The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office action is in response to communications filed on 5/11/2025.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claims 5, 9, and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 5, the limitation “granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity” should be - - granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of the Per-IP flow granularity, the Per-QoS flow granularity, the Per-DRB granularity, the Per-LCH granularity, the Per-PDU set granularity, the Per-PDU granularity, the Per-frame granularity, the Per-slice granularity, and the Per-packet granularity - -.
In claim 9, the limitation “wherein the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises” should be - - wherein the transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to the network device comprises - -.
In claim 15, the limitation “granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity” should be - - granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of the Per-IP flow granularity, the Per-QoS flow granularity, the Per-DRB granularity, the Per-LCH granularity, the Per-PDU set granularity, the Per-PDU granularity, the Per-frame granularity, the Per-slice granularity, and the Per-packet granularity - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the limitations recite a method claim invoking a single limitation: “in a case that remaining delay information of a data packet changes, transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device.”
The term “in a case that” implies that the limitation is optional or conditional in nature. MPEP 2111.04 explains that the “broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed.”
Therefore, the scope is so broad the claim does not actually require any affirmative method steps to be performed. It is therefore unclear if the claim is infringed by any subject matter where the “remaining delay information of a data packet” does not change.
Further, claim 1 recites “remaining delay information of a data packet.” It’s unclear what the term actually measures as the specification fails to provide a standard or define the term. The term “delay information of a data packet” is not a known standard in the art and therefore it’s unclear what is actually measured.
A known term in the art that appears to refer to the claimed matter is “packet delay budget”, which defines the maximum time that a data packet may take to travel between a source and a destination. However, it’s unclear if the claimed “delay information” refers to the packet delay budget, and if not, it’s unclear how to measure the claimed “remaining delay information.”
For examination purposes only, the claimed “remaining delay information of a data packet” has been interpreted as “remaining packet delay budget”.
Regarding claims 2-10, the limitations invoke, by reference, all of the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claims 2-10 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, above.
Further, claim 7 recites “a sixth preset threshold.” It’s unclear if the claim requires the existence of 5 other preset thresholds. For examination purposes, the examiner has interpreted the claim as only requiring a single preset threshold.
Further claim 8 recites “wherein granularity of the preset timer comprises […].” There is insufficient antecedent basis for a preset timer in the claims.
Regarding claim 11, the limitations recite the term “remaining delay information of a data packet”. As explained in the rejection of claim 1, above, it’s unclear what the scope of the term is. Therefore, the claim is indefinite.
Regarding claims 12-19, above, the limitations invoke, by reference, all of the limitations of claim 11. Therefore, claims 2-10 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in the rejection of claim 11, above.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
For example, claim 8 recites the single limitation “wherein granularity of the preset timer comprises at least one of the following: Per-UE granularity; Per-IP flow granularity; Per-QoS flow granularity; Per-DRB granularity; Per-LCH granularity; Per-PDU set granularity; Per-PDU granularity; Per-frame granularity; Per-slice granularity; and Per-packet granularity.”
However, claim 8 depends from claim 1, and claim 1 does not include a preset timer.
Therefore, claim 8 does not limit any of the subject matter recited in claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-8, 10-15, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 20260181470 A1, hereinafter Li).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a method for transmitting assistance information, comprising:
in a case that remaining delay information of a data packet changes, transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device (¶[0003], "a UE (terminal) will report a BSR (Buffer Status report/Buffer Status reporting) to a network in an uplink, the BSR provides a data volume in a buffer of the UE to be transmitted to the network, and the network allocates transmission resources for the UE to transmit data based on the BSR reported by the UE"; ¶[0079], "Updating and reporting the BSR in response to a change in the remaining delay budget includes: updating and reporting the BSR if the remaining delay budget increases or decreases compared to the remaining delay budget in the previously reported BSR"; ¶[0011], "a device for reporting a BSR, configured in a network device, and including:"; ¶[0012], "a BSR receiving module, configured to receive a BSR updated and reported by a UE").
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the remaining delay information is used for at least one of the following operations: congestion control; access control; adjustment of a scheduling-related configuration; and adjustment of a transmission-related configuration from a network device (¶[0068], "the BSR is re-reported in a case where at least one of a to-be-transmitted data volume and a remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed, so that the network may reasonably authorizes transmission resources for the UE based on the re-reported BSR to avoid that the network allocates redundant transmission resources for the UE").
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the operations comprise at least one of the following: a per-user equipment (Per-UE) operation; a per-internet protocol (Per-IP) flow operation; a per-quality-of-service (Per-QoS) flow operation; a per-data radio bearer (Per-DRB) operation; a per-logical channel (Per-LCH) operation; a per-protocol data unit set (Per-PDU set) operation; a per-protocol data unit (Per-PDU) operation; a per-frame (Per-frame) operation; a per-slice (Per-slice) operation; and a per-packet (Per-packet) operation (¶[0068], "the BSR is re-reported in a case where at least one of a to-be-transmitted data volume and a remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed, so that the network may reasonably authorizes transmission resources for the UE based on the re-reported BSR to avoid that the network allocates redundant transmission resources for the UE").
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein granularity of the remaining delay information comprises at least one of the following: Per-UE granularity; Per-IP flow granularity; Per-QoS flow granularity; Per-DRB granularity; Per-LCH granularity; Per-PDU set granularity; Per-PDU granularity; Per-frame granularity; Per-slice granularity; and Per-packet granularity (¶[0081], "When the network configures the UE, the network sends indication to the UE to indicate the UE to update and report the BSR in the case where the to-be-transmitted data volume in the buffer and/or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed").
Regarding claim 5, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the terminal, configuration information from the network device, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of the following: reporting granularity information used for indicating at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity (¶[0081], "When the network configures the UE, the network sends indication to the UE to indicate the UE to update and report the BSR in the case where the to-be-transmitted data volume in the buffer and/or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed"); and
granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity (¶[0119], "the network may configure the UE or the protocol may stipulate the UE to associate the BSR with a specified logical channel ID or a new logical channel ID when updating and reporting the BSR in case of at least one of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold").
Regarding claim 7, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the case that the remaining delay information of the data packet changes comprises at least one of the following: a change in the delay statistic information of the data packet exceeds a sixth preset threshold (¶[0119], "the network may configure the UE or the protocol may stipulate the UE to associate the BSR with a specified logical channel ID or a new logical channel ID when updating and reporting the BSR in case of at least one of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold").
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein granularity of the preset timer comprises at least one of the following: Per-UE granularity; Per-IP flow granularity; Per-QoS flow granularity; Per-DRB granularity; Per-LCH granularity; Per-PDU set granularity; Per-PDU granularity; Per-frame granularity; Per-slice granularity; and Per-packet granularity (¶[0135], "The prohibiting timer is a timer for prohibiting the reporting of the BSR message. The UE may not update and report the BSR message when the prohibiting timer is running, and the UE may update and report the BSR message when the prohibiting timer is not running").
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: reporting the remaining delay information by the terminal in a case that the terminal receives a configuration from a network device and the terminal is allowed to report the remaining delay information; or, reporting the remaining delay information by the terminal if the terminal satisfies the preset condition in a case that the terminal receives a configuration from a network device and the terminal is allowed to report the remaining delay information (¶[0081], "When the network configures the UE, the network sends indication to the UE to indicate the UE to update and report the BSR in the case where the to-be-transmitted data volume in the buffer and/or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed"; ¶[0133], "updating and reporting the BSR in case of that the at least one of the to-be-transmitted data volume of the UE and the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed and a prohibiting timer of the UE is not running").
Regarding claim 11, Li discloses a method for receiving assistance information, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information of a data packet from a terminal, in a case that the remaining delay information changes (¶[0003], "a UE (terminal) will report a BSR (Buffer Status report/Buffer Status reporting) to a network in an uplink, the BSR provides a data volume in a buffer of the UE to be transmitted to the network, and the network allocates transmission resources for the UE to transmit data based on the BSR reported by the UE"; ¶[0079], "Updating and reporting the BSR in response to a change in the remaining delay budget includes: updating and reporting the BSR if the remaining delay budget increases or decreases compared to the remaining delay budget in the previously reported BSR"; ¶[0011], "a device for reporting a BSR, configured in a network device, and including:"; ¶[0012], "a BSR receiving module, configured to receive a BSR updated and reported by a UE"); and
executing, by the network device, a processing operation according to the remaining delay information (¶[0068], "BSR is re-reported in a case where at least one of a to-be-transmitted data volume and a remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed, so that the network may reasonably authorizes transmission resources for the UE based on the re-reported BSR to avoid that the network allocates redundant transmission resources for the UE").
Regarding claim 12, Li discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein the processing operation comprises at least one of the following operations: congestion control; access control; adjustment of a scheduling-related configuration; and adjustment of a transmission-related configuration from a network device (¶[0068], "the BSR is re-reported in a case where at least one of a to-be-transmitted data volume and a remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed, so that the network may reasonably authorizes transmission resources for the UE based on the re-reported BSR to avoid that the network allocates redundant transmission resources for the UE").
Regarding claim 13, Li discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the operations comprise at least one of the following: a Per-UE operation; a Per-IP flow operation; a Per-QoS flow operation; a Per-DRB operation; a Per-LCH operation; a Per-PDU set operation; a Per-PDU operation; a Per-frame operation; a Per-slice operation; and a Per-packet operation (¶[0068], "the BSR is re-reported in a case where at least one of a to-be-transmitted data volume and a remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed, so that the network may reasonably authorizes transmission resources for the UE based on the re-reported BSR to avoid that the network allocates redundant transmission resources for the UE").
Regarding claim 14, Li discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein granularity of the remaining delay information comprises at least one of the following: Per-UE granularity; Per-IP flow granularity; Per-QoS flow granularity; Per-DRB granularity; Per-LCH granularity; Per-PDU set granularity; Per-PDU granularity; Per-frame granularity; Per-slice granularity; and Per-packet granularity (¶[0081], "When the network configures the UE, the network sends indication to the UE to indicate the UE to update and report the BSR in the case where the to-be-transmitted data volume in the buffer and/or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed").
Regarding claim 15, Li discloses the method according to claim 11, further comprising: transmitting, by the network device, configuration information to the terminal, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of the following: reporting granularity information used for indicating at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity (¶[0081], "When the network configures the UE, the network sends indication to the UE to indicate the UE to update and report the BSR in the case where the to-be-transmitted data volume in the buffer and/or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume is changed"); and
granularity identity information used for indicating identity information of at least one of Per-IP flow granularity, Per-QoS flow granularity, Per-DRB granularity, Per-LCH granularity, Per-PDU set granularity, Per-PDU granularity, Per-frame granularity, Per-slice granularity, and Per-packet granularity (¶[0119], "the network may configure the UE or the protocol may stipulate the UE to associate the BSR with a specified logical channel ID or a new logical channel ID when updating and reporting the BSR in case of at least one of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being changed, or the remaining delay budget of the to-be-transmitted data volume being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold").
Regarding claim 20, Li discloses a terminal, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or an instruction runnable on the processor, and the program or the instruction when executed by the processor (¶[0305], "a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, such as the memory 804 including instructions, and the instructions may be executed by the processor 820 of the device 800 to generate the foregoing method") causes the terminal to
transmit remaining delay information of a data packet to a network device, in a case that the remaining delay information changes (¶[0003], "a UE (terminal) will report a BSR (Buffer Status report/Buffer Status reporting) to a network in an uplink, the BSR provides a data volume in a buffer of the UE to be transmitted to the network, and the network allocates transmission resources for the UE to transmit data based on the BSR reported by the UE"; ¶[0079], "Updating and reporting the BSR in response to a change in the remaining delay budget includes: updating and reporting the BSR if the remaining delay budget increases or decreases compared to the remaining delay budget in the previously reported BSR"; ¶[0011], "a device for reporting a BSR, configured in a network device, and including:"; ¶[0012], "a BSR receiving module, configured to receive a BSR updated and reported by a UE").
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) 6 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 20260181470 A1) in view of Wang (US 20240259871 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Li discloses the method according to claim 1.
Li does not disclose that the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to the network device through at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) message, a medium access control element (MAC CE), uplink control information (UCI), and a non-access stratum (NAS) message.
Wang discloses that the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device may comprise: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to the network device through at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) message, a medium access control element (MAC CE), uplink control information (UCI), and a non-access stratum (NAS) message (¶[0052], "The terminal device 110-1 transmits 2030 information to the network device 120. The information indicates a first BSR of the first set of data packets. The first BSR may indicate the data volume of the first set of data packets. In addition, the information indicates a first delay budget associated with the first BSR. The first delay budget may be a remaining delay budget for the first set of data packets. The remaining delay budget for the first set of data packets may be the time duration from the time that the information is transmitted to the latest time that the first set of data packets are expected to be successfully transmitted. The information may be transmitted in a MAC CE"; ¶[0076], "Alternatively, the dropping indication may be transmitted in uplink control information (UCI)").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Li and Wang to arrive at a system in which the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to the network device through at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) message, a medium access control element (MAC CE), uplink control information (UCI), and a non-access stratum (NAS) message.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because embedded signaling (e.g., using a MAC CE field instead of creating a new packet just for the signal itself) is convenient as existing protocols can be leveraged for simplification.
Regarding claim 16, Li discloses the method according to claim 11.
Li does not disclose that the receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from the terminal through at least one of an RRC message, an MAC CE, UCI, and an NAS message.
Wang discloses receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from the terminal through at least one of an RRC message, an MAC CE, UCI, and an NAS message (¶[0052], "The terminal device 110-1 transmits 2030 information to the network device 120. The information indicates a first BSR of the first set of data packets. The first BSR may indicate the data volume of the first set of data packets. In addition, the information indicates a first delay budget associated with the first BSR. The first delay budget may be a remaining delay budget for the first set of data packets. The remaining delay budget for the first set of data packets may be the time duration from the time that the information is transmitted to the latest time that the first set of data packets are expected to be successfully transmitted. The information may be transmitted in a MAC CE"; ¶[0076], "Alternatively, the dropping indication may be transmitted in uplink control information (UCI)").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Li and Wang to arrive at a system in which the receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from the terminal through at least one of an RRC message, an MAC CE, UCI, and an NAS message.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because embedded signaling (e.g., using a MAC CE field instead of creating a new packet just for the signal itself) is convenient as existing protocols can be leveraged for simplification.
Claim(s) 9 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 20260181470 A1) in view of Han et al. (US 20190230681 A1, hereinafter Han).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses the method according to claim 1.
Li does not disclose that the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to an application server, and transmitting, by the application server, the remaining delay information to the network device.
Han discloses transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to an application server, and transmitting, by the application server, the remaining delay information to the network device (¶[0034], "receiving, by the first access network device, data of a traffic that is sent by the terminal by using the radio resource, where the data of the traffic is sent by the terminal based on first QoS information, the first QoS information is received before the terminal initiates the traffic, and both the first QoS information and the second QoS information are configured by a core network control plane device for the traffic of the terminal before the terminal initiates the traffic"; ¶[0154], "data access service may be provided for the terminal 120 by using the access network device"; ¶[0256], "sending the data of the traffic to the first access network device"; ¶[0260], "The first access network device receives the data sent by the terminal, and forwards the data to the core network user plane device" - while in Han the data of the traffic is not remaining delay information, the combination of Li and Han suggests to, as in Li data that is sent prior to communicating traffic is the remaining delay information (e.g., Li, ¶[0068])).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Li and Han to arrive at a system in which the transmitting, by a terminal, the remaining delay information to a network device comprises: transmitting, by the terminal, the remaining delay information to an application server, and transmitting, by the application server, the remaining delay information to the network device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable the terminal to expedite data communications (Han, ¶[0005] and ¶[0009]-[0010]).
Regarding claim 17, Li discloses the method according to claim 11.
Li does not disclose that the receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from an application server or a core network device, wherein the remaining delay information is transmitted by the terminal to the application server or to the core network device.
Han discloses receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from an application server or a core network device, wherein the remaining delay information is transmitted by the terminal to the application server or to the core network device (¶[0034], "receiving, by the first access network device, data of a traffic that is sent by the terminal by using the radio resource, where the data of the traffic is sent by the terminal based on first QoS information, the first QoS information is received before the terminal initiates the traffic, and both the first QoS information and the second QoS information are configured by a core network control plane device for the traffic of the terminal before the terminal initiates the traffic"; ¶[0154], "data access service may be provided for the terminal 120 by using the access network device"; ¶[0256], "sending the data of the traffic to the first access network device"; ¶[0260], "The first access network device receives the data sent by the terminal, and forwards the data to the core network user plane device" - while in Han the data of the traffic is not remaining delay information, the combination of Li and Han suggests to, as in Li data that is sent prior to communicating traffic is the remaining delay information (e.g., Li, ¶[0068])).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Li and Han to arrive at a system in which the receiving, by a network device, remaining delay information from a terminal comprises: receiving, by the network device, the remaining delay information from an application server or a core network device, wherein the remaining delay information is transmitted by the terminal to the application server or to the core network device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable the terminal to expedite data communications (Han, ¶[0005] and ¶[0009]-[0010]).
Regarding claim 18, Li discloses the method according to claim 11.
Li does not disclose that in a case that the network device comprises an access network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to a core network device or an application server, or in a case that the network device comprises a core network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to an access network device or an application server.
Han discloses in a case that the network device comprises an access network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to a core network device or an application server, or in a case that the network device comprises a core network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to an access network device or an application server (¶[0034], "receiving, by the first access network device, data of a traffic that is sent by the terminal by using the radio resource, where the data of the traffic is sent by the terminal based on first QoS information, the first QoS information is received before the terminal initiates the traffic, and both the first QoS information and the second QoS information are configured by a core network control plane device for the traffic of the terminal before the terminal initiates the traffic"; ¶[0154], "data access service may be provided for the terminal 120 by using the access network device"; ¶[0256], "sending the data of the traffic to the first access network device"; ¶[0260], "The first access network device receives the data sent by the terminal, and forwards the data to the core network user plane device" - while in Han the data of the traffic is not remaining delay information, the combination of Li and Han suggests to, as in Li data that is sent prior to communicating traffic is the remaining delay information (e.g., Li, ¶[0068])).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Li and Han to arrive at a system in which in a case that the network device comprises an access network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to a core network device or an application server, or in a case that the network device comprises a core network device, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the network device, the remaining delay information to an access network device or an application server.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable the terminal to expedite data communications (Han, ¶[0005] and ¶[0009]-[0010]).
Regarding claim 19, the combined teachings of Li and Han disclose the invention substantially as applied to claim 18, above, wherein in a case that the network device comprises a core network device, the remaining delay information is used for the application server to adjust an encoding rate based on the remaining delay information (Han teaches the alternative here where the network device is an access network device (¶[0034])).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20260019867 A1, which discloses "The second indication information may indicate that the reporting of the BSR for the uplink data with the urgent scheduling requirement is performed at one of the following granularities: a UE granularity, a logical channel granularity, or a logical channel group granularity" (¶[0088]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BORIS D GRIJALVA LOBOS whose telephone number is (571)272-0767. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30AM to 6:30PM EST.
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, Jorge L Ortiz-Criado can be reached at 571-272-7624. 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.
/BORIS D GRIJALVA LOBOS/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2496