DETAILED ACTION
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
2. Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s submission of information disclosure statement (IDS), dated on December 23, 2025, after the mailing date of the previous office action. The submission 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
3. Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s submission of amendment/request with remarks/arguments, dated October 22, 2025. Claims 1, 4, 7, 8, 13-15, 17, and 20 have been amended; claim 21 has been added.
Upon entering the amendment, claims 1-21 are pending. This communication is considered fully responsive and sets forth below.
Claim Objections
4. Claims 13-17 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 13, it recites, “A method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless device, at least one parameter indicating a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for a cell group;
receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group; and
monitoring, based on the DTX operation being enabled for the cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the cell using the DTX operation and the DRX configuration for the cell.”
Claim 13 is a method-step claim, including a couple of steps, e.g., receiving, monitoring, etc.
Apparently, there is an extra “,” in the second receiving step, i.e., “receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group” as indicated in italics above. It is suggested to amend the second receiving step to “receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation for a cell of the cell group,” so the claim language flows better.
Claims 14-17 are objected to since they all depend from claim 13.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
6. Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsai et al. (US 2025/0203707).
Regarding claim 18, Tsai et al. teach the method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless device, at least one parameter indicating: a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation for a cell (paragraph [0128] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the first specific DRX configuration in the prior art teaches the limitation of “one parameter;”
in fact, UE receiving the first specific DRX configuration indicating a first specific DRX cycle for the cell in the prior art teaches the limitation of “receiving, by a wireless device, at least one parameter indicating: a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation for a cell” in the instant application); and
a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) associated with downlink control channel information (DCI) comprising an energy saving indicator for the cell (paragraphs [0155] lines 1-14 & [0156] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the specific RNTI in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI);”
information indicating a DRX inactivity timer for the cell in the prior art teaches the limitation of “an energy saving indicator for the cell;”
in fact, the specific RNTI associated with DCI indicating a DRX inactivity timer for the cell in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) associated with downlink control channel information (DCI) comprising an energy saving indicator for the cell” in the instant application),
wherein the energy saving indicator indicates that the cell is in an energy saving state (paragraph [0064] lines 1-11; Examiner’s Notes: notifying the power saving in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the energy saving indicator;”
in fact, the power saving indicating a state, e.g., outside of DRX Active Time for the cell as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the energy saving indicator indicates that the cell is in an energy saving state” in the instant application);
receiving the DCI (paragraph [0155] lines 1-14; Examiner’s Notes: UE receiving the DCI in the prior art teaches the limitation of “receiving the DCI” in the instant application); and
stopping, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time, a DRX on duration timer (paragraphs [0064] lines 1-11 & [0207] lines 1-3; Examiner’s Notes: the timer regards to the DRX cycle, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “duration timer;”
in fact, stopping a DRX on the timer, right after the “drx-onDuration Timer” as indicated in FIG. 11, e.g., for starting a power saving state, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time in the prior art teaches the limitation of “stopping, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time, a DRX on duration timer” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 19, Tsai et al. teach the method, further comprising receiving the DCI via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during a DRX active time or during a DRX inactive time (paragraph [0063] lines 1-11; Examiner’s Notes: the active time, e.g., on-duration as illustrated in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a DRX active time;”
in fact, receiving the DCI through the PDCCH during the active time, e.g., on-duration as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “receiving the DCI via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during a DRX active time or during a DRX inactive time” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 20, Tsai et al. further teach the method, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of: a value of a DRX cycle of the DRX operation; a time offset value of a starting point of the DRX cycle relative to a reference slot; a value of the DRX on duration timer; a value of a DRX inactivity timer; a value of a DRX retransmission timer; or a value of a DRX hybrid acknowledgement repeat request (HARQ) round trip time (RTT) timer (paragraph [0057] lines 1-9; Examiner’s Notes: the length of DRX cycle as illustrated in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a value of a DRX cycle of the DRX operation;”
in fact, the length of DRX cycle as illustrated in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of: a value of a DRX cycle of the DRX operation; a time offset value of a starting point of the DRX cycle relative to a reference slot; a value of the DRX on duration timer; a value of a DRX inactivity timer; a value of a DRX retransmission timer; or a value of a DRX hybrid acknowledgement repeat request (HARQ) round trip time (RTT) timer” in the instant application).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
8. Claims 13, 16, 17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2025/0203707) in view of Xu et al. (US 2025/0254617).
Regarding claim 13, Tsai et al. teach the method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless device, at least one parameter indicating a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for a cell group (paragraph [0128] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the first specific DRX configuration in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration;”
in fact, UE receiving information indicating the first specific DRX configuration for a cell group, e.g., MCG, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “receiving, by a wireless device, at least one parameter indicating a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for a cell group” in the instant application);
Tsai et al. teach the method without explicitly teaching receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group.
Xu et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor teach implementing fairness of the method, receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group (paragraph [0042] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the configuration for a serving cell in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a command;”
the operation for monitoring regards to the discontinuous reception/transmission in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation;”
In fact, receiving a configuration for a serving cell indicating the monitoring operation regards to the discontinuous reception/transmission in the prior art teaches the limitation of “receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group” in the instant application); and
monitoring, based on the DTX operation being enabled for the cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the cell using the DTX operation and the DRX configuration for the cell (paragraph [0042] lines 1-9; Examiner’s Notes: monitoring a PDCCH transmission on the serving cell using the monitoring operation and the DRX configuration based on the monitoring operation regards to the discontinuous reception/transmission for the serving cell in the prior art teaches the limitation of “monitoring, based on the DTX operation being enabled for the cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the cell using the DTX operation and the DRX configuration for the cell” in the instant application).
Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in art to implement the method of Xu et al. in the system of Tsai et al.
The motivation for receiving a command indicating to enable a discontinuous transmission (DTX) operation, for a cell of the cell group, is to further enhance the power saving mechanism for extended reality (XR) traffic, wherein a user equipment (UE) receives a first configuration for one or more serving cells in a discontinuous reception (DRX) group via the transceiver from a network, the first configuration includes DRX cycle information used for determining a non-integer length value of a DRX cycle, and determines first start timing of an on-duration window for the DRX group in the time domain according to the DRX cycle information.
Regarding claim 16, Tsai et al. further teach the method, wherein the command comprises at least one of: a periodicity value, of a time duration, indicating an amount of a plurality of slots; or
a time offset value of a starting point of the time duration relative to a reference slot (paragraph [0063] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the offset, e.g., a drx-SlotOffset in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a time offset value of a starting point of the time duration relative to a reference slot;”
in fact, the offset, e.g., a drx-SlotOffset in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the command comprises at least one of: a periodicity value, of a time duration, indicating an amount of a plurality of slots; or
a time offset value of a starting point of the time duration relative to a reference slot” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 17, Tsai et al. further teach the method, wherein the command comprises at least one of:
a first length indication of a first time period during which the cell is in a first power state; and
a second length indication of a second time during which the cell is in a second power state (paragraph [0064] lines 1-11; Examiner’s Notes: the power state, e.g., on-duration depicted in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first power state;”
the length indicating the power state, e.g., on-duration depicted in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first length indication of a first time period during which the cell is in a first power state;”
in fact, the length indicating the power state, e.g., on-duration depicted in FIG. 1 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the command comprises at least one of: a first length indication of a first time period during which the cell is in a first power state; and
a second length indication of a second time during which the cell is in a second power state” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 21, Tsai et al. further teach the method, wherein the at least one parameter indicates a second DRX configuration for a second cell group (paragraph [0128] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the second specific DRX configuration in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a second DRX configuration;”
in fact, the second specific DRX configuration for a cell group, e.g., SCG, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the at least one parameter indicates a second DRX configuration for a second cell group” in the instant application).
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 14 and 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 13, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claim(s).
Regarding claim 14, the prior art in single or in combination fails to teach "receiving a second command indicating to disable the DTX operation for the cell of the cell group; and enabling, based on the DTX operation being disabled for the first cell group, the second DRX configuration for the second cell group,” in combination with other limitation of the claim(s).
Regarding claim 15, the prior art in single or in combination fails to teach "receiving, by the wireless device, at least one second parameter indicating: at least one DRX operation for at least one of a plurality of cells; and a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) associated with downlink control channel information (DCI) comprising an energy saving indicator for the at least one of the plurality of cells; receiving the DCI comprising the energy saving indicator indicating that the at least one of the plurality of cells is an energy saving state; maintaining, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX inactive time, a DRX inactive state; and stopping, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time, a DRX on duration timer,” in combination with other limitation of the claim(s).
10. Claims 1-12 are allowed.
The following is the reason for examiner’s statement of allowance:
The closest prior art on record, Tsai et al. (US 2025/0203707) in view of Soldati et al. (US 2025/0081101) are generally directed to various aspects of the method performed by a UE for a DRX operation, wherein the method receives an RRC message for configuring a set of DRX configurations including at least a first DRX configuration that indicates first parameters for an integer DRX cycle, the method determines whether the set of DRX configurations includes a second DRX configuration indicating second parameters for a non-integer DRX cycle, the method determines whether to apply the first parameters or the second parameters based on whether the set of DRX configurations includes the second DRX configuration, the method starts, based on the first parameters, a DRX timer in a case that the set of DRX configurations does not include the second DRX configuration, and starts, based on the second parameters, the DRX timer in a case that the set of DRX configurations includes the second DRX configuration; the method performed by a first network node for coordinating with a second network node with respect to a user equipment, UE, energy state assistance information, UE-ESAI, configuration for a UE or a group of UEs currently being served by the first network node, wherein the method includes generating a first coordination message, the method also includes transmitting the first coordination message to the second network node, the first coordination message comprises information related to configuring the UE or the group of UEs to store and/or report UE-ESAI, and the UE-ESAI comprises a measured or estimated first energy metric.
However, in consideration of the claim limitations submitted on July 7, 2023, the information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on January 26, 2024 and May 17, 2024, and further search, no prior art reference or a combination of prior art references disclose or suggest the combination of limitations specified in the independent claim(s) including:
“receiving, based on the at least one second parameter, a first command indicating to enable a DTX operation for the at least one cell;” and “monitoring, based on the at least one first parameter and based on the at least one cell being in the first power state, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the at least one cell during a DRX active time of a DRX configuration,” as specified in claim 1.
Dependent claims 2-12 are also allowable for incorporating the features recited in the independent claim(s).
Response to Remarks/Arguments
11. Claims Art Rejections: Applicants’ amendments/request with arguments filed October 22, 2025 have been fully considered and they are not persuasive.
On pages 8-9 of the Response with respects to claim 18, Applicants assert the prior art doesn't teach “stopping, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time, a DRX on duration timer.”
The prior art teaches that the DCI may include a DCI format for scheduling of a PUSCH (e.g., format 0_0, format 0_1, format 0_2) and/or a PDSCH (e.g., format 1_0, 1_1, 1_2). In some implementations, the DCI may include a DCI format for other purpose (e.g., format 2_6). In some implementations, the DCI format 2_6 may be used for notifying the power saving information outside the DRX Active Time for one or more UEs. In some implementations, the DCI format 2_6 may be DCI scrambled by a PS-RNTI (e.g., the DCP). More details are indicated in the following table (paragraph [0064] lines 1-11, Tsai et al.). In some implementations, the timer may be stopped when the UE receives an indication from a BS (e.g., a DRX command MAC CE) (paragraph [0207] lines 1-3, Tsai et al.; Examiner’s Notes: the timer regards to the DRX cycle, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “duration timer;”
in fact, stopping a DRX on the timer, right after the “drx-onDuration Timer” as indicated in FIG. 11, e.g., for starting a power saving state, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time in the prior art teaches the limitation of “stopping, based on receiving the DCI during a DRX active time, a DRX on duration timer” as Applicant argued).
Based on the fact, Examiner respectfully disagrees that the prior art cited does not teach the independent claim 18 as mentioned by Applicants. Furthermore, the cited passages teach dependent claims 19 and 20 as well.
On pages 9-10 of the Response with respects to claims 13, 16 and 17, Applicants’ arguments have been fully considered but they are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. See MPEP 706.07(a).
Conclusion
12. 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 extension fee 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 WEI ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)270-5672. The examiner can normally be reached from 8:00AM to 5:00PM Monday through Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KWANG B. YAO can be reached on 5712723182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WEI ZHAO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473