT”)
the second list of paging records including a same number of entries and being listed in a same order as the first list of paging records, (see Para [0105] i.e., For example, the base station 104 can generate the paging message 110 by addressing at least a portion of the paging message 110 with an I-RNTI (i.e., I-RNTI portion may be interpreted as the “first list of paging records” including a single ith entry of I-RNTI) or other identifier of the UE 102, and including the MT-SDT paging cause 112 in the portion of the paging message 110 associated with the UE 102. As discussed above, the MT-SDT paging cause 112 can be a particular value of a “Paging Cause” field (i.e., paging cause field may be interpreted as the “second list of paging record” including a single ith entry of the MT-SDT indication 112), such as “mT-SDT” (i.e., first list and second list have the same number of entries))
and wherein an ith entry in the first list of paging records includes an inactive-radio network temporary identifier (I-RNTI) of the UE and an ith entry in the second list of paging records includes the indication of the MT-SDT (see Para [0105] i.e., For example, the base station 104 can generate the paging message 110 by addressing at least a portion of the paging message 110 with an I-RNTI (i.e., I-RNTI portion may be interpreted as the “first list of paging records” including a single ith entry of I-RNTI) or other identifier of the UE 102, and including the MT-SDT paging cause 112 in the portion of the paging message 110 associated with the UE 102. As discussed above, the MT-SDT paging cause 112 can be a particular value of a “Paging Cause” field (i.e., paging cause field may be interpreted as the “second list of paging record” including a single ith entry of the MT-SDT indication 112), such as “mT-SDT”)
(Lu suggests the base station broadcasts the paging message 110 including the I-RNTI and MT-SDT paging cause 112 in order for the UE to determine whether the paging message is addressed to the UE based on the I-RNTI and to determine a MT-SDT procedure is to be performed by the UE by sending a RRC resume request for properly performing the SDT procedure while the UE remains in RRC-INACTIVE resulting in reducing power consumption relative to the RRC connected state, (see Fig. 2 & Para’s [0016-0018], [0042], [0044], [0105] & [0109])).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the paging message includes a first list of paging records and a second list of paging records as disclosed in Hoglund in view of Lohr to be configured as the paging message 110 including a first list of paging records including an entry of I-RNTI having the same number of entries as a second list of paging records including an entry of MT-SDT indication, because the motivation lies in Lu that the base station broadcasts the paging message 110 including the I-RNTI and MT-SDT paging cause 112 in order for the UE to determine whether the paging message is addressed to the UE based on the I-RNTI and to determine a MT-SDT procedure is to be performed by the UE by sending a RRC resume request for properly performing the SDT procedure while the UE remains in RRC-INACTIVE resulting in reducing power consumption relative to the RRC connected state.
Conclusion
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/ADNAN BAIG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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