DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to applicant's communication filed on 09/03/2026, wherein:
Claim 25, 28, and 71-81 are pending.
Claim 25, and 80 are amended.
Claim 74-79, and 81 are withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments with respect to pending claims have been considered but are moot because of the new ground of rejection.
On page 7-8 of Applicant response, Applicant indicated that Li failed to teach the claimed invention regarding to newly amended limitation (1) wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on a shortest value of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC idle state and an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state. In Xiaomi, the "shortest value" selection is proposed as a simple choice between two independently configured, unaligned cycles. Xiaomi does not teach or suggest integrating that "shortest value" selection into a unified determination process in which the paging occasion is anchored on the length of the extended DRX cycle associated with the RRC idle state as a common baseline. Further, in Xiaomi the paging time window used for paging monitoring is configured by the core network for both CN and RAN paging. See Xiaomi, page 3 (stating that "it seems feasible that the CN configures the PTW for both CN and RAN paging"). Accordingly, Xiaomi does not determine the paging occasion in the manner recited in amended claim 25. In contrast, amended claim 25 establishes a relationship between the idle state extended DRX baseline and the "shortest value" paging frame determination. As supported by the as-filed specification, particularly paragraph [0140] of the as-filed specification, the extended DRX cycle for one state is configured as an integer multiple of the extended DRX cycle for the other state. By determining the paging frame based on the shortest value of these two configured cycles, the UE ensures that the paging frames calculated according to the shorter cycle align with, and entirely include, the paging frames calculated according to the longer cycle. This overlap allows the UE to monitor both CN paging and RAN paging within a single, unified wake-up window, achieving power savings without the risk of missing paging messages.
Applicant’s arguments have been carefully considered; however, Examiner respectfully disagreed.
The current scope of the amended claim only recites “wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on a shortest value of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC idle state and an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state”, which does not indicates a relationship between the idle state extended DRX baseline and the "shortest value" paging frame determination as described by Applicant and paragraph ¶0140 of specification. In particular, the limitation does not describe that the extended DRX cycle for one state is configured as an integer multiple of the extended DRX cycle for the other state and the paging frames calculated according to the shorter cycle align with, and entirely include, the paging frames calculated according to the longer cycle. Therefore, Xiaomi teaching is sufficient to address the scope of the limitation wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on the shortest value of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC idle state and an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state (Fig. 1 discloses monitoring paging frame based on minimal value of eDRX cycle 1 of idle mode or eDRX cycle 2 of inactive mode).
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 should 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.
Claim 25, 71, 73, and 80 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20230422210 A1) in view of Xiaomi (3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113 electronic R2-2100344, “Discussion on e-DRX for Redcap Devices”, provided by Applicant on 05/31/2023).
Regarding claim 25, Li discloses a method for wireless communication, the method comprising:
determining, by a user equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state (¶0082 discloses UE is in inactive state), a paging occasion for monitoring paging from a core network and from a wireless network node based on a length of an extended DRX cycle associated with an RRC idle state (abstract, Fig. 2 step 220 and ¶0078-0085 disclose determining paging occasion based on received eDRX information in step 210 for monitoring CN paging and RAN paging, wherein the eDRX cycle is associated with RRC idle state as indicated in ¶0003); and
monitoring, by the UE in the RRC inactive state, both, the paging from the core network and from the wireless network node (abstract, Fig. 2 step 220, “[0083] – In step 220, the terminal device determines a target occasion to perform paging monitoring according to the first information. [0084] The target occasion refers to a time period during which the terminal device activates the receiving and monitoring function for the paging message, and within this time period, the terminal device has the capability of receiving the paging message. In addition, since the paging message may be a paging message from the CN or a paging message from the RAN, the terminal device can determine the PTW of the CN eDRX and/or determine the PTW of the RAN eDRX and determine the DRX cycle for receiving the paging message, according to the first information”).
However, the reference is silent on details about (1) wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on a shortest value of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC idle state and an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state.
Xiaomi discloses wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on a shortest value of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC idle state and an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state (Fig. 1 discloses monitoring paging frame based on minimal value of eDRX cycle 1 of idle mode or eDRX cycle 2 of inactive mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Li to incorporate solution for monitoring multiple paging cycle from Xiaomi because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to optimize monitoring for multiple eDRX cycles.
Regarding claim 71, the combined teaching of Li and Xiaomi discloses the method of claim 25, and further discloses wherein a paging frame of the paging occasion is determined based on an extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive state (Xiaomi - section 2.2 and Fig. 1 disclose monitoring paging frame based on minimal value of eDRX cycle 1 of idle mode or eDRX cycle 2 of inactive mode which indicated that the PO is determined based on eDRX of inactive state). The combined teaching would be obvious for the same reason indicated in claim 25.
Regarding claim 73, the combined teaching of Li and Xiaomi discloses the method of claim 25, wherein a paging frame and a paging occasion for the paging from the core network and a paging frame and a paging occasion for the paging from the wireless network node are overlapped (Xiaomi - Fig. 1, section 2.2 observation 2 – “A question is how the UE use these two e-DRX configurations (e-DRX cycle, PH, PTW). A simple way is that the UE applies the shortest value of e-DRX cycle and PTW from the CN configuration and RAN configuration, if the UE has to receive both RAN paging and CN paging, i.e. a common e-DRX cycle and a common PTW are adopted for paging monitoring. And within the common PTW, the UE is only required to monitor one of its legacy (PF, PO) during the paging window for either CN paging or RAN paging, and outside of the PTW the UE monitors no paging occasions”, which indicated the paging frame are overlapped because the UE can monitor both of the paging with different eDRX in the same common eDRX). The combined teaching would be obvious for the same reason indicated in claim 25.
Regarding claim 80, the scope and content of the claim recites a user equipment for performing the method of claim 25, therefore, being addressed as in claim 25.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20230422210 A1) in view of Xiaomi (3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113 electronic R2-2100344, “Discussion on e-DRX for Redcap Devices”, provided by Applicant on 05/31/2023) and Ericsson (3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 #113e R2-2100986, “Extended DRX for RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE for NR RedCap UE”, provided by Applicant on 05/31/2023).
Regarding claim 28, Li and Xiaomi discloses the method of claim 25, however, silent on further details of claim 28.
Ericsson wherein the length of the extended DRX cycle associated with the RRC idle state is longer than or equal to a length of an extended DRX cycle length associated with the RRC inactive state (Section 4 – “Node to decide eDRX cycle in RRC-inactive” - “A UE configured with eDRX monitors paging occasions based on the eDRX cycle. The AMF passes the DRX cycle length to ng-RAN through "RRC Inactive Assistance Information," which includes the paging cycle parameters. If the UE supports eDRX in RRC_INACTIVE, based on its UE radio capabilities, ng-RAN configures the UE with an eDRX cycle in RRC_INACTIVE up to the value for the UE's RRC_IDLE mode eDRX cycle”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Li and Xiaomi to incorporate eDRX configuration from Ericsson because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to utilize known standard for minimizing impact on specifications.
Claim 72 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20230422210 A1) in view of Xiaomi (3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113 electronic R2-2100344, “Discussion on e-DRX for Redcap Devices”, provided by Applicant on 05/31/2023) and Phan et al. (US 20230300787 A1).
Regarding claim 72, the combined teaching of Li and Xiaomi discloses the method of claim 25, however, silent further details of claim 72.
Phan discloses wherein determining the paging occasion, by the UE in the RRC inactive state, the paging occasion for monitoring paging from the core network and from the wireless network node based on the length of the extended DRX cycle associated with the RRC idle state comprises: a sub-frame number for a paging frame (PF) of the paging occasion is determined by: (SFN + PF_offset) mod T = (T div N)*(UE_ID mod N), where index (i_s) indicating the index of the paging occasion is determined by: i_s = floor (UE_ID/N) mod Ns, wherein PF_offset is an offset for determining the PF, T is an extended DRX cycle for the UE in the RRC inactive state, N is the number of total paging frames in the extended DRX cycle for the UE in the RRC idle state ,UE_ID is an identifier of the UE, Ns is the number of paging occasions for the PF, and floor () is a floor function (¶0035-0036 disclose formula for determining SFN for PF that matches with the current claim).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Li and Xiaomi to incorporate formula for determining SFN from Phan because doing so would use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way (MPEP §2141 -III) to utilize known standard for determining paging frame.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG HONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7928. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 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, JINSONG HU, can be reached on (571) 272-3965. 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 http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/DUNG HONG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
Prosecution Insights