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 .
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.
Claims 1-3, 9-11 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu (US 2018/0027439, hereinafter Wu), in view of Lee et al (US 2024/0040523, hereinafter Lee) and in view of Xin et al (US 2021/0029750, hereinafter Xin).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a system (apparatus and system, Para [0008]) comprising: a memory and a processor (memory and processor, Para [0154]) configured to: determine a next active period, for a mobile terminal, within a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle of the mobile terminal (sending second C-DRX parameter to UE to configure second C-DRX cycle for the UE with active period and dormant period, Para [0138], where DRX cycle is configured for both control node and the UE, Para [0202], as an example the preconfigured active period could be 10 ms, Para [0201]); but does not disclose synchronizing an interval of time, for transmission or reception of data at a Wi-Fi® device, to the next active period within the DRX cycle of the mobile terminal. Lee discloses synchronizing awake times or ON times of different communication protocols, Para [0039], TWT schedule timing, such as the start and interval, for the Wi-Fi link may be aligned based on DRX cycle configuration, Para [0083] and TWT of Wi-Fi is synchronized to be during the DRX connected time, Fig. 7. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Lee in the system of Wu in order to increase power saving by synchronizing uplink and downlink traffic of different communication protocols; and does not disclose cause the Wi-Fi® device to transmit a Request to Send (RTS) message prior to an occurrence of the active period. Xin discloses the RTS can be transmitted during a sleep period for a station (e.g., station 896) prior the station waking up, Fig. 41, where the wake-up time is the on duration of the DRX. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught Xin in the system of Wu in view of Lee in order to avoid packet collisions and improve packet delivery success rates.
Regarding claims 2, 10 and 18, Wu discloses the system/method/CRM of claim 1/9/17, wherein when the processor determines the active period, the processor is configured to: determine an on duration of a long connected-mode DRX (CDRX) cycle (where C-DRX cycle is configured for both control node and the UE, Para [0202], as an example the preconfigured active period could be 10 ms, Para [0201]).
Regarding claims 3, 11 and 19, Wu discloses the system/method/CRM of claim 1/9/17, wherein the Wi-Fi® device includes at least one of: a wireless router, or customer premises equipment (CPE). Lee discloses wireless router device, Para [0041]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Lee in the system of Wu in order to increase power saving by synchronizing uplink and downlink traffic of different communication protocols.
Regarding claim 9, Wu discloses a method comprising: determining a next active period, for a mobile terminal, within a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle (sending second C-DRX parameter to UE to configure second C-DRX cycle for the UE with active period and dormant period, Para [0138], where DRX cycle is configured for both control node and the UE, Para [0202], as an example the preconfigured active period could be 10 ms, Para [0201]); but does not disclose synchronizing an interval of time, for transmission or reception of data at a Wi-Fi® device, to the next active period of the mobile terminal within the DRX cycle. Lee discloses synchronizing awake times or ON times of different communication protocols, Para [0039], TWT schedule timing, such as the start and interval, for the Wi-Fi link may be aligned based on DRX cycle configuration, Para [0083] and TWT of Wi-Fi is syncrhonzied to be during the DRX connected time, Fig. 7. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Lee in the system of Wu in order to increase power saving by synchronizing uplink and downlink traffic of different communication protocols; and does not disclose causing the Wi-Fi® device to transmit a Request to Send (RTS) message prior to an occurrence of the active period. Xin discloses the RTS can be transmitted during a sleep period for a station (e.g., station 896) prior the station waking up, Fig. 41, where the wake-up time is the on duration of the DRX. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught Xin in the system of Wu in view of Lee in order to avoid packet collisions and improve packet delivery success rates.
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium (computer readable medium, Para [0470]) comprising processor executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: determine a next active period, for a mobile terminal, within a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle of the mobile terminal (sending second C-DRX parameter to UE to configure second C-DRX cycle for the UE with active period and dormant period, Para [0138], where DRX cycle is configured for both control node and the UE, Para [0202], as an example the preconfigured active period could be 10 ms, Para [0201]); but does not disclose synchronizing an interval of time, for transmission or reception of data at a Wi-Fi® device, to the next active period within the DRX cycle. Lee discloses synchronizing awake times or ON times of different communication protocols, Para [0039], TWT schedule timing, such as the start and interval, for the Wi-Fi link may be aligned based on DRX cycle configuration, Para [0083] and TWT of Wi-Fi is synchronized to be during the DRX connected time, Fig. 7. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Lee in the system of Wu in order to increase power saving by synchronizing uplink and downlink traffic of different communication protocols; and does not disclose cause the Wi-Fi® device to transmit a Request to Send (RTS) message prior to an occurrence of the active period. Xin discloses the RTS can be transmitted during a sleep period for a station (e.g., station 896) prior the station waking up, Fig. 41, where the wake-up time is the on duration of the DRX. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught Xin in the system of Wu in view of Lee in order to avoid packet collisions and improve packet delivery success rates.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8, 13-16 and 21-23 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant amends the limitations in the claims and argues the references do not disclose the amended limitations. Applicant states Xin discloses an RTS can be transmitted during a sleep period for a station prior to the station waking up. Applicant argues Xin does not disclose DRX cycle nor transmitting a RTS prior to the active period of a DRX cycle. Applicant states a DRX cycle occurs in cellular networks while RTS messages are used in Wi-Fi networks. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). Applicant argues against Xin alone; however, Lee discloses synchronizing awake times of different communication protocols and Wi-Fi can be synchronized to be during the DRX connected time, Fig. 7. Xin discloses the RTS can be transmitted during a sleep period for a station before the station wakes up, Fig. 41. Therefore, an RTS can be transmitted prior to the DRX active time.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461