DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA (or AIA ) first to invent provisions.
Response to Amendment
- The amendment filed on April 02, 2026 has been entered.
- Claims 1-20 are pending.
- Claims 1-20 are rejected.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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.
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(s) 1, 6, 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al. (Pub. No. US 2021/0274535 A1; hereinafter Yi) in view of Zhou et al. (Pub. No. US 20210243763 A1; hereinafter Zhou).
Regarding claim 1, Yi discloses the method comprising: receiving, from a base station, configuration information for a cell discontinuous reception (DRX); (See 0365, The command may be DCI indicating transitioning to a non-dormant state for the first cell. The command may be DCI indicating waking-up the first cell from a DRX OFF state; See 0379, command may be DCI transitioning the scheduling cell to a non-dormant state from a dormant state. The wireless device may determine a status of the scheduling cell, for example, based on the command. Determining the status may comprise determining whether one or more search spaces of the scheduling cell is being actively monitored (e.g., the scheduling cell is in a non-dormant state, in an active state, in DRX active time, and/or the like).)
However, Yi fails to disclose receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink shared channel; identifying a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback occasion for transmitting HARQ information for the PDSCH, wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell ; and transmitting, to the base station, the HARQ information for the PDSCH in the HARQ feedback occasion which overlaps with the duration
Zhou discloses receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink shared channel; (See 0485, At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI.) identifying a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback occasion for transmitting HARQ information for the PDSCH, wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell; (See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits) and transmitting, to the base station, the HARQ information for the PDSCH in the HARQ feedback occasion which overlaps with the duration (20210243763-See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits. The wireless device may transmit the positive acknowledgement via a PUCCH resource; interpreted that harq feedback is still occurring when the scell is in dormant state)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the DRX durations are synchronized by the base station configuration to include the HARQ feedback are overlapping in the dormant scell duration. The motivation to combine is In the power saving mode, a base station and/or the wireless device may employ reduced number of antenna port(s)/layers/TRPs/panels for DL/UL data transmission, compared with the normal function mode (See 0453).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Yi disclose a base station comprising: at least one transceiver;(inherent the base station has a transceiver to receive and transmit data) at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one transceiver; (inherent the base station has a transceiver to receive and transmit data and processor) and at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, storing instructions executable by the at least one processor individually or in any combination to cause (See 0247, Memory 1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by the processing system 1508) the base station to transmit to a user equipment (UE), configuration information for cell discontinuous reception (DRX) (See 0379, command may be DCI transitioning the scheduling cell to a non-dormant state from a dormant state. The wireless device may determine a status of the scheduling cell, for example, based on the command. Determining the status may comprise determining whether one or more search spaces of the scheduling cell is being actively monitored (e.g., the scheduling cell is in a non-dormant state, in an active state, in DRX active time, and/or the like).)
However, Yi fails to disclose transmit, to the UE, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and receive, from the UE, hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information for the PDSCH in a HARQ feedback occasion for the HARQ information, wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell DRX.
Zhou disclose transmit, to the UE, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), (See 0485, At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI.)
and receive, from the UE, hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information for the PDSCH in a HARQ feedback occasion for the HARQ information, (20210243763-See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits. The wireless device may transmit the positive acknowledgement via a PUCCH resource; interpreted that harq feedback is still occurring when the scell is in dormant state) wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell DRX. (20210243763-See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits. The wireless device may transmit the positive acknowledgement via a PUCCH resource; interpreted that harq feedback is still occurring when the scell is in dormant state)
Regarding claim 11, Yi disclose A user equipment (UE) comprising: at least one transceiver; (inherent the UE has transceiver to transmit and receive data) at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one transceiver; (inherent the UE has a processor that receives or transmits data from transceiver) and at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, storing instructions executable by the at least one processor individually or in any combination to cause the UE (See 0247, Memory 1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by the processing system 1508) receiving, from a base station, configuration information for a cell discontinuous reception (DRX); (See 0379, command may be DCI transitioning the scheduling cell to a non-dormant state from a dormant state. The wireless device may determine a status of the scheduling cell, for example, based on the command. Determining the status may comprise determining whether one or more search spaces of the scheduling cell is being actively monitored (e.g., the scheduling cell is in a non-dormant state, in an active state, in DRX active time, and/or the like).)
However, Yi fails to disclose receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink shared channel; identifying a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback occasion for transmitting HARQ information for the PDSCH, wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell DRX; and transmitting, to the base station, the HARQ information for the PDSCH in the HARQ feedback occasion which overlaps with the duration
Zhou discloses receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink shared channel; (See 0485, At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI.) identifying a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback occasion for transmitting HARQ information for the PDSCH, wherein the HARQ feedback occasion overlaps with a duration for which a cell is not in an active period of the cell DRX; (See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits) and transmitting, to the base station, the HARQ information for the PDSCH in the HARQ feedback occasion which overlaps with the duration (20210243763-See 0485, The downlink control channel is of the SCell, or another cell (e.g., PCell, or another SCell). At 3640, the wireless device determine the DCI indicates a dormancy state transition of the SCell based on one or more DCI fields of the DCI being set to predefined value. At 3650, the wireless device transitions the SCell to a dormant state. The wireless device switches the active BWP of the SCell to another BWP of the SCell, based on receiving the DCI. At 3660, the wireless device transmits a positive acknowledgement for a reception of the DCI at a time (a symbol and/or a slot) determined based on a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field of the DCI. The wireless device transmits the positive acknowledgement in one or more UCI bits. The wireless device may transmit the positive acknowledgement via a PUCCH resource; interpreted that harq feedback is still occurring when the scell is in dormant state)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the DRX durations are synchronized by the base station configuration to include the HARQ feedback are overlapping in the dormant scell duration. The motivation to combine is In the power saving mode, a base station and/or the wireless device may employ reduced number of antenna port(s)/layers/TRPs/panels for DL/UL data transmission, compared with the normal function mode (See 0453).
Claim(s) 2-5, 7-10, 12-15 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi in view of Zhou and further in view of Babaei et al. (Pub. No. US 2019/0215897 A1; hereinafter Babaei).
Regarding Claims 2, 7, 12 and 17, Yi in view of Zhou fails to disclose starting a DRX HARQ round trip time timer for downlink for a corresponding HARQ process in a first symbol after an end of a transmission of the HARQ information.
Babaei discloses starting a DRX HARQ round trip time timer for downlink (drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL) for a corresponding HARQ process in a first symbol after an end of a transmission of the HARQ information. (2019/0215897-Figure 31, shows after the new transmission the first symbol goes to the DL HARQ RTT)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses both the UE and base station has synchronized drx duration to include the rtt timer to receive a packet. The motivation to combine is efficiently specify a minimum duration from the time new transmission is received and before the UE may expect a retransmission of a same packet (See ¶0439).
Regarding Claim 3, 8, 13 and 18, Yi in view of Zhou fails to disclose upon an expiry of the drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL, starting a DRX retransmission timer for downlink for the corresponding HARQ process in a first symbol after the expiry of the drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL.
Babaei discloses upon an expiry of the drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL, starting a DRX retransmission timer for downlink (drx-RetransmissionTimerDL) for the corresponding HARQ process in a first symbol after the expiry of the drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL. (Figure 31, shows after DL HARQ RTT expires the first symbol goes to drx-DLRetransmissiontimer)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses both the UE and base station has synchronized drx duration to include the timer to receive a retransmitted packet. The motivation to combine is efficiently determine the maximum duration for which UE may be monitoring PDCCH when a retransmission from the eNodeB is expected by the UE (See ¶0440).
Regarding claims 4, 9, 14 and 19, Yi in view of Zhou fails to disclose receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink control channel for retransmission while the drx-RetransmissionTimerDL is running.
Babaei discloses receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for retransmission while the drx-RetransmissionTimerDL is running. (See ¶0040, drx-RetransmissionTimer may indicate a maximum duration for which UE may be monitoring PDCCH when a retransmission from the eNodeB is expected by the UE; See ¶0453, When the drx-RetransmissionTimer is running, the UE may receive a second DCI indicating a DL grant for the retransmission of the TB.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses both the UE and base station has synchronized drx duration to include the timer to receive a retransmitted packet. The motivation to combine is efficiently determine the maximum duration for which UE may be monitoring PDCCH when a retransmission from the eNodeB is expected by the UE (See ¶0440).
Regarding Claim 5, 10, 15 and 20, Yi in view of Zhou fails to disclose the PDSCH is received based on a PDCCH received from the base station.
Babaei discloses the PDSCH is received based on a PDCCH received from the base station. (See 340, a gNB may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH for scheduling decision and power-control commends; See 352, When a UE receives a DCI indicating DL BWP switching from an active BWP to a new BWP, the UE may monitor PDCCH and/or receive PDSCH on the new BWP)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses both the UE and base station has synchronized drx duration to include the rtt timer to receive a packet. The motivation to combine is efficiently specify a minimum duration from the time new transmission is received and before the UE may expect a retransmission of a same packet (See ¶0439).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect toward claim(s) 1, 6, 11 and 16 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Manolakos et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0097008 A1)-See 0005, he processor is further configured to send, via the transceiver, an indication to a network entity indicating at least one of: that a particular secondary cell is in the dormant state; or that the particular secondary cell may be dynamically configured to be in the dormant state; or that a configured positioning signal is within a bandwidth of the particular secondary cell and the particular secondary cell is in the dormant state; or that the configured positioning signal is within the bandwidth of the particular secondary cell and the particular secondary cell may be dynamically configured to be in the dormant state.
Kubota et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0049270 A1)-See 0023, Generally, if a UE in an idle mode/RRC inactive state (e.g., DRX OFF period) is camped on a cell, and the cell turns off (e.g., enters a DTX OFF period or inactive state), the UE may be confused leading to service disruption. For example, this may occur when the next UE DRX ON period does not overlap with a DTX ON period of the cell. This condition may also lead to UE power wastage since the UE may have to reselect another cell to listen to pages, which is not optimal, especially for IOE (Internet of Everything) devices which want to optimize their energy savings.
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.
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/Tejis Daya/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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