DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to Amendments filed on 11/26/2025.
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
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/5/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-15, 22-24, and 29 were pending for examination in previous Office Action mailed 8/29/2025.
Claims 1-15, 22-24, and 29 remain pending for examination with claims 1 and 22 independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s remarks pg. 6-12, filed 11/26/2025, with respect to Claims 1 and 22 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s arguments that in substance the prior art of record does not disclose “reception of a search space switching indication based on a condition related to DRX state,” Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Here, Cirik et al. (US 2020/0351682 A1; hereinafter Cirik) was relied upon to disclose previously presented independent claims 1 and 22. As provided in the previous office action, Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik further discloses a timing of a switching monitoring and DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time (e.g., when drx-onDurationTimer is running) of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16-17).
Further, in the instant application (Shubhi et al. US 2024/0080859; ¶81), DRX state has been clarified as to include “ON duration timer, inactivity timer, long DRX cycle, short DRX timer, etc.”
Therefore, the prior art of record still discloses the claimed invention of the independent claims, and the prior art rejection is maintained below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10, 15, 22-24, and 29 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cirik et al. (US 2020/0351682 A1; hereinafter Cirik).
Regarding Claim 1, Cirik disclose(s):
A method performed by a communication device for search space set group switching when discontinuous reception and at least two search space set groups are configured for at least one serving cell of a communication network for the communication device, the method comprising:
monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the at least one serving cell according to a first of the at least two search space set groups; [Cirik discloses that a wireless device may monitor PDCCH candidates in a plurality of coresets and that one or more configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of search space sets for the downlink BWP of the cell and the search space sets may be grouped into at least two groups of search space sets (¶519-525; Fig. 22-23)]
receiving an indication to switch to a second of the at least two search space set groups based on at least one condition related to at least one discontinuous reception state of the communication device; and [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses a timing of a switching monitoring and DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16-17)]
switching to the second of the at least two search space set groups based on the at least one condition. [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16A/B; Fig. 17)]
Regarding Claim 2, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, wherein the first of the at least two search space set groups is configured with at least one different configuration parameter from the second of the at least two search space set groups. [Cirik discloses a second periodicity of the second group of search space sets may be smaller (or shorter) than a first periodicity of the first group of search space sets. Based on the second periodicity being smaller (or shorter) than the first periodicity, the wireless device may monitor the downlink control channels according to the second group of search space sets more frequently than according to the first group of search space sets (¶430; ¶519-525; Fig. 16A/B-18)]
Regarding Claim 3, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 2, wherein the at least one different configuration parameter comprises at least one of a periodicity, an offset, a duration, an aggregation level, an associated corset, a monitoring symbol within a slot, a search space type, and at least one associated downlink control information format. [Cirik discloses a second periodicity of the second group of search space sets may be smaller (or shorter) than a first periodicity of the first group of search space sets. Based on the second periodicity being smaller (or shorter) than the first periodicity, the wireless device may monitor the downlink control channels according to the second group of search space sets more frequently than according to the first group of search space sets (¶365; ¶374; ¶430; ¶519-525; Fig. 16A/B-18)]
Regarding Claim 4, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a network node, or is a start of, a running of, or an expiration of a timer for the communication device. [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE where the UE may monitor PDCCH in the DRX active time (e.g. when drx-onDurationTimer is running) (¶318-322; Fig. 16A/B)]
Regarding Claim 5, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, wherein the second of the at least two search space set groups comprises at least one of a pre-configured search space set group and a search space set group explicitly configured by a higher layer signaling. [Cirik discloses that a wireless device may be configured to monitor PDCCH depending on a capability of a wireless device and a base station may transmit higher layer signaling (e.g. RRC signaling) or MAC CE comprising parameters related to the Rx beam setting of a wireless device for monitoring PDCCH on one or more beam pair links and that a base station may configure a UE with one or more control resource sets (coresets) for at least one type of common search space and/or one UE-specific search space. (¶242-245; ¶252-258; ¶421-429; Fig. 9A/B-10). Cirik also discloses that one or more configuration parameters may indicate the first group of PDCCH monitoring periodicities for the plurality of search space sets provided by higher layer signaling (¶492-498; Fig. 19-22)]
Regarding Claim 6, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 5, wherein the search space set group explicitly configured by a higher layer signaling is configured based on at least one of a load of the network node, a quality of service of an application of the communication device, a traffic type, and other configured parameters. [Cirik discloses that a wireless device may be configured to monitor PDCCH depending on a capability of a wireless device and a base station may transmit higher layer signaling (e.g. RRC signaling) or MAC CE comprising parameters related to the Rx beam setting of a wireless device for monitoring PDCCH on one or more beam pair links and that a base station may configure a UE with one or more control resource sets (coresets) for at least one type of common search space and/or one UE-specific search space. (¶242-245; ¶252-258; ¶421-429; Fig. 9A/B-10). Cirik also discloses that one or more configuration parameters may indicate the first group of PDCCH monitoring periodicities for the plurality of search space sets provided by higher layer signaling (¶492-498; Fig. 19-22). Cirik further discloses layer 2 signaling which may trigger dynamic adaptation on configuration parameters for search space set and/or coreset and that changing/adjusting monitoring behavior may reduce power consumption by better matching the dynamic traffic characteristics/patterns (¶428-430; ¶458; Fig. 17-18)]
Regarding Claim 7, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, wherein the at least one discontinuous reception state comprises at least one of a discontinuous reception on- duration timer of a short discontinuous reception cycle, and a discontinuous reception on- duration timer of a long discontinuous reception cycle. [Cirik discloses that one or more configuration parameters may indicate the first group of PDCCH monitoring periodicities for the plurality of search space sets provided by higher layer signaling (¶492-498; Fig. 19-22). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE where the UE may monitor PDCCH in the DRX active time (e.g. when drx-onDurationTimer is running) (¶318-322; Fig. 16A/B). Cirik further discloses that in an unlicensed band, the second PDCCH monitoring occasions in the second phase (e.g., before channel occupancy time (COT) start, for an initial duration after the COT starts, partial slot after the COT starts, e.g., until a first slot boundary of a COT, slot n in FIG. 17) may be more frequent than the first PDCCH monitoring occasions in the first phase (e.g., rest of the COT, after the first slot boundary of a COT) (¶ 444-453; Fig. 17-18).]
Regarding Claim 8, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 7, wherein the at least one discontinuous reception state further comprises a value configured for the at least one discontinuous reception state. [Cirik discloses that one or more configuration parameters may indicate the first group of PDCCH monitoring periodicities for the plurality of search space sets provided by higher layer signaling (¶492-498; Fig. 19-22). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE where the UE may monitor PDCCH in the DRX active time (e.g. when drx-onDurationTimer is running) (¶318-322; Fig. 16A/B). Cirik further discloses that in an unlicensed band, the second PDCCH monitoring occasions in the second phase (e.g., before channel occupancy time (COT) start, for an initial duration after the COT starts, partial slot after the COT starts, e.g., until a first slot boundary of a COT, slot n in FIG. 17) may be more frequent than the first PDCCH monitoring occasions in the first phase (e.g., rest of the COT, after the first slot boundary of a COT) (¶ 444; Fig. 17).]
Regarding Claim 9, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1,
wherein the at least one condition comprises (i) a parameter for one or more timers associated with the at least one discontinuous reception state, (ii) a prior triggering command for a switch, and (iii) a type of discontinuous reception cycle corresponding to an on-duration timer that signifies to switch to the second of the at least two search space set groups. [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE where the UE may monitor PDCCH in the DRX active time (e.g. when drx-onDurationTimer is running) (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16-17)]
Regarding Claim 10, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured with search space set group switching, and further comprising:
receiving, from the network node, at least a value of a switching timer configured for the communication device for the search space set group switching. [Cirik discloses timing of switching monitoring and receiving downlink control information indicating a start (¶434) and a duration (¶430) of a channel occupancy time (COT) of an unlicensed cell where the wireless device may stop monitoring the downlink control channels of the unlicensed cell according to the second group of search space sets and start monitoring the downlink control channels of the unlicensed cell according to the first group of search space sets based on receiving/detecting the downlink control information (¶430-444; Fig. 16-17).]
Regarding Claim 15, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, from the network node, a configuration for discontinuous reception adaptation. [Cirik discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE (¶318-322; Fig. 16A/B). Cirik also discloses a base station may transmit a downlink signal/channel (e.g., PDCCH based power saving signal/channel, for example downlink signal (e.g., DCI, MAC-CE, DM-RS) for power saving mode in FIG. 18) triggering a dynamic adaptation on configuration parameters for a search space set and/or a coreset. (¶ 457-460; Fig. 18)]
Regarding Claim 22, Cirik disclose(s):
A method performed by a network node for search space set group switching when discontinuous reception and at least two search space set groups are configured for at least one serving cell of a communication network for a communication device, the method comprising:
sending an indication to the communication device to switch to a second of the at least two search space set groups based on at least one condition related to at least one discontinuous reception state of the communication device. [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16-17)]
Regarding Claim 23, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 22, wherein
the first of the least two search space set groups is configured with at least one different configuration parameter from the second of the at least two search space set groups, and the second of the at least two search space set groups comprises at least one of a pre- configured search space set group and a search space set group explicitly configured by a higher layer signaling. [Cirik discloses that a wireless device may be configured to monitor PDCCH depending on a capability of a wireless device and a base station may transmit higher layer signaling (e.g. RRC signaling) or MAC CE comprising parameters related to the Rx beam setting of a wireless device for monitoring PDCCH on one or more beam pair links and that a base station may configure a UE with one or more control resource sets (coresets) for at least one type of common search space and/or one UE-specific search space. (¶242-245; ¶252-258; ¶421-429; Fig. 9A/B-10). Cirik also discloses that one or more configuration parameters may indicate the first group of PDCCH monitoring periodicities for the plurality of search space sets provided by higher layer signaling (¶492-498; Fig. 19-22). Cirik further discloses layer 2 signaling which may trigger dynamic adaptation on configuration parameters for search space set and/or coreset and that changing/adjusting monitoring behavior may reduce power consumption by better matching the dynamic traffic characteristics/patterns (¶428-434; ¶458; Fig. 17)]
Regarding Claim 24, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 23, wherein the at least one different configuration parameter comprises at least one of a periodicity, an offset, a duration, an aggregation level, an associated corset, a monitoring symbol within a slot, a search space type, and at least one associated downlink control information format. [Cirik discloses a second periodicity of the second group of search space sets may be smaller (or shorter) than a first periodicity of the first group of search space sets. Based on the second periodicity being smaller (or shorter) than the first periodicity, the wireless device may monitor the downlink control channels according to the second group of search space sets more frequently than according to the first group of search space sets (¶365; ¶430; ¶519-525; Fig. 16A/B-18)]
Regarding Claim 29, Cirik disclose(s):
The method of Claim 22 wherein the at least one condition comprises (i) a parameter for one or more timers associated with the at least one discontinuous reception state, (ii) a prior triggering command for a switch, and (iii) a type of discontinuous reception cycle corresponding to an on-duration timer that signifies to switch to the second of the at least two search space set groups. [Cirik discloses that the wireless device may determine, during the channel occupancy time, an expiry of a time window for switching between the first group of search space sets and a second group of search space sets, and based on the determining, the wireless device may start monitoring a second control channel according to the second group; and stop monitoring the first control channel (¶546-548; Fig. 25). Cirik also discloses DRX operation with where the UE may monitor PDCCH during the DRX active time of a DRX cycle and where a gNB may transmit one or more messages comprising parameters of a wake-up duration to a UE where the UE may monitor PDCCH in the DRX active time (e.g. when drx-onDurationTimer is running) (¶318-322; ¶430-444; Fig. 16-17)]
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 11-13 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Cirik and further in view of Guo et al. (US 2024/0121798; hereinafter Guo).
Regarding Claim 11, Cirik fully discloses:
The method of Claim 11.
Cirik does not disclose:
wherein the at least a value comprises a maximum value of the switching timer.
However Guo, analogous art also teaching search space set groups and PDCCH monitoring, does disclose:
wherein the at least a value comprises a maximum value of the switching timer. [Guo discloses that SSS group switching can be triggered by an indication in a DCI (¶193) and that a time delay may be determined as a maximum value of the time delay and band width part (BWP) switching delay according to a reference subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration (¶5; ¶52; ¶63-66; ¶193-194; Fig. 6; Table 1-2)]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the communication system of Cirik with that of Guo to determine a maximum value of a switching timer to improve control channel monitoring with respect to power consumption, as per Guo (¶ 5), with reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claim 12, Cirik and Guo disclose(s):
The method of Claim 11, wherein the maximum value is configured based on a capability report from the communication device. [Cirik discloses radio access capability report which may include band information (¶199) and where a gap duration between a wakeup duration and a DRX on duration may be determined based on a capability of the UE (¶319; Fig. 16A/B). Guo discloses that time delay may be determined according to a delay value corresponding to a processing capability reported by the wireless communication device and the time delay may be determined as a maximum value of the time delay and BWP switching delay (¶64)]
Regarding Claim 13, Cirik and Guo disclose(s):
The method of Claim 12, wherein the capability report comprises at least one of a frequency band of the communication device, a capability of the communication device, and whether the communication is operating in a licensed or unlicensed frequency band. [Cirik discloses radio access capability report of the wireless device which may include band information (¶199; ¶243; ¶319; ¶357-360; ¶554).]
Claims 14 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Cirik and further in view of Lin et al. (US 2021/0250153; hereinafter Lin).
Regarding Claim 14, Cirik fully discloses:
The method of Claim 1.
Cirik does not disclose:
Further comprising:
determining a validity of a switching timer with respect to the at least one discontinuous reception state.
However Lin, analogous art also teaching search space set groups and PDCCH monitoring, does disclose:
Further comprising:
determining a validity of a switching timer with respect to the at least one discontinuous reception state. [Lin discloses determining the valid duration of an indicated search space set group and the indicated search space set group is valid till the UE applies a new search space set switching indicator for PDCCH monitoring in active time of DRX (¶86-88; ¶205-206; ¶199; Fig. 11-12).]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the communication system of Cirik with that of Lin to determine a validity of a switching timer to avoid performing unnecessary PDCCH monitoring for power saving, as per Lin (¶ 86-88), with reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/RKF/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468