CONNECTION CONFIGURATION METHOD AND TERMINAL

DETAILED ACTION 1. Claims 1-20 have been examined and 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 . Priority 3. Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. Information Disclosure Statement 4. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/04/2024, 07/07/2025, and 02/06/2026 have been found to be in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner. Drawings 5. The drawings were received on 11/04/2024. These drawings are accepted. Specification 6. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: DIRECT AND INDIRECT PATH CONNECTION CONFIGURATION METHOD AND TERMINAL. 7. The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication 2024/0129971 A1 to Cheng et al. (hereinafter “Cheng”). Regarding Claim 1, Cheng discloses a remote terminal, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (Cheng: Figure 3 with [0024], [0076-0086] – corresponds to a communication device 350 comprising a Tx/Rx processor, memory, and program.), and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the remote terminal to perform: performing a connection configuration based on a timer, wherein the connection configuration comprises a connection configuration related to at least two paths, and the at least two paths comprise a direct connection path and an indirect connection path (Cheng: Figure 10 with [0125-0134] – corresponds to receiving configuration information for RRC connection for direct (Uu) connection between a remote UE and a base station and indirect (non-Uu) connection between the remote UE and the base station via a relay UE, wherein the configuration information includes a plurality of timers to use for both types of connections. See also [0077] for SIB context, Figure 6 with [0104-0108] for non-Uu context, which is a direct connection.). Regarding Claim 2, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 1, wherein the connection configuration comprises a second connection configuration, the remote terminal is connected to a network device through at least the indirect connection path after the second connection configuration is performed (Interpreted to correspond to one or more of a first connection (direct connection) and switched to an second connection (indirect), or vice-versa, as described by Cheng: Figure 10 with [0125-0134] – corresponds to receiving configuration information for RRC connection for direct (Uu) connection between a remote UE and a base station and indirect (non-Uu) connection between the remote UE and the base station via a relay UE, wherein the configuration information includes a plurality of timers to use for both types of connections. See also [0077] for SIB context, Figure 6 with [0104-0108] for non-Uu context, which is a direct connection.), and the timer comprises a third timer (Cheng: [0125-0129], [0148] – corresponds to one or more timers, including a plurality of timers, that may be applied to both indirect and direct connections.). Regarding Claim 3, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 2, wherein the second connection configuration comprises that being connected to a first network device through a first direct connection path is configured as being connected to a second network device through the first direct connection path and a second indirect connection path (Interpreted to correspond to Figure 14B of Cheng as represented below as a second or different indirect path which may be through a second relay (either Relay UE 1 or Relay UE 2) acting as a second network device. Examiner notes the second network device may also be the first network device.). PNG media_image1.png 266 682 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding Claim 4, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 2, wherein the second connection configuration comprises that being connected to a first network device through a first indirect connection path and a first direct connection path is configured as being connected to a second network device through a second indirect connection path and the first direct connection path (Interpreted to correspond to Figure 14B of Cheng as represented below as a second or different indirect path which may be through a second relay (either Relay UE 1 or Relay UE 2) acting as a second network device. Examiner notes the second network device may also be the first network device, and first and second connection configurations may be interchangeable.). PNG media_image1.png 266 682 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding Claim 5, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the remote terminal to perform: receiving a third message, wherein the third message is used to trigger the remote terminal to perform the second connection configuration (Interpreted as switching to the indirect path (or a different indirect path) and disclosed by Cheng in at least [0148] describing a message comprising path switch control information, such as an RRC message.). Regarding Claim 6, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 5, wherein the third message is further used to start or restart the third timer (Interpreted as switching to the indirect path and disclosed by Cheng in at least [0148] describing a message comprising path switch control information, such as an RRC message, which comprises at least a timer for the indirect path switching. See also [0125-0129].). Regarding Claim 7, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 2, wherein a condition of stopping the third timer comprises that the remote terminal receives a fifth message from a relay terminal, wherein the fifth message is a PC5 Radio Resource Control (PC5-RRC) message (Cheng: [0113-0118] – interpreted to correspond to a sidelink communication for connecting a relay device and a remote device via a PC5 interface connection (i.e., an indirect path), wherein the procedure comprises a plurality of RRC messages that are exchanged between the PC5 interfaces, including starting and stopping a timer upon successful connection/path establishment.). Regarding Claim 8, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the remote terminal to perform: when the third timer expires, performing an error reporting process (Cheng: [0122] – corresponds to an RRC procedure in which upon expiration of a timer, the UE performs radio link failure notification/reporting.). Regarding Claim 9, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 8, wherein the error reporting process is triggered when a second condition is met, and wherein the second condition comprises that the remote terminal does not pause transmission on a first direct connection path (The limitation is conditional in nature (“when a second condition is met”) and therefore not required to be disclosed by the prior art of record. Examiner respectfully suggests amending the limitation to recite only positively required language. Cheng discloses in [0122] an RRC procedure in which upon expiration of a timer, the UE performs radio link failure notification/reporting.). Regarding Claim 10, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 3, wherein the first network device is a source network device, and the second network device is a target network device (Cheng: Figure 14B – source = remote UE, target = relay/base station.). Regarding Claim 11, Cheng discloses the remote terminal according to claim 10, wherein the first network device and the second network device are the same device (Interpreted to correspond to Figure 14B of Cheng as represented below as a second or different indirect path which may be through a second relay (either Relay UE 1 or Relay UE 2) acting as a second network device. Examiner notes the second network device may also be the first network device, and first and second connection configurations may be interchangeable.). PNG media_image1.png 266 682 media_image1.png Greyscale Claims 12-20, directed to a method embodiment of claims 1-9, recite similar features as claims 1-9, respectively, and are therefore rejected upon the same grounds as claims 1-9. Please see above rejections of claims 1-9. Conclusion 11. Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03. 12. The prior art made of record (please see attached PTO-892) and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Examiner notes the following references not by order of relevance, but to include relevant portions Applicant should consider when issuing a response. US PGPub 2023/0061163 A1 to Mochizuki et al. at [0677]; US PGPub 2023/0070446 A1 to Lee et al. at [0257-0264], [0345-0353]; US PGPub 2023/0300711 A1 to Kalhan et al. at [0077]; US PGPub 2023/0300907 A1 to Kalhan et al. at [0077]; and US PGPub 2024/0015820 A1 to Zhang et al. at [0115]. 13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV whose telephone number is (571)270-7163. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, R, F 5:00 AM-5:00 PM, W 5:00 AM-3:00 PM (EDT). Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. BENJAMIN H. ELLIOTT IV Primary Examiner Art Unit 2474 /BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 October 14, 2026