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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 07/19/2024 comply with all application rules and regulations. Therefore, the information referred to therein have been considered
Specification Objection
3. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: A COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR MULTICAST BROADCAST SERVICE TRANSMISSION.
Claim Objections
4. Claims 4, 5, 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
• In claim 4, line 2, missing comma before having and after RRC connection.
• In claim 5, line 6, “processing of causing” should be “processing that causes”.
• In claim 6, line 6, “processing of causing” should be “processing that causes”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-6, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Paladugu (WO-2023050286-A1), as PCT field on Sep. 30, 2021 and published on Apr. 06, 2023.
Regarding claim 1, Paladugu teaches a communication method for transmitting multicast broadcast service (MBS) data belonging to an MBS session from a network node to a remote user equipment via a relay user equipment (Abstract and [0006] provide the method related to wireless communication, where a relay user equipment (UE) may transmit to a remote UE, a relay discovery message indicating one or more supported services, wherein the one or more supported services include at least one of a multicast service and/or broadcast service, such as 5G/NR, support multicast services and/or broadcast services, collectively referred to as multicast and broadcast services (MBS), for example, the relay UE may relay uplink communications associated with a relay service from the remote UE to the network, and/or may relay downlink communications associated with a relay service from the network to the remote UE, as described in [0066] “The techniques described herein relate to relaying between a remote UE and a network (e.g., a base station 110) via a relay UE. The relay UE is an example of a first wireless node. The remote UE is an example of a second wireless node.” As also provided in [0082]-[0083] and Figs. 6-11), the communication method comprising: receiving, by a relay user equipment in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state, interest information from a remote user equipment indicating that the remote user equipment is interested in receiving a multicast session ([0090] states “the relay UE may perform relaying of the selected service indicated by the service request indication message. For example, the relay UE may relay broadcast traffic to the remote UE in any radio access RRC state (e.g., connected, idle mode, inactive mode)” that implies the relay UE can transmit/receive data in any radio state of RRC. Step 620-Fig. 6 and [0089] show the remote UE may transmit, and the relay UE may receive, a service request indication message. In some aspects, the service request indication message may be an MBS interest indication. For example, the remote UE may indicate a selected service (e.g., a selected broadcast service of the set of broadcast services)); and performing, by the relay user equipment, connection processing of establishing or resuming an RRC connection to a network node in response to receiving the interest information (Figs. 8-10 describe the process for multiact and broadcast service MBS relaying, included the action when receiving the service request /interest indication (information) from the remote UE, [0089] and [0110] states “As shown by reference number 830, the relay UE may transition to a connected state (e.g., an RRC connected mode) with the 5G core. As shown by reference number 840, the remote UE and the 5G core may set up a Uu (e.g., AS and NAS) connection between the remote UE and the 5G core, such as to facilitate a selected service selected by the remote UE.” That implies the relay can set up the RRC connection to the BS/ network node [0101] for enable relaying of MBS session).
Regarding claim 2, Paladugu teaches the communication method according to claim 1,
Paladugu further teaches wherein the performing of the connection processing comprises notifying the network node that the multicast session is intended to be transferred by using a message transmitted from the relay user equipment to the network node in the connection processing ([0088] states “In a Layer 2 relay, a remote UE in an RRC connected state may transmit a service request indication message (e.g., a Uu MBS interest indication) to the NG-RAN via relay UE”. Step 740-Fig. 7 and [0101] states “the relay UE may setup or modify one or more PDU sessions for multicast over the relay UE. Thus, the relay UE may configure a selected service for multicast provision. For example, the relay UE may request a multicast session join on a relay PDU session (which is for the relay UE’s traffic with the 5G network) based at least in part on an MBS session identifier associated with the selected service requested by the UE. In some aspects, the 5G core may configure the multicast session based at least in part on a multicast group identifier and/or a destination identifier associated with the multicast session” that confirms during the connection processing, the relay UE can send the message to the network node to request joining /modifying the multicast session. [0101] also describes that the 5G core may provide the multicast group identifier and/or the destination identifier to the relay UE in connection with configuring the relay PDU session).
Regarding claim 3, Paladugu teaches the communication method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Paladugu teaches transferring, by the relay user equipment establishing or resuming the RRC connection, MBS data belonging to the multicast session from the network node to the remote user equipment (Step 860-Fig. 8 and [0111] provides that the relay UE can transfer the MBS data related to the MBS session to the remote UE. Abstract and Claim 1 also confirm that the relay UE can provide the selected service to the second wireless node (remote UE) after configuration step, see also Steps 760-770-Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Paladugu teaches the communication method according to claim 1, wherein the relay user equipment having established or resumed the RRC connection
Paladugu teaches maps a multicast radio bearer (MRB) corresponding to the multicast session to sidelink unicast between the remote user equipment and the relay user equipment or groupcast (Step 850-Fig. 8 and [0110] depict that the MRB configured for the remote UE (for PTM, PTP, or both) based at least in part on an MBS capability of the relay UE. For example, if the relay UE supports MBS, then the NG-RAN may configure an MRB for PTM. Otherwise, the NG-RAN may configure an MRB for PTP.” [0103] states “the relay UE may support forwarding of multicast data to remote UEs (e.g., over the local link) using either unicast (e.g., PTP) or groupcast (e.g., PTM)”. [0109] states “ the NG-RAN (which may know which MBS sessions the remote UE has joined) may switch the multicast PDU session to a unicast PDU session before handover, and may prepare a target base station or UE with an MRB or DRB configuration for the remote UE’s multicast service.” That implies the mapping of MRB to the multicast session to sidelink unicast between the remote UE and the relay UE or groupcast).
Regarding claim 5, Paladugu teaches a communication method for transmitting multicast broadcast service (MBS) data belonging to an MBS session from a network node to a remote user equipment via a relay user equipment (Abstract and [0006] provide the method related to wireless communication, where a relay user equipment (UE) may transmit to a remote UE, a relay discovery message indicating one or more supported services, wherein the one or more supported services include at least one of a multicast service and/or broadcast service, such as 5G/NR, support multicast services and/or broadcast services, collectively referred to as multicast and broadcast services (MBS), for example, the relay UE may relay uplink communications associated with a relay service from the remote UE to the network, and/or may relay downlink communications associated with a relay service from the network to the remote UE, as described in [0066] “The techniques described herein relate to relaying between a remote UE and a network (e.g., a base station 110) via a relay UE. The relay UE is an example of a first wireless node. The remote UE is an example of a second wireless node.” As also provided in [0082]-[0083] and Figs. 6-11), the communication method comprising: transferring, by a relay user equipment, data received from a first cell supporting a sidelink relay function to a remote user equipment (Step 860-Fig. 8 and [0111] provides that the relay UE can transfer the MBS data related to the MBS session to the remote UE. Abstract and Claim 1 also confirm that the relay UE can provide the selected service to the second wireless node (remote UE) after configuration step, see also Steps 760-770-Fig. 7. [0079] provide the description of the sidelink relay function, as states “IP communications of the remote UE may be relayed to the 5G core via the relay UE. For example, the IP communications may be communicated to the relay UE via a local link like sidelink, WiFi, WiFi-D, Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE (e.g., for sidelink, a PC5 local link, which may be a secure unicast link established prior to relaying) , then between the relay UE and the NG-RAN via the radio access (e.g., Uu) interface, then to the 5G core via an N3 or N2 interface. The remote UE and/or the relay UE may be provisioned by the 5G core or preconfigured with a policy (e.g., a sidelink policy)” that confirms the relay UE can transfer the MBS data through SL relay function, where the relay UE can act as intermediate communication between the gNB/serving cell and the remote UE, sidelink relaying function); performing, by a network node configured to manage the first cell (Fig. 1 and [0036]-[0037] provide that the BS can manage the cell, coverage area, using , for example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager 150 and/or transmission component 1304, depicted in Fig. 13) may transmit, to a first wireless node or a second wireless node, information indicating one or more supported services, wherein the one or more supported services include at least one of a multicast service or a broadcast service, as described in [0160] and Fig. 11), processing of causing the remote user equipment to transmit a measurement report to the network node in response to determining handover of the relay user equipment to a second cell not supporting the sidelink relay function ([0109] states “For example, for a remote UE in an RRC connected state, an NG-RAN may support MBS service continuity during a network-managed handover for direct or indirect mobility. In some aspects, the NG-RAN (which may know which MBS sessions the remote UE has joined) may switch the multicast PDU session to a unicast PDU session before handover, and may prepare a target base station or UE with an MRB or DRB configuration for the remote UE’s multicast service,” that implies the network can manage the handoff procedure between the relay UE and remote UE for insuring the continuity of the process, where the relay UE can transfer the MBS data through SL relay function, as described in [0079]. [0088] and [0100] states “The NG-RAN may take into account the selected service indicated by the service request indication message for handover preparation. For idle or inactive mode reselection, the remote UE may select or reselect to a cell or relay that supports the selected service and the frequency associated with the selected service. In this way, interruption to broadcast services associated with cell or relay selection or reselection is reduced.” Also, [0099] also states “the remote UE may perform cell selection or relay selection to a cell or relay UE that supports a multicast service selected by the remote UE.” Which confirms that the NG-RAN may trigger the UE to perform selection of new cell or to transmit the data report to the BS for support MBS continuity service, see also claim 28); and performing, by the network node, handover of the remote user equipment before the handover of the relay user equipment, based on the measurement report ([0088] and [0109] states “a remote UE or NG-RAN may select or reselect a cell or relay that supports a selected multicast service to support service continuity, as mentioned above. For example, for a remote UE in an RRC connected state, an NG-RAN may support MBS service continuity during a network-managed handover for direct or indirect mobility. In some aspects, the NG-RAN (which may know which MBS sessions the remote UE has joined) may switch the multicast PDU session to a unicast PDU session before handover, and may prepare a target base station or UE with an MRB or DRB configuration for the remote UE’s multicast service.” See also [0165] and [0200]. That confirms, based on the report sent from the remote UE, the network node may configure a handover of the remote UE to a cell /relay UE that support the selected service, upon the receiving of the measurement report, which can be done before the handover of the relay UE).
Regarding claim 6, Paladugu teaches a communication method for transmitting multicast broadcast service (MBS) data belonging to an MBS session from a network node to a remote user equipment via a relay user equipment (Abstract and [0006] provide the method related to wireless communication, where a relay user equipment (UE) may transmit to a remote UE, a relay discovery message indicating one or more supported services, wherein the one or more supported services include at least one of a multicast service and/or broadcast service, such as 5G/NR, support multicast services and/or broadcast services, collectively referred to as multicast and broadcast services (MBS), for example, the relay UE may relay uplink communications associated with a relay service from the remote UE to the network, and/or may relay downlink communications associated with a relay service from the network to the remote UE, as described in [0066] “The techniques described herein relate to relaying between a remote UE and a network (e.g., a base station 110) via a relay UE. The relay UE is an example of a first wireless node. The remote UE is an example of a second wireless node.” As also provided in [0082]-[0083] and Figs. 6-11), the communication method comprising: transferring, by a relay user equipment, MBS data received by the relay user equipment from a first cell supporting an MBS function to a remote user equipment (Step 860-Fig. 8 and [0111] provides that the relay UE can transfer the MBS data related to the MBS session to the remote UE. Abstract and Claim 1 also confirm that the relay UE can provide the selected service to the second wireless node (remote UE) after configuration step, see also Steps 760-770 in Fig. 7. [0079] provide the description of the sidelink relay function, as states “IP communications of the remote UE may be relayed to the 5G core via the relay UE. For example, the IP communications may be communicated to the relay UE via a local link like sidelink, WiFi, WiFi-D, Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE (e.g., for sidelink, a PC5 local link, which may be a secure unicast link established prior to relaying) , then between the relay UE and the NG-RAN via the radio access (e.g., Uu) interface, then to the 5G core via an N3 or N2 interface. The remote UE and/or the relay UE may be provisioned by the 5G core or preconfigured with a policy (e.g., a sidelink policy)” that confirms the relay UE can transfer the MBS data through SL relay function, where the relay UE can act as intermediate communication between the gNB/serving cell and the remote UE, sidelink relaying function. [0083] provides the description for the cell that supporting the MBS services as states “Some radio access technologies (RATs) , such as 5G/NR, support multicast services and/or broadcast services, collectively referred to as multicast and broadcast services (MBS) . An MBS can be characterized as point-to-multipoint (PTM) , where data is transmitted from a single source entity to multiple recipients, and can be contrasted with a unicast service, which is point-to-point (PTP)” see also [0111], lines 9-12); performing, by a network node configured to manage the first cell (Fig. 1 and [0036]-[0037] provide that the BS can manage the cell, coverage area, using , for example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager 150 and/or transmission component 1304, depicted in Fig. 13) may transmit, to a first wireless node or a second wireless node, information indicating one or more supported services, wherein the one or more supported services include at least one of a multicast service or a broadcast service, as described in [0160] and Fig. 11), processing of causing the remote user equipment to establish a PDU session for delivering the MBS data to the remote user equipment by unicast in response to determining handover of the relay user equipment to a second cell not supporting the MBS function ([0109] sates “In some aspects, the NG-RAN (which may know which MBS sessions the remote UE has joined) may switch the multicast PDU session to a unicast PDU session before handover, and may prepare a target base station or UE with an MRB or DRB configuration for the remote UE’s multicast service.” That means if the relay UE is about to move to a cell that not support MBS, then the network can reconfigure the session of the remote UE for continuous receiving MBS data using unicast PDU session to ensure that the service does not disconnect); and performing, by the network node, the handover after the PDU session is established ([0088] states “The NG-RAN may take into account the selected service indicated by the service request indication message for handover preparation “ and [0109] states “the NG-RAN (which may know which MBS sessions the remote UE has joined) may switch the multicast PDU session to a unicast PDU session before handover, and may prepare a target base station or UE with an MRB or DRB configuration for the remote UE’s multicast service.” Claim 28 states “The base station of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: configure a handover of the second wireless node to a cell or first wireless node that supports the selected service”. That means the network node may establish/modify the PDU session before the handover).
Relevant Prior Art
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure.
Sahyoun et al. (WO-2024022904-A1), Kim et al. (US-20230345210-A1), Chen et al. (US-20260107293-A1), and Dai et al. (US-12470897-B2) teach methods for supporting multicast and broadcast services MBS using UEs and network nodes in wireless communication systems.
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANAA S AL SAMAHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4171. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/SANAA AL SAMAHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/OMAR J GHOWRWAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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