CTNF 18/711,013 CTNF 84303 DETAILED 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini et al. (US 2021/0321361) (hereinafter as Abedini) and in further view of Wang et al. (US 2021/0235441 A1) (hereinafter as Wang) . Regarding Claim 1. Abedini teaches a method, comprising: receiving, by a network node, capability information of an aggregated group formed by a user equipment (UE) and at least one relay node from the UE (UEs may communicate with various types of devices and may act as relays, par [0085], a paging message includes an identifier associated with one or more of the fields may correspond to a group of devices or multiple groups of devices that primarily use the system information parameters. A group of devices may be defined by a device constraint or a type of service request. The constraint or type of service request of a device may depend on a number of other characteristics of the device, such as a capab ility, par [0085]). Abedini does not explicitly teach the steps of: generating, by the network node, a scheduling based on the capability information; transmitting, by the network node, the scheduling for controlling the aggregated group to the UE, wherein the scheduling comprises different configurations for the at least one relay node in the aggregated group. However, Wang in a similar field of endeavor discloses control resource configurations including: generating, by the network node, a scheduling based on the capability information (receiving, from a UE, an indication of a multiplexing capability of the UE, schedul ing a message carried via one or more other channels for the UE based on the multiplexing capability, par [0052]); transmitting, by the network node, the scheduling for controlling the aggregated group to the UE, wherein the scheduling comprises different configurations for the at least one relay node in the aggregated group (resource configuration(s) include a reduced complexity CORESET that includes one RB group , where the one RB group may be based on the number of RB group s supported by the UE 115. Resource configuration includes a reduced complexity CORESET that includes multiple (e.g., two or three) RB groups supported by the UE 115, par [0028]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wang in Abedini to control resource configurations. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Abedini/Wang to improve performance of UEs with limited capabilities. Regarding Claim 2. The combined teachings of Abedini/Wang teach the method of Claim 1, wherein the scheduling comprises at least one of downlink control information (DCI), a medium-access-control control element (MAC CE) and a radio resource control (RRC) message (Wang: discusses DCI in par [0038]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wang in Abedini to control resource configurations. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Abedini/Wang to improve performance of UEs with limited capabilities. Regarding Claim 3. The combined teachings of Abedini/Wang teach the method of Claim 1, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of a power configuration, a frequency resource configuration, a measurement configuration, an uplink (UL) grant, a downlink (DL) assignment and a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource (Wang: par [0105] discusses power control, pars [0096] configuring uplink and downlink communications, par [0119] discusses frequency and time resources configured in a CORESET (configuration)). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wang in Abedini to control resource configurations. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Abedini/Wang to improve performance of UEs with limited capabilities. Regarding Claims 4-6, these apparatus (network node) claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claims 1-3 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable. Abedini/Wang further teach UE comprising a processor and a receiver (Wang: par [0009] and [0143] discloses a processor and receiver) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 7-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a ) as being anticipated by Rao et al. (WO 2021/027755 A1) (Note: reference was cited in the IDS filed 05/16/2024 and included as NPL at the time the application was filed) Regarding Claim 7. Rao teaches a method, further comprising: determining, by a user equipment (UE), at least one path from paths between a network node and an aggregated group formed by the UE and at least one relay node (UE groupcast scenario, includes a PC5-RRC connection using L2 protocol stack which includes PDCP, pars [0081] and [0093]); and transmitting, by the UE, a traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer or in a Radio Frequency (RF) layer (in the SL, the PC5-RRC connection can be established during PC5-Signalling, UP capabilities supported in the UE groups include the use of groupcast/multicast and the use of L-UE 402 to relay DL data, pars [0081-0084]). Regarding Claim 8. Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the PDCP layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to at least one layer 2 (L2) relay node of the aggregated group through a PC5 interface (the connections are established using an L2 protocol stack which includes PDCP, pars [0081] and [0093], UP capabilities supported in the UE groups include the use of groupcast/multicast and the use of L-UE 402 to relay DL data, pars [0081-0084]). Regarding Claim 9. Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the PDCP layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to the network node directly through an Uu interface in an adaption layer (the DRB connection 410 on the Uu interface can also be used for sending and receiving higher layer (application) messages intended for UE group operation from the CN and data network name (DNN) , respectively. The L-UE 402 can also be configured by the CN with mapping rules in the NAS layer (above L2 AS- layer) to translate from higher layer messages (e.g. group operations) to operations at the AS-layer (e.g. resource reconfiguration, SL-RB configuration, par [0048]). Regarding Claim 10, Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the PDCP layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to the network node directly through an Uu interface in a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer (the DRB connection 410 on the Uu interface can also be used for sending and receiving higher layer (application) messages intended for UE group operation from the CN and data network name (DNN) , respectively. The L-UE 402 can also be configured by the CN with mapping rules in the NAS layer (above L2 AS-layer) to translate from higher layer messages (e.g. group operations) to operations at the AS-layer (e.g. resource reconfiguration, SL-RB configuration, the connections are established using an L2 protocol stack which includes PDCP, pars [0081] and [0093]). Regarding Claim 11. Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the RF layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to at least one layer 1 (L1) relay node of the aggregated group through an Uu interface (UE applies L1 techniques directly to the UEs in the Uu interface, pars [00101-00102], UP capabilities supported in the UE groups include the use of groupcast/multicast and the use of L-UE 402 to relay DL data, pars [0081-0084]). Regarding Claim 12. Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the RF layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to the network node directly through an Uu interface (the CG is sent directly to the UEs in the Uu interface, pars [00101-00102]). Regarding Claim 13. Rao teaches the method of Claim 7, wherein the transmitting the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in the RF layer further comprises: transmitting, by the UE, the traffic to the network node through the determined at least one path in a Physical (PHY) layer (connection with the L2 protocol stack includes PHY, par [0081]. Also, pars [0050-0051] discusses resource grants for UE groups in Radio Access Network, thus includes outermost layer of a mobile network architecture). Regarding Claims 14-20, these apparatus (UE) claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claims 7-13 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable. Rao further teaches UE comprising a processor and a transmitter (pars [00189-00191 disclose a network interface for transmitting/receiving and a processor]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY MEJIA whose telephone number is (571)270-3630. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:30 AM-6:30 PM EST. 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, CHRISTOPHER PARRY can be reached at (571)272-8328. 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. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANTHONY MEJIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 2 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 3 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 4 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 5 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 6 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 7 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 8 Art Unit: 2451 Application/Control Number: 18/711,013 Page 9 Art Unit: 2451
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