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 .
This office action is in response to Pre-Amendment filed on Sept. 25, 2024.
Claims 2-4 and 6-20 have been amended.
Claims 21-42 have been canceled.
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.
Claims 1 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lei et al. (2025/0048485).
Regarding claim 1, Lei discloses a user equipment (UE) (see abstract, fig.3, element 350, paragraph [0016] and its description) comprising: a transceiver (see abstract, fig.3, element 354, paragraphs [0016], [0070] and its description); and circuitry which (see abstract, fig.3, element 359 paragraphs [0016], [0070-0072] and its description), in operation: receives a paging message, while being in an inactive state (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 910 step 960 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0114] and its description); in response to the paging message, determines to remain in the inactive state for reception of small data (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 954 step 960 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0114] and its description); and while remaining in the inactive state, transmits a response to the paging message to a network node within a transmission opportunity associated with pre-configured resources (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 910 step 962 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0115] and its description).
Regarding claim 2, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation, receives the small data within a small data transmission (SDT) from the network node while remaining in the inactive state (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 954 step 960 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0114] and its description).
Regarding claim 3, Lei further discloses wherein the small data is a message carrying payload or an indication that the UE is to transition into a connected state (see abstract, fig.7, elements 702, 704, step 708, paragraph [0097] and its description).
Regarding claim 4, Lei further discloses wherein the remaining in the inactive state is determined according to a UE configuration (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 910 step 962 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0115] and its description).
Regarding claim 5, Lei further discloses wherein the UE configuration is set for the UE according to UE capabilities of the UEs (see abstract, fig.7, elements 702, 704, step 708, paragraphs [0006-0009], [0097] and its description).
Regarding claim 6, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation: before transitioning from a connected state into the inactive state, receives configuration information (see abstract, fig.9A, elements 902, 904, step 906, paragraphs [0022], [0110] and its description); and configures the UE configuration according to the configuration information (see abstract, fig.9A, elements 902, 904, step 908, paragraphs [0022], [0110] and its description).
Regarding claim 7, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation: transmits information about a preferred UE configuration to the network node while being in a connected state (see abstract, fig.9A, elements 902, 904, step 906, paragraphs [0022], [0110] and its description).
Regarding claim 8, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation: configures or reconfigures the UE configuration based on a configuration of radio bearers (see paragraph [0080]).
Regarding claim 9, Lei further discloses wherein the configuration of radio bearers includes whether all data radio bearers (DRBs) of a plurality of DRBs and/or at least one signaling radio bearer (SRB) out of a plurality of SRBs are configured for a small data transmission (SDT) (see paragraphs [0080-0081]).
Regarding claim 10, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation: receives a system information; (SI), change indication; and configures or reconfigures the UE configuration according to the SI change indication. (see paragraphs [0080-0081]).
Regarding claim 11, Lei further discloses wherein the response to the paging message to the network node includes using at least one of: random access small data transmission (RA-SDT), configured grant small data transmission (CG-SDT), or mobile terminated small data transmission (MT-SDT) (see abstract, fig.7, elements 702, 704, step 708, paragraph [0097] and its description).
Regarding claim 12, Lei discloses a network node (see abstract, fig.3, element 310, paragraph [0016] and its description) comprising: a transceiver (see abstract, fig.3, element 318, paragraph [0016] and its description); and circuitry which (see abstract, fig.3, element 375, paragraph [0016] and its description), in operation: transmits a paging message to a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state (see abstract, fig.9, elements 952, 910 step 960 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0114] and its description); receives a response from the UE in the inactive state, the response indicating that the UE is ready for reception of small data in the inactive state (see abstract, fig.9, elements 952, 910 step 962 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0115] and its description).
Regarding claim 13, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation, transmits the small data within a small data transmission (SDT) to the UE in the inactive state (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 954 step 960 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0114] and its description).
Regarding claim 14, Lei further discloses wherein the small data is a message carrying payload or an indication that the UE is to transition into a connected state (see abstract, fig.7, elements 702, 704, step 708, paragraph [0097] and its description).
Regarding claim 15, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry receives information about a UE configuration (see abstract, fig.9B, elements 952, 910 step 962 paragraphs [0023], [0113-0115] and its description).
Regarding claim 16, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation, transmits a configuration to the UE, before the UE transitions from a connected state into the inactive state (see abstract, fig.9A, elements 902, 904, step 906, paragraphs [0022], [0110] and its description).
Regarding claim 17, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation, receives information about a preferred UE configuration from the UE in a connected state(see abstract, fig.9A, elements 902, 904, step 908, paragraphs [0022], [0110] and its description).
Regarding claim 18, Lei further discloses wherein the circuitry, in operation, transmits a system information (SI) change indication, including indications to configure or reconfigure a UE configuration (see paragraphs [0080-0081]).
Regarding claim 19, Lei further discloses wherein the received response to the paging message includes using at least one of: random access small data transmission (RA-SDT), configured grant small data transmission (CG-SDT), or mobile terminated small data transmission (MT-SDT) (see abstract, fig.7, elements 702, 704, step 708, paragraph [0097] and its description).
Regarding claim 20 recites limitations substantially similar to claim 1. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE/CONGVAN TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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