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 .
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.
Claims 1, 5, 6, 8-10, 11, 14, 15, 17-18, 20 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 1 recites the limitation "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is further unclear on if "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “first configuration parameters of a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell”. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a cell DTX DRX configuration" in lines 2-3. It is unclear on if "a cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell” in the independent claim or is a different configuration.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a cell DTX DRX configuration" in line 5. It is unclear on if "a cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell” in the independent claim or is a different configuration.
Dependent Claim 8 recites the limitation “first configuration parameters comprise a first parameter indicating whether the cell DTX DRX configuration is activated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters”. However the independent claim recites “activating or deactivating the first cell DTX DRX configuration in response to receiving the downlink control information and based on the value of the field”. It is thus unclear on what is meant by such limitation. Are “the cell DTX DRX configuration” and “the first cell DTX DRX configuration” two different configurations or the same configuration? Is DTX DRX configuration being activated via “first configuration parameters” and “downlink control information”? Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Dependent claim 9 recites the limitation “the first parameter indicates that the cell DTX DRX configuration is deactivated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters and that activation of the cell DTX DRX configuration is further in response to receiving a downlink control information”. However the independent claim recites “activating or deactivating the first cell DTX DRX configuration in response to receiving the downlink control information and based on the value of the field”. It is thus unclear on what is meant by such limitation. Are “the cell DTX DRX configuration” and “the first cell DTX DRX configuration” two different configurations or the same configuration? Is DTX DRX configuration being deactivated via “first configuration parameters” and “downlink control information”? Furthermore claim 8 (in which claim 9 depends on) recites “a first parameter indicating whether the cell DTX DRX configuration is activated”. It is unclear on how a first parameter may indicate activated and deactivated. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “a plurality of cell DTX DRX configuration,”. It is unclear on exactly what is meant and Examiner believes the limitation should read “a plurality of cell DTX DRX configurations,”.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is further unclear on if "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “first configuration parameters of a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell”. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "a cell DTX DRX configuration" in lines 3. It is unclear on if "a cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell” in the independent claim or is a different configuration.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "a cell DTX DRX configuration" in line 5. It is unclear on if "a cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell” in the independent claim or is a different configuration.
Dependent Claim 17 recites the limitation “first configuration parameters comprise a first parameter indicating whether the cell DTX DRX configuration is activated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters”. However the independent claim recites “activate or deactivate the first cell DTX DRX configuration in response to receiving the downlink control information and based on the value of the field”. It is thus unclear on what is meant by such limitation. Are “the cell DTX DRX configuration” and “the first cell DTX DRX configuration” two different configurations or the same configuration? Is DTX DRX configuration being activated via “first configuration parameters” and “downlink control information”? Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Dependent claim 18 recites the limitation “the first parameter indicates that the cell DTX DRX configuration is deactivated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters and that activation of the cell DTX DRX configuration is further in response to receiving a downlink control information”. However the independent claim recites “activate or deactivate the first cell DTX DRX configuration in response to receiving the downlink control information and based on the value of the field”. It is thus unclear on what is meant by such limitation. Are “the cell DTX DRX configuration” and “the first cell DTX DRX configuration” two different configurations or the same configuration? Is DTX DRX configuration being deactivated via “first configuration parameters” and “downlink control information”? Furthermore claim 17 (in which claim 18 depends on) recites “a first parameter indicating whether the cell DTX DRX configuration is activated”. It is unclear on how a first parameter may indicate activated and deactivated. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" in lines 9-10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is further unclear on if "the first cell DTX DRX configuration" is referring to “first configuration parameters of a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell”. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jeon et al. (US 2024/0267984).
Regarding claim 1, 11, 20, Jeon discloses a method (Methods and apparatuses for configuration and activation of cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) and cell discontinuous reception (DRX) and The processor 340 is also capable of executing other processes and programs resident in the memory 360. For example, as discussed in greater detail below, the processor 340 may execute processes to support configuration and activation of cell DTX and DRX and The gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to the network 130 for a first plurality of user equipments (UEs), abstract and [0053]-[0059] and figure 3 and figure 1 and [0038]) comprising:
receiving, by a wireless device, configuration parameters of a first cell, wherein the configuration parameters comprise first configuration parameters of a cell discontinuous transmission (DTX) discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for the first cell (The UE includes a transceiver configured to receive first information related to a set of parameters associated with cell DTX or cell DRX on a cell and gNB to provide and for a UE to receive a cell DTX/DRX configuration by higher layer signaling [0007] and [0118]-[0119] and figure 12);
receiving a downlink control information, wherein:
a first value of a field of the downlink control information indicates activation of the first cell DTX DRX configuration for the first cell; and
a second value of the field of the downlink control information indicates deactivation of the first cell DTX DRX configuration for the first cell (indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX. The indication is provided by a DCI format in a PDCCH reception, wherein the DCI format includes one or more information blocks and wherein the PDCCH reception is according to a common search space and cell DTX/DRX configuration is provided for a serving cell or cell group, each field i is a one-bit indication for the activation/deactivation status of cell DTX/DRX for a corresponding serving cell or cell group with index I and the indication is provided by the DCI format, a ‘0’ value for a bit of a cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, and a ‘1’ value for the bit of the cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates activation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, [0007] and [0150]-[0152] and page 16 claim 6 and figure 12 and [0118]-[0119]); and
activating or deactivating the first cell DTX DRX configuration in response to receiving the downlink control information and based on the value of the field (indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX. The indication is provided by a DCI format in a PDCCH reception and a ‘0’ value for a bit of a cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, and a ‘1’ value for the bit of the cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates activation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, [0007] and [0150]-[0152] and page 16 claim 6 and figure 12 and [0118]-[0119]).
Regarding claim 2, Jeon discloses wherein the cell DTX DRX configuration indicates at least one of a cell DTX pattern and a cell DRX pattern (In addition to a time domain DL/UL dormancy pattern for a serving gNB (e.g., gNB 102), a cell DTX/DRX configuration may also include other parameters related to network operation in any of time, frequency, spatial, and power domain and align with the cell DTX/DRX pattern, [0097] and [0135]).
Regarding claim 3, 12, Jeon discloses wherein the cell DTX DRX configuration controls at least one of uplink transmission activity and downlink transmission activity of the first cell (The UE is provided by higher layer for the serving cell, or for a cell group, a set of at most N1 (an integer value) cell DTX configurations for DL receptions and a set of at most N2 cell DRX configurations for UL transmissions, [0129] and [0096]).
Regarding claim 4,13, Jeon discloses wherein the first configuration parameters are for one of: cell DTX only; cell DRX only; and joint cell DTX/DRX (the cell DTX and DRX can be separately or jointly configured and For each cell DTX, cell DRX, or joint cell DTX/DRX configuration…an indicator of either 1) only cell DRX, 2) only cell DTX, or 3) both cell DTX/DRX is configured, [0099] and [0132] and [0129]-[0132]).
Regarding claim 5, 14, Jeon discloses wherein a format associated with the downlink control information indicates that the downlink control information is for activation or deactivation of a cell DTX DRX configuration (indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX. The indication is provided by a DCI format in a PDCCH reception and a ‘0’ value for a bit of a cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, and a ‘1’ value for the bit of the cell DTX or cell DRX indication field in an information block of the DCI format indicates activation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, [0007] and [0150]-[0152] and page 16 claim 6 and figure 12 and [0118]-[0119]).
Regarding claim 6, 15, Jeon discloses, wherein: the downlink control information is associated with a radio network temporary identifier; and the radio network temporary identifier indicates that the downlink control information is for activation or deactivation of a cell DTX DRX configuration(a new RNTI that can be defined for cell DTX/DRX activation/deactivation, [0151]-[0152] and [0078]).
Regarding claim 7, 16, Jeon discloses wherein the downlink control information is a common downlink control information (cell activation/deactivation signaling mechanisms using cell-common or UE-group common MAC-CE or DCI and the DCI format includes one or more information blocks and wherein the PDCCH reception is according to a common search space, [0100] and [0005]-[0007] and [0110] and [0115]).
Regarding claim 8, 17, Jeon discloses wherein the first configuration parameters comprise a first parameter indicating whether the cell DTX DRX configuration is activated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters (Type 1 cell DTX/DRX activation using RRC) for a gNB to provide and for a UE to receive a cell DTX/DRX configuration by higher layer signaling (e.g., using RRC) according to the disclosure. Activation and deactivation of a DTX/DRX configuration is based on higher layer signaling and RRC configuration (DTX/DRX parameters & activation) seen in figure 11 and activation configuration may be Type 1 and/or Type 2 activation method and embodiments can be utilized independently or in combination with at least one other variation embodiment and Type 2 DTX/DRX activation using DCI, [0114]-[0119] and figure 11-12 and [0137] and [0160] and [0023]-[0024]).
Regarding claim 9, 18, Jeon discloses wherein the first parameter indicates that the cell DTX DRX configuration is deactivated in response to receiving the first configuration parameters ( RRC signaling can be also used by the serving gNB for deactivation of an activated cell DTX/DRX configuration, [0114]) and that activation of the cell DTX DRX configuration is further in response to receiving a downlink control information (Type 1 cell DTX/DRX activation using RRC) for a gNB to provide and for a UE to receive a cell DTX/DRX configuration by higher layer signaling (e.g., using RRC) according to the disclosure. Activation and deactivation of a DTX/DRX configuration is based on higher layer signaling and RRC configuration (DTX/DRX parameters & activation) seen in figure 11 and activation configuration may be Type 1 and/or Type 2 activation method and embodiments can be utilized independently or in combination with at least one other variation embodiment and Type 2 DTX/DRX activation using DCI, [0114]-[0119] and figure 11-12 and [0137] and [0160] and [0023]-[0024])..
Regarding claim 10, 16, Jeon discloses wherein a plurality of cell DTX DRX configuration, comprising the first cell DTX DRX configuration, are configured for a medium access control (MAC) entity of the wireless device (support by UE-specific MAC CE or DCI that can be used for example in case few UEs communicate with a serving gNB on a serving cell and one or more indexes from the set of configured cell DTX/DRX parameters via L1, MAC CE or RRC signaling for the activation of cell DTX/DRX configurations provided by higher layer signaling, [0100] and [0114]-[0115] and [0118]-[0119] and [0126] and [0140]-[0142]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
FU et al. (US 2025/0254755) disclosing multiple sets of cell/gNB DRX/DTX are configured via RRC, where each set of cell/gNB DRX/DTX corresponds to one set ID, and DCI or MAC CE indicates which set in the multiple sets of cell/gNB DRX/DTX configured via RRC is to be activated or deactivated ([0128]).
Jeon et al. (US 2024/0237133) disclosing the DCI format provides the indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DTX or the cell DRX, and the indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DTX is separate from the indication for activation or deactivation of the cell DRX (page 14 claim 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN HOANG NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-8398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGUYEN H NGO/Examiner, Art Unit 2473