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
The preliminary amendment filed 01/02/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1 and 15 are independent. Claims 2-14 and 16-20 are dependent. Claims 21-30 are cancelled.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information statements (IDSs) submitted on 01/02/2025, 04/08/2026, and 08/27/2026 were 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 § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GAO et al. (US 20210051639) hereinafter GAO in view of MOK et al (US 20230284091) hereinafter MOK.
Regarding claim 1, GAO teaches a wireless device configured to transmit a protocol data unit (PDU) set (i.e. a first wireless network element transmitting the a plurality of packet data unit (PDUs) to the user equipment (UE), [0030]), the wireless device comprising: a processor (i.e. a first wireless network element comprising a processor, [0029]); and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the wireless device to (i.e. Processor 1820 is configured to execute programmable logic, which may be stored, along with data, on network element 1810, and shown in the example of FIG. 18 as memory 1840, [0302]): receive a configuration in which the wireless device is allowed to discard (i.e. The small cell may still provide certain control plane functions such as the radio bearer configuration/reconfigurations, radio resource allocation functions, [0048] and If the small cell is configured, its physical cell identity, uplink and downlink frequency and physical configuration may be indicated by a new information element sce-ConfigDedicated-r12. The new field may be included in the RadioResourceConfigDedicated information element so that a part of the RRC connection reconfiguration may be used for controlling offloading per DRB, [0298]), when a minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set is satisfied, one or more packets of the PDU set (i.e. the small cell may send a message about the successfully delivered PDCP PDUs per acknowledged mode (AM) RLC when certain conditions are satisfied. For example, when the number of unsuccessful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when the number of successful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when there is no PDCP PDU for delivery in the buffer for a certain time, etc. [0153] and when confirmation of successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is received using a PDCP status report sent from the small cell eNB, the macro eNB 910 may discard the PDCP SDU with the corresponding PDCP PDU, [0169] and After the status of certain number of PDCP PDUs has been collected, the small cell may send a status report to the macro-cell over the backhaul link 982 for each data radio bearer mapped to AM RLC. The report may include some or all of the following information, among other information: [0177], the number of PDCP PDUs in the report [0178] and, the successfully delivered PDCP PDUs and the corresponding sequence numbers, [0179]); determine information to evaluate the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set (i.e. The report may be sent periodically based on the number of PDUs successfully delivered, [0189]); process the PDU set for transmission (i.e. receive a discard indication from the second wireless network element to discard a subset of the PDUs; and discard the indicated subset of PDUs, [0031]; and when the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set is satisfied, based on the information, determine that the PDU set is successfully delivered (i.e. the small cell may send a message about the successfully delivered PDCP PDUs per acknowledged mode (AM) RLC when certain conditions are satisfied. For example, when the number of unsuccessful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when the number of successful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when there is no PDCP PDU for delivery in the buffer for a certain time, etc. [0153]) and discard any unsent packets of the PDU set (i.e. and Based on the status report, the macro eNB removes the corresponding PDCP SDUs from its SDU transmission buffer, [0211]).
However, GAO does not explicitly disclose resource-saving mode.
However, MOK teaches resource-saving mode (i.e. operations of a base station and a UE managing an idle mode resource congestion, [0078] and the UEs may shift from an RRC-connected mode to an RRC-idle mode in order to reduce power consumption under the control of a base station, [0086]).
Based on GAO in view of MOK, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of MOK to the system of GAO in order to solve link instability in a high frequency system, (MOK, [0260])
Regarding claim 2, GAO teaches the wireless device comprises a user equipment (UE) (i.e. UE 1900 is typically a two-way wireless communication device having voice and data communication capabilities, [0307]), and wherein to receive the configuration comprises to receive the configuration from a base station for a data radio bearer (DRB) or a quality of service (QoS) flow for an uplink transmission (i.e. If the small cell is configured, its physical cell identity, uplink and downlink frequency and physical configuration may be indicated by a new information element sce-ConfigDedicated-r12. The new field may be included in the RadioResourceConfigDedicated information element so that a part of the RRC connection reconfiguration may be used for controlling offloading per DRB, [0298] and the above may be implemented by any UEs and network elements, [0299]).
However, GAO does not explicitly disclose resource-saving mode.
However, MOK teaches resource-saving mode (i.e. operations of a base station and a UE managing an idle mode resource congestion, [0078] and the UEs may shift from an RRC-connected mode to an RRC-idle mode in order to reduce power consumption under the control of a base station, [0086]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 2 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 3, GAO teaches the wireless device comprises a base station, and wherein to receive the configuration of the resource-saving mode comprises to receive the configuration from a core network for a data radio bearer (DRB) or a quality of service (QoS) flow for a downlink transmission (i.e. Upon small cell attachment, downlink packets proceed from the core network 1418 through macro eNB 1414 to small cell, [0225], If the small cell is configured, its physical cell identity, uplink and downlink frequency and physical configuration may be indicated by a new information element sce-ConfigDedicated-r12. The new field may be included in the RadioResourceConfigDedicated information element so that a part of the RRC connection reconfiguration may be used for controlling offloading per DRB, [0298] and the various eNBs communicate with core network 1418, [0216]).
However, GAO does not explicitly disclose resource-saving mode.
However, MOK teaches resource-saving mode (i.e. operations of a base station and a UE managing an idle mode resource congestion, [0078] and the UEs may shift from an RRC-connected mode to an RRC-idle mode in order to reduce power consumption under the control of a base station, [0086]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 3 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 4, GAO teaches the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set comprises at least M packets of the PDU set being successfully transmitted or submitted to a lower layer in a protocol stack for transmission, wherein M is an integer (i.e. The PDCP status report 1522 may include information, including successfully received PDCP PDUs and the associated sequence numbers, the hyperframe number of the PDCP PDUs and the data radio bearer number, or the PDCP entity information, [0245]), and wherein the information to evaluate the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set comprises a value of M (i.e. the report may be sent periodically based on the number of PDUs successfully delivered, [0189]).
Regarding claim 5, GAO teaches to determine the information comprises to receive the value of M from a network node (i.e. a report between the small cell eNB 1650 and the macro eNB 1610 may include various information, including some or all of the following: the SN of the first report PDU, the total number of reported PDUs, a list of SNs of PDUs that are successfully transmitted or alternatively a list of SNs of PDUs that are failed to be delivered, among other information, [0258]).
Regarding claim 6, GAO teaches to determine the information comprises to derive, at the wireless device, the value of M based on a percentage of the PDU set to be successfully delivered (i.e. the small cell may send a message about the successfully delivered PDCP PDUs per acknowledged mode (AM) RLC when certain conditions are satisfied. For example, when the number of unsuccessful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when the number of successful delivered PDCP PDUs exceed a threshold value, or when there is no PDCP PDU for delivery in the buffer for a certain time, etc., [0153]).
Regarding claim 7, GAO teaches the value of M is different for different PDU sets (i.e. The message may include information, including the transmission status of each PDCP PDU identified by its sequence number, which may be out of order, the hyperframe number of the PDCP PDUs and the data radio bearer number, [0249]).
Regarding claim 8, GAO teaches the value of M is zero, and wherein to process the PDU set and discard the unsent packets comprises to discard all packets of the PDU set (i.e. a report between the small cell eNB 1650 and the macro eNB 1610 may include various information, including some or all of the following: the SN of the first report PDU, the total number of reported PDUs, a list of SNs of PDUs that are successfully transmitted or alternatively a list of SNs of PDUs that are failed to be delivered, among other information, [0258] and When a report is received by the corresponding PDCP receiving entity in the macro eNB, the PDCP SDUs that have been successfully delivered may be dropped from the PDCP SDU buffer, [0268].
Regarding claim 9, GAO teaches the wireless device further comprises a counter, and wherein the instructions further configure the wireless device to: increment the counter to determine how many delivered packets of the PDU set have been sent (i.e. A further option is that the RLC delivery indication may be sent in an event-triggered manner. For example, the event may be a function of the count of the PDCP PDUs. In one embodiment, the RLC delivery indication is sent every N PDCP PDUs successfully delivered, where N can be proportional to the PDCP re-ordering window size, [0189]); and when the counter reaches the value of M, discard the unsent packets of the PDU set and reset the counter for a subsequent PDU set (i.e. the total number of reported PDUs, a list of SNs of PDUs that are successfully transmitted or alternatively a list of SNs of PDUs that are failed to be delivered, among other information. The macro cell is aware of how many PDUs are relayed to the small cell so the macro cell is synchronized with the small cell on the PDU SNs. After receiving the status report, the macro cell may remove the successfully transmitted SDUs from its buffer, [0258]).
Regarding claim 10, GAO teaches the wireless device further comprises a timer (i.e. a discard timer 940 is connected to the PDCP SDU buffer for discarding SDU packets, [0158]), and wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to: start or restart the timer when a first packet of the PDU set arrives in a transmit buffer of the wireless device (i.e. at the reception of a PDCP SDU from the upper layers, the macro eNB 910 performs normal PDCP functions, including associating a sequence number with the PDCP SDU, starting a discard timer associated with the PDCP SDU, [0168]); and when the timer expires and the at least M packets of the PDU set have been delivered, discard the unsent packets of the PDU set (i.e. When the discardTimer expires for the PDCP SDU, or when confirmation of successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is received using a PDCP status report sent from the small cell eNB, the macro eNB 910 may discard the PDCP SDU with the corresponding PDCP PDU, [0169]).
Regarding claim 11, GAO teaches the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set comprises essential packets from the PDU set being successfully transmitted or submitted to a lower layer in a protocol stack for transmission (i.e. delivery of the PDCP PDU to the lower layers in the small cell eNB 920 over a backhaul link, [0168] and wherein the status report includes at least one of: successfully received PDUs and associated sequence numbers, [0345], and wherein the information to evaluate the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set comprises an identification of the essential packets (i.e. PDCP status report from the small eNB 1750 to macro cell 1710 may include the following information: [0279] The number of PDCP PDUs in the report [0280] The sequence number (SN) of the PDCP PDUs in the report [0281] the successfully delivered and/or discarded PDCP PDUs [0282] The hyperframe number (HFN) of the PDCP PDUs).
Regarding claim 12, GAO teaches to determine the information comprises to receive the identification of the essential packets from a network node (i.e. the sequence number (SN) of the PDCP PDUs in the report [0280]).
Regarding claim 13, GAO teaches when a network node indicates that the PDU set includes only non-essential packets, to process the PDU set and to discard the unsent packets comprises to discard all packets of the PDU set (i.e. the UE may initiate sending the feedback report when an out of sequence PDCP SN exceeds a pre-determined window size. The window size may be a parameter determined by the network. The window size further may be adaptable to current backhaul latency, loading conditions in the small cell, among other factors, and such window size may be reported to the UE, [0247] and the PDCP discard indication message may include the following information: The sequence number (SN) and Hyper-frame number (HFN) of the PDCP PDUs to be discarded, [0200]-[0201]).
Regarding claim 14, GAO teaches the minimum requirement for delivering the PDU set is selected from a group comprising an elapsed time since an arrival of a first packet of the PDU set has reached a first threshold (i.e. The report may be sent periodically based on the number of PDUs successfully delivered, or based on a predetermined time period, [0189], and a remaining time until an expiry of a PDU set delay budget (PSDB) is lower than a second threshold (i.e. A PDCP SDU is discarded if the corresponding discard timer expires. Due to backhaul latency, the indication of successful PDCP PDU delivery by the RLC in the small cell may experience a delay over the backhaul, [0138] and the discard timer may have a value increased by an amount that accounts for the backhaul delay when determining whether a PDU/SDU should be discarded. For example, if a backhaul delay is 10 ms, this delay may be added to the current discard timer to determine the expiration. Higher backhaul latency leads to longer discard timers and potentially larger PDCP buffers, [0288]).
Regarding claims 15-20, the limitations of claims 15-20 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-6. Therefore, the limitations of claims 15-20 are rejected in the analysis of claims 1-6 above, and the claims are rejected on that basis.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
FU et al (US 20250097761 A1), eneration duration of the first set of PDUs exceeds the PDB of the corresponding set of PDUs, the transmitter deletes the remaining data packets of the first set of PDUs, or the transmitter deletes the first set of PDUs, or the transmitter deletes the data packets of the first set of PDUs, or the transmitter deletes the second set of PDUs, or the transmitter deletes part of the data packets of the second set of PDUs, or the transmitter deletes all of the data packets of the second set of PDUs.
KIM (US 20230328831), Sequential delivery function (In-sequence delivery of upper layer PDUs at PDCP re-establishment procedure for RLC AM) [0063] Sequence re-arrangement function (For split bearers in DC (only support for RLC AM): PDCP PDU routing for transmission and PDCP PDU reordering for reception) [0064] Duplicate detection function (Duplicate detection of lower layer SDUs at PDCP re-establishment procedure for RLC AM) [0065] Retransmission function (Retransmission of PDCP SDUs at handover and, for split bearers in DC, of PDCP PDUs at PDCP data-recovery procedure, for RLC AM) [0066] Ciphering and deciphering function (Ciphering and deciphering) [0067] Timer-based SDU removal function (Timer-based SDU discard in uplink).
BAEK et al (US 20190394675 A1), reporting including information on a discarded packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) packet. A timer may be started for the PDCP packet, and the PDCP packet may be discarded in the transmitter based on the timer being expired.
Ohta et al. (US 20190297530), wherein the first processing is configured to transmit the multiple pieces of data subsequent to the discarding to the second wireless communication apparatus without renumbering, and transmit discarding notification information that notifies the discarding, to the second wireless communication apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYELE F WOLDEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5196. The examiner can normally be reached M_F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joon H Hwang can be reached at 571-272-4036. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AW/
AYELE F. WOLDEMARIAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2447
9/16/2026
/SURAJ M JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2447
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