METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDED DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Response to Amendment The amendment filed on February 9, 2026 has been entered. Claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9-11, and 13-18 are pending in the application. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9-11, and 13-18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. 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. 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 nonobviousness. Claims 15, 16, 6-8, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TS 36.304 V17.3.0 (published January 2023; referred to herein as “TS 36.304”) in view of Vivo (R2-2301075; published Feb. 17, 2023). Regarding claim 15, TS 36.304 teaches “[a] user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: a transceiver; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, and configured to: identify, for a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state, a first extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle associated with a core network (CN) entity and a second eDRX cycle associated with a radio access network (RAN) node” (see section 7.1, p. 41, lines 23 and 24, and p. 42, line 36; UE may use Discontinuous Reception (DRX) in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE state in order to reduce power consumption; the UE monitors one paging occasion (PO) per DRX cycle; it is well known that: a UE communicates with RAN in a wireless communication system, therefore, UE includes circuitry to transmit/receive (e.g., a transceiver); a UE also includes a controller to perform different operations based on information received and to transmit, therefore, the transceiver and the controller can be coupled, and the controller can be configured to perform different operations described in section 7 of TS 36.304; in RRC_INACTIVE state, if eDRX is configured by RRC, i.e., TeDRX, RAN (i.e., a second eDRX cycle associated with a radio access network (RAN) node) , and/or upper layers, i.e., TeDRX, CN (i.e., a first extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle associated with a core network (CN) entity); thus, a UE in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: a transceiver; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, and configured to: identify, for a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state, a first extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle associated with a core network (CN) entity and a second eDRX cycle associated with a radio access network (RAN) node); TS 36.304 further teaches “monitor a paging occasion in the RRC inactive state according to a DRX cycle” (see section 7.1, p. 41, lines 23 and 24; UE may use Discontinuous Reception (DRX) in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE state in order to reduce power consumption; UE monitors one paging occasion (PO) per DRX cycle; thus, monitor a paging occasion in the RRC inactive state according to a DRX cycle); TS 36.304 also teaches “determine whether the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, is no longer than 1024 radio frames, or is not used” (see section 7.1, p. 42, lines 36-46; in RRC_INACTIVE state, eDRX is configured by RRC, i.e., TeDRX, RAN (the second eDRX cycle); if TeDRX, RAN is not configured (i.e., the second eDRX cycle is not used); if TeDRX, RAN is no longer than 1024 radio frames (i.e., whether the second eDRX cycle is no longer than 1024 radio frames or longer than 1024 radio frames); thus, determine whether the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, is no longer than 1024 radio frames, or is not used); TS 36.304 further teaches “wherein the first eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, . . . and wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is no longer than 1024 radio frames, during a period included in the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, the second eDRX cycle associated with the RAN node, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information” (see section 7.1, p. 42, line 41, and p. 43, lines 1 and 2; if TeDRX, CN (i.e., the first eDRX cycle) is longer than 1024 radio frames (i.e., wherein the first eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames); if TeDRX, RAN (i.e., the second eDRX cycle) is no longer than 1024 radio frames (i.e., the second eDRX cycle is no longer than 1024 radio frames); during CN configured PTW (i.e., during a period included in the first paging time window associated with the CN entity), T (i.e., the DRX cycle) is determined by the shortest of the UE specific DRX value, if configured by upper layers (i.e., the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer) and TeDRX, RAN (i..e, the second eDRX cycle associated with the RAN node), and a default DRX value broadcast in system information (i.e., the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information)); TS 36.304 does not explicitly disclose “wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, during a period included in a first paging time window associated with the CN entity and being outside of a second paging time window associated with the RAN node, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among a first UE specific value configured by a upper layer and a default DRX value broadcasted in system information” of claim 15. However, the foregoing limitations are known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention. For example, Vivo teaches “wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, during a period included in a first paging time window associated with the CN entity and being outside of a second paging time window associated with the RAN node, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among a first UE specific value configured by a upper layer and a default DRX value broadcasted in system information” (see p. 5, lines 1 and 15-18; when RRC_INACTIVE eDRX cycle for inactive (i.e., the eDRX cycles associated with RAN (the second eDRX cycle) and associated with CN entity) >10.24s; each frame duration is 10 milliseconds, 1024 frames is 10,240 milliseconds or 10.24 seconds, and if eDRX cycle for inactive state is longer than 1024 radio frames, then the eDRX cycle associated with RAN (the second eDRX cycle) is also longer than 1024 radio frames; during the time only PTW configured by CN occurs (i.e., during a period included in a first paging time window associated with the CN entity and being outside of a second paging time window associated with the RAN node), T (i.e., the DRX cycle) is determined by the shortest of UE specific DRX cycle, if configured by upper layer and default paging cycle; a default paying cycle is default DRX cycle, and default paging cycle is an information element broadcasted in SIB; therefore, default paging cycle is default DRX value broadcasted in system information; thus, teaches wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, during a period included in a first paging time window associated with the CN entity and being outside of a second paging time window associated with the RAN node, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among a first UE specific value configured by a upper layer and a default DRX value broadcasted in system information). 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 TS 36.304 to incorporate the teachings of Vivo to have the DRX cycle determined by the shortest of among a UE specific value configured by an upper layer and a default DRX value broadcasted in system information. The motivation to do so would have been to improve monitoring paging by UEs (see p. 4, lines 29-31 of Vivo). Regarding claim 16, the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo teaches the apparatus of claim 15, and further teaches “wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames: during an overlapped period of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity and the second paging time window associated with the RAN node, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, a second UE specific value configured by an RRC, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information” (see p. 5, lines 1 and 15, 16, 20, and 21 of Vivo; when RRC_INACTIVE eDRX cycle for inactive (i.e., the eDRX cycles associated with RAN (the second eDRX cycle) and associated with CN entity) >10.24s; in overlapped PTW (i.e., during an overlapped period of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity and the second paging time window associated with the RAN node), T (i.e., the DRX cycle) is determined by the shortest of RAN paging cycle (i.e., a second UE specific value configured by an RRC), UE specific DRX cycle if configured by upper layer (i.e., the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer) and default paging cycle (i.e., the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information); the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo further teaches “during a period included in the second paging time window associated with the RAN node and being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by the second UE specific value configured by the RRC” (see p. 5, lines 15, 16, and 19 of Vivo; in only PTW configured by RAN (i.e., during a period included in the second paging time window associated with the RAN node and being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity), T is determined by RAN paging cycle (i.e., the DRX cycle is determined by the second UE specific value configured by the RRC)), and the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo further teaches “wherein, in case that the second eDRX cycle is no longer than 1024 radio frames, during a period being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by the second eDRX cycle associated with the RAN node” (see p. 42, line 43, and p. 43, line 3 of TS 35.304.; outside the CN configured PTW (i.e., during a period being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity), T (i.e., the DRX cycle) is determined by TeDRX, RAN (i.e., second eDRX cycle associated with the RAN node)). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify TS 36.304 to incorporate the teachings of Vivo to have the DRX cycle determined by the shortest of among a UE specific value configured by an RRC, a UE specific value configured by an upper layer, and a default DRX value broadcasted in system information or a DRX cycle determined by an eDRX cycle associated with RAN node based on whether eDRX cycle associated with RAN node is longer than 1024 radio frames or less than radio frames. The motivation to do so would have been to improve monitoring paging by UEs (see p. 4, lines 29-31 of Vivo). Regarding claims 17 and 18, they are method claims corresponding to the claims 15 and 16. Applicant’s attention is directed to the rejection of claims 15 and 16. Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under the same rationale. Claims 2-4, and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TS 36.304 in view of Vivo, further in view of ZTE (R2-2301058; published Feb. 17, 2023), and further in view of Intel (R2-2300405; published Feb. 17, 2023). Regarding claim 2, the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose “receive, from the RAN node, a system information block (SIB) including at least one of a first indicator, a second indicator, or a third indicator, wherein the first indicator indicates that an eDRX for a CN paging is allowed in a cell, wherein the second indicator indicates that an eDRX equal to or shorter than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell, and wherein the third indicator indicates that an eDRX longer than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell” of claim 2. However, the foregoing limitations were well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention. For example, ZTE teaches “eDRX equal to or shorter than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell” and “eDRX longer than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell” (see p. 3, Table 1 and p. 4 table 2 of ZTE; for RRC inactive, eDRX cycle can be configured to be less than or equal to 10.24s (i.e., eDRX equal to or shorter than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell); and eDRX cycle can be configured to be greater than 10.24s for RRC inactive (i.e., eDRX longer than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell)). 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 TS 36.304 in view of Vivo to incorporate the teachings of ZTE for eDRX equal to or shorter than 10.24 seconds for RAN paging is allowed and for eDRX longer than 10.24 seconds for RAN paging is allowed in the cell. The motivation to do so would have been to improve providing information about reachability/unreachability of UEs (see p. 1, Introduction of ZTE). The combination of TS 36.304, Vivo, and ZTE does not explicitly state “receive, from the RAN node, a system information block (SIB) including at least one of a first indicator, a second indicator, or a third indicator; wherein the first indicator indicates that an eDRX for a CN paging is allowed in a cell, wherein the second indicator indicates . . . wherein the third indicator indicates” of claim 2. However, the foregoing limitations are known in art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention. For example, Intel teaches “receive, from the RAN node, a system information block (SIB) including at least one of a first indicator, a second indicator, or a third indicator; wherein the first indicator indicates that an eDRX for a CN paging is allowed in a cell, wherein the second indicator indicates . . . wherein the third indicator indicates” (see p. 2, lines 12, 13, 18, 19, and 32; SIB1 can indicate eDRX-AllowedInactive (i.e., first indicator indicates that an eDRX for a CN paging is allowed in a cell), and indicate eDRX-AllowedInactive-r17 to configure a UE with eDRX ≤ 10.24sec (i.e., the second indicator indicates that an eDRX equal to or shorter than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell) in RRC_INACTIVE; and can also indicate ExtendedPagingCycleAbove1024 or suspenConfig to configure UE with eDRX > 10.24sec (i.e., the third indicator indicates that an eDRX longer than 10.24 second for RAN paging is allowed in the cell)). 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 TS 36.304in view of Vivo, further in view of ZTE, to incorporate the teachings of Intel to have a SIB indicate whether eDRX for CN is allowed and RAN for greater than 10.24 and shorter than equal to 10.24s is allowed. The motivation to do so would have been to improve support for eDRX and enhance power saving/energy efficiency (see p. 1, line 9 of Intel). Regarding claim 3, the combination TS 36.304, Vivo, ZTE, and Intel teaches the apparatus of claim 2, and further teaches “wherein, in case that the first eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, the first indicator is received, and the second indicator and the third indicator are not received: during a period included in the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, the second UE specific value configured by the RRC, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information; and during a period being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by the second UE specific value configured by the RRC” (see p. 2, line 32 of Intel, p. 6,Observation 4, first paragraph of ZTE,; eDRX-AllowedInactive (i.e., first indicator indicates that an eDRX for a CN paging is allowed in a cell); during paging occasion of CN-initiated UE is in RRC_INACTIVE, it uses the shortest of the three (i.e., DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, the second UE specific value configured by the RRC, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information); and UE will monitor paging from RAN in the third part marked by green [non-overlapping with CN paging window] (i.e., during a period included in the second paging time window associated with the RAN node and being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity), T (i.e., DRX cycle) is determined by the RAN paging cycle (i.e., the second UE specific value configured by the RRC)). Regarding claim 4, the combination TS 36.304, Vivo, ZTE, and Intel teaches the apparatus of claim 2, and further teaches “wherein, in case that the first eDRX cycle is longer than 1024 radio frames, the first indicator and the second indicator are received, and the third indicator is not received: during a period included in the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, a value of the second eDRX cycle, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information; and during a period being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity, the DRX cycle is determined by the value of the second eDRX cycle” (see p. 2, line 32 of Intel, p. 6,Observation 4, first paragraph of ZTE; eDRX-AllowedInactive and eDRX-AllowedInactive-r17 are received (i.e., a value of second eDRX cycle of less than or equal to 1024 for RAN paging), and during paging occasion of CN-initiated UE, it uses the shortest of the three (i.e., DRX cycle is determined by a shortest value among the first UE specific value configured by the upper layer, a value of the second eDRX cycle, and the default DRX value broadcasted in the system information); and UE will monitor paging from RAN in the third part marked by green [non-overlapping with CN paging window] (i.e., during a period included in the second paging time window associated with the RAN node and being outside of the first paging time window associated with the CN entity), T (i.e., DRX cycle) is determined by the RAN paging cycle (i.e., the second UE specific value configured by the RRC)). Regarding claims 9-11, they are method claims corresponding to claims 2-4. Applicant’s attention is directed to the rejection of claims 2-4. Claims 9-11 are rejected under the same rationale. Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TS 36.304 in view of Vivo and further in view of Hoglund et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2024/0179792). Regarding claim 6, the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo teaches the apparatus of claim 15, but does not explicitly disclose “receive, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, first information configuring the first eDRX cycle for an idle mode, and wherein the first information includes information on the first paging time window” of claim 6. However, the foregoing limitations were well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention. For example, Hoglund teaches “receive, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, first information configuring the first eDRX cycle for an idle mode, and wherein the first information includes information on the first paging time window” (see ¶¶ [0099] and [0101] of Hoglund; CN (AMF) will be responsible for configuration of eDRX in RRC_Idle and AMF configures CN eDRX parameters (i.e., first information) (such as cycle length, paging time window (PTW), etc.) for a UE; thus, the UE receives from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, first information configuring the first eDRX cycle for an idle mode, and wherein the first information includes information on the first paging time window). 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 TS 36.304 in view of Vivo to incorporate the teachings of Hoglund to receive from an AMF information configuring the eDRX cycle for an idle mode, and where the information includes information on the paging time window. The motivation to do so would have been to improve energy consumption by UE (see ¶ [0008] of Hoglund). Regarding claim 7, the combination of TS 36.304 and Vivo teaches the apparatus of claim 15, but does not explicitly disclose “receive, from a base station, second information configuring the second eDRX cycle for an inactive mode, wherein the second information includes information on the second paging time window” of claim 7. However, the foregoing limitations were well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention. For example, Hoglund teaches “receive, from a base station, second information configuring the second eDRX cycle for an inactive mode, wherein the second information includes information on the second paging time window” (see ¶¶ [0099] and [0101] of Hoglund; RAN (gNB) will be responsible for the configuration of eDRX in RRC_Inactive, and signaling between RAN (gNB) and CN (AMF) to coordinate the eDRX configurations and for a UE including to be configured with RAN eDRX, including paging time window (PTW); thus the RAN configuration (i..e, second information) includes information on the second paging time window). 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 TS 36.304 in view of Vivo to incorporate the teachings of Hoglund to receive from an AMF information configuring the eDRX cycle for an idle mode, and where the information includes information on the paging time window. The motivation to do so would have been to improve energy consumption by UE (see ¶ [0008] of Hoglund). Regarding claims 13, and 14, they are method claims corresponding to the claims 6 and 7. Applicant’s attention is directed to the rejection of claims 6 and 7. Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under the same rationale. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 SRIHARSHA REDDY VANGAPATY whose telephone number is (571)272-7655. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SRIHARSHA REDDY VANGAPATY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2475 /HASHIM S BHATTI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475