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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 01/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons are set forth below:
Applicant’s arguments and the examiner’s response:
Applicant’s arguments 1: The applicant’s argument page 10-11 recites, “receive a first control message that indicates a mapping between individual ones of a set of power states and respective ones of a set of codepoints, each power state of the set of power states being for the UE or a network entity in communication with the UE and corresponding to a respective directional communication profile associated with the UE”
The examiner’s response: The examiner explicitly disagrees. The examiner’s rejections are based on the recited claim limitations and the examiner must interpret each and every claim limitation under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI). The claim limitation in question, “receive a first control message that indicates a mapping between individual ones of a set of power states and respective ones of a set of codepoints, each power state of the set of power states being for the UE or a network entity in communication with the UE and corresponding to a respective directional communication profile associated with the UE”, where, Zhou teaches: fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states. Although in this paragraph Zhou didn’t explicitly teach, however Zhou teaches a mapping relationship in para graph [0204], where, “transport level packet marking in the uplink, session management, support of network slicing, Quality of Service (QoS) flow management and mapping to data radio bearers, support of UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state, distribution function for Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages, RAN sharing, dual connectivity or tight interworking between NR and E-UTRA”. Hence, Zhou teaches said limitation. Therefore the arguments are traversed.
All the remaining arguments are based on the arguments above and are responded to in full.
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 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being Zhou et al (US 2023/0309171 A1), hereinafter, “Zhou”.
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses: An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), comprising: at least one processor (fig 15A, Processing System 1518 of the Wireless Device 1502, para [0213]); and memory coupled with the at least one processor (fig 15A, Memory 1514 coupled with the Processing System 1508 of the base station 1504, para [0213]);
the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor (fig 15A, para [0217], where, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, where, “storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities. The Rx processing system 1522”) to cause the UE to: receive a first control message (fig 35, para [0316], where, “A base station (e.g., base station 3505) may transmit to a wireless device (e.g., wireless device 3510) or a group of wireless devices, RRC messages (e.g., SIB1, UE-specific RRC message, cell-specific RRC messages equivalent to “first control message”)”), that indicates a mapping between individual ones of a set of power states and respective ones of a set of codepoints, each power state of the set of power states being for the UE or a network entity in communication with the UE and corresponding to a respective directional communication profile associated with the UE (fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states, Zhou further teaches a mapping relationship in para graph [0204], where, “transport level packet marking in the uplink, session management, support of network slicing, Quality of Service (QoS) flow management and mapping to data radio bearers, support of UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state, distribution function for Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages, RAN sharing, dual connectivity or tight interworking between NR and E-UTRA”);
receive a second control message that includes a codepoint from the set of codepoints, the codepoint corresponding to a power state from the set of power states in accordance with the mapping, inclusion of the codepoint in the second control message indicative of activation of the power state at the UE (fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states); and
transition to the power state in accordance with the second control message (fig 6, para [0116], where, “The mobility management mechanism used during the RRC idle state (e.g., the RRC idle 606) or during the RRC idle state (e.g., the RRC inactive 604) may enable/allow the network to track the wireless device on a cell-group level, for example, so that the paging message may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the wireless device currently resides within (e.g. instead of sending the paging message over the entire mobile communication network)”).
Regarding claim 13, Zhou discloses: An apparatus for wireless communications at a network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), comprising: at least one processor (fig 15A, Processing System 1508 of the base station 1504, para [0213]); and
memory coupled with the at least one processor (fig 15A, Memory 1514 coupled with the Processing System 1508 of the base station 1504, para [0213]);
the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 15A, para [0217], where, “Base Station” equivalent to “network entity”, where, “storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities. The transmission processing system 1520”) to:
transmit, to a user equipment (UE) , a first control message (fig 35, para [0316], where, “A base station (e.g., base station 3505) may transmit to a wireless device (e.g., wireless device 3510) or a group of wireless devices, RRC messages (e.g., SIB1, UE-specific RRC message, cell-specific RRC messages)”), that indicates a mapping between individual ones of a set of power states and respective ones of a set of codepoints each power state of the set of power states being for the UE or the network entity and corresponding to a respective directional communication profile associated with the UE (fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states);
transmit, to the UE, a second control message that includes a codepoint from the set of codepoints (fig 13A and 13B, para [0179]-[0180], where, the base transmit configuration 1310 where, message A 1310 equivalent to “second control message”, referring different power states of the codepoint as described in para [0181]-[0182]), the codepoint corresponding to a power state from the set of power states in accordance with the mapping, inclusion of the codepoint in the second control message indicative of activation of the power state (fig 6, para [0115]-[0117], where, described the transition from inactivate state to the RRC connected state); and operate in accordance with the power state at the UE (fig 6, para [0116], where, “The mobility management mechanism used during the RRC idle state (e.g., the RRC idle 606) or during the RRC idle state (e.g., the RRC inactive 604) may enable/allow the network to track the wireless device on a cell-group level, for example, so that the paging message may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the wireless device currently resides within (e.g. instead of sending the paging message over the entire mobile communication network)”).
Regarding claims 24 and 28, the claim includes features identical to the subject matter mentioned in the rejection to claim 1 above. The claims are mere reformulation of claim 1 in order to define the corresponding packet classification method, and the rejection to claim 1 is applied hereto.
Regarding claims 2 and 25, Zhou discloses: wherein: the second control message (fig 13A and 13B, para [0179]-[0180], where, the base transmit configuration 1310 where, message A 1310 equivalent to “second control message”, referring different power states of the codepoint as described in para [0181]-[0182]), includes the codepoint within a field associated with a search space set group switching indication (fig 30A, para [0282], where, “The DCI format may correspond to DCI format 2_0 and may comprise one or more search space set groups (or SSSGs) switching indications (or SSSG switching flags)”), wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: receive an indication that the codepoint is associated with the power state instead of with a search space set group switching indication (fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states).
Regarding claims 3, 26 and 30, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: receive an indication that changes an activation state of the mapping between the individual ones of the set of power states and the respective ones of the set of codepoints, wherein the activation state is one of an activated state or a deactivated state (fig 6 and 12A-B, para [0174], where, “a Tx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the bottom rows of U1 and U3, as ovals rotated in a clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows). Beamforming (e.g., at the base station) may comprise one or more beam sweeps, for example, an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrows)”, where, RRC CONNECTED 602, RRC INACTIVE 604 and RRC IDLE 606 depicts the different power states).
Regarding claims 4, 16 and 27, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective directional communication profile is associated with one or more of a BWP for a primary cell, one or more BWPs for one or more secondary cells, a dormant BWP for the primary cell (fig 9, para [0129]-[0131], where, “A downlink BWP and an uplink BWP may be linked, for example, if a downlink BWP index of the downlink BWP and an uplink BWP index of the uplink BWP are the same. A wireless device may expect that the center frequency for a downlink BWP is the same as the center frequency for an uplink BWP”), a dormant BWP for the one or more secondary cells, restricted reception of a data channel in the BWP for the primary cell, restricted reception of a control channel in the BWP for the primary cell, restricted reception of the data channel in the one or more BWPs for the one or more secondary cells, restricted reception of the control channel in the one or more BWPs for the one or more secondary cells, or a combination thereof (fig 9, para [0129]-[0131], where, “for a downlink BWP in a set of configured downlink BWPs on a primary cell (PCell) or on a secondary cell (SCell). A search space may comprise a set of locations in the time and frequency domains where the wireless device may monitor/find/detect/identify control information”).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Zhou discloses, wherein the set of power states comprises a modem-off power state, one or more uplink power states corresponding to different uplink communication rates, one or more downlink-only power states corresponding to different downlink communication rates, an uplink-and-downlink power state, or combinations thereof (para [0430], where, “The wireless device may send/transmit the wireless device assistance information to the base station in a RRC message, a MAC CE and/or an UCI. The wireless device assistance information may comprise a data volume of data packets of the wireless device, a power state of the wireless device, a service type of the wireless device, etc”).
Regarding claims 6, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power state comprises a modem-off power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: pause, while operating in the power state, a monitoring of a downlink control channel and a downlink shared channel (para [0277], where, “receiving a PDSCH transmission via the active BWP of the SCell, and/or sending a PUCCH transmission”); and pause, while operating in the power state, transmission of an uplink control channel and an uplink shared channel (para [0278], where, “the SCell is configured to be cross-carrier scheduled by another cell), refraining from receiving a PDSCH transmission via the dormant BWP of the SCell, refraining from sending a PUCCH transmission, a PUSCH transmission”).
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Zhou discloses: wherein the power state comprises an uplink-only power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: pause, while operating in the power state, a monitoring of a downlink shared channel (para [0543], where, “a time duration when the wireless device stops receiving a transmission of at least one of: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); and a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)”); monitor, while operating in the power state, a downlink control channel for an uplink configured grant indicating one or more sets of periodic uplink resources (para [0166], where, “A scheduler at the base station may use/employ the estimated uplink channel state to assign one or more resource blocks for an uplink PUSCH transmission for the wireless device”); and transmit, while operating in the power state, an uplink message in accordance with the uplink configured grant (para [0546], where, “the base station stops a transmission of at least one of: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)”). .
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim1,wherein the power state comprises a downlink-only power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: pause, while operating in the power state, transmission of at least one of an uplink control channel and an uplink shared channel (para [0534], where, “The uplink signals may comprise at least one of: CSI reports, PUSCHs, PUCCHs, SRSs and/or PRACHs”); monitor, while operating in the power state, a downlink control channel for a downlink configured grant indicating one or more downlink resources (para [0534], where, “The downlink signals may comprise at least one of: SSBs, SIBs, PDSCHs, PDCCHs, CSI-RSs and/or DM-RSs”); and monitor, while operating in the power state, a downlink shared channel for a downlink message in accordance with the downlink configured grant (para [0546], where, “the base station stops a transmission of at least one of: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)”).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim1,wherein the power state comprises an uplink-and-downlink power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: monitor, while operating in the power state, a downlink control channel for at least one of a downlink configured grant and an uplink configured grant (para [0411], where, “indicating uplink grant for a new transmission is received for the HARQ process used for the transmission of the BFR MAC CE or Truncated BFR MAC CE which contains beam failure recovery information of this Serving Cell or if the SCell is deactivated”).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mapping includes an additional codepoint that is mapped to a physical downlink control channel skipping operation (fig 31, para [0299], where, “The wireless device 3104 may receive first downlink control information (DCI) 3108 indicating skipping the PDCCH (e.g., monitoring/receiving via the PDCCH) within a time window 3116”).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first control message indicates a set of timers corresponding to the set of power states, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the UE (fig 1A, “Wireless Device 106” equivalent to “an apparatus”, para [0073]), to: transition from the power state to a second power state based at least in part on expiry of a timer associated with the power state (fig 42, para [0478], where, “The wireless device may maintain two sets of timers/counters, one for normal power state and one for energy saving state, so that the wireless device doesn’t need to reset the timer/counter frequently if switching between the normal power state and the energy saving state”).
Regarding claims 12, 14 and 29, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the second control message (fig 13A and 13B, para [0179]-[0180], where, the base transmit configuration 1310 where, message A 1310 equivalent to “second control message”, referring different power states of the codepoint as described in para [0181]-[0182]), includes the codepoint within a field associated with a search space set group switching indication (fig 30B, para [0529], where, “The DCI may be different from at least one of: DCI format 2_0 for indication of slot format, available RB sets, COT duration and search space set group switching, DCI format 2_1 for indication of downlink pre-emption”), wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), to: transmit an indication that the codepoint is associated with the power state instead of with a search space set group switching indication (para [0540], where, “a first threshold associated with a first power state and a second threshold associated with a second power state”).
Regarding claim 15, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim l 3, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), to: transmit an indication that changes an activation state of the mapping between the individual ones of the set of power states (fig 6, para [0115], where, “The RRC state may transition from the RRC connected state (e.g., RRC connected 602) to the RRC inactive state (e.g., RRC inactive 604) via a connection inactivation procedure 610”) and the respective ones of the set of codepoints , wherein the activation state is one of an activated state or a deactivated state (fig 6, para [0114], where, “RRC inactive 604 (e.g., RRC _INACTIVE). The RRC inactive 604 may be RRC connected but inactive”).
Regarding claim 18, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the power state comprises a modem-off power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), to: pause a monitoring of an uplink control channel and an uplink shared channel (fig 30B, para [0291], where, “stop monitoring PDCCH on the first SSSG (or the search space sets with group index 0) for the serving cell”); and pause transmission of a downlink control channel and a downlink shared channel (fig 30A-B, para [0297], where, “The wireless device 3004 may start or stop PDCCH monitoring on search space sets for a serving cell if parameter cellGroupsForSwitchList is provided/indicated for a set of serving cells, based on the smallest SCS configuration”).
Regarding claim 20, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the power state comprises a downlink-only power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), to: pause a monitoring of at least one of an uplink control channel and an uplink shared channel (para [0322] and para [0325], where, “A wireless device determines a PUSCH transmission power in a PUSCH transmission occasion”); transmit, via a downlink control channel, a downlink configured grant indicating one or more downlink resources (para [0247], where, “The BWP switching may be controlled by a PDCCH transmission indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant”); and transmit, via a downlink shared channel, a downlink message in accordance with the downlink configured grant (para [0546], where, “the base station stops a transmission of at least one of: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)”).
Regarding claim 21, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the power state comprises an uplink-and-downlink power state, and the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the network entity (fig 1B, “gNB 160A, 160B” equivalent to “network entity”, para [0086]), to: transmit, via a downlink control channel, at least one of a downlink configured grant and an uplink configured grant (para [0198], where, “a downlink scheduling assignment; an uplink scheduling grant indicating uplink radio resources and/or a transport format; slot format information”).
Regarding claim 22, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mapping includes an additional codepoint that is mapped to a physical downlink control channel skipping operation (fig 31, para [0299], where, “The wireless device 3104 may receive first downlink control information (DCI) 3108 indicating skipping the PDCCH (e.g., monitoring/receiving via the PDCCH) within a time window 3116”),
Regarding claim 23, Zhou discloses: The apparatus of claim l 3, wherein the first control message indicates a set of timers corresponding to the set of power states (para [0289], where, “The parameter searchSpaceSwitchTimer may indicate a time duration for monitoring PDCCH in the active downlink BWP of the serving cell before moving to a default search space group (e.g., search space group 0)”).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIZAM U AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-9561. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fry, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NIZAM U AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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