DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the communication filed on 5/21/2026. Claims 34-47 and 52 are pending and ready for examination.
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 48-51 and 53 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/21/2026.
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 34-35, 43, 45, 47, and 52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tirronen et al. (US 2016/0050624, hereinafter Tirronen) in view of Larmo et al. (US 2015/0282076, hereinafter Larmo).
Regarding claim 34, Larmo discloses a method performed by a wireless communication device configured for use in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: switching from a first state in which wireless communication equipment of the wireless communication device keeps track of time to a second state in which the wireless communication equipment does not keep track of time [Tirronen discloses an example of a method in a wireless device for managing a sleep state (Tirronen Figure 4) where the wireless device reads a value from a time format and determines a first point in time (i.e. device is in a first state which keeps track of time) (Tirronen Figure 4, paragraphs 0110 and 0111). The wireless device enters a sleep state in step S13 (i.e. switches to a second state) (Tirronen paragraph 0112). Tirronen further discloses regarding extending the DRX cycles in order to reduce UE power consumption significantly where the UE may not be able to keep track of the timing and synchronization to current system frame number (i.e. the second state where UE does not keep track of time) (Tirronen paragraph 0071)];
Before or as part of switching from the first state to the second state, obtaining a time reference [Tirronen discloses that the device reads a value from a time format and determines a first point in time (i.e. similar to obtaining a time reference before switching to the second state) (Tirronen Figure 4, paragraphs 0110 and 0111)];
While in the second state, storing the time reference in memory; switching from the second state to the first state [Tirronen discloses that the at a second point in time, before the first point in time, the device reads a second value from the second time format; calibrates the first clock based on the values, and receives and reads the message (Tirronen paragraphs 0112-0117). This also indicates that the time reference is stored in the memory and the state is switched back to the first state in order to receive the message)].
Although Tirronen discloses regarding calibrating the first clock based on the first and second values (Tirronen paragraphs 0114-0117); Tirronen does not expressly disclose the feature of after or as part of switching from the second state to the first state, resuming track of time using the time reference.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Larmo discloses that a mobile terminal may go through short DRX cycle (i.e. a first state) and a long/extended DRX cycle ( a second state) (see Larmo Figures 2A and 2B, paragraph 0026). During extended DRX cycle, the device may lose synchronization (i.e. does not keep track of time) (Larmo paragraph 0028). Larmo further discloses that a mobile terminal may wake up in advance of scheduled DRX on-time and perform radio link measurements (i.e. switching from the second to the first state). In some cases, the wake-up parameter may be signaled from the network node (Larmo paragraph 0033). Larmo Figure 3 discloses an example where the mobile terminal wakes up from a receiver sleep state, performs measurements, and determines whether the device is in in-sync or out of sync state (Larmo paragraph 0039). Larmo further discloses that the time for measurements and synchronization may be defined by the standard and/or based on network parameter signaled from the network node to the device during a connection set up procedure (Larmo paragraphs 0042-0046). As the parameters may be signaled from the network node during connection set up, and being used during wake up state; it indicates that they were stored in memory and used for synchronizing the device or resuming track of time.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tirronen to have the feature of after or as part of switching from the second state to the first state, resuming track of time using the time reference; as taught by Larmo. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide improved techniques for performing mobility measurements (Larmo paragraphs 0001 and 0041).
Regarding claim 35, Tirronen and Larmo disclose the method of claim 34. Tirronen and Larmo further disclose wherein, while in the second state, all hardware components of the wireless communication equipment are powered down and/or no timer of the wireless communication equipment is running [Tirronen discloses that in a deep sleep state the circuitry of a device is turned off, including the clock (Tirronen paragraphs 0002-0003 and 0007). Larmo discloses that in a deep sleep mode, as much as possible of the device’s circuitry is turned off; and the device may turn of all or part of the radio receiver (Larmo paragraphs 0005, 0040 and 0043). This also indicates no timer is running]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 34.
Regarding claim 43, Tirronen and Larmo disclose the method of claim 34. Tirronen and Larmo further disclose wherein obtaining the time reference comprises receiving the time reference from a network node in the wireless communication network [Larmo further discloses that a mobile terminal may wake up in advance of scheduled DRX on-time and perform radio link measurements (i.e. switching from the second to the first state). In some cases, the wake-up parameter may be signaled from the network node (Larmo paragraph 0033)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 34.
Regarding claim 45, Tirronen and Larmo disclose the method of claim 34. Tirronen and Larmo further disclose wherein the first state is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state, a power-saving mode, or a Mobile Initiated Communication Only (MICO) mode [Larmo discloses that a mobile terminal may go through short DRX cycle (i.e. a first state or power-saving mode) and a long/extended DRX cycle ( a second state) (see Larmo Figures 2A and 2B, paragraph 0026)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 34.
Regarding claim 47, Tirronen and Larmo disclose the method of claim 34. Tirronen and Larmo further disclose wherein the wireless communication device comprises control equipment configured to control said switching from the second state to the first state, wherein the control equipment either: monitors an amount of energy harvested while in the second state and controls switching from the second state to the first state to occur when the amount of energy harvested reaches a threshold amount; or monitors an amount of time passed while in the second state and controls switching from the second state to the first state to occur when the amount of time passed reaches a threshold amount [Tirronen discloses that the wireless device may wake up from the sleep state when the current time t as monitored by the clock is more than tPAGE – ts (i.e. switches to the first state when time reaches a threshold) (Tirronen paragraph 0092)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 34.
Regarding claim 52, Tirronen discloses a wireless communication device configured for use in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication device comprising wireless communication equipment and control equipment whereby the wireless communication device is configured to [Tirronen Figure 6 discloses an example of a wireless device (e.g. a UE) comprising a processing circuit, a clock, and a receiver (Tirronen Figure 6, paragraphs 0161-0181)]:
Switch from a first state in which the wireless communication equipment keeps track of time to a second state in which the wireless communication equipment does not keep track of time [Tirronen discloses an example of a method in a wireless device for managing a sleep state (Tirronen Figure 4) where the wireless device reads a value from a time format and determines a first point in time (i.e. device is in a first state which keeps track of time) (Tirronen Figure 4, paragraphs 0110 and 0111). The wireless device enters a sleep state in step S13 (i.e. switches to a second state) (Tirronen paragraph 0112). Tirronen further discloses regarding extending the DRX cycles in order to reduce UE power consumption significantly where the UE may not be able to keep track of the timing and synchronization to current system frame number (i.e. the second state where UE does not keep track of time) (Tirronen paragraph 0071)];
Before or as part of switching from the first state to the second state, obtain a time reference [Tirronen discloses that the device reads a value from a time format and determines a first point in time (i.e. similar to obtaining a time reference before switching to the second state) (Tirronen Figure 4, paragraphs 0110 and 0111)];
While in the second state, store the time reference in memory; switch from the second state to the first state [Tirronen discloses that the at a second point in time, before the first point in time, the device reads a second value from the second time format; calibrates the first clock based on the values, and receives and reads the message (Tirronen paragraphs 0112-0117). This also indicates that the time reference is stored in the memory and the state is switched back to the first state in order to receive the message)].
Although Tirronen discloses regarding calibrating the first clock based on the first and second values (Tirronen paragraphs 0114-0117); Tirronen does not expressly disclose the feature of after or as part of switching from the second state to the first state, resume track of time using the time reference.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Larmo discloses that a mobile terminal may go through short DRX cycle (i.e. a first state) and a long/extended DRX cycle ( a second state) (see Larmo Figures 2A and 2B, paragraph 0026). During extended DRX cycle, the device may lose synchronization (i.e. does not keep track of time) (Larmo paragraph 0028). Larmo further discloses that a mobile terminal may wake up in advance of scheduled DRX on-time and perform radio link measurements (i.e. switching from the second to the first state). In some cases, the wake-up parameter may be signaled from the network node (Larmo paragraph 0033). Larmo Figure 3 discloses an example where the mobile terminal wakes up from a receiver sleep state, performs measurements, and determines whether the device is in in-sync or out of sync state (Larmo paragraph 0039). Larmo further discloses that the time for measurements and synchronization may be defined by the standard and/or based on network parameter signaled from the network node to the device during a connection set up procedure (Larmo paragraphs 0042-0046). As the parameters may be signaled from the network node during connection set up, and being used during wake up state; it indicates that they were stored in memory and used for synchronizing the device or resuming track of time.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tirronen to have the feature of after or as part of switching from the second state to the first state, resume track of time using the time reference; as taught by Larmo. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide improved techniques for performing mobility measurements (Larmo paragraphs 0001 and 0041).
Claim 46 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tirronen et al. (US 2016/0050624, hereinafter Tirronen) in view of Larmo et al. (US 2015/0282076, hereinafter Larmo), and further in view of Yousef et al. (US 2008/0151799, hereinafter Yousef).
Regarding claim 46, Tirronen and Larmo disclose the method of claim 34. Tirronen and Larmo do not expressly disclose wherein the second state is a zero power idle state.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Yousef discloses re-synchronization techniques for a digital video broadcasting over handheld (DVB-H) receiver where a sleeping mode of operation allows the complete power shut off of the receiver between data bursts in order to save power (i.e. a zero power idle state) (Yousef paragraph 0024).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tirronen and Larmo to have the feature of wherein the second state is a zero power idle state; as taught by Yousef. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide a re-synchronization technique that facilitates low power consumption in a receiver (Yousef paragraph 0007).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 36-42, 44 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 36 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of while in the first state, keeping track of time using a timer; before or as part of switching from the first state to the second state, capturing a state of the timer; while in the second state, storing in memory also the captured state of the timer; after or as part of switching from the second state to the first state, obtaining an updated time reference; and determining an amount of time that passed while in the second state by comparing the updated time reference to the time reference stored in memory; wherein said resuming comprises resuming keeping track of time using the timer by updating the state of the timer to account for the determined amount of time that passed while in the second state.; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 44 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of while in the first state, keeping track of time using a timer, and, before or as part of switching from the first state to the second state, stopping the timer, wherein the time reference obtained and stored in memory is a value of the timer when the timer is stopped, wherein said resuming comprises resuming keeping track of time using the timer by re-starting the timer with the value stored in memory; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/SAUMIT SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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