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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CHINA 202210036022.8, filed on 01/10/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/05/2025, 03/21/2025, 10/04/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
This office action is in response to the Preliminary amendment filed 09/04/2024.
Claims 1-15 are pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 18, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JIANG ( US 20240179729, hereinafter, JIANG’s 729) in view of KADIRI et al. ( US 20210126745, hereinafter, KADIRI’s 745 ).
Regarding to the claim 1, JIANG’s 729 teaches a communication method, comprises:
receiving, by a terminal device (terminal device ) [see Paragraphs 0006 – 0007], first indication information (an adjustment parameter sent by the network device) [see Paragraphs 0006-0007 & 0049-0051 & 0052 ] sent by a source node (the network device ) , wherein the first indication information (an adjustment parameter indicates adjusting the receiving window of the PDCP entity ) indicates to adjust a receive window of a first PDCP entity when the first PDCP entity is re-established (re-esablishing or reconfiguring the PDCP entity of the MRB is determined as the trigger event ) [see Paragraph 0127] ;
[also see the Paragraphs 0029 & 0038 & 0039 & 0040 & 0041 & 0043 & 0049 & 0050 & 0051 & 0052 & 0053 & 0063 & 0074 & 0075 & 0078 & 0080 & 0082 & 0083 & 0084 & 0103 & 0104 & 0115 & 0116 & 0127 & 0130-0136 & 0146-0150 & 0159 & 0169 -0170 & 0182 & 0184 & 0188-0190 & 0192];
adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information (adjusting the receiving window of the first PDCP entity based on the adjusting parameter sent by the network device ) [see Paragraphs 0040].
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the terminal device comprises a first multicast radio bearer (MRB), wherein the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM).
KADIRI’s 745, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches receiving, by a terminal device, first indication information sent by a source base station, wherein the first indication information include synchronizing an RLC AM reception window of the UE with the RLC AM transmission window based on at least in part on determining the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window of the base station [see Paragraphs 0006-0007];
wherein the terminal device comprises a first multicast radio bearer (MRB), wherein the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM) [see Paragraphs 0062-0063].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the system of JIANG’s 729 in view of KADIRI’s 745 because KADIRI’s 745 suggests that according to the method for configuring a receiving window of a PDCP entity of the disclosure, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity is adjusted based on the obtained SN value and the HFN value, realizing timely update of the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity, so that a new terminal device can join in at any time to receive MBS data, ensuring the continuity and reliability of MBS data transmission.
Regarding to the claim 4, JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 1 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach when a reordering timer starts, delivering, by the terminal device, a data packet buffered by the first PDCP entity.
KADIRI’s 745, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches when a reordering timer starts, delivering, by the terminal device, a data packet buffered by the first PDCP entity [see Paragraph 0105] ( if a PDCP reordering timer (similar to the RLC reassembly timer described herein) expires for a PDCP packet while the UE 120 is waiting for delivery of the PDCP packet (via an RLC packet) to the PDCP layer, then the UE 120 may adjust the PDCP reception window before receiving the PDCP packet at the PDCP layer, and may discard the PDCP packet if the PDCP packet is later received at the PDCP layer. This adjustment may occur even if the PDCP packet has been received by the UE 120 but is contained within an RLC packet that is being held in a buffer due to an in-sequence delivery requirement.).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the system of JIANG’s 729 in view of KADIRI’s 745 because KADIRI’s 745 suggests that according to the method for configuring a receiving window of a PDCP entity of the disclosure, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity is adjusted based on the obtained SN value and the HFN value, realizing timely update of the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity, so that a new terminal device can join in at any time to receive MBS data, ensuring the continuity and reliability of MBS data transmission.
Regarding to the claim 5, JIANG’s 729 further teaches wherein the first indication information comprises fourth indication information, and the fourth indication information indicates a hyper frame number (HFN} of a target node; and wherein the adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information comprises: adjusting, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on a difference between the HFN of the target node and an HFN of the source node (a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on a difference between the HFN of the target node and an HFN of the source node ) [see Paragraphs 0078-0083].
Regarding to the claim 7, JIANG’s 729 further teaches wherein adjusting the receive window of the first PDCP entity comprises: initializing, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity, wherein the window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity includes at least one of TXNEXT, RXNEXT, or RXDELIV [see Paragraph 0042] ([0042] Optionally, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity may include at least one of the followings: a lower boundary of the receiving window labeled as “RX_DELIV”, a COUNT value of a next service data unit (SDU) of a PDCP entity to be received labeled as “RX_NEXT”, a hyper frame number (HFN) value of a next SDU data packet of the PDCP entity to be received, and a serial number (SN) value of the next SDU data packet of the PDCP entity to be received. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the receiving window of the PDCP entity. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the variable of the lower boundary of the receiving window is “RX_DELIV”, which identifies a data packet number of a first PDU data packet that is not delivered to a higher-level protocol entity. The PDCP entity updates the variable “RX_DELIV” of the lower boundary of the receiving window according to the COUNT of a PDU data packet delivered to the higher-level protocol entity. For a PDU data packet to be received, the PDCP entity may start a reordering timer, and when the reordering timer is expired, the PDCP entity ignores the “COUNT of the PDU data packet to be received” and updates the lower boundary of the receiving window. If the PDCP receives a data packet outside of the receiving window, the PDCP entity discards the data packet. The variable “RX_REORD” identifies a data packet COUNT that starts the reordering timer. The variable “RX_NEXT” identifies a data packet COUNT of the next PDU data packet to be received. As illustrated in FIG. 3, initial values of the variables “RX_DELIV” and “RX_NEXT” of the PDCP entity are 0. When a PDU data packet numbered “1” is received, it means that a PDU data packet numbered “0” is not received. The PDCP entity updates the “RX_NEXT” to “2”. In response to the need to start the reordering timer, the “RX_REORD” is set to “2”. When a PDU data packet numbered “2” is received, the “RX_NEXT” is updated to “3”.)
Regarding to the claim 8, JIANG’s 729 teaches a communication method comprising:
sending, by a source node (the network device) , first indication information to a terminal device (terminal device) , wherein the first indication information (an adjustment parameter sent by the network device) [see Paragraphs 0006-0007 & 0049-0051 & 0052 ] indicates to adjust a receive window of a first packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity (an adjustment parameter indicates adjusting the receiving window of the PDCP entity ) when the first PDCP entity is re-established (re-esablishing or reconfiguring the PDCP entity of the MRB is determined as the trigger event ) [see Paragraph 0127].
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly disclose the terminal device comprises a first multicast radio bearer (MRB), the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM), and the first PDCP entity is associated with the first RLC entity.
KADIRI’s 745, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches the terminal device comprises a first multicast radio bearer (MRB), the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM), and the first PDCP entity is associated with the first RLC entity [see Paragraph 0062].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the system of JIANG’s 729 in view of KADIRI’s 745 because KADIRI’s 745 suggests that according to the method for configuring a receiving window of a PDCP entity of the disclosure, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity is adjusted based on the obtained SN value and the HFN value, realizing timely update of the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity, so that a new terminal device can join in at any time to receive MBS data, ensuring the continuity and reliability of MBS data transmission.
Regarding to the claim 12, JIANG’s 729 further teach wherein the first indication information comprises fourth indication information, and the fourth indication information indicates a hyper frame number (HFN ) of the target node (a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on a difference between the HFN of the target node and an HFN of the source node ) [see Paragraphs 0078-0083].
Regarding to the claim 14, JIANG’s 729 further teaches wherein a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity includes at least one of TXNEXT, RXNEXT, or RX_DELIV [see Paragraph 0042] ([0042] Optionally, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity may include at least one of the followings: a lower boundary of the receiving window labeled as “RX_DELIV”, a COUNT value of a next service data unit (SDU) of a PDCP entity to be received labeled as “RX_NEXT”, a hyper frame number (HFN) value of a next SDU data packet of the PDCP entity to be received, and a serial number (SN) value of the next SDU data packet of the PDCP entity to be received. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the receiving window of the PDCP entity. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the variable of the lower boundary of the receiving window is “RX_DELIV”, which identifies a data packet number of a first PDU data packet that is not delivered to a higher-level protocol entity. The PDCP entity updates the variable “RX_DELIV” of the lower boundary of the receiving window according to the COUNT of a PDU data packet delivered to the higher-level protocol entity. For a PDU data packet to be received, the PDCP entity may start a reordering timer, and when the reordering timer is expired, the PDCP entity ignores the “COUNT of the PDU data packet to be received” and updates the lower boundary of the receiving window. If the PDCP receives a data packet outside of the receiving window, the PDCP entity discards the data packet. The variable “RX_REORD” identifies a data packet COUNT that starts the reordering timer. The variable “RX_NEXT” identifies a data packet COUNT of the next PDU data packet to be received. As illustrated in FIG. 3, initial values of the variables “RX_DELIV” and “RX_NEXT” of the PDCP entity are 0. When a PDU data packet numbered “1” is received, it means that a PDU data packet numbered “0” is not received. The PDCP entity updates the “RX_NEXT” to “2”. In response to the need to start the reordering timer, the “RX_REORD” is set to “2”. When a PDU data packet numbered “2” is received, the “RX_NEXT” is updated to “3”.)
Regarding to the claim 15, JIANG’s 729 teaches an apparatus comprising:
a first multicast radio bearer (MRB);
at least one processor; and
one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving first indication information (an adjustment parameter sent by the network device) [see Paragraphs 0006-0007 & 0049-0051 & 0052 ] sent by a source node (the network device ) , wherein the first indication information (an adjustment parameter indicates adjusting the receiving window of the PDCP entity ) indicates to adjust a receive window of a first PDCP entity when the first PDCP entity is re-established (re-esablishing or reconfiguring the PDCP entity of the MRB is determined as the trigger event ) [see Paragraph 0127] ;
[also see the Paragraphs 0029 & 0038 & 0039 & 0040 & 0041 & 0043 & 0049 & 0050 & 0051 & 0052 & 0053 & 0063 & 0074 & 0075 & 0078 & 0080 & 0082 & 0083 & 0084 & 0103 & 0104 & 0115 & 0116 & 0127 & 0130-0136 & 0146-0150 & 0159 & 0169 -0170 & 0182 & 0184 & 0188-0190 & 0192];
Adjusting the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information (adjusting the receiving window of the first PDCP entity based on the adjusting parameter sent by the network device ) [see Paragraphs 0040].
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM).
KADIRI’s 745, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches receiving, by a terminal device, first indication information sent by a source base station, wherein the first indication information include synchronizing an RLC AM reception window of the UE with the RLC AM transmission window based on at least in part on determining the adjustment of the RLC AM transmission window of the base station [see Paragraphs 0006-0007];
wherein the first MRB comprises the first PDCP entity and a first radio link control (RLC) entity that uses an acknowledged mode (AM) [see Paragraphs 0062-0063].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the system of JIANG’s 729 in view of KADIRI’s 745 because KADIRI’s 745 suggests that according to the method for configuring a receiving window of a PDCP entity of the disclosure, the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity is adjusted based on the obtained SN value and the HFN value, realizing timely update of the variable of the receiving window of the PDCP entity, so that a new terminal device can join in at any time to receive MBS data, ensuring the continuity and reliability of MBS data transmission.
Regarding to the claim 18, claim 18 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 4 above.
Regarding to the claim 19, claim 19 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 5 above.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JIANG ( US 20240179729, hereinafter, JIANG’s 729) in view of KADIRI et al. ( US 20210126745, hereinafter, KADIRI’s 745 ), and further in view of Teyeb et al. ( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ).
Regarding to the claim 2, JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 1 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first indication information comprises second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that an area session ID of a target node is inconsistent with an area session ID of the source node; and wherein the adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information comprises:
initializing, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein the first indication information comprises second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that an area session ID of a target node is inconsistent with an area session ID of the source node; and wherein
the adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information (The WTRU may execute the handover towards the target (the WTRU may update (e.g., reset) the PDCP receive window parameters (e.g., setting an expected PDCP SN to be equal to the SN of the first received packet from the target+1) ) [see Paragraph 0069] comprises:
initializing, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity [also see the Paragraph 0138] [see the Figures 2-5 of the Provisional Application No. 63168124] .
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 3, JIANG’s 729 abd KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 1 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first indication information comprises third indication information, and the third indication information indicates that PDCP serial numbers of a target node and the source node are not synchronized; and wherein the adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information comprises: initializing, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein the first indication information comprises third indication information, and the third indication information indicates that PDCP serial numbers of a target node and the source node are not synchronized; and
wherein the adjusting, by the terminal device, the receive window of the first PDCP entity based on the first indication information comprises: initializing, by the terminal device, a window parameter of the receive window of the first PDCP entity [see Paragraphs 0069 & 0138].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 6 , JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 1 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first indication information is comprised in first information indicating node handover.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein the first indication information is comprised in first information indicating node handover [see Paragraph 0069].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 9 , JIANG’s 729 abd KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 8 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein before the sending, by a source node, first indication information to a terminal device, the method further comprises: sending, by the source node, handover request information to a target node; and wherein receiving, by the source node, handover request acknowledgment information, wherein the handover request acknowledgment information comprises indication information indicating to adjust the receive window of the first PDCP entity.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein before the sending, by a source node, first indication information to a terminal device, the method further comprises:
sending, by the source node, handover request information to a target node; and wherein receiving, by the source node, handover request acknowledgment information, wherein the handover request acknowledgment information comprises indication information indicating to adjust the receive window of the first PDCP entity [see Paragraph 0135 and Figure 5 ].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 10 , JIANG’s 729 abd KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 8 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first indication information comprises second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that an area session ID of the target node is inconsistent with an area session ID of the source node.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein the first indication information comprises second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that an area session ID of the target node is inconsistent with an area session ID of the source node [see Paragraph 0076 and also see Paragraph 0060].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 11, JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745 teach the limitations of the claim 9 above.
However, JIANG’s 729 does not explicitly teach wherein the first indication information comprises third indication information, and the third indication information indicates that serial numbers of the target node and the source node are not synchronized.
( US 20240114399, Provisional Application No. 63168124 ), from the same or similar fields of endeavor, teaches wherein the first indication information comprises third indication information, and the third indication information indicates that serial numbers (sequence numbers or SN) of the target node and the source node are not synchronized [see Paragraph 0069 and also see the paragraph 0068].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modify the combined system ( JIANG’s 729 and KADIRI’s 745), and further in view of US 20240114399 because US 20240114399 suggests that the WTRU may be configured to determine, based on at least one of the received one or more packets from the source cell or the received one or more packets from the target cell, that there are no missing packets. The WTRU may be configured to release, based on the determination that there are no missing packets, a resource associated with the source cell.
Regarding to the claim 13, claim 13 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 6 above.
Regarding to the claim 16, claim 16 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 2 above.
Regarding to the claim 17, claim 17 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 3 above.
Regarding to the claim 20, claim 20 is rejected the same limitations of the claim 6 above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG T HO whose telephone number is (571)272-3133. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUONG T HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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