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 3/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the restriction by original presentation of claims 31-34, applicant argues that the start and stop monitoring operations are complementary and inseparable branches of a single unified protocol, and therefor claim 31 has unity with claims 9, 20 and 22. Examiner respectfully traverses this argument.
Examiner first notes that if in fact the start and stop monitoring operations were inseparable branches of a single unified protocol, then any claim reciting one operation but not the other would be lacking a essential steps/features and subject to a corresponding USC 112(a) rejection. However, it is the examiner’s belief that the particular start and stop monitoring operations recited separately in claims 9, 20 and 22 (start) and claim 31 (stop) are in fact separable. Examiner notes US 2022/0132464 (Agiwal et al.), which recites a similar if not identical start monitoring operation but does not appear to recite a stop monitoring operation as recited in claim 31. Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the arts would easily recognize that the UE of claims 9, 20 and 22 could stop paging without going through the particular stop monitoring operation recited in claims 31.
With respect to the USC 102a2 rejection of claims 9, 20 and 22, applicant argues that Agiwal fails to teach receive a dedicated message comprising a request to start monitoring at least one paging occasion for a remote UE, wherein the request indicates that paging monitoring for the remote UE is to be initiated, examiner respectfully traverses this argument as well.
Examiner first notes that Merriam webster defines “indicates” as
1
a(1)
: SHOW SENSE 5
The map indicates where the treasure is buried.
(2)
: to point out or point to
I asked for the exit and he indicated a path down the hall.
b
: to be a sign, symptom, symbol, or index of
The high fever indicates a serious condition.
A new paragraph indicates a change of subject.
c
: to demonstrate or suggest the necessity or advisability of
indicated the need for a new school
the indicated treatment
Further testing is indicated.
2
: to state or express briefly
indicated a desire to cooperate
Applicant’s argument that the “Paging monitoring request” of Agiwal is an implied and not explicit instruction to begin monitoring requires a narrower than necessary reading of the claimed “indicates”.
Applicant further argues that the UE of Agiwal defers to the network, after receiving the “Paging monitoring request”, to confirm whether to monitoring is feasible. Examiner respectfully traverses this argument.
Examiner first notes that claims 9, 20 and 22 do not explicitly preclude the UE from receiving further feedback from the network to begin monitoring after receiving the “Paging monitoring request”. Furthermore, figure 11 of Agiwal does in fact teach the UE monitoring POs without any further feedback or permission from the network (see S1115-A and S1150).
For at least these reasons, applicant’s arguments are found to be unpersuasive.
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 (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 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 9-10, 14-16 and 20-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by US 2022/0132464 (Agiwal et al.).
As to claims 9, 20 and 22, Agiwal teaches a relay user equipment (UE) (2100, fig 21), comprising: at least one memory (2130, fig 21); and at least one processor (2110, fig 21) coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the relay UE to:
receive a dedicated message comprising a request to start monitoring at least one paging occasion for a remote UE, wherein the request indicates that paging monitoring for the remote UE is to be initiated (see S1110-A/B, fig 11, and paragraph 470);
determine whether the relay UE is on an active bandwidth part (BWP) associated with a configured common search space that includes a paging search space (see S1115-A, fig 11, and paragraph 473);
in response to determining that the relay UE is not on the active BWP, transmit an identity of the remote UE to a network (see S1120, fig 11, and paragraph 474); and
in response to determining that the relay UE is on the active BWP, monitor for a paging message during the at least one paging occasion of the remote UE (see S1150, fig 11, and paragraph 477).
As to claims 10 and 30, Agiwal further wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to receive the request during a radio resource control (RRC) connected state (see S1105, fig 11).
As to claims 14 and 29, Agiwal further teaches wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to transmit an update to the network in response to adding the remote UE or removing the remote UE from a list for monitoring paging (see paragraph 474, paging identities of new remote UEs sending monitoring requests would be sent to gNB in a list of paging identities).
As to claims 15 and 27, Agiwal further teaches wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to switch from the active BWP to an initial downlink BWP to monitor the paging occasions based at least in part on an indication (see paragraphs 68 and 552).
As to claims 16 and 28, Agiwal further teaches wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to receive, from the network, the indication to switch from the active BWP to the initial downlink BWP (see paragraphs 68 and 552).
As to claims 21 and 23, Agiwal further teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the relay UE to calculate the paging occasions based on the identity of the remote UE and a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle (see paragraph 8).
As to claim 24, Agiwal further teaches wherein the identity comprises a temporary identifier associated with the remote UE (see paragraph 474).
As to claim 25, Agiwal further teaches wherein the temporary identifier is a temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) (see paragraph 474).
As to claim 26, Agiwal further teaches wherein monitoring for the paging message comprises monitoring using a paging radio network temporary identifier (P- RNTI) (see S1180, fig 11).
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 MAZDA SABOURI whose telephone number is (571)272-8892. The examiner can normally be reached 10 am-7 pm.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Appiah can be reached at 571-272-7904. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAZDA SABOURI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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