DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
This is in response to an amendment/response/communication filed 12/4/2024.
No claims have been cancelled.
No claims have been added.
Claims(s) 1-20 is/are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 12/4/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/4/2024. These drawings are accepted.
Specification
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
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang (US 20250330877 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wang anticipates a method for connection establishment, comprising (Paragraph 66, 94, teaches a connection-establishment procedure involving first, second/relay, and third terminals, including unicast-link establishment for relayed terminal-to-terminal communication): establishing, by a first terminal, a third sidelink (SL) radio resource-control (RRC) connection with a third terminal (Paragraph 76, 90, 94, 95, teaches an E2E PC5 RRC between UE1 and UE2 through the UE-to-UE relay, with the two Step 334 operations of Fig. 3C establishing PC5 relaying channels over each respective PC5 hop using the corresponding per-hop PC5 RRC) via a second terminal (Paragraph 90, 92, 94, teaches the first-to-third-terminal E2E PC5-RRC connection operating through the second terminal acting as the UE-to-UE relay) in response to completion of establishment of a first SL RRC connection between the first terminal and the second terminal (Paragraph 94, 167, 218-219, teaches that the first-hop SL/PC5 RRC between the first terminal and relay is successfully completed before the relay proceeds with configuration toward the third terminal) (Paragraph 69, 76, 94, 218, teaches establishment and successful completion/availability of the first-hop PC5-RRC connection between the first terminal and second/relay terminal) and completion of establishment of a second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal (Paragraph 69, 94, 207, 210, teaches an established/available second-hop PC5-RRC connection between the second/relay terminal and third terminal and confirmation that its configuration successfully completed) (Paragraph 199-200, 210, 212, teaches the claimed causal sequence most strongly by expressly making successful completion of both per-hop configurations the trigger for the first terminal to initiate E2E sidelink configuration with the third terminal).
Regarding claim 2, Wang anticipates establishing, by the first terminal, the first SL RRC connection with the second terminal (Paragraph 66, 69, 74, 76, 94, 122, teaches establishing a sidelink/PC5 RRC connection between the first terminal and second terminal, including that their PC5-RRC connection is established through PC5 unicast-link establishment and is available as the first per-hop connection).
Regarding claim 3, Wang anticipates establishing, by the first terminal, the first SL RRC connection with the second terminal comprises: sending, by the first terminal, a first SL RRC reconfiguration message to the second terminal; and completing, by the first terminal, the establishment of the first SL RRC connection with the second terminal in response to reception of a first SL RRC reconfiguration complete message by the first terminal from the second terminal (Paragraph 69, 76, 80, 94, 135, 201, 203, 209-211, 215, 218, 241, 245, 253, 259, 285-287, teaches establishing a sidelink/PC5 RRC connection between the first and second terminals by the first terminal transmitting an RRCReconfigurationSidelink message to the second terminal and completing the configuration upon receiving the corresponding RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink message from the second terminal indicating successful first-hop configuration).
Regarding claim 4, Wang anticipates receiving, by the first terminal, fourth indication information from the second terminal, wherein the fourth indication information indicates whether the establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal is completed (Paragraph 69, 76, 94, 183, 185-187, 191-192, 197-198, 207, 209-211, 222, 236-237, teaches the first terminal receiving from the second terminal feedback/status information identifying whether the second-hop sidelink/PC5-RRC configuration between the second and third terminals is successful or failed, which indicates whether that second-hop SL RRC connection/configuration has been completed).
Regarding claim 5, Wang anticipates releasing, by the first terminal, the first SL RRC connection with the second terminal in response to the fourth indication information indicating that establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal fails (Paragraph 69, 76, 94, 187, 190-192, 197-198, 221-222, 235-236, 250-251, 295, 297, 299, teaches established per-hop SL/PC5-RRC connections between the first terminal and relay and between the relay and third terminal, and teaches the first terminal receiving failure indication information specifically identifying failure of the relay-to-third-terminal second-hop configuration and responsively taking further action, including choosing another relay).
Regarding claim 6, Wang anticipates determining, by the first terminal, that the establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal is completed in response to the fourth indication information indicating that the establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal is completed (Paragraph 69, 76, 111, 116, 183, 186-189, 191-192, 197-198, 207, 209-211, teaches the first terminal determining that the second-hop sidelink/PC5-RRC connection or configuration between the second and third terminals is completed based on received feedback, including an RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink message or status information).
Regarding claim 7, Wang anticipates establishing, by the first terminal, the third SL RRC connection with the third terminal via the second terminal comprises: receiving, by the first terminal, a first message from the second terminal; and sending, by the first terminal, a third SL RRC reconfiguration complete message to the third terminal via the second terminal, and completing, by the first terminal, the establishment of the third SL RRC connection with the third terminal via the second terminal (Paragraph 66-67, 76, 80, 90, 92, 94-96, 186, 189, 197, 201, 207, 209-210, 212, teaches an E2E PC5/SL RRC connection between the first and third terminals through the second terminal acting as a relay, including the first terminal receiving a successful RRC reconfiguration-complete/feedback message from the second terminal, E2E PC5-RRC messaging through relay channels and RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink signaling, and completion/availability of the E2E connection after successful configuration).
Regarding claim 8, Wang anticipates wherein the SL RRC reconfiguration message comprises at least one of: a resource pool related configuration, an SL discontinuous reception related configuration, an SL bearer configuration, or a terminal capability information indication (Paragraph 79-80, 109, 120, 125, 135, 155-156, 169, 180, 200-201, 203, 205, 274, 279, 281, teaches that an SL/PC5 RRC reconfiguration message, specifically an RRCReconfigurationSidelink message, carries sidelink bearer-related configuration by configuring SL DRBs/SLRBs, their RLC channels, RLC modes/parameters, and bearer mappings).
Regarding claim 9, Wang anticipates wherein the first terminal is a source remote terminal, and the third terminal is a target remote terminal (Paragraph 66-68, 90-92, 94, 109, 117, 120, 149, 175, 295, teaches the first terminal as the source/TX UE and the third terminal as the destination/RX UE communicating through an intervening UE-to-UE relay).
Regarding claim 10, Wang anticipates wherein the second terminal is a relay terminal (Paragraph 66-68, 73, 90-92, 94, 109-110, 112, 117, 120, 124-125, 156-157, 163, 198, 295, identifies the second terminal device 120 as a relay UE/relay device and repeatedly describes it relaying communications, configurations, and data between the first and third terminal devices).
Regarding claim 11, Wang anticipates a method for connection establishment, comprising (Paragraph 66, 90, 94, teaches a connection-establishment procedure in which a second/relay terminal participates in establishing respective per-hop PC5 RRC connections with first and third terminals): establishing, by a second terminal, a first sidelink (SL) radio resource-control (RRC) connection with a first terminal (Paragraph 66, 69, 74, 76, 90, 94, 122, teaches establishing a sidelink PC5-RRC connection between the first terminal and the second/relay terminal, including per-hop PC5 RRC establishment between UE1 and the UE-to-UE relay); and establishing, by the second terminal, a second SL RRC connection with a third terminal (Paragraph 66, 69, 74, 76, 90, 94, 124, teaches establishing the other per-hop sidelink PC5-RRC connection between the second/relay terminal and the third terminal, including the PC5 RRC between the UE-to-UE relay and UE2).
Regarding claim 12, Wang anticipates wherein establishing, by the second terminal, the first SL RRC connection with the first terminal comprises: sending, by the second terminal, a first SL RRC reconfiguration complete message to the first terminal in response to reception of a first SL RRC reconfiguration message by the second terminal from the first terminal, and completing, by the second terminal, the establishment of the first SL RRC connection with the first terminal (Paragraph 69, 76, 80, 94, 122, 135, 152, 186, 189, 201, 203-210, 215, 217-218, 241, 244-245, 285-287, teaches a PC5/SL RRC connection between the first and second terminals and expressly teaches the first terminal sending an RRCReconfigurationSidelink for the first hop to the second terminal, the second terminal receiving and successfully configuring that first-hop configuration, and responsively sending an RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink back to the first terminal indicating successful completion of the first-hop configuration, thereby teaching completion of the SL RRC establishment between those terminals).
Regarding claim 13, Wang anticipates wherein establishing, by the second terminal, the second SL RRC connection with the third terminal comprises: sending, by the second terminal, a fifth SL RRC reconfiguration message to the third terminal; and completing, by the second terminal, the establishment of the second SL RRC connection with the third terminal in response to reception of a fifth SL RRC reconfiguration complete message by the second terminal from the third terminal (Paragraph 80, 181, 183, 185, 188, 201, 207-208, 235, teaches that the second terminal receives an RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink from the third terminal indicating successful second-hop configuration and expressly states that the configuration is completed upon receipt of that message).
Regarding claim 14, Wang anticipates sending, by the second terminal, fourth indication information to the first terminal in response to establishment of the first SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the first terminal, wherein the fourth indication information indicates whether the establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal the third terminal is completed (Paragraph 69, 76, 111, 116, 183, 186-189, 191-192, 197-198, 207, 209-211, teaches the first terminal determining that the second-hop sidelink/PC5-RRC connection or configuration between the second and third terminals is completed based on received feedback, including an RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink message or status information).
Regarding claim 15, Wang anticipates receiving, by the second terminal, a third SL RRC reconfiguration message from the third terminal in response to completion of the establishment of the first SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the first terminal and completion of the establishment of the second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal; sending, by the second terminal, a first message to the first terminal, wherein the first message is related to the third SL RRC reconfiguration message; and forwarding, by the second terminal, a third SL RRC reconfiguration complete message sent to the third terminal from the first terminal (Paragraph 66-67, 76, 80, 90, 92, 94-96, 186, 189, 197, 201, 207, 209-210, 212, teaches an E2E PC5/SL RRC connection between the first and third terminals through the second terminal acting as a relay, including the first terminal receiving a successful RRC reconfiguration-complete/feedback message from the second terminal, E2E PC5-RRC messaging through relay channels and RRCReconfigurationCompleteSidelink signaling, and completion/availability of the E2E connection after successful configuration).
Regarding claim 16, Wang anticipates wherein the SL RRC reconfiguration message comprises at least one of: a resource pool related configuration, an SL discontinuous reception related configuration, an SL bearer configuration, or a terminal capability information indication (Paragraph 79-80, 109, 120, 125, 135, 155-156, 169, 180, 200-201, 203, 205, 274, 279, 281, teaches that an SL/PC5 RRC reconfiguration message, specifically an RRCReconfigurationSidelink message, carries sidelink bearer-related configuration by configuring SL DRBs/SLRBs, their RLC channels, RLC modes/parameters, and bearer mappings).
Regarding claim 17, Wang anticipates wherein the first terminal is a source remote terminal, and the third terminal is a target remote terminal (Paragraph 66-68, 90-92, 94, 109, 117, 120, 149, 175, 295, teaches the first terminal as the source/TX UE and the third terminal as the destination/RX UE communicating through an intervening UE-to-UE relay).
Regarding claim 18, Wang anticipates wherein the second terminal is a relay terminal (Paragraph 66-68, 73, 90-92, 94, 109-110, 112, 117, 120, 124-125, 156-157, 163, 198, 295, identifies the second terminal device 120 as a relay UE/relay device and repeatedly describes it relaying communications, configurations, and data between the first and third terminal devices).
Regarding claim 19, Wang anticipates a first terminal, comprising: a processor; and a memory configured to store a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the first terminal to (Paragraph 396-398, 449, teaches a first terminal having a processor and memory storing computer program code/instructions that, when executed with/by the processor, cause the first terminal to perform the disclosed first-terminal operations): establish a third sidelink (SL) radio resource-control (RRC) connection with a third terminal (Paragraph 76, 90, 94, teaches an established E2E PC5-RRC connection between the first terminal (UE1) and third terminal (UE2), with PC5-RRC being an SL RRC connection) via a second terminal (Paragraph 90, 92, 94, teaches the first-to-third-terminal E2E PC5-RRC connection operating through the second terminal acting as the UE-to-UE relay) in response to completion of establishment of a first SL RRC connection between the first terminal and the second terminal (Paragraph 94, 167, 218-219, teaches that the first-hop SL/PC5 RRC between the first terminal and relay is successfully completed before the relay proceeds with configuration toward the third terminal) (Paragraph 69, 76, 94, 218, teaches establishment and successful completion/availability of the first-hop PC5-RRC connection between the first terminal and second/relay terminal) and completion of establishment of a second SL RRC connection between the second terminal and the third terminal (Paragraph 69, 94, 207, 210, teaches an established/available second-hop PC5-RRC connection between the second/relay terminal and third terminal and confirmation that its configuration successfully completed) (Paragraph 199-200, 210, 212, teaches the claimed causal sequence most strongly by expressly making successful completion of both per-hop configurations the trigger for the first terminal to initiate E2E sidelink configuration with the third terminal).
Regarding claim 20, Wang anticipates wherein the computer program, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to: establish the first SL RRC connection with the second terminal (Paragraph 66, 69, 74-76, 94, 122, 203-204, 209-210, 215, 217-218, 241, 244-245, 285-287, teaches the first terminal and second terminal establishing a sidelink PC5 RRC connection, expressly defines that connection as established upon PC5 unicast-link establishment, and further shows the first terminal initiating sidelink RRC configuration of the first hop with the second terminal and receiving confirmation that the first-hop configuration is successful).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
MOCHIZUKI (US 20260205916 A1) discloses UE-to-UE relay communication in which a transmitting UE communicates with a receiving UE through an intermediate relay UE using separate PC5 sidelink connections whose PC5-RRC connection states, including completion, can be recognized and communicated among the UEs
Choi et al. (US 20200288434 A1) discloses establishing and configuring sidelink communication between terminals, including synchronizing the terminals, exchanging and selecting sidelink BWP configurations, confirming completion of the sidelink configuration, and thereafter communicating over the configured sidelink resources
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN whose telephone number is (703)756-1878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/A.S.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/MICHAEL K PHILLIPS/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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