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 .
Response to Amendment
This communication is in response to the election of 7/7/2026. All changes made to the claims have been entered. Accordingly, Claims 1-15, 17 are currently pending in the application and Claim 16 withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Claim 16 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/7/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6, 9, 10, 14, 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the wireless network node" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the subject matter ”apparatus is caused to continue performing measurements during the small data transmission procedure”. However independent claim 1 recites “to stop performing measurements upon determining that a small data transmission procedure has been initiated”. It is thus unclear on what is meant by such subject matter.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the wireless network node" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the wireless network node" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the wireless network node" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9, 12, 17, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tseng et al. (US 2023/0088189).
Regarding claim 1, 17, Tseng discloses an apparatus (a method performed by a UE is provided and whether to perform an idle mode measurement in the RRC inactive state according to the at least one idle mode measurement configuration is determined based on a determination result of whether the SDT procedure is ongoing, abstract and [0006]-[0008] and [0363]-[0365] and figure 5), comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code (the memory 634 may store computer-readable and/or computer-executable instructions 632 (e.g., software code(s) or computer-executable program(s)) that are configured to, when executed, cause the processor 628 to perform various functions described herein, [0372]-[0378] and figure 6);
the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform measurements while the apparatus is in an idle or inactive mode (a method for performing an idle mode measurement in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state, and to user equipment (UE) configured to use the method and the UE staying in the RRC inactive state may determine whether to perform an idle mode measurement, [0006]-[0008] and [0363]-[0365] and figure 5); and
determine whether to stop performing measurements upon determining that a small data transmission procedure has been initiated while the apparatus is in the idle or inactive mode (an SDT procedure be started while at least one of the following events happens and initiation of the SDT procedure and the first SDT procedure may be determined to be ongoing and the UE may stop performing the idle mode measurement, [0102]-[0106] and [0124] and [0370] and [0363]-[0365] and figure 5).
Regarding claim 2, Tseng discloses transmit results of the performed measurements to a wireless network node when starting a connection with the wireless network node (the logged measurement results measured by the UE during the logged measurement activity may still be kept by the UE, and then the UE may report to the serving RAN next time while the UE re-connects to the serving RAN and the UE may move to the RRC connected state and reply with the RRCResumeComplete message to the serving cell. In addition, in some implementations, the UE may transmit available idle/inactive measurement reports in the RRCResumeComplete message, [0129] and [0078]).
Regarding claim 3, Tseng discloses, wherein starting the connection with the wireless network node comprises a connection resume or setup procedure not associated with the small data transmission procedure (the UE may move to the RRC connected state and reply with the RRCResumeComplete message to the serving cell. In addition, in some implementations, the UE may transmit available idle/inactive measurement reports in the RRCResumeComplete message, [0078] and [0129]).
Regarding claim 4, Tseng discloses wherein said measurements are performed while a timer is running, and the apparatus is caused to stop the timer upon determining that the small data transmission procedure has been initiated while the apparatus is in the idle or inactive mode (After receiving the idle mode measurement configuration, in action 202, the UE 210 may start an idle mode measurement activity (e.g., an idle/inactive measurement activity and/or a logged measurement activity) and start to count a timer to zero (e.g., a first timer (T330) associated with a logged measurement activity and/or a second timer (T331) associated with an idle/inactive measurement activity). The UE 210 may maintain the idle mode measurement activity while associated timer is counting and a UE may stop a running first timer (e.g., T330) if the UE is implementing an SDT procedure. In other words, the UE may stop/postpone/suspend the logged measurement activity during the SDT procedure and the UE may re-start and recount the stopped or expired first timer (e.g., T330), which may be stopped by the UE while the SDT procedure is initiated, after the SDT procedure terminates, [0122] and [0127] and [0130] and [0125]).
Regarding claim 5, Tseng disclose being caused to continue, start, or re-start the timer upon determining that the small data transmission procedure has been completed (the UE may re-start and recount the stopped or expired first timer (e.g., T330), which may be stopped by the UE while the SDT procedure is initiated, after the SDT procedure terminates, [0130] and [0137] and [0122] and [0127] and [0125]).
Regarding claim 6, Tseng discloses wherein the small data transmission procedure is determined to be completed successfully when a connection release or connection reject message is received from the wireless network node by the apparatus, or the small data transmission procedure is determined to be completed unsuccessfully when a connection release or connection reject message is not received within a time interval (the SDT procedure may be terminated while at least one of the following events happens:…1) after the UE receives an RRCRelease message/RRCResume message/RRCSetup message from the serving cell and the serving cell may transmit a DL control signaling (e.g., an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCRelease message) to the UE 110 to finish/terminate the SDT procedure 101, [0107]-[0117] and [0063] and [0321] and [0130] and [0137] and [0142]).
Regarding claim 7, Tseng disclose being caused to start another timer when the timer is stopped, wherein said another timer is associated with the small data transmission procedure; and/or stop the timer when said another timer is started (In some implementations, an SDT procedure may be started while at least one of the following events happens:..1) while the SDT failure detection timer is started to be counted by the UE and a UE may stop a running first timer (e.g., T330) if the UE is implementing an SDT procedure and the UE may re-start and recount the stopped or expired first timer (e.g., T330), which may be stopped by the UE while the SDT procedure is initiated, after the SDT procedure terminates, [0102]-[0103] and [0122] and [0127] and [0130] and [0125] and [0009]).
Regarding claim 8, Tseng discloses wherein the timer is a T331 timer (After receiving the idle mode measurement configuration, in action 202, the UE 210 may start an idle mode measurement activity (e.g., an idle/inactive measurement activity and/or a logged measurement activity) and start…a second timer (T331) associated with an idle/inactive measurement activity), [0122]-[0123] and [0070]-[0072] and [0136]-[0137] and [0361])
Regarding claim 9, Tseng discloses wherein said measurements are performed while a timer is running, and the apparatus is caused to continue performing measurements during the small data transmission procedure upon stopping the timer (Specifically, the SDT failure detection timer (correlating to a timer) may be started by the UE upon an SDT procedure being initiated, and stopped by the UE upon the SDT procedure being terminated and In some implementations, the UE may keep implementing the logged measurement activity even during an SDT procedure (correlating to performing measurements during the small data transmission procedure in which a timer may be stopped upon termination) and the activated idle/inactive measurement activity may not be impacted by the active SDT procedure and the subsequent data exchange during the SDT procedure) and the second timer (e.g., T331) may be still running during the SDT procedure, [0365] and [0131] and [0140] and [0138] and [0070]).
Regarding claim 12, Tseng discloses being caused to continue performing the measurements and not perform the small data transmission procedure; or stop performing the measurements and perform the small data transmission procedure (an SDT procedure be started while at least one of the following events happens and initiation of the SDT procedure and the first SDT procedure may be determined to be ongoing and the UE may stop performing the idle mode measurement, [0102]-[0106] and [0124] and [0370] and [0363]-[0365] and figure 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 10, 13, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tseng et al., in further view of Kim et al. (US 2023/0247721).
Regarding claim 10, Tseng fails to disclose determine whether to stop performing measurements during the small data transmission based on an indication received from the wireless network node. However in a similar field of endeavor, Kim discloses determine whether to stop performing measurements during the small data transmission based on an indication received from the wireless network node (A wireless device may receive, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) release message that includes a measurement configuration for one or more measurements by the wireless device while the wireless device is in an RRC inactive state and a small data transmission (SDT) configuration of a SDT procedure for transmission by the wireless device while the wireless device is in the RRC inactive state. While the wireless device is, based on the RRC release message, in the RRC inactive state, the wireless device may initiate the SDT procedure based on the SDT configuration and does not perform, during the SDT procedure, measurements associated with the measurement configuration, abstract and [0350] and [0375] and [0395]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of stopping measurements during an initiated SDT procedure based upon configuration indication received from a wireless network node as disclosed by Kim into the method for performing idle mode measurements as disclosed by Tseng in order to improve the system and flexibly indicate configurations for when to stop measurements dependent on SDT.
Regarding claim 13, Tseng discloses wherein said measurements are performed while a timer is running (the UE 210 may start an idle mode measurement activity (e.g., an idle/inactive measurement activity and/or a logged measurement activity) and start to count a timer to zero (e.g., a first timer (T330) associated with a logged measurement activity and/or a second timer (T331) associated with an idle/inactive measurement activity). The UE 210 may maintain the idle mode measurement activity while associated timer is counting, [0122]-[0123] and [0129]), and the apparatus is caused to store results of the performed measurements upon determining to stop performing the measurements (stop the idle mode measurement activity…the idle mode measurement results observed during action 202 (e.g., “idle/inactive measurement results” and/or “logged measurement results”) may still be kept by the UE 210, [0123] and [0129]); continue the timer and continue performing the measurements upon determining that the small data transmission procedure has been completed or upon receiving a connection resume or connection setup message (In other words, the UE may stop/postpone/suspend the logged measurement activity during the SDT procedure and the UE may re-start and recount the stopped…first timer (e.g., T330), which may be stopped by the UE while the SDT procedure is initiated, after the SDT procedure terminate, [0127] and [0130]).
Tseng however fails to disclose transmit the stored measurement results to the wireless network node upon expiry of the timer. However in a similar field of endeavor, Kim discloses transmit the stored measurement results to the wireless network node upon expiry of the timer (the stopping the timer may comprise stopping the timer further based transmitting the measurement results of the measurements, [0507] and [0503]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of transmitting measurement results when a timer is stopped as disclosed by Kim into the method for performing idle mode measurements comprising a timer in which is suspended for SDT as disclosed by Tseng in order to improve the system and flexibly determine when to transmit measurements results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11, 14, 15 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Watts et al. (US 2023/0284289) disclosing the WTRU may interrupt an ongoing small data transmission and/or transition to a different cell in cases such as, for example, when channel condition measurements of the serving cell fall below a threshold, when channel condition measurements of a target cell are above a threshold, and/or when a target cell on which the small data transmission can be resumed is in the same radio access network (RAN)-based notification area (RNA)([0063]).
Xu et al. (US 2023/0217288) disclosing systems and methods for performing measurements of one or more cells during an small data transmission (SDT) procedure between a user equipment (UE) and a network when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state are described herein (abstract).
Shih et al. (US 12659855) disclosing receiving, from a base station (BS), a plurality of power saving configurations, while the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state, selecting one of the plurality of power saving configurations according to a rule predefined in the UE or a first indication received from the BS, and applying the selected one of the plurality of power saving configurations for the power saving operation (abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN HOANG NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-8398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGUYEN H NGO/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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