CTNF 18/660,066 CTNF 84737 DETAILED OFFICE ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. This action is responsive to the communication received May 9 th , 2024. Claims 1-20 have been entered and are presented for examination. Priority Application 18/660,066 claims benefit of Korean Application 10-2023-0061235 (05/11/2023). Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on November 27 th , 2024 and May 9 th , 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries 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 non-obviousness. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-4 and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Latheef et al. (WO 2022/031127) in view of Kim et al. (WO 2022/192567) . Regarding claims 1, 6, Latheef et al. discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system (see Figure 2 [UE in a wireless system]) , the method comprising: receiving a radio resource control (RRC) release message (paragraphs 45, 55 [RRC message is RRC release message; the UE 204 enters the second RRC state from the first RRC state, on receiving the RRC message from the BS 202]) including multicast and broadcast services (MBS) configuration information associated with reception of an MBS multicast in an RRC inactive state (paragraph 69 [The Idle and/or Inactive mode reselection parameters may be signaled in at least one of or combination of the following ways, as a part of the RRC message (including the RRC release message and/or the RRC release message with suspend configurations), as a part of the MBS control signaling, as a part of MBS specific broadcast signaling, as a part of a unicast RRC message, and so on]) ; performing cell reselection while the UE is in the RRC inactive state (paragraphs 69, 72 [the UE 204 may select the cell/frequency which supports the interested MBS service. Also, the BS 202 signals explicitly by providing a priority list of cells/frequencies to the UEs 204 to consider for the cell reselection; UE 204 reselects the neighbor cell]) . Latheef et al. does not explicitly disclose resetting a medium access control (MAC) entity upon the cell reselection. However, Kim et al. discloses resetting a medium access control (MAC) entity upon the cell reselection (paragraph 0314 [The RRC release message from the base station …, the UE may perform the releasing RRC connection. The releasing RRC connection may comprise at least one of: MAC reset (or resetting MAC)]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is released the MAC would be reset to allow for connection during reselection. Regarding claims 2, 7, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 6. However, Kim et al. further discloses wherein the resetting of the MAC entity comprises: flushing a soft buffer for all hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes (paragraph 0310 [RRC Release message; Based on the MAC reset, the UE may perform to at least one of: flush the soft buffers for all DL HARQ processes, the UE may perform at least one of: flush all HARQ buffers for all serving cells]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is released the MAC would be reset, i.e., flushing the buffers, to allow for connection during reselection. Regarding claims 3, 8, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 6. However, Latheef et al. further discloses camping on a cell identified based on the cell reselection (paragraph 73 [the UE 204 performs the cell reselection or reselects the neighbor cell, based on at least one of, but are not limited to, mapping information of the MBS services, preferred frequency, a Service Area Identity (SAI), and so on]) ; and receiving, from a base station on the cell, the MBS multicast on the cell (paragraphs 74, 75 [on receiving the neighbor cell information, the UE 204 directly starts monitoring required slots and receives the one or more MBS services without having to receive and read the MBS control information on the neighbor cell, on entering the second RRC state from the first RRC state. In an embodiment, the BS 202 provides the UE 204, the signaling information on the MBS bearer that is allowed to be used for continuing or recontinuing the reception of the at least one MBS service upon entering the first RRC state from the second RRC state or upon entering the RRC Idle state from the RRC Inactive state or vice-versa]) . Regarding claims 4, 9, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 3, 8. However, Latheef et al. further discloses identifying a transmission for the MBS multicast as a first transmission (paragraphs 74, 75 [on receiving the neighbor cell information, the UE 204 directly starts monitoring required slots and receives the one or more MBS services without having to receive and read the MBS control information on the neighbor cell, on entering the second RRC state from the first RRC state. In an embodiment, the BS 202 provides the UE 204, the signaling information on the MBS bearer that is allowed to be used for continuing or recontinuing the reception of the at least one MBS service upon entering the first RRC state from the second RRC state or upon entering the RRC Idle state from the RRC Inactive state or vice-versa]) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 5, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Latheef et al. (WO 2022/031127) in view of Kim et al. (WO 2022/192567) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (US 2024/0137934) . Regarding claims 5, 10, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 6, but do not explicitly disclose further comprising: receiving, from a base station, a multicast control channel (MCCH) message, the multicast MCCH message including information indicating to stop monitoring a group-radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) for the MBS multicast. However, Lee et al. discloses receiving, from a base station, a multicast control channel (MCCH) message, the multicast MCCH message including information indicating to stop monitoring a group-radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) for the MBS multicast (paragraphs 0126, 0151-0153, 0301 [the MBS service of interest in the message may mean one of TMGI or G-RNTI; DL common frequency resource (CFR) (for MBS) may provide group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH transmission resources for MBS transmission and reception; the CFR associated with the first serving cell may be deactivated by an RRC message, MCCH (multicast control channel) message, MAC-CE, or DCI received from the base station]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize an MCCH message could deactivate a CFR which provides a group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH when a reselection has occurred . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 11-14, 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Latheef et al. (WO 2022/031127) in view of Wu (US 2026/0095937) . Regarding claims 11, 16, Latheef et al. discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system (see Figure 2 [UE in a wireless system]) , the method comprising: receiving a radio resource control (RRC) release message (paragraphs 45, 55 [RRC message is RRC release message; the UE 204 enters the second RRC state from the first RRC state, on receiving the RRC message from the BS 202]) including multicast and broadcast services (MBS) configuration information associated with reception of an MBS multicast in an RRC inactive state (paragraph 69 [The Idle and/or Inactive mode reselection parameters may be signaled in at least one of or combination of the following ways, as a part of the RRC message (including the RRC release message and/or the RRC release message with suspend configurations), as a part of the MBS control signaling, as a part of MBS specific broadcast signaling, as a part of a unicast RRC message, and so on]) . Latheef et al. does not explicitly disclose receiving, from a base station, a RRC resume message while the UE is in the RRC inactive state; and resetting a medium access control (MAC) entity based on the RRC resume message. However, Wu discloses receiving, from a base station, a RRC resume message while the UE is in the RRC inactive state; and resetting a medium access control (MAC) entity based on the RRC resume message (see Figure 3A, Steps 322, 324, 328 [RRC resume received from BS 104 and reset MAC]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is resumed the MAC would be reset to allow for connection. Regarding claims 12, 17, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 11, 16. However, Wu further discloses wherein the resetting of the MAC entity comprises: flushing a soft buffer for all hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes (paragraphs 0102, 0136, 0174, 0250 [UE flushes the soft buffer]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is resumed the MAC could be reset, i.e., flushing the buffers, to allow for connection resumption for new messages. Regarding claims 13, 18, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 11, 16. However, Wu further discloses receiving, from the base station, an MBS multicast while the UE is in an RRC connected state (see Figure 3A [UE is in connected state at step 328 and receives DL MAC PDUs with SN]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is resumed the MAC could be reset, i.e., flushing the buffers, to allow for connection resumption for new messages. Regarding claims 14, 19, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 13, 18. However, Wu further discloses identifying a transmission for the MBS multicast received while the UE is in the RRC connected state as a first transmission (see Figure 3A and paragraph 0095 [UE is in connected state at step 328 and receives DL MAC PDUs with SN= M+1; SN=0, . . . , M, respectively, where M is an integer and larger than or equal to 0]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize when the connection is resumed the MAC could be reset, i.e., flushing the buffers, to allow for connection resumption for new messages . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 15, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Latheef et al. (WO 2022/031127) in view of Wu (US 2026/0095937) as applied to claim 11, 16 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (US 2024/0137934) . Regarding claims 15, 20, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 11, 16, but do not explicitly disclose further comprising: receiving, from a base station, a multicast control channel (MCCH) message, the multicast MCCH message including information indicating to stop monitoring a group-radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) for the MBS multicast. However, Lee et al. discloses receiving, from a base station, a multicast control channel (MCCH) message, the multicast MCCH message including information indicating to stop monitoring a group-radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) for the MBS multicast (paragraphs 0126, 0151-0153, 0301 [the MBS service of interest in the message may mean one of TMGI or G-RNTI; DL common frequency resource (CFR) (for MBS) may provide group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH transmission resources for MBS transmission and reception; the CFR associated with the first serving cell may be deactivated by an RRC message, MCCH (multicast control channel) message, MAC-CE, or DCI received from the base station]) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize an MCCH message could deactivate a CFR which provides a group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH when a state change has occurred. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER T WYLLIE whose telephone number is (571)270-3937. The examiner can normally be reached 4pm-11:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at (571)270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CHRISTOPHER T WYLLIE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 2 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 3 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 4 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 5 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 6 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 8 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 9 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/660,066 Page 10 Art Unit: 2465
