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 .
This is a final action for application number 18/540,528 in response to an amendment filed on 04/06/2026; the original application filed on 12/14/2023.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Claims 1, 18 and 20 are independent claims.
Claims 1-20 have been amended.
Claims 1-17 and 20 are rejected
Claims 18 and 19 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments with respect to claims 1-17 and 20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murray et al. (US 2022/0191793 A1) in view of Thangarasa et al. US2020/0178172 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 20, a user equipment (UE), [Figure 1F, UE 102], comprising:
one or more antennas, [Figure 1F, UE 102 includes antenna 122],
and a processing system that includes one or more processors, and one or more memories that store code for the one or more processors, the processing system [Figure 1F, UE 102 includes processor 118], configured to cause the UE to:
receive configuration information, [receive, from a second apparatus, information including a plurality of Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configurations, (Murray et al., Paragraph 5)], indicating a plurality of discontinuous reception (DRX) configurations, [wherein one of the plurality of DRX configurations is a first active DRX configuration and other DRX configurations are candidate DRX configurations, (Murray et al., Paragraph 5)],
and communicate in accordance with a selected DRX configuration of the plurality of DRX configurations, [the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, for example NR and IEEE 802.11 or NR and E-UTRA, or to communicate with the same RAT via multiple beams to different RRHs, TRPs, RSUs, or nodes, (Murray et al., Paragraph 92)],
Murray et al. fails to explicitly teach that the selected DRX configuration is selected using one or more criteria comprising at least one of:
a buffer status threshold, a delay status threshold, or a power consumption threshold,
Thangarasa et al. teaches that the use power saving signal can be enabled based on the used DRX configurations. If the UE is configured to wake up frequently then it might be beneficial to not configure the UE with any power saving signal because it may lead to increased signaling overhead while the gain power saving might not be significant. In this case, the network node 115 may only configure the UE to use power saving signal (WUS, GTS or both) when the configured DRX threshold is greater than a first activity threshold, (Thangarasa et al., Paragraph 115),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Murray et al. by that the selected DRX configuration is selected using a power consumption threshold, (Thangarasa et al., Paragraph 115), in order to enhance uplink and downlink coverage, (Thangarasa et al., Paragraph 3).
Regarding claim 2, the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise the buffer status threshold, [the UE may use the BSR to inform the base station of the traffic pattern or traffic type associated with the buffer being reported to the base station, (Murray et al., Paragraph 193)].
Regarding claim 3, the UE of claim 2, wherein the processing system further configured to cause the UE to transmit a buffer status report, wherein, to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration, the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration based on comparing the buffer status threshold and a buffer status indicated by the buffer status report, [the UE behavior may be adapted such that different DRX configuration parameter values may be applied to match the DRX behavior to the DL traffic pattern, (Murray et al., Paragraph 257)].
Regarding claim 4, the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise the delay status threshold, [Each logical channel could be configured with a delay tolerance. If data becomes available for transmission while within DRX and the next DRX cycle start is within the logical channels delay tolerance the SR may not be triggered or delayed, (Murray et al., Paragraph 211)].
Regarding claim 5, the UE of claim 4, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to transmit a delay status report, wherein, to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration, the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration based on comparing the delay status threshold and a delay status indicated by the delay status report, [the UE behavior may be adapted such that different DRX configuration parameter values may be applied to match the DRX behavior to the DL traffic pattern, (Murray et al., Paragraph 257)].
Regarding claim 6, the UE of claim 4, wherein the selected DRX configuration is a deactivated DRX configuration in which a DRX cycle is deactivated in association with the delay status threshold being satisfied, [allowing a UE to be configured with multiple DRX configurations that are optimized for different types of services and can be dynamically activated/deactivated simultaneously with the activation of a suitable BWP can also provide additional power savings, (Murray et al., Paragraph 204)].
Regarding claim 7, the UE of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to transmit an indication of the selected DRX configuration, [Murray et al., Figure 3, UE assistance information].
Regarding claim 8, the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise the power consumption threshold, [the use power saving signal can be enabled based on the used DRX configurations. If the UE is configured to wake up frequently then it might be beneficial to not configure the UE with any power saving signal because it may lead to increased signaling overhead while the gain power saving might not be significant. In this case, the network node 115 may only configure the UE to use power saving signal (WUS, GTS or both) when the configured DRX threshold is greater than a first activity threshold, (Thangarasa et al., Paragraph 115)].
Regarding claim 9, the UE of claim 8, wherein the power consumption threshold is a transmit power threshold of the UE, [the use power saving signal can be enabled based on the used DRX configurations. If the UE is configured to wake up frequently then it might be beneficial to not configure the UE with any power saving signal because it may lead to increased signaling overhead while the gain power saving might not be significant. In this case, the network node 115 may only configure the UE to use power saving signal (WUS, GTS or both) when the configured DRX threshold is greater than a first activity threshold, (Thangarasa et al., Paragraph 115)].
Regarding claim 10, the UE of claim 9, wherein the processing system further configured to cause the UE to transmit a communication at a transmit power, wherein, to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration, the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to communicate in accordance with the selected DRX configuration based on comparing the transmit power threshold and the transmit power, [using the power savings signal/channel to adapt the DRX behavior to match the traffic pattern, (Murray et al., Paragraph 176)].
Regarding claim 11, the UE of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to select the selected DRX configuration in accordance with the one or more criteria and an active bandwidth part condition of the UE, [allowing a UE to be configured with multiple DRX configurations that are optimized for different types of services and can be dynamically activated/deactivated simultaneously with the activation of a suitable BWP can also provide additional power savings, (Murray et al., Paragraph 204)].
Regarding claim 12, the UE of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to receive signaling that indicates the active bandwidth part of the UE, [a DRX configuration may be configured for each BWP as shown in FIG. 6, thereby allowing a suitable DRX configuration to be activated implicitly when a BWP activated, (Murray et al., Paragraph 206)].
Regarding claim 13, the UE of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the UE to receive a configuration of the one or more criteria, [The DRX configuration used for a given BWP may be configured via higher layer signaling; e.g. RRC, (Murray et al., Paragraph 206)].
Regarding claim 14, the UE of claim 11, wherein the active bandwidth part condition of the UE indicates that the selected DRX configuration is associated with an active bandwidth part of the UE, [allowing a UE to be configured with multiple DRX configurations that are optimized for different types of services and can be dynamically activated/deactivated simultaneously with the activation of a suitable BWP can also provide additional power savings, (Murray et al., Paragraph 204)].
Regarding claim 15, the UE of claim 14, wherein the processing system, to cause the UE to select the selected DRX configuration, is configured to cause the UE to select the selected DRX configuration in accordance with the one or more criteria and at least one of a logical channel or a quality of service flow, [Each logical channel could be configured with a delay tolerance. If data becomes available for transmission while within DRX and the next DRX cycle start is within the logical channels delay tolerance the SR may not be triggered or delayed, (Murray et al., Paragraph 211)].
Regarding claim 16, the UE of claim 14, wherein the processing system, to cause the UE to select the selected DRX configuration, is configured to cause the UE to select the selected DRX configuration in accordance with two or more of the buffer status threshold, the delay status threshold, or the power consumption threshold, [using different DRX cycles for each DRX configuration is not precluded. Nor is using a CORESET for the WUS monitoring occasion that is outside the active BWP, (Murray et al., Paragraph 205)].
Regarding claim 17, the UE of claim 1, wherein the processing system, to cause the UE to communicate using the selected DRX configuration, is configured to cause the UE to monitor for a physical downlink control channel in accordance with at least one of an on duration, an inactivity timer, or a cycle length defined by the selected DRX configuration, [PDCCH or GC-PDCCH, is not precluded. In this example, the DRX configurations are shown to have the same DRX cycle; and the CORESET for the WUS monitoring occasion is shown to be in the active BWP. However, using different DRX cycles for each DRX configuration is not precluded, (Murray et al., Paragraph 205)].
Conclusion
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 Shukri Taha whose telephone number is 571-270-1921. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached on 571-272-3905.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/SHUKRI TAHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Prosecution Insights