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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 9, 14, 17 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claim 1, Kanamarlapudi discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a receiver (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8 and paragraph [0024], FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary user equipment (UE) according to some aspects of the present disclosure), comprising:
one or more memories (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8, element 804, and paragraph [0118], The UE 800 may be a UE 115 as discussed above with respect to FIG. 1. As shown, the UE 800 may include a processor 802, a memory 804); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8, elements 802 and 804, and paragraph [0120], The memory 804 may store, or have recorded thereon, instructions 806. The instructions 806 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 802, cause the processor 802 to perform the operations described herein with reference to the UEs 115 and/or 20 in connection with aspects of the present disclosure, for example, aspects of FIGS. 2-6 and 9-10), configured to cause the receiver to:
receive a set of radio link control (RLC) packets (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8, element 808, and paragraph [0118], The RLC module 808 is configured to receive one or more RLC PDUs of a sequence of RLC PDUs (e.g., the RLC data PDUs 320) (i.e., the RLC module of the UE receives a one or more RLC PDU), for example, from a BS 105, 202, or 700); and
transmit an RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0131], In some aspects, as part of transmitting the RLC status report, the RLC module 808 may transmit the RLC status report indicating the first sequence number of the first missing RLC PDU and a quantity of consecutive RLC PDUs (i.e., transmit a RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet and a set of RLC packets) from the first missing RLC PDU to the second missing RLC PDU in the sequence of RLC PDUs), the first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0085], the RLC status report 400 includes a NACK field 402 and an ACK_SN field 404. The NACK field 402 may comprise a list of sequence numbers (SNs) corresponding to RLC data PDUs in the sequence that were transmitted by the transmitter, but not received by the receiver. The first SN in the NACK field 402 may correspond to the first SN for which the RLC status report 400 provides status information. The ACK_SN field 404 may indicate an exclusive upper bound on the SNs for which the RLC status report 400 includes information. Any SNs in the range between the first SN (i.e., first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets of the set of RLC packets) in the NACK field 402 (inclusive) and ACK_SN field 404 (exclusive) which are not in the NACK field 402 are successfully received by the receiver), having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Regarding claim 7, Kanamarlapudi discloses wherein the first sequence number indicates that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets, having sequence numbers less than or equal to the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Regarding claim 9, Kanamarlapudi discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a transmitter (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0107], FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary BS 700 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The BS 700 may be a BS 105 in the network 100 as discussed above in FIG. 1 or a BS 202 as discussed above in FIGS. 2 and 5), comprising:
one or more memories (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0109], The memory 704 may include a cache memory (e.g., a cache memory of the processor 702), RAM, MRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, a solid state memory device, one or more hard disk drives, memristor-based arrays, other forms of volatile and non-volatile memory, or a combination of different types of memory); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0109], The memory 704 may store instructions 706. The instructions 706 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 702, cause the processor 702 to perform operations described herein, for example, aspects of FIGS. 2-6. Instructions 706 may also be referred to as program code. The program code may be for causing a wireless communication device to perform these operations, for example by causing one or more processors (such as processor 702) to control or command the wireless communication device to do so), configured to cause the transmitter to:
transmit a set of radio link control (RLC) packets (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0111], The RLC module 708 is configured to prepare a sequence of RLC data PDUs and transmit the sequence of RLC data PDUs to, for example, a UE 115 or 204); and
receive an RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0131], In some aspects, as part of transmitting the RLC status report, the RLC module 808 may transmit the RLC status report indicating the first sequence number of the first missing RLC PDU and a quantity of consecutive RLC PDUs (i.e., the base station receives the RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet and a set of RLC packets transmitted by the UE) from the first missing RLC PDU to the second missing RLC PDU in the sequence of RLC PDUs), the first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0085], the RLC status report 400 includes a NACK field 402 and an ACK_SN field 404. The NACK field 402 may comprise a list of sequence numbers (SNs) corresponding to RLC data PDUs in the sequence that were transmitted by the transmitter, but not received by the receiver. The first SN in the NACK field 402 may correspond to the first SN for which the RLC status report 400 provides status information. The ACK_SN field 404 may indicate an exclusive upper bound on the SNs for which the RLC status report 400 includes information. Any SNs in the range between the first SN (i.e., first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets of the set of RLC packets) in the NACK field 402 (inclusive) and ACK_SN field 404 (exclusive) which are not in the NACK field 402 are successfully received by the receiver), having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by a receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Regarding claim 14, Kanamarlapudi discloses wherein the first sequence number indicates that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets, having sequence numbers less than or equal to the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Regarding claim 17, Kanamarlapudi discloses a method of wireless communication performed by a receiver (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8 and paragraph [0024], FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary user equipment (UE) according to some aspects of the present disclosure), comprising:
receiving a set of radio link control (RLC) packets (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 8, element 808, and paragraph [0118], The RLC module 808 is configured to receive one or more RLC PDUs of a sequence of RLC PDUs (e.g., the RLC data PDUs 320) (i.e., the RLC module of the UE receives a one or more RLC PDU), for example, from a BS 105, 202, or 700); and
transmitting an RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0131], In some aspects, as part of transmitting the RLC status report, the RLC module 808 may transmit the RLC status report indicating the first sequence number of the first missing RLC PDU and a quantity of consecutive RLC PDUs (i.e., transmit a RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet and a set of RLC packets) from the first missing RLC PDU to the second missing RLC PDU in the sequence of RLC PDUs), the first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0085], the RLC status report 400 includes a NACK field 402 and an ACK_SN field 404. The NACK field 402 may comprise a list of sequence numbers (SNs) corresponding to RLC data PDUs in the sequence that were transmitted by the transmitter, but not received by the receiver. The first SN in the NACK field 402 may correspond to the first SN for which the RLC status report 400 provides status information. The ACK_SN field 404 may indicate an exclusive upper bound on the SNs for which the RLC status report 400 includes information. Any SNs in the range between the first SN (i.e., first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets of the set of RLC packets) in the NACK field 402 (inclusive) and ACK_SN field 404 (exclusive) which are not in the NACK field 402 are successfully received by the receiver), having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Regarding claim 25, Kanamarlapudi discloses a method of wireless communication performed by a transmitter (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0107], FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary BS 700 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The BS 700 may be a BS 105 in the network 100 as discussed above in FIG. 1 or a BS 202 as discussed above in FIGS. 2 and 5), comprising:
transmitting a set of radio link control (RLC) packets (Kanamarlapudi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0111], The RLC module 708 is configured to prepare a sequence of RLC data PDUs and transmit the sequence of RLC data PDUs to, for example, a UE 115 or 204); and
receiving an RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0131], In some aspects, as part of transmitting the RLC status report, the RLC module 808 may transmit the RLC status report indicating the first sequence number of the first missing RLC PDU and a quantity of consecutive RLC PDUs (i.e., the base station receives the RLC status report that includes a first sequence number of an RLC packet and a set of RLC packets transmitted by the UE) from the first missing RLC PDU to the second missing RLC PDU in the sequence of RLC PDUs), the first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets, of the set of RLC packets (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0085], the RLC status report 400 includes a NACK field 402 and an ACK_SN field 404. The NACK field 402 may comprise a list of sequence numbers (SNs) corresponding to RLC data PDUs in the sequence that were transmitted by the transmitter, but not received by the receiver. The first SN in the NACK field 402 may correspond to the first SN for which the RLC status report 400 provides status information. The ACK_SN field 404 may indicate an exclusive upper bound on the SNs for which the RLC status report 400 includes information. Any SNs in the range between the first SN (i.e., first sequence number indicating that all RLC packets of the set of RLC packets) in the NACK field 402 (inclusive) and ACK_SN field 404 (exclusive) which are not in the NACK field 402 are successfully received by the receiver), having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by a receiver (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], As part of generating the RLC status report, the wireless communication device may also assign the first sequence number (e.g., a given RLC SN) to an ACK SN indication (e.g., the ACK SN field 404) based on the RLC status report (i.e., first sequence number where successfully received) including the indication for less than all missing data segments of the plurality of missing data segments (of the given RLC SN) (i.e., having sequence numbers less than the first sequence number were successfully received by the receiver)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claim(s) 2-3 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Fan et al., US 2023/0090249 A1 (Fan hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claims 2-3 and 10-11, Kanamarlapudi discloses the apparatus of claim 1 and the apparatus of claim 9. Kanamarlapudi does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the receiver to: receive at least one RLC packet including a polling bit that indicates a requested type of RLC status report.
Regarding claim 3, wherein transmitting the RLC status report is associated with the polling bit including a request for at least one of an acknowledgement status report, or an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement status report.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the transmitter to: transmit at least one RLC packet including a polling bit that indicates a requested type of RLC status report.
Regarding claim 11, wherein receiving the RLC status report is associated with the polling bit indicating a request for at least one of an acknowledgement status report, or an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement status report.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Fan discloses a method related to receiving a radio link control (RLC) status report that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the receiver to: receive at least one RLC packet including a polling bit that indicates a requested type of RLC status report (Fan, paragraph [0088], An AM RLC entity on the receiving side receives an RLC PDU (i.e., RLC packet), and a status report sending request bit (Polling bit) in the RLC PDU is set to 1. Also see paragraph [089], The polling bit is included in a packet header of the RLC PDU. If the polling bit=l, the RLC status report is requested (i.e. polling bit in the PLC data packet indicates a requested type PLC status report)).
Regarding claim 3, wherein transmitting the RLC status report is associated with the polling bit including a request for at least one of an acknowledgement status report, or an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement status report (Fan, paragraph [0088], An AM RLC entity on the receiving side receives an RLC PDU (i.e., RLC packet), and a status report sending request bit (Polling bit) in the RLC PDU is set to 1. Also see paragraph [085], The AM mode is usually used for a service that has a high requirement on service reliability. This type of service needs to avoid data loss during transmission as much as possible. An AM RLC entity uses an automatic repeat request (ARQ) mechanism, to ensure lossless data transmission. A basic idea of an ARQ is that a data receiving side (a receiving side for short) may send an RLC status report to a data transmitting side (a transmitting side for short), to indicate which data packet is successfully received and which data packet fails to be received).
Regarding claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the transmitter to: transmit at least one RLC packet including a polling bit that indicates a requested type of RLC status report (Fan, paragraph [0088], An AM RLC entity on the receiving side receives an RLC PDU (i.e., RLC packet), and a status report sending request bit (Polling bit) in the RLC PDU is set to 1. Also see paragraph [089], The polling bit is included in a packet header of the RLC PDU. If the polling bit=l, the RLC status report is requested (i.e. polling bit in the PLC data packet indicates a requested type PLC status report)).
Regarding claim 11, wherein receiving the RLC status report is associated with the polling bit indicating a request for at least one of an acknowledgement status report, or an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement status report (Fan, paragraph [0088], An AM RLC entity on the receiving side receives an RLC PDU (i.e., RLC packet), and a status report sending request bit (Polling bit) in the RLC PDU is set to 1. Also see paragraph [085], The AM mode is usually used for a service that has a high requirement on service reliability. This type of service needs to avoid data loss during transmission as much as possible. An AM RLC entity uses an automatic repeat request (ARQ) mechanism, to ensure lossless data transmission. A basic idea of an ARQ is that a data receiving side (a receiving side for short) may send an RLC status report to a data transmitting side (a transmitting side for short), to indicate which data packet is successfully received and which data packet fails to be received).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kanamarlapudi by using the features, as taught by Fan, in order to provide a communication method and device, to improve reliability of data transmission (see Fan, paragraphs [0002] and [0005]).
Claim(s) 4 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kim et al., US 2013/0021982 A1 (Kim hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Kanamarlapudi discloses the apparatus of claim 1 and the apparatus of claim 9. Kanamarlapudi does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 4, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the receiver to transmit the RLC status report, are configured to cause the receiver to: transmit the RLC status report in accordance with a periodic schedule.
Regarding claim 12, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the transmitter to receive the RLC status report, are configured to cause the transmitter to: receive the RLC status report in accordance with a periodic schedule.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kim discloses a method related to a packet retransmission method that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 4, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the receiver to transmit the RLC status report, are configured to cause the receiver to: transmit the RLC status report in accordance with a periodic schedule (Kim, paragraph [0041], As aforementioned, the ARQ retransmission is performed on the RLC layer on which the receiver sends the RLC Status Report to the transmitter periodically to notify of data loss for reliable data transmission).
Regarding claim 12, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the transmitter to receive the RLC status report, are configured to cause the transmitter to: receive the RLC status report in accordance with a periodic schedule (Kim, paragraph [0041], As aforementioned, the ARQ retransmission is performed on the RLC layer on which the receiver sends the RLC Status Report to the transmitter periodically to notify of data loss for reliable data transmission).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kanamarlapudi by using the features, as taught by Kim, in order to provide an efficient packet retransmission method for use in the contention-based access procedure (see Kim, abstract and paragraph [0010]).
Claim(s) 5-6, 8, 13, 15, 18, 26 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of DAMNJANOVIC et al., US 2021/0258826 A1 (Damnjanovic hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claims 5-6, 8, 13, 15, 18, 26 and 27, Kanamarlapudi discloses the apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus of claim 9, the method of claim 17 and the method of claim 25.
Regarding claim 27, Kanamarlapudi further discloses wherein the RLC status report includes a set of indications corresponding to the second sequence number, the set of indications including at least one of: an indication of whether the RLC status report includes the second sequence number, an indication of a whether the RLC status report includes a third sequence number indicating that a third RLC packet associated with the third sequence number was successfully received, an indication of whether the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication corresponding to the second sequence number, or an indication of whether the RLC status report includes a range indication corresponding to the second sequence number (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0059], The RLC status PDU may include an ACK indicating which PDUs were successfully received, along with a NACK indicating which PDUs failed to be received. Each NACK or ACK indication may include a SN identifying a missing RLC PDU (that the UE 115 failed to receive) or a successfully received RL CPDU. Also see paragraph [0089], Additionally or alternatively, the NACK field 402 may include an SOstart indicator 408 and an SOend indicator 409. In an example, each of the SOstart indicator 408 and the SOend indicator 409 may have a length of about 2 bytes (i.e., the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication corresponding to the second sequence number). The SOstart indicator 408 and the SOend indicator 409 may be utilized to indicate a data segment in a RLC data PDU is lost).
Kanamarlapudi does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 5, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the receiver to transmit the RLC status report, are configured to cause the receiver to: transmit control signaling including the RLC status report.
Regarding claim 6, wherein the control signaling comprises at least one of RLC signaling, or a medium access control signaling.
Regarding claim 8, wherein the RLC status report includes a field indicating that the RLC status report is an acknowledgement report.
Regarding claim 13, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the transmitter to receive the RLC status report, are configured to cause the transmitter to: receive control signaling including the RLC status report.
Regarding claim 15, wherein the RLC status report includes a field indicating that the RLC status report is an acknowledgement report.
Regarding claim 18, wherein the RLC status report includes a second sequence number of a second RLC packet of the set of RLC packets, the second sequence number indicating that at least a segment, of the second RLC packet having the second sequence number, was successfully received.
Regarding claim 26, wherein the RLC status report includes a second sequence number of a second RLC packet of the set of RLC packets, the second sequence number indicating that at least a segment, of the second RLC packet having the second sequence number, was successfully received.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Damnjanovic discloses a method related to wireless communication that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 5, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the receiver to transmit the RLC status report, are configured to cause the receiver to: transmit control signaling including the RLC status report (Damnjanovic paragraph [0052], The RLC functions may include the UE 215 transmitting control information (i.e., control signaling) to the first base station 205 via uplink transmissions on the first communication link 225. In one example, the control information includes an RLC status report providing the first base station 205 with a status (e.g., Acknowledgement ACK and/or Negative-ACK (NACK)) of data transmitted to the UE 215 by the first base station 205).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the control signaling comprises at least one of RLC signaling, or a medium access control signaling (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0052], the first base station 205 and the UE 215 utilize radio link control (RLC) to manage the first communication link 225. In this regard, a radio resource control (RRC) entity may configure an RLC entity at the first base station 205 and configure a corresponding RLC entity (i.e., a peer RLC entity) at the UE 215 to perform RLC functions for the first communication link 225. The RLC functions may include the UE 215 transmitting control information (i.e., control signaling) to the first base station 205 via uplink transmissions on the first communication link 225).
Regarding claim 8, wherein the RLC status report includes a field indicating that the RLC status report is an acknowledgement report (Damnjanovic paragraph [0062], The RLC status report provides a status (e.g., ACK and/or NACK) of the data at the UE 215 with ACK indicating data that has been successfully received (i.e., a field indicating that the report is an acknowledgement report) and NACK indicating data that has not been successfully received ( e.g., data that has been lost or can not be decoded)).
Regarding claim 13, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the transmitter to receive the RLC status report, are configured to cause the transmitter to: receive control signaling including the RLC status report (Damnjanovic paragraph [0052], The RLC functions may include the UE 215 transmitting control information (i.e., control signaling) to the first base station 205 via uplink transmissions on the first communication link 225. In one example, the control information includes an RLC status report providing the first base station 205 with a status (e.g., Acknowledgement ACK and/or Negative-ACK (NACK)) of data transmitted to the UE 215 by the first base station 205).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the RLC status report includes a field indicating that the RLC status report is an acknowledgement report (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0062], The RLC status report provides a status (e.g., ACK and/or NACK) of the data at the UE 215 with ACK indicating data that has been successfully received (i.e., a field indicating that the report is an acknowledgement report) and NACK indicating data that has not been successfully received ( e.g., data that has been lost or can not be decoded)).
Regarding claim 18, wherein the RLC status report includes a second sequence number of a second RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0053], the UE 215 attempts to receive the packets, and determines whether each of the packets has been successfully received at the UE 215. The UE 215 may then generate an RLC status report indicating which packets have been successfully received at the UE 215 ( e.g., with an ACK) and/or which packets have not been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with a NACK) (i.e., the RLC status report comprising first and second RLC packets). The UE 215 may then transmit the RLC status report to the first base station 205 via an uplink transmission on the first communication link 225. Also see paragraph [0054], the UE 215 may identify the one or more packet segments in the RLC status report with segment identifiers ( e.g., sequence numbers, a bitmap, etc.)), the second sequence number indicating that at least a segment, of the second RLC packet having the second sequence number, was successfully received (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0054], The UE 215 attempts to receive the packet segments, and determines whether each of the packet segments has been successfully received at the UE 215. The UE 215 may then generate an RLC status report indicating which packet segments have been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with an ACK) and/or which packet segments have not been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with a NACK). Also see paragraph [0055], Upon receiving the RLC status report, the first base station 205 may identify one or more packet segments that were not successfully received at the UE 215 based on the RLC status report … Once the UE 215 has successfully received all of the packet segments for a packet, the UE 215 may reassemble the packet and process the reassembled packet (e.g., at an upper protocol layer). Also see paragraph [0073], The RLC status report may identify each individual packet segment with a respective segment identifier ( e.g., sequence number, bitmap, etc.), and indicate an ACK for packet segments that are successfully received (i.e., first and second successfully received packet segments having first and second sequence number)).
Regarding claim 26, wherein the RLC status report includes a second sequence number of a second RLC packet of the set of RLC packets (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0053], the UE 215 attempts to receive the packets, and determines whether each of the packets has been successfully received at the UE 215. The UE 215 may then generate an RLC status report indicating which packets have been successfully received at the UE 215 ( e.g., with an ACK) and/or which packets have not been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with a NACK) (i.e., the RLC status report comprising first and second RLC packets). The UE 215 may then transmit the RLC status report to the first base station 205 via an uplink transmission on the first communication link 225. Also see paragraph [0054], the UE 215 may identify the one or more packet segments in the RLC status report with segment identifiers ( e.g., sequence numbers, a bitmap, etc.)), the second sequence number indicating that at least a segment, of the second RLC packet having the second sequence number, was successfully received (Damnjanovic, paragraph [0054], The UE 215 attempts to receive the packet segments, and determines whether each of the packet segments has been successfully received at the UE 215. The UE 215 may then generate an RLC status report indicating which packet segments have been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with an ACK) and/or which packet segments have not been successfully received at the UE 215 (e.g., with a NACK). Also see paragraph [0055], Upon receiving the RLC status report, the first base station 205 may identify one or more packet segments that were not successfully received at the UE 215 based on the RLC status report … Once the UE 215 has successfully received all of the packet segments for a packet, the UE 215 may reassemble the packet and process the reassembled packet (e.g., at an upper protocol layer). Also see paragraph [0073], The RLC status report may identify each individual packet segment with a respective segment identifier ( e.g., sequence number, bitmap, etc.), and indicate an ACK for packet segments that are successfully received (i.e., first and second successfully received packet segments having first and second sequence number)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kanamarlapudi by using the features, as taught by Damnjanovic, in order to support coverage enhancement for dual-connectivity (see Damnjanovic, abstract and paragraph [0002]).
Claim(s) 16, 19-21, 23 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of DAMNJANOVIC et al., US 2021/0258826 A1 (Damnjanovic hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Fan et al., US 2023/0090249 A1 (Fan hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claims 16, 19-21, 23 and 29, Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic discloses the apparatus of claim 15, the method of claim 18 and the method of claim 26.
Kanamarlapudi further discloses the following features.
Regarding claim 20, wherein the first sequence number and the second sequence number are inconsecutive (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0150], the multiple missing byte segments are non-consecutive so that if the UE 204 reports each missing byte segment individually, the UE 204 may indicate, in an RLC status report, the SN for the RLC data PDU 610, the starting byte position (SOstart indicator 408), and the ending byte position (SOend indicator 409) for each missing byte segment).
Regarding claim 21, wherein the RLC status report includes a set of indications corresponding to the second sequence number, the set of indications including at least one of: an indication of whether the RLC status report includes the second sequence number, an indication of a whether the RLC status report includes a third sequence number indicating that a third RLC packet associated with the third sequence number was successfully received, an indication of whether the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication corresponding to the second sequence number, or an indication of whether the RLC status report includes a range indication corresponding to the second sequence number (Kanamarlapudi, paragraph [0059], The RLC status PDU may include an ACK indicating which PDUs were successfully received, along with a NACK indicating which PDUs failed to be received. Each NACK or ACK indication may include a SN identifying a missing RLC PDU (that the UE 115 failed to receive) or a successfully received RL CPDU. Also see paragraph [0089], Additionally or alternatively, the NACK field 402 may include an SOstart indicator 408 and an SOend indicator 409. In an example, each of the SOstart indicator 408 and the SOend indicator 409 may have a length of about 2 bytes (i.e., the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication corresponding to the second sequence number). The SOstart indicator 408 and the SOend indicator 409 may be utilized to indicate a data segment in a RLC data PDU is lost).
Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 16, wherein the field includes at least one of a control packet type field or a header.
Regarding claim 19, wherein the second sequence number is greater than the first sequence number.
Regarding claim 23, wherein the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication that indicates that at least one of the second RLC packet or a third RLC packet within an indicated range of the second RLC packet was partially received.
Regarding claim 29, wherein the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication that indicates at least one of the second RLC packet or a third RLC packet within an indicated range of the second RLC packet was partially received.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Fan discloses a method related to receiving a radio link control (RLC) status report that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 16, wherein the field includes at least one of a control packet type field or a header (Fan, paragraph [0097], D/C indicates a type of a PDU. Specifically, if a value of the field is 1, it indicates that the PDU is a data PDU. If the value of the field is 0, it indicates that the PDU is a control PDU).
Regarding claim 19, wherein the second sequence number is greater than the first sequence number (Fan, paragraph [0031], the RLC status report includes at least one piece of status information, each of the at least one piece of status information indicates one or more receiving statuses of one or more consecutive RLC service data units SDUs that are not successfully received, and the at least one piece of status information is sequentially sorted in ascending order of RLC SDU sequence numbers SNs (i.e., the second sequence number is greater than the first sequence number) in the RLC status report).
Regarding claim 23, wherein the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication that indicates that at least one of the second RLC packet or a third RLC packet within an indicated range of the second RLC packet was partially received (Fan, paragraph [0094], If the RLC SDU segment is not received (i.e., partially received PLC packets), in addition to NACK_SN, the RLC status report further includes a segment offset start location (SOstart) and a segment offset end location (SOend), where NACK_SN is a NACK_SN of the RLC SDU, SOstart is a relative location of the 1st byte of the lost segment in the original RLC SDU, and SOend is a relative location of the last byte of the lost segment in the original RLC SDU … It should be understood that if a plurality of segments in one RLC SDU are lost, each segment corresponds to a group of NACK_SN, SOstart, and SOend. For ease of descriptions, in the following embodiments, a group of NACK_SN, SOstart, and SOend corresponding to one RLC SDU segment may be represented by NACK_SN+SOstart+SOend (partially received packet is within the range of second or third RLC packet in segments corresponding to a group or RLC SDU represented by NACK_SN+SOstart+SOend)).
Regarding claim 29, wherein the RLC status report includes a segmentation offset indication that indicates at least one of the second RLC packet or a third RLC packet within an indicated range of the second RLC packet was partially received (Fan, paragraph [0094], If the RLC SDU segment is not received (i.e., partially received PLC packets), in addition to NACK_SN, the RLC status report further includes a segment offset start location (SOstart) and a segment offset end location (SOend), where NACK_SN is a NACK_SN of the RLC SDU, SOstart is a relative location of the 1st byte of the lost segment in the original RLC SDU, and SOend is a relative location of the last byte of the lost segment in the original RLC SDU … It should be understood that if a plurality of segments in one RLC SDU are lost, each segment corresponds to a group of NACK_SN, SOstart, and SOend. For ease of descriptions, in the following embodiments, a group of NACK_SN, SOstart, and SOend corresponding to one RLC SDU segment may be represented by NACK_SN+SOstart+SOend (partially received packet is within the range of second or third RLC packet in segments corresponding to a group or RLC SDU represented by NACK_SN+SOstart+SOend)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic by using the features, as taught by Fan, in order to provide a communication method and device, to improve reliability of data transmission (see Fan, paragraphs [0002] and [0005]).
Claim(s) 22, 24, 28 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANAMARLAPUDI et al., US 2021/0314810 A1 (Kanamarlapudi hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of DAMNJANOVIC et al., US 2021/0258826 A1 (Damnjanovic hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of TANG, US 2019/0357202 A1 (Tang hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claims.
Regarding claims 22, 24, 28 and 30, Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic discloses the method of claim 18 and the method of claim 26.
Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 22, wherein the RLC status report includes a range indication that indicates a quantity of consecutive RLC packets, including the second RLC packet and associated with corresponding sequence numbers greater than or equal to the second sequence number, for which at least a segment of each packet was successfully received.
Regarding claim 24, wherein the second sequence number corresponds to a highest sequence number for which at least a segment of a corresponding packet was successfully received.
Regarding claim 28, wherein the RLC status report includes a range indication that indicates a quantity of consecutive RLC packets, including the second RLC packet and associated with corresponding sequence numbers greater than or equal to the second sequence number, for which at least a segment of each packet was successfully received.
Regarding claim 30, wherein the second sequence number corresponds to a highest sequence number for which at least a segment of a corresponding packet was successfully received.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Tang discloses a method related to transmitting an RLC layer status report control PDU that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 22, wherein the RLC status report includes a range indication that indicates a quantity of consecutive RLC packets (Tang, paragraph [0108], the range of the sequence numbers includes a high limit sequence number and a low limit sequence number. When the maximum sequence number of the PDU s successfully received by the user equipment is adjacent to the high limit sequence number (i.e., range indicating quantity of consecutive successfully received RLC packets), the control PDU format includes the maximum sequence number of the PDU successfully received by the user equipment and the low limit sequence number), including the second RLC packet and associated with corresponding sequence numbers greater than or equal to the second sequence number, for which at least a segment of each packet was successfully received (Tang, paragraph [0076], when the quantity of the PDUs incorrectly received by the user equipment is greater than or equal to the preset threshold value and the sequence numbers of the PDUs incorrectly received are discontinuous, the selected control PDU format includes the maximum sequence number of the PDU s successfully received by the user equipment and the multiple ranges of the sequence numbers of the PDUs incorrectly received).
Regarding claim 24, wherein the second sequence number corresponds to a highest sequence number for which at least a segment of a corresponding packet was successfully received (Tang, paragraph [0059], FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of a control PDU format including the maximum sequence number of the PDUs successfully received by the user equipment and the range of the sequence numbers of PDUs incorrectly received. Wherein ACK_SN represents the maximum sequence number of the PDUs successfully received by the user equipment).
Regarding claim 28, wherein the RLC status report includes a range indication that indicates a quantity of consecutive RLC packets (Tang, paragraph [0108], the range of the sequence numbers includes a high limit sequence number and a low limit sequence number. When the maximum sequence number of the PDU s successfully received by the user equipment is adjacent to the high limit sequence number (i.e., range indicating quantity of consecutive successfully received RLC packets), the control PDU format includes the maximum sequence number of the PDU successfully received by the user equipment and the low limit sequence number), including the second RLC packet and associated with corresponding sequence numbers greater than or equal to the second sequence number, for which at least a segment of each packet was successfully received (Tang, paragraph [0076], when the quantity of the PDUs incorrectly received by the user equipment is greater than or equal to the preset threshold value and the sequence numbers of the PDUs incorrectly received are discontinuous, the selected control PDU format includes the maximum sequence number of the PDU s successfully received by the user equipment and the multiple ranges of the sequence numbers of the PDUs incorrectly received).
Regarding claim 30, wherein the second sequence number corresponds to a highest sequence number for which at least a segment of a corresponding packet was successfully received (Tang, paragraph [0059], FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of a control PDU format including the maximum sequence number of the PDUs successfully received by the user equipment and the range of the sequence numbers of PDUs incorrectly received. Wherein ACK_SN represents the maximum sequence number of the PDUs successfully received by the user equipment).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kanamarlapudi and Damnjanovic by using the features, as taught by Tang, in order to enable the UE to generate the status report control PDU more flexibly so that requirements of various scenarios can be met (see Tang, abstract and paragraph [0086]).
Conclusion
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/OBAIDUL HUQ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473 Dated: 06/13/2026
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