DETAILED ACTION
Examiner acknowledges receipt of Applicant’s amendment filed 6/12/2026.
In the amendment, Applicant amended claims 11-13, 16, 18, 19, 21, 28, and 36.
Claims 11-21, 28, and 36 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Examiner has fully considered Applicant’s arguments, see section I on page 10, filed 6/12/2026, with respect to the objections to the specification and they are persuasive. Examiner has withdrawn the objections to the specification.
Examiner has fully considered Applicant's arguments, see pages 10-15, filed 6/12/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. 103 but they are not persuasive.
In the first subsection on pages 10-13, Applicant argues that claim 11 is not anticipated by Vogedes. Applicant contends that Vogedes does not disclose the determining step. In particular, Applicant points out some of the differences between paragraphs 138-141 of Vogedes and the corresponding paragraphs of provisional application 63/061,340. Applicant concludes that the Vogedes provisional does not disclose “identification of the UE capabilities to determine whether or not the UE is a RedCap UE and associated capabilities”. However, the “identification” discussed by Applicant is not in the claims. Examiner maintains that Vogedes (as supported by the provisional) discloses the limitations of the determining step.
In the second subsection on pages 13-14, Applicant argues that claim 11 is not anticipated by Vogedes because it does not disclose the amended “based on” limitation. Applicant argues that the registration “update” request of Figure 12 is not a message “requesting the network function to register the UE”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. First, the name of the message in Figure 12 is “registration request”, which clearly suggests a message requesting registration. The updating of registration can be a form of registration of the UE. Further, as indicated in the rejection, Vogedes discloses other examples of eDRX parameter information transmitted from the UE to the network. For example, Figure 7 discloses a registration request message including the eDRX parameters.
In the third subsection on pages 14-15, Applicant argues that claim 11 is not anticipated by Vogedes because it does not disclose the wherein clause regarding the first power saving information. Examiner respectfully disagrees. As noted in the rejection, [0093] and [0139]-[0140], the registration request messages include eDRX parameters (such as the PTW length or the eDRX cycle length). As indicated throughout, the UE may be a “reduced capability NR” device (see [0004], for example) and thus the parameters are either eDRX parameters for NR or eDRX parameters for RedCap.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 16 recites the limitation “the second message” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 11-13, 16-19, 21, 28, and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2023/0199902 to Vogedes et al.
Regarding claim 11: Vogedes discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
determining whether to transmit toward a network function first power saving information associated with new radio (NR) user equipments (UEs) and/or NR reduced capabilities (RedCap) UEs (disclosed throughout; see [0139], for example, which discloses that the UE “decides whether to re-negotiate its eDRX parameters” when “the traffic profiles on the UE 201 changes”; as indicated in [0140], when the UE determines to re-negotiate, the UE “sends a registration update request to the AMF 203 to re-negotiate its eDRX cycle”; see also Figure 7 and [0093], which disclose that the UE transmits (and determines whether to transmit) eDRX information (power saving information) associated with the UE (which is an NR or reduced capability UE as indicated in [0004], which indicates that these methods are for assisting “in eDRX enhancement for reduced capability NR devices”));
based on the determination, including the first power saving information in a registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE (disclosed throughout; the registration update message is transmitted in step 302 of Figure 12 as indicated in [0140]; clearly, the power saving information (re-negotiated eDRX parameters) is included in the message; see also [0093], which indicates that “[t]he UE 201 registers to the core network by sending a registration request to the AMF 203…[t]he registration request also includes the eDRX parameter information element for the UE…”); and
transmitting the registration request message toward the network function (disclosed throughout; the registration update message is transmitted in step 302 of Figure 12 as indicated in [0140]; see also step 244 of Figure 7 and [0093]),
wherein the first power saving information included in the transmitted registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE comprises: i) information identifying requested extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) parameters for NR, and/or ii) information identifying requested eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in step 302 and [0139]-[0140], the eDRX parameters are those selected by the UE to reduce its power consumption and are sent in a request message; therefore, they are interpreted as requested eDRX parameters; see also step 244 in Figure 7 and [0093], which also indicate that the registration message includes requested eDRX parameters; as indicated throughout (see [0004], for example), the UE requesting the parameters is a “reduced capability NR” device and the eDRX parameters are reasonably interpreted as either eDRX parameters for NR or eDRX parameters for reduced capabilities).
Regarding claim 18: Vogedes discloses a method performed by a network function, the method comprising:
receiving a registration request message including first power saving information associated with new radio (NR) user equipments (UEs) and/or NR reduced capabilities (RedCap) UEs, wherein the registration request message was transmitted by a user equipment (UE) and the registration request message requests the network function to register the UE (disclosed throughout; see [0139], for example, which discloses that the UE “decides whether to re-negotiate its eDRX parameters” when “the traffic profiles on the UE 201 changes”; as indicated in [0140], when the UE determines to re-negotiate, the UE “sends a registration update request to the AMF 203 to re-negotiate its eDRX cycle”; see also Figure 7 and [0093], which disclose that the UE transmits (and determines whether to transmit) eDRX information (power saving information) associated with the UE (which is an NR or reduced capability UE as indicated in [0004], which indicates that these methods are for assisting “in eDRX enhancement for reduced capability NR devices”); the updated eDRX parameters are power saving information associated with NR UEs and/or NR RedCap UEs; see also [0093], which indicates that “[t]he UE 201 registers to the core network by sending a registration request to the AMF 203…[t]he registration request also includes the eDRX parameter information element for the UE…”);
determining whether the UE can use the first power saving information for power saving (disclosed throughout; see [0141] and step 303 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the AMF “decides whether to accept or reject the UE request for using the new eDRX parameter(s)”); and
based on the determination, transmitting toward the UE a second message comprising second power saving information associated with NR UEs and/or NR (RedCap) UEs (disclosed throughout; see [0142] and step 304 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the “AMF 203 sends a registration update accept message with the new eDRX parameter to the UE 201”; see also the registration accept message in step 246 of Figure 7 and [0095], for example),
wherein the first power saving information included in the transmitted registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE comprises: i) information identifying requested extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) parameters for NR, and/or ii) information identifying requested eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in step 302 and [0139]-[0140], the eDRX parameters are those selected by the UE to reduce its power consumption and are sent in a request message; therefore, they are interpreted as requested eDRX parameters; see also step 244 in Figure 7 and [0093], which also indicate that the registration message includes requested eDRX parameters; as indicated throughout (see [0004], for example), the UE requesting the parameters is a “reduced capability NR” device and the eDRX parameters are reasonably interpreted as either eDRX parameters for NR or eDRX parameters for reduced capabilities).
Regarding claim 28: Vogedes discloses a UE comprising:
processing circuitry (see at least the processor 118 of Figure 18F, for example); and
memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry, whereby the UE is configured to perform a method comprising (see at least memories 130 and 132 of Figure 18F, for example):
determining whether to transmit toward a network function first power saving information associated with new radio (NR) user equipments (UEs) and/or NR reduced capabilities (RedCap) UEs (disclosed throughout; see [0139], for example, which discloses that the UE “decides whether to re-negotiate its eDRX parameters” when “the traffic profiles on the UE 201 changes”; as indicated in [0140], when the UE determines to re-negotiate, the UE “sends a registration update request to the AMF 203 to re-negotiate its eDRX cycle”; see also Figure 7 and [0093], which disclose that the UE transmits (and determines whether to transmit) eDRX information (power saving information) associated with the UE (which is an NR or reduced capability UE as indicated in [0004], which indicates that these methods are for assisting “in eDRX enhancement for reduced capability NR devices”));
based on the determination, including the first power saving information in a registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE (disclosed throughout; the registration update message is transmitted in step 302 of Figure 12 as indicated in [0140]; clearly, the power saving information (re-negotiated eDRX parameters) is included in the message; see also [0093], which indicates that “[t]he UE 201 registers to the core network by sending a registration request to the AMF 203…[t]he registration request also includes the eDRX parameter information element for the UE…”); and
transmitting the registration request message toward the network function (disclosed throughout; the registration update message is transmitted in step 302 of Figure 12 as indicated in [0140]; see also step 244 of Figure 7 and [0093]),
wherein the first power saving information included in the transmitted registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE comprises: i) information identifying requested extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) parameters for NR, and/or ii) information identifying requested eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in step 302 and [0139]-[0140], the eDRX parameters are those selected by the UE to reduce its power consumption and are sent in a request message; therefore, they are interpreted as requested eDRX parameters; see also step 244 in Figure 7 and [0093], which also indicate that the registration message includes requested eDRX parameters; as indicated throughout (see [0004], for example), the UE requesting the parameters is a “reduced capability NR” device and the eDRX parameters are reasonably interpreted as either eDRX parameters for NR or eDRX parameters for reduced capabilities).
Regarding claim 36: Vogedes discloses a network function comprising:
a receiver (see network adapter 97 of Figure 18G, for example) for receiving a registration request message including first power saving information associated with new radio (NR) user equipments (UEs) and/or NR reduced capabilities (RedCap) UEs, wherein the registration request message was transmitted by a UE and the registration request message requests the network function to register the UE (disclosed throughout; see [0139], for example, which discloses that the UE “decides whether to re-negotiate its eDRX parameters” when “the traffic profiles on the UE 201 changes”; as indicated in [0140], when the UE determines to re-negotiate, the UE “sends a registration update request to the AMF 203 to re-negotiate its eDRX cycle”; see also Figure 7 and [0093], which disclose that the UE transmits (and determines whether to transmit) eDRX information (power saving information) associated with the UE (which is an NR or reduced capability UE as indicated in [0004], which indicates that these methods are for assisting “in eDRX enhancement for reduced capability NR devices”); the updated eDRX parameters are power saving information associated with NR UEs and/or NR RedCap UEs; see also [0093], which indicates that “[t]he UE 201 registers to the core network by sending a registration request to the AMF 203…[t]he registration request also includes the eDRX parameter information element for the UE…”);
processing circuitry (see processor and co-processor 91 and 81 of Figure 18G, for example); and
memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry, wherein the network function is configured to perform a method comprising (see at least the RAM 82 and ROM 93 of Figure 18G, for example):
determining whether the UE can use the first power saving information for power saving (disclosed throughout; see [0141] and step 303 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the AMF “decides whether to accept or reject the UE request for using the new eDRX parameter(s)”); and
based on the determination, transmitting toward the UE a second message comprising second power saving information associated with NR UEs and/or NR (RedCap) UEs (disclosed throughout; see [0142] and step 304 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the “AMF 203 sends a registration update accept message with the new eDRX parameter to the UE 201”; see also the registration accept message in step 246 of Figure 7 and [0095], for example), wherein
the first power saving information included in the registration request message for requesting the network function to register the UE comprises: i) information identifying requested extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) parameters for NR, and/or ii) information identifying requested eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in step 302 and [0139]-[0140], the eDRX parameters are those selected by the UE to reduce its power consumption and are sent in a request message; therefore, they are interpreted as requested eDRX parameters; see also step 244 in Figure 7 and [0093], which also indicate that the registration message includes requested eDRX parameters; as indicated throughout (see [0004], for example), the UE requesting the parameters is a “reduced capability NR” device and the eDRX parameters are reasonably interpreted as either eDRX parameters for NR or eDRX parameters for reduced capabilities).
Regarding claim 12: Vogedes discloses the limitations wherein the method further comprises receiving a registration accept message from the network function (disclosed throughout; see [0142] and step 304 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the “AMF 203 sends a registration update accept message with the new eDRX parameter to the UE 201”), the registration accept message comprises second power saving information associated with NR UEs and/or NR RedCap UEs (disclosed throughout; see [0142] and step 304 of Figure 12, for example, which discloses that the accept message includes “the new eDRX parameter”).
Regarding claims 13 and 19: Vogedes discloses the limitations wherein the first power saving information comprises Requested extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) parameters for NR and/or Requested eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in step 302 and [0139]-[0140], the eDRX parameters are those selected by the UE to reduce its power consumption and are sent in a request message; therefore, they are interpreted as requested eDRX parameters), and the second power saving information comprises Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR and/or Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; as indicated in [0141]-[0142], the new eDRX parameters included in the registration accept message are those that have been at least accepted by the AMF and are the result of the re-negotiation started by the UE with the sending of the request message; therefore, the new eDRX parameters are interpreted as negotiated eDRX parameters; see also the registration accept message in step 246 of Figure 7 and [0095], for example).
Regarding claim 16: Vogedes discloses the limitations wherein the second message is a Registration Accept message indicating that the network function has registered the UE (disclosed throughout; see step 304 of Figure 12 and [0142], which is a registration accept message; see also the registration accept message in step 246 of Figure 7 and [0095], for example).
Regarding claim 17: Vogedes discloses the limitations of determining a need to reduce power consumption of the UE, wherein whether to transmit toward the network function the first power saving information comprising Requested (eDRX) parameters for NR and/or Requested eDRX parameters for RedCap is determined based on the determination of the need to reduce the power consumption of the UE (disclosed throughout; see [0139], which discloses that the “UE 201 sends a registration update request to the AMF 203 to re negotiate its eDRX cycle to reduce its power consumption in step 302”; see also the registration request in step 244 and [0095], for example, which discloses sending parameters to enable eDRX, which reduces the power consumption of the UE).
Regarding claim 21: Vogedes discloses the limitations wherein the second message is a Registration Accept message indicating that the network function has registered the UE (disclosed throughout; see step 304 of Figure 12 and [0142], which is a registration accept message; see also the registration accept message in step 246 of Figure 7 and [0095], for example).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 14, 15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0199902 to Vogedes et al in view of Tamura et al (US 2023/0120587).
Regarding claim 14: Vogedes discloses the limitations of parent claim 13 as indicated above. Vogedes further discloses the limitation of the UE attempting to receive a paging message triggered by the network function using the Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR and/or the Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; see [0142], for example, which indicates that “The UE 201 uses the new eDRX cycle to monitor Paging Occasions”). Vogedes is silent regarding the limitations of claim 14 of wherein (i) the Requested eDRX parameters for NR and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR are different and/or (ii) the Requested eDRX parameters for RedCap and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap are different. However, Tamura discloses in claim 1 that a terminal may receive a “Registration Accept message including a second eDRX parameter”, which is “different from the first eDRX parameter”. The first eDRX is included in “a Registration Request message including a first eDRX (Extended Idle Mode DRX) parameter” sent by the terminal. To the extent that Vogedes does not explicitly disclose that the requested and negotiated parameters are different, this would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. In particular, it would have been obvious to include alternate/different parameters in the accept message when the requested parameters in the request message cannot be supported. The rationale for doing so would have been to efficiently negotiate the parameters. Sending back different parameters in the accept message is more efficient than sending a “reject” message and requiring the UE to send a new request message with different parameters.
Regarding claim 15: Vogedes discloses the limitations of parent claim 13 as indicated above. Vogedes further discloses the limitation of the UE attempting to receive a paging message triggered by the network function using any of the Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap (disclosed throughout; see [0142], for example, which indicates that “The UE 201 uses the new eDRX cycle to monitor Paging Occasions”). Vogedes is silent regarding the limitations of claim 15 of wherein (i) the Requested eDRX parameters for NR and the Requested eDRX parameters for RedCap are the same and/or (ii) the Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap are the same. However, Tamura discloses sending an accept message containing the same eDRX parameter included in a request message (see [0061], for example – “the UE 40 receives the TAU Accept message containing the same eDRX parameter as the eDRX parameter set to the TAU Request”). To the extent that Vogedes does not explicitly disclose the requested and negotiated parameters are the same, this would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. In particular, it would have been obvious to explicitly indicate that the eDRX parameter in the registration accept message can be the same as the requested eDRX parameter sent in the registration request message. The rationale for doing so would have been to confirm to the UE that the specific eDRX parameters requested via the registration request message have been accepted and to allow for an efficient method of changing the eDRX parameters in some situations (by including the eDRX parameters IE in the accept message). A further rationale is to make the registration request process more efficient by enabling the UE to skip sending a registration complete message when the eDRX parameters are the same as suggested by Tamura.
Regarding claim 20: Vogedes discloses the limitations of parent claim 19 as indicated above. Vogedes does not explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 20 of determining whether the UE can use the first power saving information for power saving comprises determining that the UE cannot use the first power saving information for power saving, and (i) the Requested eDRX parameters for NR and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for NR are different and/or (ii) the Requested eDRX parameters for RedCap and the Negotiated eDRX parameters for RedCap are different. However, Tamura discloses in claim 1 that a terminal may receive a “Registration Accept message including a second eDRX parameter”, which is “different from the first eDRX parameter”. The first eDRX is included in “a Registration Request message including a first eDRX (Extended Idle Mode DRX) parameter” sent by the terminal. To the extent that Vogedes does not explicitly disclose that the requested and negotiated parameters are different, this would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. In particular, it would have been obvious to include alternate/different parameters in the accept message when the requested parameters in the request message cannot be supported. The rationale for doing so would have been to efficiently negotiate the parameters. Sending back different parameters in the accept message is more efficient than sending a “reject” message and requiring the UE to send a new request message with different parameters.
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 Robert C Scheibel whose telephone number is (571)272-3169. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hassan A Phillips can be reached at 571-272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Robert C. Scheibel
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2467
/Robert C Scheibel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467 July 28, 2026
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