CTNF 18/736,478 CTNF 79913 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 § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 6 and 14 are 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. a) Claim 6 lines 7-8: “ wherein the CE is configured to record an identification of the LCG (LCG ID) and 8-bits the BS index ” is unclear. b) Claim 14 lines 7-8: “ wherein the CE is configured to record an identification of the LCG (LCG ID) and 8-bits the BS index ” is unclear. 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. U.S. Publication No. 20240056880 (Provisional Application No. 63370885) to He et al in view of U.S. Publication No. 20240349087 to Cao et al, and in further view of U.S. Publication No. 20180368023 to Hong et al . Referring to claim 1, He et al disclose in Figures 1-7 a BSR method, adapted for a UE (UE) of a network for informing a network device (BS) of the network a target BST used for a LCG (Sections 0021, 0085, 0087, and 0095: each LCG is associated with a BST), the method comprising: Receiving (steps 506 and 606), by the UE, one or more preset configurations of one or more BSTs (multiple buffer size tables) from the network device, wherein the one or more BSTs are candidate BSTs to be selected (step 502) as the target BST to the LCG. Steps 506 and 606: BS transmits, to UE, a configuration indicating multiple buffer size tables each corresponding to a range of buffer sizes. The configuration specifies the buffer size tables or parameters for generating the buffer size tables and a corresponding LCID to indicate which buffer size table is used. Step 502: UE selects a buffer size table from the multiple buffer size tables transmitted by BS; UE then encodes, based on the selected buffer size table, a BSR for a buffer that stores data from an application. In response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling (steps 510 and 602), by the UE, an advanced BST indication (BSR) to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an … BST index (Section 0077: each buffer size table is associated with a buffer size table index) and at least one of following information: a target LCID (LCID), and a target eLCID (not in reference; claim requires “at least one” of the limitations). Steps 510 and 602: UE transmits, to BS, a BSR indicating a LCID that corresponds to a buffer size table; each new buffer size table is assigned a new unique LCID. Wherein the network device queries (step 608) a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants (step 612) a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range, … BST index (Section 0077: each buffer size table is associated with a buffer size table index) … Step 608: Using the BSR from UE with the indicated buffer size table, BS generates the buffer size table that can be generated based on a range of buffer sizes, wherein the range of buffer sizes (claimed “target BS range”) is selected from a plurality of buffer size ranges that is associated with the buffer size table. Step 610: BS decodes, based on the buffer size table, the BSR for a buffer that stores data for an application at the UE. Step 612: BS transmits, for the UE and based on the BSR, an uplink grant for transmitting the data, which can include generating an uplink grant with an amount of resources sufficient for transmitting the contents of the buffer based on the buffer size indicated in the BSR. Refer to Sections 0020-0164. He et al do not disclose … in response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling, by the UE, an advanced BST indication to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an advanced BST index and at least one of following information: a target LCID, and a target eLCID, wherein the network device queries a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range , wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication … Cao et al disclose in Figures 1-8 and Section 0110 wherein BS determines a buffer size table group as the target buffer size table group, and sends the first configuration message to UE using a plurality of index values (claimed “ the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication ”) that are included in the target buffer size table group. Refer to Sections 0060-0190. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … in response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling, by the UE, an advanced BST indication to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an advanced BST index and at least one of following information: a target LCID, and a target eLCID, wherein the network device queries a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range , wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication … One would have been motivated to do so so that BS can indicate a target BST using a BST index, thereby allowing BS to determine the BST to decode the BSR. He et al and Cao et al do not disclose … wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication and the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST. Hong et al disclose in Figures 1-20 and Sections 0121-0124 and 0223 wherein UE transmits a BSR to BS. The BSR includes buffer size fields to index information that is set according to the buffer size information of each LCG, and the index information may be mapped according to buffer size ranges (claimed “ the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST ”). Upon receiving the BSR from UE, BS checks corresponding index information and confirms a buffer size range indicated by the corresponding index information. Refer to Sections 0034-0264. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication and the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST. One would have been motivated to do so so that UE can indicate a BS range using a BS index, thereby allowing BS to determine the BS range to decode the BSR. Referring to claim 9, He et al disclose in Figures 1-7 a UE (Figure 3: UE 104; Sections 0056-0066), adapted for performing a BSR, comprising: A transceiver (transceiver 302 with a transmitter 308 for transmitting signals and a receiver 306 for receiving signals), used for transmitting or receiving signals. A memory (memory 316), used for storing a program code. A processor (processor 312), coupled to the transceiver and the memory, and configured for executing the program code to implement a BSR method for informing a network device of the network a target BST used for a LCG (Sections 0021, 0085, 0087, and 0095: each LCG is associated with a BST), and the BSR method comprises (processor 312 executes program code stored in memory 316 to perform UE 104 functions): Receiving (steps 506 and 606) one or more preset configurations of one or more BSTs (multiple buffer size tables) from the network device, wherein the one or more BSTs are candidate BSTs to be selected (step 502) as the target BST to the LCG. Steps 506 and 606: BS transmits, to UE, a configuration indicating multiple buffer size tables each corresponding to a range of buffer sizes. The configuration specifies the buffer size tables or parameters for generating the buffer size tables and a corresponding LCID to indicate which buffer size table is used. Step 502: UE selects a buffer size table from the multiple buffer size tables transmitted by BS; UE then encodes, based on the selected buffer size table, a BSR for a buffer that stores data from an application. In response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling (steps 510 and 602) an advanced BST indication (BSR) to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an … BST index (Section 0077: each buffer size table is associated with a buffer size table index) and at least one of following information: a target LCID (LCID), and a target eLCID (not in reference; claim requires “at least one” of the limitations). Steps 510 and 602: UE transmits, to BS, a BSR indicating a LCID that corresponds to a buffer size table; each new buffer size table is assigned a new unique LCID. Wherein the network device queries (step 608) a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants (step 612) a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range, … BST index (Section 0077: each buffer size table is associated with a buffer size table index) … Step 608: Using the BSR from UE with the indicated buffer size table, BS generates the buffer size table that can be generated based on a range of buffer sizes, wherein the range of buffer sizes (claimed “target BS range”) is selected from a plurality of buffer size ranges that is associated with the buffer size table. Step 610: BS decodes, based on the buffer size table, the BSR for a buffer that stores data for an application at the UE. Step 612: BS transmits, for the UE and based on the BSR, an uplink grant for transmitting the data, which can include generating an uplink grant with an amount of resources sufficient for transmitting the contents of the buffer based on the buffer size indicated in the BSR. Refer to Sections 0020-0164. He et al do not disclose … in response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling an advanced BST indication to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an advanced BST index and at least one of following information: a target LCID, and a target eLCID, wherein the network device queries a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range , wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication … Cao et al disclose in Figures 1-8 and Section 0110 wherein BS determines a buffer size table group as the target buffer size table group, and sends the first configuration message to UE using a plurality of index values (claimed “ the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication ”) that are included in the target buffer size table group. Refer to Sections 0060- 0190. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … in response to identifying the target BST used for the LCG, signalling an advanced BST indication to the network device, wherein the advanced BST indication is configured to record an advanced BST index and at least one of following information: a target LCID, and a target eLCID, wherein the network device queries a target BS range from a plurality of BS ranges in the target BST according to the received advanced BST indication, and the network device grants a UL resource for the LCG based on the target BS range , wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication … One would have been motivated to do so so that BS can indicate a target BST using a BST index, thereby allowing BS to determine the BST to decode the BSR. He et al and Cao et al do not disclose … wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication and the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST. Hong et al disclose in Figures 1-20 and Sections 0121-0124 and 0223 wherein UE transmits a BSR to BS. The BSR includes buffer size fields to index information that is set according to the buffer size information of each LCG, and the index information may be mapped according to buffer size ranges (claimed “ the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST ”). Upon receiving the BSR from UE, BS checks corresponding index information and confirms a buffer size range indicated by the corresponding index information. Refer to Sections 0034-0264. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include … wherein the target BST is identified by the advanced BST index of the received advanced BST indication and the target BS range is identified by a BS index of the target BST. One would have been motivated to do so so that UE can indicate a BS range using a BS index, thereby allowing BS to determine the BS range to decode the BSR . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-5, 7-8, 10-13, and 15-16 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. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Publication No. 20200187046 to Bergquist et al disclose in Figures 1-14 and Sections 0103-0115 wherein a network node configures a terminal device with an order in which the buffer sizes for the LCGs should be reported, each with a priority value with LCG IDs allocated to LCGs based on their priority values; then, the network node receives a BSR from the terminal device; then, the network node determines, based on the plurality of indications and the length, whether the BSR comprises buffer size fields for all of the LCGs with data available to transmit; and then the network node schedules the terminal device with resources based on the values in the buffer size fields. Refer to Sections 0002-0013 and 0037-0131. U.S. Publication No. 20240357419 to Sha et al disclose in Figures 1-10 and Sections 0042-0043, 0072, 0151, 0152, 0154, and 0174 wherein a buffer size report related parameter includes the buffer size values corresponding to a buffer size level table; a node, before determining a target buffer size report related parameter, receives a minimum TBS value, a maximum TBS value, and a granularity that are broadcast by a cell where the node is located. Refer to Sections 0025-0188. U.S. Publication No. 20130016615 to Shi et al disclose in Figure 1 and Sections 0044-0048 wherein a UE in reporting a BSR chooses to inquire on a preset first table or second table for the buffer size index according to an amount of data to be transmitted over all LCHs in a LCG, and then UE sends the inquired buffer size index to a base station in the BSR. Refer to Sections 0038-0110. 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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. /Christine Ng/ Examiner, AU 2464 June 1, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 2 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 3 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 4 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 5 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 6 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 7 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 8 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 9 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/736,478 Page 10 Art Unit: 2464
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