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 with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(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, 3-6, 8-11, 13-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsai et al. (US 2025/0212290, hereinafter Tsai’290).
Regarding claim 1, Tsai discloses
A method performed by a terminal user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system (¶ [0323]: As illustrated in FIG. 10, a node 1000 may include a transceiver 1020, a processor 1028, a memory 1034, one or more presentation components 1038, and at least one antenna 1036; ¶ [0324]: The node 1000 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a base station, UE capability information including first information indicating whether the UE supports a non-integer discontinuous reception (DRX) periodicity (¶ [0069]: the DRX cycle may specify the periodic repetition of the on-duration followed by a possible period of inactivity (e.g., configured by the drx-LongCycleStartOffset, drx-ShortCycle, and/or drx-ShortCycle Timer); ¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference));
receiving, from the base station, a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a DRX configuration, the DRX configuration including a DRX non-integer cycle; and configuring the DRX non-integer cycle based on the information on the DRX configuration (¶ [0083]: the process 300 may start by receiving, from a BS, a first RRC reconfiguration message including a first DRX configuration for a first serving cell. The first DRX configuration may indicate at least one non-integer value for a DRX cycle. The first DRX configuration may configure a first DRX active time for the UE).
Regarding claim 11, Tsai discloses A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: a transceiver and a controller operably coupled to the transceiver, the controller configured to: … (¶ [0323]: As illustrated in FIG. 10, a node 1000 may include a transceiver 1020, a processor 1028, a memory 1034, one or more presentation components 1038, and at least one antenna 1036; ¶ [0324]: The node 1000 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9).
Regarding claim 6, Tsai discloses
A method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system (¶ [0323]: As illustrated in FIG. 10, a node 1000 may include a transceiver 1020, a processor 1028, a memory 1034, one or more presentation components 1038, and at least one antenna 1036; ¶ [0324]: The node 1000 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9), the method comprising:
receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a UE capability information including first information indicating whether the UE supports a non-integer discontinuous reception (DRX) periodicity (¶ [0069]: the DRX cycle may specify the periodic repetition of the on-duration followed by a possible period of inactivity (e.g., configured by the drx-LongCycleStartOffset, drx-ShortCycle, and/or drx-ShortCycle Timer); ¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference));
transmitting, to the UE, a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a DRX configuration, the DRX configuration including a DRX non-integer cycle; and configuring the DRX non-integer cycle for the UE based on the information on the DRX configuration (¶ [0083]: the process 300 may start by receiving, from a BS, a first RRC reconfiguration message including a first DRX configuration for a first serving cell. The first DRX configuration may indicate at least one non-integer value for a DRX cycle. The first DRX configuration may configure a first DRX active time for the UE).
Regarding claim 16, Tsai discloses A base station in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising: a transceiver and a controller operably coupled to the transceiver, the controller configured to: … (¶ [0323]: As illustrated in FIG. 10, a node 1000 may include a transceiver 1020, a processor 1028, a memory 1034, one or more presentation components 1038, and at least one antenna 1036; ¶ [0324]: The node 1000 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9).
Regarding claims 3, 8, 13, and 18, Tsai discloses
wherein the RRC reconfiguration message (¶ [0083]: the process 300 may start by receiving, from a BS, a first RRC reconfiguration message including a first DRX configuration for a first serving cell. The first DRX configuration may indicate at least one non-integer value for a DRX cycle. The first DRX configuration may configure a first DRX active time for the UE) includes SFN information (¶ [0146]: if the UE is indicated to (re) start the DRX timer by default and if the Short DRX cycle is used for a DRX group, and [(SFN×10)+subframe number] modulo (drx-ShortCycle)=(drx-StartOffset) modulo (drx-ShortCycle), the UE may start DRX timer after drx-SlotOffset from the beginning of the subframe) associated with the DRX non-integer cycle (¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference)).
Regarding claims 4, 9, 14, and 19, Tsai discloses
wherein the UE capability information further includes second information indicating whether the UE supports sending UE assistance information (UAI) with uplink (UL) traffic information,
wherein the RRC reconfiguration message (¶ [0083]: the process 300 may start by receiving, from a BS, a first RRC reconfiguration message including a first DRX configuration for a first serving cell. The first DRX configuration may indicate at least one non-integer value for a DRX cycle. The first DRX configuration may configure a first DRX active time for the UE) further includes at least one of third information indicating to report uplink traffic information or fourth information indicating a prohibit timer associated with the uplink traffic information (¶ [0072]: the DRX HARQ RTT timer may include a minimum duration before a DL assignment for a HARQ retransmission (configured by drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDI.) or the minimum duration before a UL HARQ retransmission grant (configured by drx-HARQ-RTT-Timer (II.)), and
wherein the UAI including the uplink traffic information is transmitted to the base station, the uplink traffic information including at least one of information on a quality of service (QoS) flow identity (QFI) or information on a traffic periodicity (¶ [0069]: the DRX cycle may specify the periodic repetition of the on-duration followed by a possible period of inactivity (e.g., configured by the drx-LongCycleStartOffset, drx-ShortCycle, and/or drx-ShortCycle Timer); ¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference)).
Regarding claims 5, 10, 15, and 20, Tsai discloses
wherein the DRX configuration includes at least one of DRX cycle information in a non-integer format related to a long DRX configuration or DRX cycle information in the non-integer format related to a short DRX configuration (¶ [0069]: the DRX cycle may specify the periodic repetition of the on-duration followed by a possible period of inactivity (e.g., configured by the drx-LongCycleStartOffset, drx-ShortCycle, and/or drx-ShortCycle Timer); ¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 2, 7, 12, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2025/0212290, hereinafter Tsai’290) in view of Tsai et al. (US 2025/0203707, hereinafter Tsai’70C).
Regarding claims 2, 7. 12, and 17, Tsai’290discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the DRX non-integer cycle includes at least one of information on a numerator and a denominator in an integer. Tsai’70C from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the DRX non-integer cycle (¶ [0309]: The specific information may be transmitted via a UE capability information/UECapabilityInformation IE (e.g., the UE capability information for XR, for non-integer DRX cycle, and/or for DRX preference)) includes at least one of information on a numerator and a denominator in an integer (¶ [0080]: the specific DRX configuration may indicate a value for deriving the specific DRX cycle. Specifically, the value for deriving the specific DRX may be an integer/denominator/fraction/decimal). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the teaching of Tsai’290 by implementing specific DRX configuration indicating the value for deriving the specific DRX may be an integer/denominator/fraction/decimal of Tsai’70C. The motivation would have been to improve extended Reality (XR) services in wireless communications (Tsai’70C ¶ [0003]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nagano et al. (US 2025/0126678) discloses “he terminal apparatus 10 transmits, to the base station apparatus 20, a user equipment capability information (UECapabilityInformation) message including information indicating that a plurality of DRX configurations are configurable for the terminal apparatus 10” (¶ [0120]) and “a user equipment (UE) assistance information message including assistance information, the assistance information being for configuration of a value of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle corresponding to a traffic with a non-integer periodicity” (claim 1).
Sha et al. (US 2024/0349302) discloses “the plurality of sets of DRX configurations may also be used for DRX configurations of non-integer cycle … the UE is configured with the following 3 C-DRX parameters to map the traffic pattern” (¶ [0126]).
He et al. (US 2023/0413104) discloses “XR traffic bursts may arrive at non-integer periods (e.g., in a non-integer cycle)” (¶ [0135]) and “When the UE is in an RRC connected state, the DRX may also be referred to as connected mode DRX (C-DRX)” (¶ [0143]).
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 Jae Y. Lee whose telephone number is (571) 270-3936. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
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. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
Prosecution Insights