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 .
Claims 1-80 have been canceled. Claims 81-100 have been added. Claims 81-100 are pending and an action is as follows.
Claim Objections
Claim 93 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The preamble recites “A method at a first user equipment (UE) for facilitation communication with a second UE via a first relay UE…”, which appears to comprise an error relating to grammar as the term “facilitation” should instead be substituted for the term “facilitating”. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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) 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93 and 97 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LIU et al. US 2024/0040438 (hereinafter LIU).
Regarding claim 81, LIU teaches a method at a first relay user equipment (UE) for facilitating communication between a first UE and a second UE, the method comprising:
([LIU, Fig. 4] Source side UE is the claimed “first UE” and the Target side UE is the claimed “second UE” and the Relay UE is the claimed “first relay UE”. Fig. 4 of LIU depicts the relay UE facilitating communication between the Source side UE and the Target side UE.)
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receiving, from the first UE, a first message indicating one or more end-to-end (E2E) quality of service (QoS) parameters between the first UE and the second UE; and
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source UE and the Relay UE (also labeled as the UE-to-UE relay) negotiate (interpreted as the claimed first receive message as the negotiating in this context is an exchange of QoS terms that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) a QoS Parameter for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device.)
splitting, based on the first message, the E2E QoS parameters into one or more first QoS parameters for data transmission over a first direct link between the first UE and the first relay UE and one or more second QoS parameters for data transmission over a second link between the first relay UE and the second UE.
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶6-¶7, ¶16 and ¶84-¶87] Splitting based on the negotiated end-to-end QoS parameters to meet the end-to-end QoS requirements are split into a Source side PC5 QoS and a Target side PC5 QoS as shown in Fig 4; wherein the Source side PC5 is the UE interface representing the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the Source side UE and relay UE, while the Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU.)
Regarding claim 87, LIU teaches a user equipment (UE) configured to operate as a first relay UE for facilitating communication between a first UE and a second UE, comprising:
([LIU, Fig. 4] Source side UE is the claimed “first UE” and the Target side UE is the claimed “second UE” and the Relay UE is the claimed “first relay UE”. Fig. 4 of LIU depicts the relay UE facilitating communication between the Source side UE and the Target side UE.)
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a processor; and
[See LIU, Fig. 7]
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a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
[LIU, Fig. 7, Memory 702 storing instructions ¶18]
receive, from the first UE, a first message indicating one or more end-to-end (E2E) quality of service (QoS) parameters between the first UE and the second UE; and
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source UE and the Relay UE (also labeled as the UE-to-UE relay) negotiate (interpreted as the claimed first receive message as the negotiating in this context is an exchange of QoS terms that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) a QoS Parameter for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device.)
split, based on the first message, the E2E QoS parameters into one or more first QoS parameters for data transmission over a first direct link between the first UE and the first relay UE and one or more second QoS parameters for data transmission over a second link between the first relay UE and the second UE.
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶6-¶7, ¶16 and ¶84-¶87] Splitting based on the negotiated end-to-end QoS parameters to meet the end-to-end QoS requirements are split into a Source side PC5 QoS and a Target side PC5 QoS as shown in Fig 4; wherein the Source side PC5 is the UE interface representing the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the Source side UE and relay UE, while the Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU.)
Regarding claim 93, LIU teaches a method at a first user equipment (UE) for facilitation communication with a second UE via a first relay UE, the method comprising:
([LIU, Fig. 4] Source side UE is the claimed “first UE” and the Target side UE is the claimed “second UE” and the Relay UE is the claimed “first relay UE”. Fig. 4 of LIU depicts the Source side UE facilitating communication with the Target side UE and the relay UE.)
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sending, to the first relay UE, a first message indicating one or more end-to-end (E2E) quality of service (QoS) parameters between the first UE and the second UE; and
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source side UE sends to the Relay UE (also labeled as the UE-to-UE relay) messaging using PC5-S signaling comprising at least one QoS parameters that are exchanged in a negotiation (interpreted as the sending/receiving of signaling messages as an exchange of QoS parameters that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) of at least one QoS Parameter for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device.)
receiving, from the first relay UE, one or more first QoS parameters for data transmission over a first direct link between the first UE and the first relay UE, wherein the one or more first QoS parameters are split by the first relay UE from the one or more E2E QoS parameters indicated by the first message.
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source side UE receives from the Relay UE messaging using PC5-S signaling comprising at least one QoS parameters that are exchanged in a negotiation (interpreted as the sending/receiving of signaling messages as an exchange of at least one QoS parameters that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) of at least one QoS Parameters for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications, comprising data/PDU transmission over the first direct link via the PC5 sidelink interface between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device; wherein the at least one QoS parameters are split by the by the relay UE from the at least one E2E QoS parameters indicated by the exchanged signaling messages. [LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶6-¶7, ¶16 and ¶84-¶87] Splitting the at least one QoS parameters is based on the negotiated end-to-end QoS parameters to meet the end-to-end QoS requirements which are split into a Source side PC5 QoS and a Target side PC5 QoS as shown in Fig 4; wherein the Source side PC5 is the UE interface representing the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the Source side UE and relay UE, while the Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU.)
Regarding claim 97, LIU teaches a first user equipment (UE) capable of communicating with a second UE via a first relay UE, ([LIU, Fig. 4] Source side UE is the claimed “first UE” and the Target side UE is the claimed “second UE” and the Relay UE is the claimed “first relay UE”. Fig. 4 of LIU depicts the Source side UE facilitating communication with the Target side UE and the relay UE.)
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the UE comprising:
a processor; and
[LIU, Fig. 7, Processor 701]
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a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
[LIU, Fig. 7, Memory 702 storing instructions ¶18]
send, to the first relay UE, a first message indicating one or more end-to-end (E2E) quality of service (QoS) parameters between the first UE and the second UE; and
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source side UE sends to the Relay UE (also labeled as the UE-to-UE relay) messaging using PC5-S signaling comprising at least one QoS parameters that are exchanged in a negotiation (interpreted as the sending/receiving of signaling messages as an exchange of QoS parameters that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) being at least one QoS Parameter for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device.)
receive, from the first relay UE, one or more first QoS parameters for data transmission over a first direct link between the first UE and the first relay UE, wherein the one or more first QoS parameters are split by the first relay UE from the one or more E2E QoS parameters indicated by the first message.
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶82-¶83] The Source side UE receives from the Relay UE messaging using PC5-S signaling comprising at least one QoS parameters that are exchanged in a negotiation (interpreted as the sending/receiving of signaling messages as an exchange of at least one QoS parameters that are to be settled upon so as the meet a QoS requirement) of at least one QoS Parameters for end-to-end QoS parameter for end-to-end communications, comprising data/PDU transmission over the first direct link via the PC5 sidelink interface between the Source side UE and the Target side UE with the relay UE as an intermediary device; wherein the at least one QoS parameters are split by the by the relay UE from the at least one E2E QoS parameters indicated by the exchanged signaling messages. [LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶6-¶7, ¶16 and ¶84-¶87] Splitting the at least one QoS parameters is based on the negotiated end-to-end QoS parameters to meet the end-to-end QoS requirements which are split into a Source side PC5 QoS and a Target side PC5 QoS as shown in Fig 4; wherein the Source side PC5 is the UE interface representing the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the Source side UE and relay UE, while the Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU.)
Regarding claim 83 and claim 89, LIU teaches the method of claim 81 and the UE of claim 87 respectively, wherein the second link is a direct link between the first relay UE and the second UE.
([LIU, Fig. 4] The Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU, which is interpreted as the claimed “second link”.)
Regarding claim 85 and claim 91, LIU teaches the method of claim 81 and the UE of claim 87, further comprising sending the split one or more first QoS parameters to the first UE via a PC5 interface.
([LIU, ¶81 and ¶84]The split QoS parameters are negotiated and modified between he source UE and the relay UE by means of PC5-S signaling)
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.
Claim(s) 82, 88, 94 and 98 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU as applied to claims 81, 87, 83 and 97 respectively above, and further in view of Rao et al. US 2023/0189050 (hereinafter Rao).
Regarding claims 82 and 88, LIU teaches the method of claim 81 and the UE of claim 87 respectively, wherein the one or more E2E QoS parameters comprise Packet Delay Budget (PDB), and wherein both the one or more first QoS parameters and the one or more second QoS parameters comprise a first PDB for data transmission over the first direct link and a second PDB for data transmission over the second link.
([LIU, ¶98] LIU teaches wherein the E2E QoS parameters comprise latency requirements, which relates to the time taken by a communication packet to travel from the source to the destination across a network, but it does not teach wherein the QoS comprises a PDB), but LIU does not teach wherein the latency is with respect to a packet delay budget for the first link and second link respectively.
However, Rao teaches wherein the one or more E2E QoS parameters comprise Packet Delay Budget (PDB), and wherein both the one or more first QoS parameters and the one or more second QoS parameters comprise a first PDB for data transmission over the first direct link and a second PDB for data transmission over the second link.
([Rao, Fig. 4A-4B, ¶129, ¶160-¶161 and ¶224-¶226] E2E QoS parameters comprises a Packet Delay Budget (E2E Latency budget 402), wherein the QoS parameters comprise a first PDB (Latency Budget on 1st Hop 404b) for data transmission (PDU indicated in 420) of the first direct link (between the Source WTRU and the relay WTRU) and a second PDB (Latency Budget on the 2nd Hop 406b) for data transmission (PDU indicated in 430) over the second link (between the Target WTRU and the Target WTRU).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE which negotiate QoS parameters that a split for use with their respective sidelink, with the teachings of Rao, indicating that the QoS parameters are E2E QoS which are further comprised of 1st hop for a first sidelink and 2nd hop for a second sidelink Latency Budget which make a combined E2E Latency Budge for communication of packets between the source WTRU (also referred to as a UE) and the target WTRU. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to explore coverage extension for sidelink-based communication for a wider range of applications and services by providing E2E quality for PDUs to be relayed between the WTRUs/UEs if the resources are available [Rao, ¶02-¶09].
Regarding claims 94 and 98, LIU teaches the method of claim 93 and the UE of claim 97 respectively, wherein the one or more E2E QoS parameters comprise Packet Delay Budget (PDB), and wherein both the one or more first QoS parameters comprise a first PDB.
([LIU, ¶98] LIU teaches wherein the E2E QoS parameters comprise latency requirements, which relates to the time taken by a communication packet to travel from the source to the destination across a network, but it does not teach wherein the QoS comprises a PDB), but LIU does not teach wherein the latency is with respect to a packet delay budget for the first link and second link respectively.
However, Rao teaches wherein the one or more E2E QoS parameters comprise Packet Delay Budget (PDB), and wherein both the one or more first QoS parameters comprise a first PDB.
([Rao, Fig. 4A-4B, ¶129, ¶160-¶161 and ¶224-¶226] E2E QoS parameters comprises a Packet Delay Budget (E2E Latency budget 402), wherein the QoS parameters comprise a first PDB (Latency Budget on 1st Hop 404b) for data transmission (PDU indicated in 420) of the first direct link (between the Source WTRU and the relay WTRU) and additionally, a second PDB (Latency Budget on the 2nd Hop 406b) for data transmission (PDU indicated in 430) over the second link (between the Target WTRU and the Target WTRU).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE which negotiate QoS parameters that a split for use with their respective sidelink, with the teachings of Rao, indicating that the QoS parameters are E2E QoS which are further comprised of 1st hop for a first sidelink and 2nd hop for a second sidelink Latency Budget which make a combined E2E Latency Budge for communication of packets between the source WTRU (also referred to as a UE) and the target WTRU. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to explore coverage extension for sidelink-based communication for a wider range of applications and services by providing E2E quality for PDUs to be relayed between the WTRUs/UEs if the resources are available [Rao, ¶02-¶09].
Claim(s) 84, 90, 96 and 100 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU as applied to claims 81, 87, 83 and 97 respectively above, and further in view of Freda US 2023/0232487 (hereinafter Freda).
Regarding claim 84 and claim 90, LIU teaches the method of claim 81 and claim 87 respectively, wherein there is a second link.
([LIU, Fig. 4] LIU teaches wherein there is a second link, between the relay UE and the Target side UE as shown in Fig. 4.), but it does not teach wherein the second link comprises a direct link between the first relay UE and a second relay UE, and another link between the second relay UE and the second UE in a multi-hop scenario.
However, Freda teaches wherein the second link between the first relay and destination UE (interpreted as the Target side UE of LIU) comprises a direct link between the first relay UE and a second relay UE, and another link between the second relay UE and the second UE in a multi-hop scenario [See Freda, Fig. 5].
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE, with the teachings of Freda, indicating that the second link that is between the relay UE and the target/destination UE comprises a direct link between the first relay UE and a second relay UE, and another link between the second relay UE and the second UE in a multi-hop scenario. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to extend coverage while also ensuring that a maximum allowable number of hops to allow for proper QoS flow is enforced [Freda, ¶131].
Regarding claim 96 and claim 100, LIU teaches the method of claim 93 and the first UE of claim 97 respectively, wherein the UE is a relay UE the method further comprises:
([LIU, Fig. 4] According to LIU the UE may be configured as any of a Source side UE, a relay UE or a Target side UE as shown in Fig. 4B.)
receiving, prior to sending the first message, a message indicating one or more E2E QoS parameters between the previous UE and the second UE; and
([LIU¶4, ¶82-¶83] Prior to sending any PDUs the UE, operating in the capacity of a relay UE, performs an exchange of QoS parameters using PC5 signaling as messaging indicating at least one E2E QoS parameter between the previous UE (left side UE of Fig. 4 of LIU) and the second UE (right side UE of Fig. 4 of LIU))
splitting into the one or more E2E QoS parameters indicated in the first message and one or more E2E QoS parameters for data transmission over a direct link between the previous UE and the first UE.
([LIU, Fig. 4, ¶4 and ¶6-¶7, ¶16 and ¶84-¶87] Splitting based on the negotiated end-to-end QoS parameters to meet the end-to-end QoS requirements have the QoS split into a Source side PC5 QoS or a Target side PC5 QoS as shown in Fig 4; wherein the Source side PC5 is the UE interface representing the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the Source side UE and relay UE, while the Target side PC5 represents the UE sidelink for direct mode communication between the relay UE and the Target side UE as depicted in Fig. 4 of LIU.)
But it does not teach wherein the first UE is a relay UE along a path between a previous hop UE (referred to above as the previous UE) and the second UE.
However, Freda teaches wherein the first UE is a relay UE along a path between a previous hop UE (referred to above as the previous UE) and the second UE, wherein data transmission is performed over a direct link between the previous hop UE and the first UE (the first UE is also claimed as the relay UE). [See Freda, Fig. 5 (wherein any of the Source side links or Target side links of LIU above may be a multi-hop link between two relay UEs and a destination UE as indicated in Freda below in Fig. 5)].
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE, with the teachings of Freda, indicating that the E2E communication path may be a multi-hop communication path comprises at least a previous hop UE and a relay UE that exist between and linking the source side UE and the target side/destination UE in a multi-hop scenario. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to extend coverage while also ensuring that a maximum allowable number of hops to allow for proper QoS flow is enforced [Freda, ¶131].
Claim(s) 86, 92, 95 and 99 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU as applied to claims 81, 87, 83 and 97 respectively above, and further in view of GULATI et al. US 2023/0262510 (hereinafter GULATI)
Regarding claim 86 and claim 92, LIU teaches the method of claim 81 and the UE of claim 87, wherein the one or more first QoS parameters are associated with one or more QoS flows or Logical Channels (LCHs) for the first direct link.
([LIU, Figs. 5-6 and ¶83] QoS parameter are associated through negotiation with the PC5 interface sidelinks between the Source side UE and relay UE and also between the relay UE and Target side UE respectively, for sending and receiving data transmissions according to the QoS requirements, these data transmissions over the sidelinks that are associated with the QoS parameters as indicated above are further suggested in Figures 5 and 6 as being associated with QoS Flow Identifiers (QFIs) and PC5 QFIs (PQFIs)), while LIU suggests in Figures 5 and 6 as being associated with QoS Flow Identifiers (QFIs) and PC5 QFIs (PQFIs)
GULATI explicitly recites that the one or more first QoS parameters are associated with one or more QoS flows or Logical Channels (LCHs) for the first direct link.
(GULATI, ¶63) mapping PC5 QoS flow to a sidelink based on indicated QoS parameters.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE which negotiate QoS parameters that a split for use with their respective sidelink, with the teachings of GULATI, indicating that mapping by the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer 330 may be performed to map the PC5 QoS flow to a sidelink based on indicated QoS parameters. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability support directional coverage and improved communications efficiency [GULATI, ¶81].
Regarding claim 95 and claim 99, LIU teaches the method of claim 93 and the UE of claim 97, wherein the one or more first QoS parameters are associated with one or more QoS flows or Logical Channels (LCHs) for the first direct link.
([LIU, Figs. 5-6 and ¶83] QoS parameter are associated through negotiation with the PC5 interface sidelinks between the Source side UE and relay UE and also between the relay UE and Target side UE respectively, for sending and receiving data transmissions according to the QoS requirements, these data transmissions over the sidelinks that are associated with the QoS parameters as indicated above are further suggested in Figures 5 and 6 as being associated with QoS Flow Identifiers (QFIs) and PC5 QFIs (PQFIs)), while LIU suggests in Figures 5 and 6 as being associated with QoS Flow Identifiers (QFIs) and PC5 QFIs (PQFIs)
GULATI explicitly recites that the one or more first QoS parameters are associated with one or more QoS flows or Logical Channels (LCHs) for the first direct link.
(GULATI, ¶63) mapping PC5 QoS flow to a sidelink based on indicated QoS parameters.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of LIU, indicating a UE-to-UE direct mode communication using sidelinks bridged by a relay UE between the source UE and target UE which negotiate QoS parameters that a split for use with their respective sidelink, with the teachings of GULATI, indicating that mapping by the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer 330 may be performed to map the PC5 QoS flow to a sidelink based on indicated QoS parameters. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability support directional coverage and improved communications efficiency [GULATI, ¶81].
Conclusion
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/LONNIE V SWEET/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467
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