DETAILED ACTION
1. The Office Action is in response to Application 18860157 filed on 10/25/2024. Claims 1-16, 22, and 43-45 are pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/25/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
6. Claim 1 and its dependent claims 2-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
For claim 1, it recites “a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE”, in “wherein the indication is included in at least one of: a layer 2 header of the PDU, a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE”. However, it is not clear if the buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and the layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE should be associated with the PDU or not; since all other elements that the indication included are associated with the PDU; Are the buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and the layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE unrelated with the PDU or associated with the PDU?
Thus the scope of the claim and its dependent claims 2-16 are unclear.
7. Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention for the similar reason as for independent claim and its dependent claims 2-16.
8. Claim 43 and its dependent claims 44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention for the similar reason as for independent claim and its dependent claims 2-16.
9. Claim 45 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention for the similar reason as for independent claim and its dependent claims 2-16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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 of this title, 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.
11. Claims 1-6, 10-11, 14-16, 22, 43-45 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHENG et al. (WO 2022016488) and in view of RAO et al. (WO 2022081893).
Regarding claim 1, ZHENG teaches a wireless transmission device (fig. 10), comprising:
at least one memory (fig. 10, 1025);
and at least one processor (fig. 10, 1035) coupled with the at least one memory (as shown in fig. 10) and configured to cause the wireless transmission device to:
determine an indication of a protocol data unit (PDU) (fig. 6, 610 (b, d…e) header and 620-a…620-n; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs) belonging to a PDU set (PDU set is shown in fig. 6 with all PDUs) to be transmitted (as shown in fig. 6 and also in fig. 12), wherein the indication is associated with the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6);
transmit the indication to another wireless transmission device (fig. 12, 1220), wherein the indication is included in at least one of: header of the PDU (fig. 6, PDU header 610-a – 610-e;).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE.
RAO discloses of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124, upon/after inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU … UE receives a HARQ-ACK value equal to "ACK" for the PDU transmitted which contains the multiplexed BSR MAC CE; which means the indication of PDU is included in media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE ).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE as a modification to the device for the benefit of that indication can be transmitted more effectively (paragraph 0124).
Regarding claim 22, ZHENG teaches a method (fig. 12) of a wireless transmission device (fig. 10), comprising:
determine an indication of a protocol data unit (PDU) (fig. 6, 610 (b, d…e) header and 620-a…620-n; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs) belonging to a PDU set (PDU set is shown in fig. 6 with all PDUs) to be transmitted (as shown in fig. 6 and also in fig. 12), wherein the indication is associated with the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6);
transmit the indication to another wireless transmission device (fig. 12, 1220), wherein the indication is included in at least one of: header of the PDU (fig. 6, PDU header 610-a – 610-e;).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE.
RAO discloses of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124, upon/after inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU … UE receives a HARQ-ACK value equal to "ACK" for the PDU transmitted which contains the multiplexed BSR MAC CE; which means the indication of PDU is included in media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE ).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE as a modification to the method for the benefit of that indication can be transmitted more effectively (paragraph 0124).
Regarding claim 43, ZHENG teaches a wireless transmission device (fig. 11, component 1105), comprising:
at least one memory (fig. 11, 1130);
and at least one processor (fig. 11, 1140) coupled with the at least one memory (as shown in fig. 11) and configured to cause the wireless transmission device to:
receive (fig. 15, step 1505) an indication of a protocol data unit (PDU) (fig. 6, 610 (b, d,…e) header and 620-a…620-n; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs) belonging to a PDU set (PDU set is shown in fig. 6) from another wireless transmission device (fig. 11, 115) wherein the indication is associated with the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6);
and is included in the indication is included in at least one of: header of the PDU (fig. 6, PDU header 610-a – 610-e;).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE.
RAO discloses of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124, upon/after inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU … UE receives a HARQ-ACK value equal to "ACK" for the PDU transmitted which contains the multiplexed BSR MAC CE; which means the indication of PDU is included in media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE ).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE as a modification to the device for the benefit of that indication can be transmitted more effectively (paragraph 0124).
Regarding claim 45, ZHENG teaches a method (fig. 15) performed by a wireless transmission device (fig. 11, component 1105), comprising:
receive (fig. 15, step 1505) an indication of a protocol data unit (PDU) (fig. 6, 610 (b, d,…e) header and 620-a…620-n; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs) belonging to a PDU set (PDU set is shown in fig. 6) from another wireless transmission device (fig. 11, 115) wherein the indication is associated with the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6);
and is included in the indication is included in at least one of: header of the PDU (fig. 6, PDU header 610-a – 610-e;).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE.
RAO discloses of the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124, upon/after inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU … UE receives a HARQ-ACK value equal to "ACK" for the PDU transmitted which contains the multiplexed BSR MAC CE; which means the indication of PDU is included in media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE ).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the indication is included in at least one of a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with the PDU, a buffer status report (BSR) MAC CE, and a layer 2 header of the BSR MAC CE as a modification to the device for the benefit of that indication can be transmitted more effectively (paragraph 0124).
Regarding claim 2, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that determine the PDU belonging to the PDU set arrives from an upper layer (shown in fig. 5, the PDU is from upper layer; paragraph 0153, FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a PDCP PDU format 500 that supports rateless coding at a PDCP layer).
Regarding claim 3, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the PDU set includes a frame or an application data unit (ADU) (as shown in fig. 6, each separated unit is a frame).
Regarding claim 4, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the indication is included in the layer 2 header of the PDU (as shown in fig. 6, the indication is included in header of PUD and it is in PDCP layer, which is layer 2), and the indication includes at least one toggled value (the function is inherent; since indication is represented by combination of “0” or “1” which is one toggled value).
Regarding claim 5, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 4 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that wherein the layer 2 header of the PDU is a MAC sub-header, a radio link control (RLC) header, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) header or a service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) header (fig. 6, it is PDCH header).
Regarding claim 6, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 4 as discussed above. In addition, RAO further discloses that a function of the indication is enabled per logical channel (LCH), per logical channel group (LCG), per data radio bearer (DRB), or per QoS flow identifier (QFI) by the another wireless transmission device (paragraph 0123-124, … indicate such need for an uplink positioning resource as part of a BSR or as part of a small data BSR MAC CE. The WTRU may be configured with a (Logical Channel (LCH), (Logical Channel Group) LCG, and/or a (Data Radio Bearer) DRB associated with transmission of positioning report bits… inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU; which is a function of the indication is enabled per logical channel (LCH), per logical channel group (LCG), per data radio bearer (DRB)).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 1’s rejection.
Regarding claim 10, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that wherein the indication is included in the layer 2 header of the PDU or the MAC CE of the PDU (fig. 6, the indication included in header of the PDU in PDCP, which is layer 2), and the at least one processor is configured to cause the wireless transmission device to: generate a head indication for indicating head of the PDU set (paragraph 0160, …sequence number of a PDU header may indicate the index); and transmit the head indication to the another wireless transmission device (fig. 12, step 1220), wherein the head indication is included in a layer 2 header of a first PDU of the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6, the head indication, which is par to the header, included in header of a first PDU of the PDU set of PDCP, layer 2).
Regarding claim 11, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, RAO further discloses that the indication is included in the MAC CE of the PDU (paragraph 0124, … inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU…; therefore, the indication is included in the MAC CE of the PDU), ZHENG further discloses that the indication indicates an association of at least one service data unit (SDU) of the PDU (paragraph 0003, … a PDCU service data unit (SDU) may be segmented into one or more PDCP packet data units (PDUs)).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 1’s rejection.
Regarding claim 14, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that includes at least one original PDU set size or at least one PDU set buffer size (as shown in fig. 6, the size of the PDU set is known by the number of PDU headers); and RAO further discloses that the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 1’s rejection.
Regarding claim 15, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 14 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the indication in the layer 2 header includes a toggled value of the PDU set (as shown in fig. 6, the function is inherent; since indication is represented by combination of “0” or “1” which is one toggled value); and RAO further discloses that the BSR MAC CE (paragraph 0124).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 1’s rejection.
Regarding claim 16, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 15 as discussed above. In addition, RAO further discloses that a function of the indication is enabled per logical channel (LCH), per logical channel group (LCG), per data radio bearer (DRB), or per QoS flow identifier (QFI) by the another wireless transmission device (paragraph 0123-124, … indicate such need for an uplink positioning resource as part of a BSR or as part of a small data BSR MAC CE. The WTRU may be configured with a (Logical Channel (LCH), (Logical Channel Group) LCG, and/or a (Data Radio Bearer) DRB associated with transmission of positioning report bits… inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU,; which is a function of the indication is enabled per logical channel (LCH), per logical channel group (LCG), per data radio bearer (DRB)).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 1’s rejection.
Regarding claim 44, the combination ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 43 as discussed above. In addition, RAO further discloses that transmit a configuration to the another wireless transmission device to enable a function of the indication per logical channel (LCH), per data radio bearer (DRB), per logical channel group (LCG), or per QoS flow identifier (QFI) (paragraph 0123-124, … indicate such need for an uplink positioning resource as part of a BSR or as part of a small data BSR MAC CE. The WTRU may be configured with a (Logical Channel (LCH), (Logical Channel Group) LCG, and/or a (Data Radio Bearer) DRB associated with transmission of positioning report bits… inclusion of the SDT BSR MAC CE in a PDU,; which is a function of the indication is enabled per logical channel (LCH), per logical channel group (LCG), per data radio bearer (DRB)).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 43’s rejection.
12. Claims 12, 13 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHENG et al. (WO 2022016488) and in view of RAO et al. (WO 2022081893) and further in view of LEE et al. (WO 2018203622 ).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 11 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the indication includes an index of PDU set (fig. 6; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of an end SDU indication associated with the PDU set in the MAC PDU.
LEE discloses of an end SDU indication associated with the PDU set in the MAC PDU (page 34, .. one of the two missing RLC SDU segments is placed at the beginning portion of a MAC PDU and another one of the two missing RLC SDU segments is placed at the end portion of the MAC PDU, are detected from the reception buffer and the total number of consecutively missing RLC SDUs from a missing RLC SDU indicated by a NACK_SN field is 150, the receiving AM RLC entity appends a NACK_SN field, SOstart/SOend fields, and a NACK_SN range field with E1=1, E2=1, and E3=1 to indicate …; in which, NACK_SN field is end SDU indication associated with the PDU set in the MAC PDU).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that an end SDU indication associated with the PDU set in the MAC PDU as a modification to the system for the benefit of that efficiently get the information of the start/end of SDU (page 34).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of ZHENG, RAO and LEE teaches the limitations recited in claim 12 as discussed above. In addition, LEE further discloses that wherein the indication further includes a start SDU indication associated with the PDU set (page 34, .. one of the two missing RLC SDU segments is placed at the beginning portion of a MAC PDU and another one of the two missing RLC SDU segments is placed at the end portion of the MAC PDU, are detected from the reception buffer and the total number of consecutively missing RLC SDUs from a missing RLC SDU indicated by a NACK_SN field is 150, the receiving AM RLC entity appends a NACK_SN field, SOstart/SOend fields, and a NACK_SN range field with E1=1, E2=1, and E3=1 to indicate …; in which, NACK_SN field is start of SDU indication associated with the PDU set in the MAC PDU).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 12’s rejection.
13. Claims 7-9 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHENG et al. (WO 2022016488) and in view of RAO et al. (WO 2022081893) and further in view of KIM et al. (KR 20180134725).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of ZHENG and RAO teaches the limitations recited in claim 11 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the indication is included in the layer 2 header of the PDU or the MAC CE associated with the PDU (fig. 6; paragraph 0193 , a field indicating an index for an associated encoded PDCP PDU corresponding to the PDCP SDU, where the index corresponds to an ordering for the set of encoded PDUs; in which, PDCP is layer 2);
and transmit (fig. 12, 1220) the end indication (fig. 6, the last PDU header is the end indication) to the another wireless transmission device (fig. 12), wherein the end indication is included in a layer 2 control element followed a last PDU of the PDU set or included in a layer 2 header of the last PDU of the PDU set (fig. 6, PDCP is layer 2 and the last PDU header is layer 2 header of the last PDU of the PDU set).
It is noticed that ZHENG does not disclose explicitly of generate an end indication for indicating end of the PDU set.
KIM discloses of generate an end indication for indicating end of the PDU set (page 12, .. a 1-byte offset indicator (tail indicator) specifying the start position of the MAC CE is placed at the end of the MAC PDU and is explicitly notified).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that generate an end indication for indicating end of the PDU set as a modification to the system for the benefit of that efficiently get the information of the end of PDU set (page 12).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of ZHENG, RAO and KIM teaches the limitations recited in claim 7 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the layer 2 control element followed the last PDU includes a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) control protocol data unit (PDU) or a MAC CE (as shown in fig. 6, the last PDU header is followed by a Parity PDCP PDU, which is a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) control protocol data unit (PDU) ).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of ZHENG, RAO and KIM teaches the limitations recited in claim 7 as discussed above. In addition, ZHENG further discloses that the end indication includes a toggled value in a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) header or a radio link control (RLC) header (the function is inherent; since PDCP indication is represented by combination of “0” or “1” which is one toggled value).
Conclusion
13 The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form 892.
14 Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAIHAN JIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1399. The examiner can normally be reached on flexible.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sath Perungavoor can be reached on (571)272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-270-0655.
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/ZAIHAN JIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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