DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/18/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 05/19/2026 for response of the office action mailed on 02/19/2026. Independent Claims 110 and 127 and dependent Claims 111-113,116,118-119,121-122,124-126 and 130 are amended. Claim 123 is canceled. Claim 130 is newly added. Claims 110-122 and 124-130 are pending in the application.
Applicant’s amendments to the Claims, particularly Claims 110, 113, 116, 123 and 127 have overcome each and every objection set forth in the office action mailed 02/19/2026.
In light of applicant’s amendments to Claims 110, 118 and 127, the rejection of Claims 110-129 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed May 19, 2026 with respect to Claims 110-129 (as amended) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Main argument: re the rejection of Claims 110-129 under 35 USC § 103
Applicant argues (page 12) that Zhou does not cure the deficiencies of AWADEIN and WEI with respect to the amended Claim 110, further arguing (page 14) the cited combination of AWADIN, WEI, and Zhou does not provide a teaching, suggestion, or motivation to modify AWADIN's BWP/CFR configuration with WEI's on-demand MBS system information procedure and Zhou's assistance signaling in such a manner that the UE performs the claimed operations. The Examiner's rejection therefore relies on hindsight reconstruction using Applicant's amended claim as a roadmap.
Accordingly, Applicant respectfully submits that amended claim 110 is patentable over the cited arts.
Reply to Main Argument: Examiner respectfully disagrees.
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Here, as cited in the office action herein, the combination/modification of the teachings of the cited references (AWADIN, WEI and Zhou) perform the method as claimed and disclose the apparatus as claimed in amended Claim 110. As cited in Claim 123 of the office action (02/19/2026), which is incorporated in Claim 110, as amended, Zhou is relied upon to teach the wireless device/UE transmitting MBS-assistance information when the UE is interested in an associated MBS Session (¶0324, cited herein), which examiner interprets as the procedural step/limitation.
In response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
The cited references AWADIN and WEI and Zhou disclose a device and method for supporting multicast and broadcast services (MBS) with an aim/goal of reducing signaling overhead, reduce misalignment among devices and support efficiency.
Further, with respect to Claim 110 and use of an “if” condition, “Claim scope is not limited by claim language that suggests or makes optional but does not require steps to be performed,” MPEP 2111.04. "
Therefore, the examiner maintains the rejection of independent Claims 110 and 127, as amended in view of the cited references herein.
Claim Objections
Claims 110-130 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 110, line 16 and Claim 127, line 18 recites “PDCCH” without expansion of the abbreviation in the claim at its first occurrence.
Claims 111-126 and 128-130 are objected to by virtue of their dependency (directly or indirectly) on Claims 110 and 127, respectively.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 non-obviousness.
Claims 110 –115, 118-122, 124, and 127- 129 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AWADIN et al. (US 20220303892 A1), hereinafter AWADIN, in view of WEI et al (US 20230051095 A1), hereinafter WEI and further in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230199739 A1), hereinafter Zhou.
Regarding Claim 110, AWADIN teaches a group-common resource allocation method for multicast and broadcast service (MBS), performed by a user equipment (UE) in a network, (¶0004, ¶0013-0014, group-common resource allocation method for MBS performed by a UE in a wireless network) the method comprising: . . .
receiving from the base station MBS related system information in response to the on-demand MBS system information request, on an associated DL active BWP (AWADIN, ¶0099 and Table, the initial BWP has the frequency resources configured by SIB1; examiner interprets the SIB1, (system information block), interpreted to correspond to “system related information” ); see also WEI, ¶0018-¶0020, base station transmitting MBS-related information in response to receiving on-demand MBS system information from UE;
being configured a BWP with one or more group-common resources for MBS by the base station [based on the MBS related system information; (AWADIN, ¶0013 the CFR [common frequency resource] / “group common resources” may be contained within a unicast default/initial BWP, and the controller may be further configured to control the interface to resume monitoring communication activity in the CFR based on the interface switching from a wide bandwidth to the unicast default/initial BWP);
staying on the BWP, which is an active BWP for monitoring the one or more group-common resources for MBS reception without any BWP switching (AWADIN, ¶0004, UE may start BWP-Inactivity Timer, i.e., stay in active BWP for a longer period of time, interpreted to correspond to “without any BWP switching”) , wherein the one or more group-common resources for MBS are confined with unicast resources of the BWP (AWADIN, FIG. 5, ¶0020; ¶0111, MBS CFR/ “group-common resources” are configured to be confined within an active unicast BWP; see also ¶0013-0014).
AWADIN does not explicitly teach transmitting to a base station an on-demand MBS system information request on an associated UL active bandwidth part (BWP);
However, in the analogous art, WEI explicitly discloses transmitting to a base station an on-demand MBS system information request on an associated UL active bandwidth part (BWP) (WEI, ¶0075; ¶0078, transmitting to a gNB/”base station” an on-demand system information/ MBS-SI request, interpreted to occur on active UL BWP; FIG. 1; ¶0180 communication has an uplink and downlink path, ¶0077, request including an indication related to switching to the on-demand MBS-SI window; see also ¶0149-0151, BS/”base station” response).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device with WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information. The motivation would be to improve coexisting situations of multicast and unicast reception and reduce signaling overhead [WEI, ¶0011; ¶0155].
AWADIN and WEI do not explicitly teach if an interest MBS BWP switching indication is not explicitly indicated in a group-common PDCCH, transmitting MBS-assistance information on an ongoing UL BWP and receiving MBS data on associated DL BWP without any MBS BWP switching; or transmitting the MBS-assistance information when the UB is interested in an associated MBS session, wherein the MBS-assistance information is used for MBS request without any MBS BWP switching.
However, in the analogous art, Zhou explicitly discloses if an interest MBS BWP switching indication is not explicitly indicated in a group-common PDCCH, transmitting MBS-assistance information on an ongoing UL BWP and receiving MBS data on associated DL BWP without any MBS BWP switching; or transmitting the MBS-assistance information when the UB is interested in an associated MBS session, wherein the MBS-assistance information is used for MBS request without any MBS BWP switching (Zhou, ¶0324, wireless device/”UE” may transmit to a base station first messages indicating whether the wireless device is interested in an MBS session, in addition to unicast PDSCH reception on a BWP . . [t]he first messages may comprise a wireless device MBS interest message, a wireless device assistance information message . . . the base station to configure CFR for an MBS session to a wireless device based on MBS interests of the wireless device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device and WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information with Zhou’s frequency resource allocation method for MBS. The motivation would be to improve power efficiency and radio resource efficiency for MBS transmission on a BWP. [Zhou, ¶0324].
Regarding Claim 111, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches the one or more group-common resources and the resources of the BWP support simultaneous reception of multicast and unicast respectively, using a same numerology in a same slot (AWADIN, ¶0098, the CFR is defined as an MBS specific BWP, which is associated with the dedicated unicast BWP and using the same numerology (SCS and CP) FFS BWP switching is needed between the multicast reception in the MBS specific BWP and unicast reception in its associated dedicated BWP; see also TABLE-US-00009, from a RAN1 perspective, the CFR (common frequency resource) for multicast of RRC- CONNECTED UEs, which is confined within the frequency resource of a dedicated unicast BWP and using the same numerology (SCS and CP)).
Regarding Claim 112, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches the one or more group-common resources for MBS is in an MBS specific region with a number of contiguous physical resource blocks (PRBs) on the BWP, and the MBS data scheduled on the one or more group-common resources for MBS are operated with unicast data on the BWP (AWADIN, ¶0097 the CFR for MBS confined within the associated unicast BWP. . . CFR is defined as a MBS region / ‘MBS frequency region’ / “MBS specific region” with a number of contiguous physical resource blocks (PRBs)) which is configured within the dedicated unicast BWP; see TABLE-US-00008 Agreement); ¶0112, MBS CFR refers to a MBS specific BWP or a MBS frequency region having a number of contiguous PRBs).
Regarding Claim 113, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 112.
AWADIN further teaches the one or more group-common resources for MBS comprises a group-common physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource for MBS (AWADIN, FIG. 6, ¶0117, ¶0118; TABLE-US-8, US-10, resources comprise PDCCH/ PDSCH for MBS), and
wherein the one or more group-common resources transmitted in PDCCH or the PDSCH are used to transmit at least one of the MBS related system information, a MBS configuration, a MBS paging, a MBS switching indication or the MBS data (AWADIN FIG. 6, ¶0117, 603, the UE receives a MBS transmission as either a PDCCH or a PDSCH for MBS).
Regarding Claim 114, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 112.
AWADIN further teaches MBS using point-to-multipoint (PTM) transmission mode is delivered by multicast radio bearer (MRB) for given UEs as well as group-common PDCCH scheduled PTM PDSCH data is scrambled by a specific G-RNTI (AWADIN, FIG. 10, ¶0013-0014, the PDCCH may include a Group Common-Physical Downlink Control Channel (GC-PDCCH) scrambled by a Group-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (G-RNTI) for dynamic scheduling a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), or a GC-PDCCH scrambled by a Group-Configured Scheduling-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (G-CS-RNTI) for activation/deactivation of a Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) PDSCH; ¶0112, a GC-PDCCH PDCCH scrambled by a Group-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (G-RNTI), for point-to-multipoint (PTM) scheme 1 or a UE-specific PDCCH for PTM scheme 2).
Regarding Claim 115, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 112.
AWADIN further teaches MBS using point-to-point (PTP) transmissions mode is delivered by specific data radio bearer (DRB) with scrambled C-RNTI for a given UE as well as PDCCH scheduled PTP PDSCH data is scrambled by a specific C-RNTI (AWADIN, ¶0122 DCI format 1_0 scrambled with a C-RNTI has 10 reserved bits that may be used for indications and/or information relating to the presence/absence of MBS activities; ¶0157, a PTP scheme in which a UE-specific PDCCH is transmitted, reception of a PDCCH either scrambled with a C-RNTI . . .).
Regarding Claim 118, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches the BWP is a MBS BWP or a unicast BWP (AWADIN, ¶0013), and the one or more group-common resources are on an initial MBS BWP, a default MBS BWP or an active MBS BWP, (AWADIN, ¶0013 the CFR [common frequency resource] / “group common resources” may be contained within a unicast default/initial BWP, and the controller may be further configured to control the interface to resume monitoring communication activity in the CFR based on the interface switching from a wide bandwidth to the unicast default/initial [MBS] BWP), and
the one or more group-common resources are on an initial MBS BWP, a default MBS BWP or an active MBS BWP [check 110], where the initial MBS BWP is a MBS BWP overlapped with or the same as an initial unicast BWP without any MBS BWP switching, the default MBS BWP is a MBS BWP using same numerology with the unicast BWP, and the active MBS BWP is a MBS BWP activated for transmission or reception of MBS control information or data (AWADIN, ¶0098, the CFR is defined as an MBS specific BWP, which is associated with the dedicated unicast BWP and using the same numerology (SCS and CP) FFS BWP switching is needed between the multicast reception in the MBS specific BWP and unicast reception in its associated dedicated BWP).
Claim 119-121 are dependent on “further limiting” disclosed alternative “unselected” limitations to the limitation examined “selected” in Claim 118 herein.
Regarding Claim 122, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches receiving [at least one of a MBS configuration] or the MBS data on the associated DL active BWP via point-to-point (PTP) mode without any MBS BWP switching (AWADIN, ¶0142 a UE-specific PDCCH that may still schedule MBS according to a point-to-point (PTP) scheme; and ¶0098, a common frequency resource (CFR) for group- common PDCCH/PDSCH is confined within the frequency resource of a dedicated unicast BWP ; AWADIN, ¶0004, UE may start BWP-Inactivity Timer, i.e., stay in active BWP for a longer period of time, interpreted to correspond to “without any BWP switching”).
Regarding Claim 124, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches the MBS-assistance information is indicated by at least one of the on-demand system information request, interest indication, counting signaling, MBS HARQ ACK/NACK feedback, proximity indication, MBS measurement report or MBS scheduling request (AWADIN, ¶0123, to ensure that a UE and a gNB are aligned regarding the monitoring of MBS PDCCH, a UE that may stop monitoring MBS activates after transmitting HARQ-Ack/Nack or not transmitting Nack-only based HARQ to the PDSCH scheduled/triggered by a PDCCH carrying an indication of an absence of MBS activities FIG. 8, ¶0124).
Regarding Claim 127, the claim discloses similar features of Claim 110 and is rejected same rationales of Claims 110 (a group-common resource allocation method for multicast and broadcast service (MBS), performed by a base station (BS) in a network (AWADIN, ¶0004, ¶0013-0014, group-common resource allocation method for MBS performed by a gNB /”base station”).
Regarding Claim 128, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches a user equipment (UE) (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0257, UE 2000), comprising a memory, (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0258, memory/memory device 2030), a transceiver (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶02598, interface 2040, may include wireless interface/”transceiver”), and a processor (AWADIN, FIG. 20), coupled to the memory and the transceiver (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0258, processing units/”processor(s)” coupled to each other through a bus 2090), the processor configured to call and run program instructions stored in a memory (AWADIN ¶0261, . . . implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer-program instructions), to execute the method of claim 110.
Regarding Claim 129, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 127.
AWADIN further teaches a base station (BS) (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0257, gNB 2000), comprising a memory (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0258, memory/memory device 2030), a transceiver (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0259, interface 2040, may include wireless interface/”transceiver”), and a processor, coupled to the memory and the transceiver (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0258, processing units/”processor(s)” coupled to each other through a bus 2090), the processor configured to call and run program instructions stored in a memory, to execute the method of claim 127 (AWADIN, FIG. 20, ¶0258-0259, the controller 2010, may configure and control the processing unit 2070; ¶0261, . . . implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer-program instructions).
Claims 116-117 and 130 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AWADIN in view of WEI and Zhou and further in view of TAKEDA et al. (US 20210127359 A1), hereinafter TAKEDA.
Regarding Claim 116, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches being configured with MBS configuration within the BWP (AWADIN, FIG. 5, ¶0020; ¶0111, MBS CFR/ “group-common resources” are configured to be confined within an active unicast BWP; see also ¶0013-0014); transmitting or receiving the MBS data and unicast data on the group-common resources and the BWP (AWADIN, FIG. 5, ¶0020; ¶0111, MBS CFR/ “group-common resources” are configured to be confined within an active unicast BWP; see also ¶0013-0014).
AWADIN and WEI and Zhou do not explicitly teach the MBS data are operated with the unicast data asynchronously on the group-common resources and the BWP respectively, if only one BWP is activated at a given time or wherein the MBS data are operated with the unicast data simultaneously on the group-common resources and the BWP respectively, if more than one BWP are activated at a given time.
However, in the analogous art, TAKEDA explicitly discloses the MBS data are operated with the unicast data asynchronously on the group-common resources and the BWP respectively, if only one BWP is activated at a given time or wherein the MBS data are operated with the unicast data simultaneously on the group-common resources and the BWP respectively, if more than one BWP are activated at a given time (TAKEDA, ¶0046, ¶0102, the UE-common BWP may be fully contained within the UE-specific BWP;¶0103, the UE may be configured to monitor the PDCCH for unicast and the PDCCH for multicast . . . at the same time (“simultaneously”); see also ¶0104, [s]hould the UE not be capable of activating more than one BWP at a time, the UE-specific BWP and the UE-common BWP/”group resources” may be time-switched, interpreted as “asynchronous”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device, WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information, and Zhou’s frequency resource allocation method for MBS with TAKEDA’s method for radio resource allocation. The motivation would be to support multicast services from a 5G-NR network. [TAKEDA, ¶0101].
Regarding Claim 117, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou and TAKEDA teach Claim 116.
AWADIN further teaches the MBS configuration is comprised in system information or radio resource control (RRC) configuration message (AWADIN, the MBS configuration is in a SIB, see Claim 110 mapping).
AWADIN does not explicitly teach [the SI or RRC configuration message is] transmitted via at least one of Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) or Multicast control channel (MCCH).
However, in the analogous art, WEI explicitly discloses [the SI or RRC configuration message is] transmitted via at least one of Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) or Multicast control channel (MCCH) (WEI, ¶0105, a UE, which is interested in MBS, may include the MCCH request in the MBS SIB request).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device with WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information. The motivation would be to improve coexisting situations of multicast and unicast reception and reduce signaling overhead. [WEI, ¶0011; ¶0155].
Regarding Claim 130, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN and WEI and Zhou do not explicitly teach receiving the MBS data and MBS retransmission on a same active BWP without any BWP switching.
However, in the analogous art TAKEDA explicitly discloses receiving the MBS data and MBS retransmission on a same active BWP without any BWP switching (TAKEDA, FIG. 7, ¶0110 at 702 active UE specific BWP and 704, [t]he UE-common BWP 704 may have the same SCS and CP length of an active UE-specific BWP for the UEs (e.g., BWP and the UE-common BWP may be fully contained within the UE-specific BWPs 702, 703), ie “without BWP switching”; see also FIG. 11, ¶0114 virtual BWP 1102 may be configured by the base station to be fully contained in UE1's specific BWP#1 702 . . .with the same SCS and CP length, i.e. no BWP switching).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device, WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information, and Zhou’s frequency resource allocation method for MBS with TAKEDA’s method for radio resource allocation. The motivation would be to support multicast services from a 5G-NR network. [TAKEDA, ¶0101].
Claims 125-126 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AWADIN in view of WEI and Zhou further in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230422227 A1), hereinafter Zhou2.
Regarding Claim 125, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN and WEI and Zhou do not explicitly teach transmitting the MBS-assistance information or a MBS Measurement report on group-common PUCCH or PUSCH resources for seamless MBS handover; and upon reception of an MBS BWP switching indication, monitoring group-common PDCCH or PDSCH resources of an MBS target cell for seamless MBS data reception.
However, in the analogous art, Zhou2 explicitly discloses transmitting the MBS-assistance information or a MBS Measurement report on group-common PUCCH or PUSCH resources for seamless MBS handover (Zhou 2, ¶0324, a wireless device/”UE” may transmit to a base station first messages indicating whether the wireless device is interested in an MBS session, in addition to unicast PDSCH reception on a BWP. . .[t]he first messages may comprise a wireless device MBS interest message, a wireless device assistance information message; see also ¶0289, signaling may comprise ¶0333); and upon reception of an MBS BWP switching indication, monitoring group-common PDCCH or PDSCH resources of an MBS target cell for seamless MBS data reception (FIG. 28A, FIG. 28B, FIG. 31, ; ¶0149, monitor group common PDSCH resource in the CFR; ¶0149, The SIB1 may contain information needed by the UE to access the cell. The UE may use one or more parameters of the MIB to monitor PDCCH, which may be used to schedule PDSCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device, WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information, and Zhou’s frequency resource allocation method for MBS with Zhou 2’s handover procedure and method of common frequency resources for MBS. The motivation would be to provide an activation/deactivation mechanism to improve power consumption of the wireless device. [Zhou 2, ¶0234].
Regarding Claim 126, AWADIN and WEI and Zhou teach Claim 110.
AWADIN further teaches determining whether to switch from a BWP to an indicated BWP in consideration of a status of the BWP, wherein the one or more group common resources for MBS are monitored on the indicated BWP (AWADIN, ¶0101-0103, discloses method for UE to avoid unnecessary monitoring of a MBS PDCCH where are no MBS or MBS unicast activities; ¶0104, based on MBS activities that consider the MBS PDCCHs to start/restart an associated unicast BWP inactivity timer and upon expiry of the unicast BWP inactivity timer, a UE may switch to initial/default unicast BWP directly or switch first to a MBS BWP then to a unicast BWP., ¶0104, detect the presence of MBS to resume/continue monitoring MBS activities),
AWADIN and WEI and Zhou do not explicitly teach the status of the BWP is represented by whether there are ongoing data on the BWP; and determining to switch to the indicated BWP if no data transmission or reception for unicast and MBS on the BWP.
However, in the analogous art, Zhou2 explicitly discloses the status of the BWP is represented by whether there are ongoing data on the BWP (Zhou2, ¶0248, receiving a PDCCH for a BWP switching of a serving cell while a Random Access procedure associated with this serving cell is not ongoing, . . . ); and
determining to switch to the indicated BWP if no data transmission or reception for unicast and MBS on the BWP (Zhou 2, ¶0248, . . . a wireless device/UE may perform the BWP switching to a BWP indicated by the PDCCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine AWADIN’s systems and methods for reducing power in a Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) device, WEI’s invention of a UE and base station for on-demand MBS system information, and Zhou’s frequency resource allocation method for MBS with Zhou2’s handover procedure and method of common frequency resources for MBS. The motivation would be to provide an activation/deactivation mechanism to improve power consumption of the wireless device. [Zhou2, ¶0234].
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 TRACY L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is 571-270-7694. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30. 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, Ayman Abaza can be reached at 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRACY L WILLIAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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