PACKET PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS

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 . This office action is responsive to application filed on June 9th, 2025. In this office action: Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1-20 are rejected. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN 202211585882.3, filed on December 9th, 2022. Drawings The drawings submitted on June 9th, 2025, have been considered and accepted. Claim Objections Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informality: “… in a case that a first condition is met …” should read (Examiner’s suggestion) “… in response to a first condition is met.” The Examiner notes that the expression “in a case that” doesn’t require the first condition to be met, and the steps of the packet processing method are only performed if the first condition is met. Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informality: “… in a case that a second condition is met …” should read (Examiner’s suggestion) “… in response to a second condition is met.” The Examiner notes that the expression “in a case that” doesn’t require the second condition to be met, and the steps of the packet processing method are only performed if the second condition is met. Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informality: “… in a case that a third condition is met …” should read (Examiner’s suggestion) “… in response to a third condition is met.” The Examiner notes that the expression “in a case that” doesn’t require the third condition to be met, and the steps of the packet processing method are only performed if the third condition is met. Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informality: “… in a case that a fourth condition is met …” should read (Examiner’s suggestion) “… in response to a fourth condition is met.” The Examiner notes that the expression “in a case that” doesn’t require the fourth condition to be met, and the steps of the packet processing method are only performed if the fourth condition is met. Claims 19-20 are objected to because of the following informality: “… when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor …” should read (Examiner’s suggestion) “… when the program or the instructions are executed by [[the]] a processor.” Appropriate correction(s) is/are required. 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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (Pub. No. US 2019/0053326), hereinafter Lee. Claim 1. Lee discloses [a] packet processing method, comprising: in a case that a first condition is met, prioritizing, by a first protocol entity, transmission of a target packet, or prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, discarding of the target packet (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (a first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU) (a target packet). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity (a first condition is met), the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). The processor 11 is configured to discard, at the RLC entity, the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. In the present invention, the processor 11 is configured to discard the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer, even if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the RLC SDU has been included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU). In other words, the processor 11 is configured to control an RLC buffer of the RLC entity to discard or flush the first RLC SDU or an RLC PDU containing the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. The processor 11 is configured not to discard the first RLC SDU if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer); wherein the first condition comprises at least one of the following: the first protocol entity receives first indication information from a second protocol entity; or the first protocol entity does not receive second indication information from the second protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (a second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity (the first condition), the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). Examiner’s interpretation: The Examiner has interpreted the limitation as “the first condition comprises the first protocol entity receives first indication information from a second protocol entity”); wherein the target packet is a packet corresponding to the first indication information or the second indication information (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU) (the target packet). If there is a discard indication (first indication information) to discard the first RLC SDU (the target packet) at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). See Parag. [0082]; RLC SDUs are received at an RLC entity from upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity). Each PDCP PDU submitted from a PDCP entity to an RLC entity is an RLC SDU at the RLC entity); and the second protocol entity is an upper-layer protocol entity of the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (the second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU)). Examiner’s interpretation: Regarding the claimed “target packet,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 8 below recite “wherein the target packet comprises at least one of the following: ... a PDCP protocol data unit (PDU); a packet corresponding to an RLC bearer; ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0082]). Regarding the claimed “first protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 2 below recite “the first protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: an RLC entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Regarding the claimed “second protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 2 below recite “the second protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: ... a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Claim 2. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the second protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: an application layer entity, a non-access stratum (NAS) entity, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity, a radio link control (RLC) entity, or a medium access control (MAC) entity, and the first protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: an RLC entity, a MAC entity, or a physical layer (PHY) entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (the second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU)). Claim 3. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the prioritizing, by a first protocol entity, transmission of a target packet, or prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, discarding of the target packet comprises: scheduling a new transmission; discarding the target packet; prioritizing scheduling of the target packet; increasing a priority of a logical channel (LCH) of the target packet; adjusting the target packet to a higher-priority LCH; and adjusting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) level of the target packet (See Parag. [0130]; ... If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). The processor 11 is configured to discard, at the RLC entity, the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. In the present invention, the processor 11 is configured to discard the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer, even if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the RLC SDU has been included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU) ... See also Parag. [0125]). Claim 4. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the method further comprises: in a case that a second condition is met, prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, transmission of another packet except the target packet, or prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, discarding of the another packet; wherein the second condition comprises at least one of the following: the first protocol entity does not receive the first indication information from the second protocol entity; or the first protocol entity receives the second indication information from the second protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). The processor 11 is configured to discard, at the RLC entity, the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. In the present invention, the processor 11 is configured to discard the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer, even if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the RLC SDU has been included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU) (second condition). In other words, the processor 11 is configured to control an RLC buffer of the RLC entity to discard or flush the first RLC SDU or an RLC PDU containing the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. The processor 11 is configured not to discard the first RLC SDU if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer). Claim 5. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 4, Lee further discloses wherein the prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, transmission or discarding of the another packet comprises: scheduling a retransmission; reserving the target packet; not discarding the target packet; prioritizing scheduling of the another packet; decreasing a priority of an LCH of the target packet; adjusting the target packet to a lower-priority LCH; and adjusting an MCS level of the target packet (See Parag. [0130]; ... If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity) ... The processor 11 is configured not to discard the first RLC SDU if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer). Claim 6. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the first indication information indicates at least one of the following: the target packet is capable of being discarded; the target packet is discarded; a delay of the target packet exceeds a preset delay; transmission of the target packet is incapable of being completed within the preset delay; feedback information corresponding to the target packet; a remaining delay of the target packet; or a characteristic of the target packet (See Parag. [0091]; when discardTimer for a PDCP SDU expires, the PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU and the corresponding PDCP PDU because it no longer needs to keep the PDCP SDU in the PDCP buffer. Besides, if the PDCP SDU has been successfully delivered to the receiving side, the PDCP SDU does not have to be transmitted any more. Therefore, the successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is confirmed by PDCP status report or LWA status report, the transmission PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU along with the corresponding PDCP PDU. If a PDCP PDU to be discarded has already been submitted to the RLC layer, the PDCP PDU does not remain in the PDCP layer any more but the RLC SDU of the PDCP PDU may remain in the RLC layer. Therefore, the PDCP layer indicates the RLC layer to discard a particular RLC PDU associated with the PDCP PDU to be discarded. When indicated from upper layer (i.e. PDCP) to discard a particular RLC SDU, the transmitting side of an AM RLC entity or the transmitting UM RLC entity discards the indicated RLC SDU if no segment of the RLC SDU has been mapped to a RLC data PDU yet. See also Parag. [0130]). Claim 7. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the second indication information indicates at least one of the following: the target packet is incapable of being discarded; the target packet is not discarded; the target packet is reserved; a delay of the target packet does not exceed a preset delay; transmission of the target packet is capable of being completed within the preset delay; feedback information corresponding to the target packet; a remaining delay of the target packet; or a characteristic of the target packet (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). The processor 11 is configured to discard, at the RLC entity, the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. In the present invention, the processor 11 is configured to discard the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer, even if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the RLC SDU has been included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU). In other words, the processor 11 is configured to control an RLC buffer of the RLC entity to discard or flush the first RLC SDU or an RLC PDU containing the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. The processor 11 is configured not to discard the first RLC SDU if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer). Claim 8. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the target packet comprises at least one of the following: a PDCP service data unit (SDU); a PDCP protocol data unit (PDU); data in a PDCP buffer; a packet corresponding to an RLC bearer; a packet corresponding to a MAC SDU; or a packet corresponding to a MAC PDU (See Parag. [0082]; RLC SDUs are received at an RLC entity from upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity). Each PDCP PDU submitted from a PDCP entity to an RLC entity is an RLC SDU at the RLC entity). Claim 9. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 1, Lee further discloses wherein the first indication information or the second indication information is comprised in an inter-layer primitive sent by the second protocol entity to the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (the second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU)). Claim 10. Lee discloses [a] packet processing method, comprising: in a case that a third condition is met, sending, by a second protocol entity, first indication information to a first protocol entity, or skipping sending, by the second protocol entity, second indication information to the first protocol entity, wherein the first indication information is used to instruct the first protocol entity to prioritize transmission of a target packet or prioritize discarding of the target packet, and the second indication information is used to instruct the first protocol entity to prioritize transmission of another packet except the target packet or prioritize discarding of the another packet (See Parag. [0091]; reception of a PDCP SDU from upper layers, a transmitting PDCP entity (i.e. PDCP entity at a transmitting side) (a second protocol entity) starts the discardTimer associated with this PDCP SDU (if configured) ... The transmitting PDCP entity submits the resulting PDCP Data PDU to lower layer (e.g. RLC entity) (a first protocol entity). The expiry of the discardTimer associated with a PDCP SDU in the transmitting PDCP entity (e.g. PDCP entity of the UE) may indicate that the time for meaningful transmission of the PDCP SDU has expired ... Therefore, when discardTimer for a PDCP SDU expires, the PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU and the corresponding PDCP PDU because it no longer needs to keep the PDCP SDU in the PDCP buffer. Besides, if the PDCP SDU has been successfully delivered to the receiving side, the PDCP SDU does not have to be transmitted any more. Therefore, the successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is confirmed by PDCP status report or LWA status report, the transmission PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU along with the corresponding PDCP PDU. If a PDCP PDU to be discarded has already been submitted to the RLC layer, the PDCP PDU does not remain in the PDCP layer any more but the RLC SDU of the PDCP PDU may remain in the RLC layer. Therefore, the PDCP layer indicates the RLC layer to discard a particular RLC PDU associated with the PDCP PDU to be discarded. When indicated from upper layer (i.e. PDCP) to discard a particular RLC SDU, the transmitting side of an AM RLC entity or the transmitting UM RLC entity discards the indicated RLC SDU if no segment of the RLC SDU has been mapped to a RLC data PDU yet); wherein the third condition comprises at least one of the following: a preset sending period is reached; the second protocol entity discards the target packet; a delay of the target packet exceeds a preset delay; the target packet is not discarded while the delay of the target packet exceeds the preset delay; a packet arrives at the second protocol entity; an occupation rate of a buffer of the second protocol entity reaches a preset threshold or a preset degree of congestion; or the second protocol entity submits a packet to the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0091]; ... when discardTimer for a PDCP SDU expires, the PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU and the corresponding PDCP PDU because it no longer needs to keep the PDCP SDU in the PDCP buffer. Besides, if the PDCP SDU has been successfully delivered to the receiving side, the PDCP SDU does not have to be transmitted any more. Therefore, the successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is confirmed by PDCP status report or LWA status report, the transmission PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU along with the corresponding PDCP PDU. If a PDCP PDU to be discarded has already been submitted to the RLC layer, the PDCP PDU does not remain in the PDCP layer any more but the RLC SDU of the PDCP PDU may remain in the RLC layer. Therefore, the PDCP layer indicates the RLC layer to discard a particular RLC PDU associated with the PDCP PDU to be discarded. When indicated from upper layer (i.e. PDCP) to discard a particular RLC SDU, the transmitting side of an AM RLC entity or the transmitting UM RLC entity discards the indicated RLC SDU if no segment of the RLC SDU has been mapped to a RLC data PDU yet); wherein the target packet is a packet corresponding to the first indication information or the second indication information (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU) (the target packet). If there is a discard indication (first indication information) to discard the first RLC SDU (the target packet) at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). See Parag. [0082]; RLC SDUs are received at an RLC entity from upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity). Each PDCP PDU submitted from a PDCP entity to an RLC entity is an RLC SDU at the RLC entity); and the second protocol entity is an upper-layer protocol entity of the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (the second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU)). Examiner’s interpretation: Regarding the claimed “target packet,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 15 below recite “wherein the target packet comprises at least one of the following: ... a PDCP protocol data unit (PDU); a packet corresponding to an RLC bearer; ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0082]). Regarding the claimed “first protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 10 below recite “the first protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: an RLC entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Regarding the claimed “second protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification and claim 10 below recite “the second protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: ... a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Claim 11 is taught by Lee as described for claim 2. Claim 12. Lee discloses [t]he packet processing method according to claim 10, Lee further discloses wherein the method further comprises: in a case that a fourth condition is met, sending, by the second protocol entity, the second indication information to the first protocol entity, or skipping sending, by the second protocol entity, the first indication information to the first protocol entity; wherein the fourth condition comprises at least one of the following: a preset sending period is reached; the second protocol entity reserves the target packet; a delay of the target packet does not exceed a preset delay; the target packet is discarded while the delay of the target packet exceeds the preset delay; a packet does not arrive at the second protocol entity; an occupation rate of a buffer of the second protocol entity does not reach a preset threshold or a preset degree of congestion; or the second protocol entity does not submit a packet to the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0091]; ... when discardTimer for a PDCP SDU expires, the PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU and the corresponding PDCP PDU because it no longer needs to keep the PDCP SDU in the PDCP buffer. Besides, if the PDCP SDU has been successfully delivered to the receiving side, the PDCP SDU does not have to be transmitted any more. Therefore, the successful delivery of the PDCP SDU is confirmed by PDCP status report or LWA status report, the transmission PDCP entity of the LTE discards the PDCP SDU along with the corresponding PDCP PDU. If a PDCP PDU to be discarded has already been submitted to the RLC layer, the PDCP PDU does not remain in the PDCP layer any more but the RLC SDU of the PDCP PDU may remain in the RLC layer. Therefore, the PDCP layer indicates the RLC layer to discard a particular RLC PDU associated with the PDCP PDU to be discarded. When indicated from upper layer (i.e. PDCP) to discard a particular RLC SDU, the transmitting side of an AM RLC entity or the transmitting UM RLC entity discards the indicated RLC SDU if no segment of the RLC SDU has been mapped to a RLC data PDU yet). Claim 13 is taught by Lee as described for claim 6. Claim 14 is taught by Lee as described for claim 7. Claim 15 is taught by Lee as described for claim 8. Claim 16 is taught by Lee as described for claim 9. Claim 17. Lee discloses [a] packet processing apparatus, wherein the packet processing apparatus is a first protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; “a radio link control (RLC) entity”), comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or instructions capable of running on the processor, wherein the program or the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor (See Parag. [0014] and Fig. 10) to perform: in a case that a first condition is met, prioritizing transmission of a target packet, or prioritizing, by the first protocol entity, discarding of the target packet (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (a first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU) (a target packet). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity (a first condition is met), the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). The processor 11 is configured to discard, at the RLC entity, the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. In the present invention, the processor 11 is configured to discard the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer, even if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the RLC SDU has been included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU). In other words, the processor 11 is configured to control an RLC buffer of the RLC entity to discard or flush the first RLC SDU or an RLC PDU containing the first RLC SDU if neither the first RLC SDU nor a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer. The processor 11 is configured not to discard the first RLC SDU if the first RLC SDU or a segment of the first RLC SDU has been submitted to the lower layer); wherein the first condition comprises at least one of the following: the first protocol entity receives first indication information from a second protocol entity; or the first protocol entity does not receive second indication information from the second protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (a second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU). If there is a discard indication to discard the first RLC SDU at the RLC entity (the first condition), the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). Examiner’s interpretation: The Examiner has interpreted the limitation as “the first condition comprises the first protocol entity receives first indication information from a second protocol entity”); wherein the target packet is a packet corresponding to the first indication information or the second indication information (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU) (the target packet). If there is a discard indication (first indication information) to discard the first RLC SDU (the target packet) at the RLC entity, the processor 11 checks whether the first RLC SDU has been submitted from the RLC entity to a lower layer (e.g. MAC entity). See Parag. [0082]; RLC SDUs are received at an RLC entity from upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity). Each PDCP PDU submitted from a PDCP entity to an RLC entity is an RLC SDU at the RLC entity); or the second protocol entity is an upper-layer protocol entity of the first protocol entity (See Parag. [0130]; receive, at a radio link control (RLC) entity (the first protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100 from an upper layer (e.g. PDCP entity) (the second protocol entity) of the transmitting device 100, a first RLC service data unit (SDU)). Examiner’s interpretation: Regarding the claimed “target packet,” the Applicant’s specification discloses the target packet comprises at least one of the following: ... a PDCP protocol data unit (PDU); a packet corresponding to an RLC bearer; ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0082]). Regarding the claimed “first protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification discloses “the first protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: an RLC entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Regarding the claimed “second protocol entity,” the Applicant’s specification discloses “the second protocol entity comprises at least one of the following: ... a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity ...” which is consistent with the teaching of Lee, as described above (Lee, Parag. [0130]). Claim 18 is taught by Lee as described for claim 10. Claim 19 is taught by Lee as described for claim 1. Claim 20 is taught by Lee as described for claim 10. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. (US 12,231,981) – Related art in the area of performing handover in a wireless communication system, (Abstract; The present disclosure relates to a method and device for performing handover in a wireless communication system. An operating method of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system may include: receiving, from a source base station, a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message indicating handover, the RRC reconfiguration message including data radio bearer (DRB) configuration information; in case that the DRB configuration information includes an indicator indicating a configuration of a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) for at least one DRB, generating a multimedia access control (MAC) entity for a target base station; configuring the MAC entity for the target base station based on MAC configuration information included in the RRC reconfiguration message indicating the handover; suspending a signaling radio bearer (SRB) for the source base station; and establishing or configuring a SRB for the target base station). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDELBASST TALIOUA whose telephone number is (571)272-4061. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 7:30 am - 5:30 pm. 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, Oscar Louie can be reached on 571-270-1684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Abdelbasst Talioua/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2445