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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is response to Application 18/853,252 filed on 10/01/2024 in which claims 1-7 and 9-21 are presented for examination.
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)(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.
Claims 1-7, 9, and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (WO 2021/136474 A1).
1. Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches a method for managing small data transmission (SDT) with a user equipment (UE), the method implemented in a network node of a radio access network (RAN) (Paragraphs [0036] and [0038] small data transmission via RA procedure) and comprising:
determining that the UE should operate in an inactive state (Paragraph [0038] and [0079] RRC_INACTIVE);
receiving a UE capability information element (IE) indicative of whether the UE supports an SDT type that relies on a random access procedure (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] UE reports capability of supporting small data transmission);
generating, based at least on the UE capability IE indicative of whether the UE supports the SDT type, a message that causes the UE to communicate small data in accordance with a capability of the UE for the SDT type (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability, provide configured grants); and
transmitting the message to the UE (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE performs small data transmissions via configured grants).
2. Regarding claim 15, Chen teaches an apparatus (Figure 3), functioning as a network node of a radio access network (RAN) and configured to manage small data transmission (SDT) with a user equipment (UE) (Paragraphs [0036] and [0038] small data transmission via RA procedure), the apparatus comprising:
processing hardware, configured to:
determine that the UE should operate in an inactive state (Paragraph [0038] and [0079] RRC_INACTIVE);
receive a UE capability information element (IE) indicative of whether the UE supports an SDT type that relies on a random access procedure (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] UE reports capability of supporting small data transmission);
generate, based at least on the UE capability IE indicative of whether the UE supports the SDT type, a message that causes the UE to communicate small data in accordance with a capability of the UE for the SDT type (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability, provide configured grants); and
transmit the message to the UE (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE performs small data transmissions via configured grants).
3. Regarding claims 2 and 16, Chen teaches, wherein generating the message includes:
generating an indication of the SDT type when the UE and the network node support the SDT type (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability for small data transmission, provide configured grants).
4. Regarding claims 3 and 17, Chen teaches, wherein generating the message includes:
generating an SDT configuration specific to the SDT type (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability for small data transmission, provide configured grants).
5. Regarding claims 4 and 18, Chen teaches
wherein the SDT type is a first SDT type, further comprising:
prior to generating the message, detecting that the UE does not support a second SDT type that relies on a resource previously allocated to the UE (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE supports RRC_INACTIVE; mandatorily support via a RA procedure; optionally supports small data transmission via pre-configured PUSCH resources).
6. Regarding claims 5 and 19, Chen teaches,
wherein generating the message is further based on whether the network node has configured a data radio bearer (DRB) for the UE (Paragraphs [0041] and [0042] DRB).
7. Regarding claim 6, Chen teaches wherein generating the message includes:
generating an indication of the SDT type when: (i) the UE and the network node support
the SDT type and (ii) the network node has configured the DRB for the UE (Paragraphs [0038] to [0042] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability for small data transmission, provide configured grants).
8. Regarding claim 7, Chen teaches, wherein generating the message includes:
generating an indication of the SDT type when: (i) the UE and the network node support
the SDT type and (ii) the network node has not configured the DRB for the UE (Paragraphs [0038] to [0042] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability for small data transmission, provide configured grants).
9. Regarding claims 9 and 20, Chen teaches, wherein the RAN stores the
UE capability IE, the method further comprising:
receiving a UE capability identifier; and
identifying, based on the UE capability identifier, the UE capability IE (Paragraphs [0038] to [0042] and [0075] UE reports capability of supporting small data transmission).
10. Regarding claim 11, Chen teaches a method for managing small data transmission (SDT) on a cell, the method implemented in a network node of a radio access network (RAN) and comprising:
determining that the cell should facilitate communication of small data on the cell;
receiving a UE capability information element (IE) indicative of whether the UE supports
an SDT type that relies on a random access procedure (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] UE reports capability of supporting small data transmission);
generating, based at least on whether the network node determines to enable the cell to
facilitate communication according to the SDT type, a data packet that, when received by a user equipment (UE), causes the UE to communicate small data in accordance with a capability of the cell (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability, provide configured grants); and
broadcasting the data packet on the cell (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE performs small data transmissions via configured grants).
11. Regarding claim 12, Chen teaches, wherein generating the data packet includes:
generating an indication to facilitate communication according to the SDT type when the
network node determines to enable the cell (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE supports RRC_INACTIVE; mandatorily support via a RA procedure; optionally supports small data transmission via pre-configured PUSCH resources).
12. Regarding claim 13, Chen teaches, wherein generating the data packet includes:
refraining from generating an indication to facilitate communication according to the SDT type when the network node determines not to enable the cell (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] UE supports RRC_INACTIVE; mandatorily support via a RA procedure; optionally supports small data transmission via pre-configured PUSCH resources).
13. Regarding claim 14, Chen teaches, wherein
the SDT type is a first SDT type, and generating the data packet includes:
generating an indication to facilitate communication according to a second SDT type
when the network node determines not to enable the cell (Paragraphs [0038] and [0075] to [0080] after UE capability, provide configured grants).
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.
Claims 10 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (WO 2021/136474 A1) in view of Sui et al. (US 2023/0072551 A1).
10. Regarding claims 10 and 21, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the network node is a central unit (CU) of a distributed network node also including a distributed unit (DU).
Sui teaches wherein the network node is a central unit (CU) of a distributed network node also including a distributed unit (DU) (Fig. 9, Paragraph [0108] and [0177] central unit).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the network node is a central unit (CU) of a distributed network node also including a distributed unit (DU) as taught by Sui in the system of Chen for improvements in operation of very low power devices see Paragraph [0001] of Sui.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Kim et al. (US 2023/0328811 A1) Paragraphs [0049] and [0384]
Lei et al. (US 2022/0182949 A1) small data transfer, power control
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE LEE LO whose telephone number is (571)270-1952. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached at (571)272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DIANE L LO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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