DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 have been examined.
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 .
Specification
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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3, 6-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 8, “when” should be changed to “in response to”.
Claim 3, line 1, “when” should be changed to “in response to”.
Claim 6, line 12, “when” should be changed to “in response to”.
Claim 7, line 3, “when” should be changed to “in response to”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-3, 5, 7-10, 12, 15-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20240284542 A1 to Chang et al. (hereinafter “Chang”).
As per claim 1, Chang discloses a method, comprising: receiving a first broadcast message sent by a second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.), wherein the first broadcast message comprises first cell information of the second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.); receiving a third message from a first network device, wherein the third message comprises second cell information of the second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.), and the third message indicates a first terminal device to switch from a relay device of the first terminal device to the second terminal device (Chang [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation. [0043] At transmission 418, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the candidate relay UE device 103 to configure both the sidelink RLC configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE ID to be used for the relay operation. Therefore, the candidate relay UE devices are prepared for providing relay service for the remote UE device 108 if and when the remote UE device 108 determines that conditions have been met to switch to an indirect path through one of the candidate relay UE devices 101, 103. The candidate relay UE device 101 is referred to as the target relay UE device since, in the example, the candidate relay UE device 101 is the UE device selected for the indirect path by the remote UE device 108. [0051] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0053] The gNB 112 prepares other gNBs and candidate relay UE devices served by those other gNBs for the conditional path switch. For the example, therefore, the target UE device 102 and the target gNB 116 are prepared for the conditional path switch. Although other techniques may be used, the gNB 112 applies a modified version of conventional conditional handover (CHO) messaging to setup the conditional path switch. The serving base station (gNB) 112 is a source base station in terms of a handover. At transmission 454, the serving gNB 112 transmits a handover request message for conditional path switch to the target gNB 116, which includes the context of the remote UE device 108 and identifies candidate relay UE devices served by the target gNB 116. For the example, therefore, the handover request message for conditional path switch is a conditional handover request message that conveys the context of the remote UE device 108 and identifies the target UE device 102. The handover request message for conditional path switch is transmitted over an Xn connection between the base stations 112, 116. In some situations, the PC5 measurements result for the target UE device 102 may be included in the request message. This may be advantageous where the requirements for a remote UE to a relay UE could differ from cell to cell.); and when the first cell information is inconsistent with the second cell information, determining that the switch fails (Chang [0060-0061]).
With regards to claims 1, per MPEP 2111.04 (II) (“The broadest reasonable
interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations (“when”) requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met.”), the claim comprises contingent limitations and therefore not required to be performed. Therefore, while a rejection is provided for the contingent limitation, a rejection is not necessary. Applicant should amend the claim to make the conditional limitation a positive recitation that actually occurs.
As per claim 2, Chang discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein after determining that the switch fails, the method further comprises: recording the switch failure; or breaking a connection to the second terminal device; or performing radio resource control (RRC) connection reestablishment (Chang [0060-0061]).
As per claim 3, Chang discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein when the first terminal device does not receive a second broadcast message from the second terminal device within a first duration after receiving the first broadcast message, determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device (Chang Fig 5 and [0068]).
With regards to claims 3, per MPEP 2111.04 (II) (“The broadest reasonable
interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only
those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be
performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met.”), the claim comprises
contingent limitations and therefore not required to be performed. Therefore, a rejection is
not necessary although one is provided.
As per claim 5, Chang discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein a unicast connection is between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and after determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device, the method further comprises: determining to reselect the relay device (Chang Figs. 4a, 4b, and [0038-0052); or reporting a measurement result to the first network device (Chang Figs. 4a, 4b, and [0038-0052).
As per claim 7, Chang discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device comprises: when receiving second indication information from the second terminal device, determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device, wherein the second indication information indicates that the second terminal device does not provide a relay service.
With regards to claims 7, per MPEP 2111.04 (II) (“The broadest reasonable
interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only
those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be
performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met.”), the claim comprises
contingent limitations and therefore not required to be performed. Therefore, a rejection is
not provided.
As per claim 8, 15, Chang discloses an apparatus (Chang Fig. 3), comprising: at least one processor (Chang Fig. 3), and at least one memory storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor (Chang Fig. 3 and [0034]), wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the apparatus to: receive a first broadcast message sent by a second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.), wherein the first broadcast message comprises first cell information of the second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.); receive a third message from a first network device, wherein the third message comprises second cell information of the second terminal device (Chang Fig. 4A, 4B, and [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation.), and the third message indicates a first terminal device to switch from a relay device of the first terminal device to the second terminal device (Chang [0038] At transmission 404, a Model B discovery request is sent to the nearby candidate relay UE devices. In some situations, the Model B discovery request may be omitted. Accordingly, the arrow representing the Model B discovery request is illustrated with a dashed line to indicate that the transmission may not be needed. For example, where Model A discovery messages are received from the candidate relay UE devices, the Model B request may not be needed. [0039] At transmission 406, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 102. At transmission 408, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 101. At transmission 410, a discovery message is sent from the candidate relay UE device 103. The discovery messages of the transmissions 406, 408, 410 may be Model A discovery announcement messages or may be Model B discovery response messages. The remote UE device 108 receives the discovery messages and evaluates received signals and information as part of the relay reselection procedure. For the examples, the remote UE device 108 measures the SD-RSRP levels of the received discovery messages. [0040] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0042] At transmission 416, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the target relay UE device 101 to configure both the sidelink Radio Link Control (RLC) configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE identifier (ID) to be used for the relay operation. [0043] At transmission 418, the gNB 112 sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the candidate relay UE device 103 to configure both the sidelink RLC configuration and the RLC configuration in the Uu link, as well as establishing the remote UE ID to be used for the relay operation. Therefore, the candidate relay UE devices are prepared for providing relay service for the remote UE device 108 if and when the remote UE device 108 determines that conditions have been met to switch to an indirect path through one of the candidate relay UE devices 101, 103. The candidate relay UE device 101 is referred to as the target relay UE device since, in the example, the candidate relay UE device 101 is the UE device selected for the indirect path by the remote UE device 108. [0051] At transmission 412, the remote UE device 108 sends a measurement report to the gNB 112 where the measurement report includes signal quality measurements for candidate relay devices. Accordingly, the measurement report includes the signal quality measurements, such as the SD-RSRP levels, of the discovery signals 406, 408, 410. [0053] The gNB 112 prepares other gNBs and candidate relay UE devices served by those other gNBs for the conditional path switch. For the example, therefore, the target UE device 102 and the target gNB 116 are prepared for the conditional path switch. Although other techniques may be used, the gNB 112 applies a modified version of conventional conditional handover (CHO) messaging to setup the conditional path switch. The serving base station (gNB) 112 is a source base station in terms of a handover. At transmission 454, the serving gNB 112 transmits a handover request message for conditional path switch to the target gNB 116, which includes the context of the remote UE device 108 and identifies candidate relay UE devices served by the target gNB 116. For the example, therefore, the handover request message for conditional path switch is a conditional handover request message that conveys the context of the remote UE device 108 and identifies the target UE device 102. The handover request message for conditional path switch is transmitted over an Xn connection between the base stations 112, 116. In some situations, the PC5 measurements result for the target UE device 102 may be included in the request message. This may be advantageous where the requirements for a remote UE to a relay UE could differ from cell to cell.); and when the first cell information is inconsistent with the second cell information, determining that the switch fails (Chang [0060-0061]).
As per claim 9, 16, Chang discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when executed, after determining that the switch fails, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform: record the switch failure; or break a connection to the second terminal device; or perform radio resource control RRC connection reestablishment (Chang [0060-0061]).
As per claim 10, 17, Chang discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the first terminal device does not receive a second broadcast message from the second terminal device within a first duration after receiving the first broadcast message, determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device (Chang Fig 5 and [0068]).
As per claim 12, 19, Chang discloses the apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a unicast connection is between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, when executed, after determining that the second terminal device is not the relay device of the first terminal device, the instructions cause the apparatus to: determine to reselect the relay device (Chang Figs. 4a, 4b, and [0038-0052); or report a measurement result to a first network device (Chang Figs. 4a, 4b, and [0038-0052).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6, 11, 13-14, 18, and 20 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
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FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2476
/FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
Prosecution Insights