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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
This Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed July 28, 2025. Claims 1-21 are still pending in the present application. This Action is made FINAL.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-7, 9-6, and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Liu et al. (US 2023/0189383, “Liu”) view of Xu et al. (US 2017/0013671, “Xu”).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a method of wireless communication performed by an apparatus of a user equipment (UE) (FIG. 1 – UE 102), comprising:
receiving an indication that a first cell is to transition to a dormant state ([0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”), wherein the first cell is associated with a second cell, {the first cell being a single cell} and the second cell being an anchor cell ([0025] -… UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell. Note: SCG serving cell corresponds to claimed “anchor cell”/“second cell”, one of the cells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”); and
transmitting, as a result of the first cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the first cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Liu fails to teach the first cell being a single cell.
However, Xu teaches the first cell being a single cell ([0096] - when a small cell eNodeB needs to sleep, the macro eNodeB or the cluster head… sends the indication of the sleep mode and configuration information about the signal sent by the small cell eNodeB during the sleep period to the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep… and/or the UE. Note: a small cell eNodeB corresponds to the first cell/single cell).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature the first cell being a single cell, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 2, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the method further comprises transitioning the first cell to the dormant state prior to transmitting the measurement reporting ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. 0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells. Note: since the measurement is performed when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state, the result is sent after the SGC transitioned into the deactivated state).
Regarding claim 3, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the measurement reporting does not include measurements of the first cell ([0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Regarding claim 4, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 but Liu does not teach wherein transmitting the measurement reporting includes transmitting, to the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal received on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state.
Xu teaches wherein transmitting the measurement reporting includes transmitting, to the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal received on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state ([0097] Step S102: the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep sleeps according to the sleep mode indicated or determined in the indication of the sleep mode, and sends signals according to the configuration information during the sleep period. The signals include the discovery signal, the CSI-RS, and/or other signals for measurement and synchronization. [0098] Step S103: the UE receives the indication of the sleep mode and the configuration information sent by the network side and the signal sent in Step S102, measures according to the received signal, and reports the result of measurement to the cell eNodeB serving the UE).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature wherein transmitting the measurement reporting includes transmitting, to the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal received on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 5, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein transmitting the measurement reporting includes transmitting a measurement of a channel state information reference signal received on the second cell ([0083] In some embodiments, the RRM measurement on serving cell can be performed based on SSB resources and/or CSI-RS resources).
Regarding claim 6, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via radio resource control signaling (0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells).
Regarding claim 7, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via the indication that the first cell is to transition to the dormant state (0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG).
Regarding claim 9, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches receiving an indication that a third cell is to transition to a dormant state [0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: since SCG includes multiple SCells, one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “third cell”); and transmitting, as a result of the third cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the third cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches a method of wireless communication performed by an apparatus of a network entity, comprising:
outputting an indication that a first cell is to transition to a dormant state ([0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”), wherein the first cell is associated with a second cell {the first cell being a single cell} and the second cell being an anchor cell ([0025] -… UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell. Note: SCG serving cell corresponds to claimed “anchor cell”/”second cell”, one of the cells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”); and
receiving, as a result of the first cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the first cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Liu fails to teach the first cell being a single cell.
However, Xu teaches the first cell being a single cell ([0096] - when a small cell eNodeB needs to sleep, the macro eNodeB or the cluster head… sends the indication of the sleep mode and configuration information about the signal sent by the small cell eNodeB during the sleep period to the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep… and/or the UE. Note: a small cell eNodeB corresponds to the first cell/single cell).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature the first cell being a single cell, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 11, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 and further teaches wherein the method further comprises transitioning the first cell to the dormant state prior to receiving the measurement reporting ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. 0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells. Note: since the measurement is performed when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state, the result is sent after the SGC transitioned into the deactivated state).
Regarding claim 12, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the measurement reporting does not include measurements of the first cell ([0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Regarding claim 13, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 but Liu does not teach wherein receiving the measurement reporting includes receiving, on the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state.
Xu teaches wherein receiving the measurement reporting includes receiving, on the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state ([0097] Step S102: the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep sleeps according to the sleep mode indicated or determined in the indication of the sleep mode, and sends signals according to the configuration information during the sleep period. The signals include the discovery signal, the CSI-RS, and/or other signals for measurement and synchronization. [0098] Step S103: the UE receives the indication of the sleep mode and the configuration information sent by the network side and the signal sent in Step S102, measures according to the received signal, and reports the result of measurement to the cell eNodeB serving the UE).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature wherein receiving the measurement reporting includes receiving, on the anchor cell, a measurement of a channel state information reference signal on the first cell while the first cell is in the dormant state, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 14, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 and further teaches wherein receiving the measurement reporting includes receiving a measurement of a channel state information reference signal received on the second cell ([0083] In some embodiments, the RRM measurement on serving cell can be performed based on SSB resources and/or CSI-RS resources).
Regarding claim 15, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 and further teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via radio resource control signaling (0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells).
Regarding claim 16, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 and further teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via the indication that the first cell is to transition to the dormant state (0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG).
Regarding claim 18, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 and further teaches outputting an indication that a third cell is to transition to a dormant state [0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: since SCG includes multiple SCells, one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “third cell”); and receiving, as a result of the third cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the third cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Regarding claim 19, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 but Liu does not teach further comprising outputting a channel state information reference signal over the first cell.
Xu teaches further comprising outputting a channel state information reference signal over the first cell ([0097] Step S102: the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep sleeps according to the sleep mode indicated or determined in the indication of the sleep mode, and sends signals according to the configuration information during the sleep period. The signals include the discovery signal, the CSI-RS, and/or other signals for measurement and synchronization).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature further comprising outputting a channel state information reference signal over the first cell, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 20, Liu teaches a user equipment (FIG. 1 – UE 102) configured for wireless communications, comprising: a memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions ([0184]) and cause the user equipment to:
receive an indication that a first cell is to transition to a dormant state ([0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”), wherein the first cell is associated with a second cell {the first cell being a single cell} and the second cell being an anchor cell ([0025] -… UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell. Note: SCG serving cell corresponds to claimed “anchor cell”/”second cell”, one of the cells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”); and
transmit, as a result of the first cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the first cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Liu fails to teach the first cell being a single cell.
However, Xu teaches the first cell being a single cell ([0096] - when a small cell eNodeB needs to sleep, the macro eNodeB or the cluster head… sends the indication of the sleep mode and configuration information about the signal sent by the small cell eNodeB during the sleep period to the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep… and/or the UE. Note: a small cell eNodeB corresponds to the first cell/single cell).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature the first cell being a single cell, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Regarding claim 21, Liu teaches a network entity (FIG. 1 NW 104) configured for wireless communications, comprising: a memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions ([0184]) and cause the network entity to:
output an indication that a first cell is to transition to a dormant state, wherein the first cell is associated with a second cell {the first cell being a single cell} and the second cell being an anchor cell ([0025] The network can first send a first message (RRC or MAC CE or DCI) to UE. The first message can indicate any of:… whether the UE should perform RRM measurement on SCG serving cell when SCG is in deactivated state… [0026] In some embodiments, upon reception of the first message, the UE deactivates the SCG. [0017] - a group of serving cells associated with Secondary Node may be called Secondary Cell Group (SCG), comprising of PSCell and optionally one or more SCells. Note: one of the cells, i.e., SCells in Secondary Cell Group (SCG) corresponds to claimed “first cell”); and
receive, as a result of the first cell being dormant and the second cell being the anchor cell of the first cell, measurement reporting regarding the second cell ([0171] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to perform a radio resource management (RRM) measurement on a serving cell of the secondary group of cells when the secondary group of cells are in the deactivated state. [0173] - the information for the first action to be performed includes an indication of whether the terminal is to send a notification message to either a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN). [0175] In some embodiments, the notification message or response message sent by the terminal includes the measurement result relating to the PSCell, wherein the message also includes a measurement result relating to a serving cell of the secondary group of cells).
Liu fails to teach the first cell being a single cell.
However, Xu teaches the first cell being a single cell ([0096] - when a small cell eNodeB needs to sleep, the macro eNodeB or the cluster head… sends the indication of the sleep mode and configuration information about the signal sent by the small cell eNodeB during the sleep period to the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep… and/or the UE. Note: a small cell eNodeB corresponds to the first cell/single cell).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature the first cell being a single cell, as taught by Xu in Liu, to ensure normal access while reducing the power of the small cell eNodeB as much as possible ([0014]).
Claims 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Xu and further in view of Wang et al. (US 2022/0167445, “Wang”).
Regarding claim 8, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 1 but fails to teach wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index
Wang teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index ([0124] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a format of a 4-byte MAC CE. The MAC CE includes one reserved bit (denoted as R in the figure) and 31 activation/deactivation bits. The network side may provide the configuration of the PSCell for the UE by using a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message. The configuration of the PSCell includes a serving cell identifier or index (ServCellIndex) of the PSCell. In addition, the network side may further provide a configuration of the SCell for the UE by using a radio resource control message. The configuration of the SCell includes a correspondence between an SCell identifier and an index (index) indicating the SCell. As shown in FIG. 5, for an SCell whose index is i, Ci indicates an activated/deactivated state of the SCell. For example, Ci=0 indicates that the SCell i is deactivated, and Ci=1 indicates that the SCell i is activated. A capability of the terminal is to support a maximum of 32 component carriers (component carrier, CC), including the PCell, the PSCell, and all SCells in the MCG and the SCG. If a reserved bit is used as the deactivation indication, R=0 may be set. If a bit corresponding to the serving cell ID of the PSCell (assuming that the bit is C20 in the figure) is used as the deactivation indication, C20=0 may be set).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index, as taught by Wang in Liu, to facilitate cell group deactivation thereby reducing energy consumption and improving communication efficiency.
Regarding claim 17, Liu in view of Xu teaches claim 10 but fails to teach wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index.
Wang teaches wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index ([0124] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a format of a 4-byte MAC CE. The MAC CE includes one reserved bit (denoted as R in the figure) and 31 activation/deactivation bits. The network side may provide the configuration of the PSCell for the UE by using a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message. The configuration of the PSCell includes a serving cell identifier or index (ServCellIndex) of the PSCell. In addition, the network side may further provide a configuration of the SCell for the UE by using a radio resource control message. The configuration of the SCell includes a correspondence between an SCell identifier and an index (index) indicating the SCell. As shown in FIG. 5, for an SCell whose index is i, Ci indicates an activated/deactivated state of the SCell. For example, Ci=0 indicates that the SCell i is deactivated, and Ci=1 indicates that the SCell i is activated. A capability of the terminal is to support a maximum of 32 component carriers (component carrier, CC), including the PCell, the PSCell, and all SCells in the MCG and the SCG. If a reserved bit is used as the deactivation indication, R=0 may be set. If a bit corresponding to the serving cell ID of the PSCell (assuming that the bit is C20 in the figure) is used as the deactivation indication, C20=0 may be set).
It would have been obvious before the filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to include the feature wherein the first cell is associated with the second cell via an index, as taught by Wang in Liu, to facilitate cell group deactivation thereby reducing energy consumption and improving communication efficiency.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 28, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant indicates in the interview on June 30, 2025, Agreement 1 was reach that “the first cell is a single cell” overcomes the cited art (Remarks, pages 6, and 7). The Examiner disagrees, in the interview, the Examiner indicated that should the claimed “indication” include information that identifies the first cell, the rejections are overcome (see the interview summary issued on July 15, 2025).
The Examiner submit that Xu teaches the limitation “the first cell being a single cell.” Particularly, Xu’s paragraph [0096] recites “when a small cell eNodeB needs to sleep, the macro eNodeB or the cluster head… sends the indication of the sleep mode and configuration information about the signal sent by the small cell eNodeB during the sleep period to the small cell eNodeB that is about to sleep… and/or the UE.” Clearly “small cell eNodeB” teaches the claimed feature “the first cell being a single cell.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
ZTE, “Considerations on transition procedures of small cell on/off scheme,” 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #74bis, R1-134315, 2013, 9 pages.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOC THAI NGOC VU whose telephone number is (571)270-5901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached at 571-272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUOC THAI N VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642