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 1-15 have been amended. Claims 16-20 have been added.
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) 1-9, 12-14, 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang (US20230397081).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to ([0284] “ a WCD 1700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The WCD 1700 may be, for example, the remote WCD 906-RM or a relay WCD such as, for example, a target relay WCD or a source relay WCD, as described herein. As illustrated, the WCD 1700 includes one or more processors 1702 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1704, and one or more transceivers 1706 each including one or more transmitters 1708 and one or more receivers 1710 coupled to one or more antennas 1712”, (Examiner’s Note: WCD ==UE):
identify a state of activation or deactivation of a direct path by which the UE is connected with a base station (BS) and an indirect path by which the UE is connected with the BS via a second UE (Fig. 9A “Direct Link:, “Indirect Link”, [00229] “a path switch from a direct path to an indirect path. As illustrated, the remote WCD 906-RM is initially connected to the network via a direct path from the remote WCD 906-RM to the serving cell 904-S (i.e., to the network node 902 on the serving cell 904-S). In response to a request from the network node 902, the remote WCD 906-RM attempts to perform a path switch from the direct path between the remote WCD 906-RM to the serving cell 904-S to an indirect path between the remote WCD 906-RM to the target cell 904-T for the path switch via a target relay WCD 906-RE-T”);
and perform a radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment if both of the direct path and the indirect path fail (Fig. 11 “1106”, “1110A”, “1112”, [[0229] “Embodiments are disclosed herein for monitoring for such a path switch failure and, in some embodiments, performing a path switch failure recovery procedure to attempt to recover from a detected path switch failure”, [0272] “ As illustrated, the remote WCD 906-RM receives, from the network node 902, a message that triggers, or indicates, a path switch for the remote WCD 906-RM (step 1100)”, [0234] “If the remote WCD 906-RM cannot access the target entity (i.e., the target cell 904-T or associated target RAN node in the case that the target path is a direct path or the target relay WCD 906-RE-T in the case that the target path is an indirect path) successfully before the first timer has expired, the remote WCD 906-RM considers that the path switch has failed, [0240] “In a fourth embodiment, the failure recovery procedure is an RRC re-establishment procedure, which may be the same as or similar to the conventional RRC re-establishment procedure in LTE or NR but modified to account for an indirect path”).
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches A second user equipment (UE) for wireless communication,([0284] “ a WCD 1700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The WCD 1700 may be, for example, the remote WCD 906-RM or a relay WCD such as, for example, a target relay WCD or a source relay WCD, as described herein. As illustrated, the WCD 1700 includes one or more processors 1702 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1704, and one or more transceivers 1706 each including one or more transmitters 1708 and one or more receivers 1710 coupled to one or more antennas 1712”, (Examiner’s Note: WCD ==UE):
receive(Fig. 7 “2”, [0098-109] “Step 3: RRC Reconfiguration message to remote UE. Following information may be included: 1) Identity of the target relay UE; 2) Target Uu and PC5 configuration”);
and receive(Fig. 7 “4”, [0098-109] “Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE, if the connection has not been setup yet”).
Regarding claim 14, Wang teaches A base station (BS) for wireless communication, comprising: at least on memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the BS to ([0279] “a serving network node, a serving gNB, a target network node, or a target gNB as described here). In some embodiments, the function(s) are implemented in software that is stored, e.g., in the memory 1406 and executed by the one or more processors 1404”):
configure a first user equipment (UE) to deactivate an indirect path (Fig. 6 “3”, [0083-88] “Step 3: RRC Reconfiguration message to remote UE”),
the BS connected with the first UE by the indirect path via a second UE (Fig. 6 “gNB”, [0083-88] “For service continuity of L2 UE-to-Network relay, the baseline procedure illustrated in FIG. 6 is used, in case of remote UE switching to direct Uu cell”);
and indicate, to the second UE of the deactivation of the indirect path to the first UE ([0089] “Step 6: RRC Reconfiguration to relay UE”.
Regarding claim 16, Wang teaches A processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to ([0284] “ a WCD 1700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The WCD 1700 may be, for example, the remote WCD 906-RM or a relay WCD such as, for example, a target relay WCD or a source relay WCD, as described herein. As illustrated, the WCD 1700 includes one or more processors 1702 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1704, and one or more transceivers 1706 each including one or more transmitters 1708 and one or more receivers 1710 coupled to one or more antennas 1712”, [0301] “These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontroller”, (Examiner’s Note: WCD ==UE):
identify a state of activation or deactivation of a direct path by which a first user equipment (UE) is connected with a base station (BS) and an indirect path by which the first UE is connected with the BS via a second UE (Fig. 9A “Direct Link:, “Indirect Link”, [00229] “a path switch from a direct path to an indirect path. As illustrated, the remote WCD 906-RM is initially connected to the network via a direct path from the remote WCD 906-RM to the serving cell 904-S (i.e., to the network node 902 on the serving cell 904-S). In response to a request from the network node 902, the remote WCD 906-RM attempts to perform a path switch from the direct path between the remote WCD 906-RM to the serving cell 904-S to an indirect path between the remote WCD 906-RM to the target cell 904-T for the path switch via a target relay WCD 906-RE-T”);
and perform a radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment if both of the direct path and the indirect path fail (Fig. 11 “1106”, “1110A”, “1112”, [[0229] “Embodiments are disclosed herein for monitoring for such a path switch failure and, in some embodiments, performing a path switch failure recovery procedure to attempt to recover from a detected path switch failure”, [0272] “ As illustrated, the remote WCD 906-RM receives, from the network node 902, a message that triggers, or indicates, a path switch for the remote WCD 906-RM (step 1100)”, [0234] “If the remote WCD 906-RM cannot access the target entity (i.e., the target cell 904-T or associated target RAN node in the case that the target path is a direct path or the target relay WCD 906-RE-T in the case that the target path is an indirect path) successfully before the first timer has expired, the remote WCD 906-RM considers that the path switch has failed, [0240] “In a fourth embodiment, the failure recovery procedure is an RRC re-establishment procedure, which may be the same as or similar to the conventional RRC re-establishment procedure in LTE or NR but modified to account for an indirect path”).
Regarding claim 2, Wang teaches wherein, if the state of the indirect path is deactivation, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to, receive uplink (UL) data ([0098-109] “RRC Reconfiguration message to remote UE. Following information may be included: 1) Identity of the target relay UE; 2) Target Uu and PC5 configuration”),
and activate the indirect path ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE”).
Regarding claim 3, Wang teaches wherein, to activate the indirect path, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to transmit, to the second UE, an indication of data arrival or the received UL data ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE” … Remote UE feedback the RRCReconfigurationComplete to gNB via target path, using the target configuration provided in RRCReconfiguration.).
Regarding claim 4, Wang teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to receive, from the second UE, a response to the activate the indirect path ([0061-78] “The UE-to-Network Relay UE sends the indirect communication response message to the Remote UE”).
Regarding claim 5, Wang teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to transmit a notification of activating the indirect path ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE” … Remote UE feedback the RRCReconfigurationComplete to gNB via target path, using the target configuration provided in RRCReconfiguration).
Regarding claim 6, Wang teaches wherein, to identify the state of the indirect path, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE receive the state of the indirect path from the BS or from the second UE ([0061-78] “The UE-to-Network Relay UE sends the indirect communication response message to the Remote UE”).
Regarding claim 7, Wang teaches wherein, if the state of the indirect path is activation, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to suspend transmission on the indirect path for all radio barriers when an indication of radio link failure (RLF} of the indirect path is received from the second UE ([0214] “In one embodiment, a failure monitoring and recovery procedure is proposed for a remote WCD (e.g., a remote UE), for example in case of path switch. The procedure is especially handing failures in cases in which the remote WCD performs a path switch to an indirect path from either a direct or indirect path”), [0249] “the relevant configuration is signaled to the remote WCD 906-RM when the remote WCD 906-RM has connection to the serving cell 904-S (i.e., directly or indirectly via a relay WCD 906-RE-S)”, [0255] “After connecting to a target cell or a target relay WCD for failure recovery, the remote WCD 906-RM activity can be resumed (i.e., the remote WCD 906-RM stays in connected mode) since the previous UE context can be retrieved by inter-cell communication).
Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches wherein the RRC connection re-establishment is based at least in part on one of one path failure, at least one path failure, direct path failure, indirect path failure, or all paths failure ([0214] “In one embodiment, a failure monitoring and recovery procedure is proposed for a remote WCD (e.g., a remote UE), for example in case of path switch. The procedure is especially handing failures in cases in which the remote WCD performs a path switch to an indirect path from either a direct or indirect path”, [0255] “After connecting to a target cell or a target relay WCD for failure recovery, the remote WCD 906-RM activity can be resumed (i.e., the remote WCD 906-RM stays in connected mode) since the previous UE context can be retrieved by inter-cell communication)).
Regarding claim 12, Wang teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the second UE to transmit, to the first UE, a response to the activation of the indirect path ([0061-78] “The UE-to-Network Relay UE sends the indirect communication response message to the Remote UE”).
Regarding claim 13, Wang teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the second UE to transmit, to the BS, a notification of the activation of the indirect path (Fig. 7 “2”, “5”, [0098] “Step 2: Decision of switching to a target relay UE by gNB, and target (re)configuration is sent to relay UE optionally (like preparation) …Remote UE feedback the RRCReconfigurationComplete to gNB via target path, using the target configuration provided in RRCReconfiguration”).
Regarding claim 17, Wang teaches wherein, if the state of the indirect path is deactivation, the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to receive uplink (UL) data ([0098-109] “RRC Reconfiguration message to remote UE. Following information may be included: 1) Identity of the target relay UE; 2) Target Uu and PC5 configuration”), and activate the indirect path ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE”).
Regarding claim 18, Wang teaches wherein, to activate the indirect path, the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to transmit, to the second UE, an indication of data arrival or the received UL data ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE” … Remote UE feedback the RRCReconfigurationComplete to gNB via target path, using the target configuration provided in RRCReconfiguration.).
Regarding claim 19, Wang teaches, wherein, the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to receive, from the second UE, a response to the activate the indirect path ([0061-78] “The UE-to-Network Relay UE sends the indirect communication response message to the Remote UE”).
Regarding claim 20, Wang teaches wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to transmit a notification of activating the indirect path ([0098-109] “Step 4: Remote UE establishes PC5 connection with target relay UE” … Remote UE feedback the RRCReconfigurationComplete to gNB via target path, using the target configuration provided in RRCReconfiguration).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
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) 10, 11, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Wang et al. (US20230370948 herein after Wang2).
Regarding claim 10, Wang does not teach wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the second UE to transmit, to the BS, an indication of one or more pending data packet.
Wang2 teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the second UE to transmit ([0055] “transmitting an indication for acquiring the one or more pending packets of the terminal device to the first node”), to the BS ([0032] “he first node may be a relay capable UE or a network node (e.g., a gNB, etc.) or the base station”), an indication of one or more pending data packet ([0055] “transmitting an indication for acquiring the one or more pending packets of the terminal device to the first node”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang to incorporate the teachings of Wang2. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase the efficiency of the system.
Regarding claim 11, Wang does not teach wherein the indication of the one or more pending data packets is at least one of one or more pending downlink (DL) service data units (SDUs), a first un-transmitted DL packet, or a number of the first un-transmitted DL packet.
Wang2 teaches wherein the indication of the one or more pending data packets is at least one of one or more pending downlink (DL) service data units (SDUs), a first un-transmitted DL packet, or a number of the first un-transmitted DL packet ([0055] “transmitting an indication for acquiring the one or more pending packets of the terminal device to the first node”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang to incorporate the teachings of Wang2. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase the efficiency of the system.
Regarding claim 15, Wang does not teach wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the BS to receive, from the second UE, an indication of one or more pending data packets.
Wang2 teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the BS to receive, from the second UE, an indication of one or more pending data packets ([0055] “transmitting an indication for acquiring the one or more pending packets of the terminal device to the first node”, ([0032] “he first node may be a relay capable UE or a network node (e.g., a gNB, etc.) or the base station”)).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang to incorporate the teachings of Wang2. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase the efficiency of the system.
Conclusion
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/K.T.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2411 /DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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