DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The instant application No. 18873892 has claims 1-4, 7, 10-11 and 13-15 are pending.
2 The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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) 1, 3-4, 7, 10-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (Pub. No. US 2025/0220755 A1; hereinafter Zhang) in view of Wang et al. (WO 2024/002808 A1; hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Zhang discloses a device comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor configured to perform operations by executing the instructions, (a user equipment, comprising: [0043] a processor; and [0044] a memory, having instructions stored therein, [0045] the instructions, when run by the processor, performing the method described above) wherein the operations performed by the processor comprise: Configuring (20250220755-See 0097, the multi-path configuration, the UE may be configured with a split SRB) direct path directly connected to a network and an indirect path indirectly connected to the the network through a relay UE (user equipment); (Figure 3, See 0097, If the data is submitted to Uu RLC, processing is the same as that in the case of the SRB. If the data is submitted to PC5 RLC, the data is borne on a PC5 RLC channel after further encapsulation, submitted downwards layer by layer via PC5-MAC and PC5-PHY, and finally transmitted to the base station/network via a relay path. If the data is submitted to Uu RLC, as in the case of the SRB, the data is finally transmitted to the base station/network via a direct path. Such a split SRB may be referred to as a split SRB via a multi path or a split SRB via a relay path (split SRB via relay).) configuring a split RB (radio bearer) related to the direct path and the indirect path; (See 0097, the multi-path configuration, the UE may be configured with a split SRB; See 0077, The UE may be configured to simultaneously operate in a communication mode of a direct connection and an indirect connection, and such a communication mode may be referred to as multi-path communication.) and transmitting a message to the network based on the split RB (See 0097, If the data is submitted to Uu RLC, as in the case of the SRB, the data is finally transmitted to the base station/network via a direct path.)
However, Zhang fails to disclose based on the split RB being a split SRB (Signaling RB), a primary path for the split SRB is always configured on the direct path among the indirect path and the direct path
Wang disclose based on the split RB being a split SRB (Signaling RB), a primary path for the split SRB is always configured on the direct path among the indirect path and the direct path (WO 2024002808 A1-Page 26, In the below embodiments, a split SRB is configured for the remote UE where the first path is a direct path over Uu from the remote UE to the gNB and the second path is an indirect link using SL/PC5 from the remote UE to a relay UE and Uu from the relay UE to the gNB; Page 30, first network device send a configuration message to the first UE to indicate direct path to use for SRB)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the multi-path configuration include the direct path is used so it’s always configured at the primary path. The motivation to combine is having a secondary path (indirect) provides an alternative route if the direct path fails. This improves reliability and can help maintain connectivity during link issues.
Regarding claim 3, Zhang discloses the split SRB is a SRB 1 for a RRC (Radio Resource Control) message using a DCCH (Dedicated Control Channel) logical channel (20250220755-See 0101, SRB1: used to bear an RRC message and a non-access stratum message (NAS) transmitted using a logical channel corresponding to a dedicated control channel (DCCH).)
Regarding claim 4, Zhang discloses the split SRB is a SRB2 for a NAS (Non Access Stratum) message using a DCCH (Dedicated Control Channel) logical channel. (20250220755-See 102, SRB2: a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an RRC message carrying measurement information transmitted using a logical channel corresponding to a dedicated control channel)
Regarding claim 10, Zhang discloses a computer-readable medium storing instructions, when executed by a processor that cause the processor to perform the method of claim 1. (20250220755-See 0130, The memory 502 has program instructions stored thereon. When the instructions are run by the processor 501, one or several steps in the processing method for UE of the present disclosure can be performed.)
Regarding claim 13, Zhang discloses the device is a user equipment (UE) operating in a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) based wireless communication system. (20250220755-See 0073, The network may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, a new RAT (NR) network, an enhanced Long Term Evolution (eLTE) network, or another network defined in a subsequent evolved version of the 3GPP.)
Regarding claim 7, Zhang discloses receiving a RRC reconfiguration message from the network for adding the indirect path. (See 0095, the UE receives an RRC connection reconfiguration message from the base station, and the message instructs the UE to perform reconfiguration with sync or a handover/switch, the UE starts the timer T304 to manage the synchronization procedure; See 0106, ] The configuration information associated with the indirect connection may include information about relay UE for the indirect connection, and include at least a UE identity, e.g., an L2 ID, of the relay UE, and for example, may further include configuration information of path addition. On the basis of the configuration information, the UE may establish the path of the indirect connection, etc.)
Regarding claims 14 and 15, Zhang discloses a network comprising: a transceiver; and a processor configured to control the transceiver, (inherent that base station has transceiver to transmit and receive signals and a processor to control transceiver to receive and signal) wherein configured to configuring path directly connected to a remote UE (user equipment) and an indirect (See 0097, the multi-path configuration, the UE may be configured with a split SRB; See 0077, The UE may be configured to simultaneously operate in a communication mode of a direct connection and an indirect connection, and such a communication mode may be referred to as multi-path communication.) configuring a split RB (radio bearer) related to the direct path and the indirect path to the remote UE; (See 0097, the multi-path configuration, the UE may be configured with a split SRB; See 0077, The UE may be configured to simultaneously operate in a communication mode of a direct connection and an indirect connection, and such a communication mode may be referred to as multi-path communication.)
However, Zhang fails to disclose transmit a RRC (Radio Resource Control) message configuring message and receiving a RRC
Wang discloses transmit a RRC (Radio Resource Control) message configuring message (Page 9, one of the paths is defined as the primary path on which UE transmits and receive control plain signaling (including RRC signaling) ; page 10 a split SRB is configured for the remote UE where the first path is direct path and second path is indirect path) and receiving a RRC(page 3, the first UE may transmit the RRC signaling message on the SRB using the SRB configuration to the first network device) wherein, based on the split RB being a split SRB (Signaling RB), a primary path for the split SRB is always configured on the direct path among the indirect path and the direct path Page 9, one of the paths is defined as the primary path on which UE transmits and receive control plain signaling (including RRC signaling) ; page 10 a split SRB is configured for the remote UE where the first path is direct path and second path is indirect path)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the multi-path configuration include the direct path is used so it’s always configured at the primary path. The motivation to combine is having a secondary path (indirect) provides an alternative route if the direct path fails. This improves reliability and can help maintain connectivity during link issues.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Wang and, further in view of Zhang et al. (Pub. No. US 2021/0153063 A1; hereinafter Zhang2).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang in view of Wang fails to disclose receiving a RRC configuration message configuring the split wherein, based on the split RB being a split DRB (Data RB),the RRC configuration message includes information for configuring one of the direct path and the indirect path as the primary path for the split
Zhang2 disclose receiving a RRC configuration message configuring the split wherein, based on the split RB being a split DRB (Data RB),the RRC configuration message includes information for configuring one of the direct path and the indirect path as the primary path for the split (See 0058, a UC bearer is defined as one of split/duplicated DRB and split/duplicated SRB, and UC bearer traffic comprises UC bearer attribute(s) and UC bearer(s). As a result, a UC bearer at a transmission and AP formation end (e.g., a network device such as a base station or a remote UE that is to be assisted by relay-based UC) may be part of PDCP (bearer) context (split configuration); See 0085, AP/UC configuration can be: semi-static, using Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling; See 0103, he paths between the network equipment 402 and the remote UE 406 in the example 400 include an indirect connection through the relay UE 408 and a direct Uu path between the network equipment and the remote UE. These paths may be used for transmission from the network equipment 402 to the remote UE 406, uplink transmission to the network equipment 402 from the remote UE 406, or both.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses splitting the bearer between indirect and direct paths to include the bearer is a drb that is splitted. The motivation to combine is benefit is improved throughput and coverage, in that data could be split and transmitted on multiple links to the remote UE or network equipment, and aggregated at the destination to improve overall throughput relative to single-link transmission (See 110).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yang et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0205808 A1)-See 0371, one or more options may be provided for an SRB split and direct bearer. For example, FIG. 31A illustrates an example of a LTE RRC split SRB bearer, and FIG. 31B illustrates an example of a NR RRC direct SRB bearer or via LTE RRC container, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Particularly, FIGS. 31A and 31B illustrate possible data paths for two agreements for delivery of a RRC message from the SN to the UE, where LTE RRC can use a split SRB bearer and NR RRC can use a direct SRB or send a RRC message via a LTE RRC container
Lee et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0227819 A1)-See 0069, if the current UE configuration includes one or more split data radio bearers (DRBs) and the received RRCConnectionReconfiguration includes radioResourceConfigDedicated including drb-ToAddModList.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEJIS DAYA whose telephone number is (571)270-7817. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas Jensen can be reached at 571-270-5443. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Tejis Daya/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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