DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to applicant’s response filed under 37 C.F.R. §1.111 in response to a non-final office action. Claims 1-5 and 8-12 have been amended. Claims 1-14 are subject to examination.
Acknowledgement is made to the Applicant’s filing of a terminal disclaimer to obviate the previous non-statutory double patenting rejection to claims 1, 4, 8, and 11. The previous non-statutory double patenting rejection to claims 1, 4, 8, and 11 is hereby withdrawn.
Acknowledgement is made to the Applicant’s amendment to claims 1 and 8 to obviate the previous 112(b) rejection to claims 1-14. The previous 112(b) rejection to claims 1-14 is hereby withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive for the following reasons:
Applicant’s Argument
The Applicant argues in substance that KD fails to teach, disclose, or suggest, “receiving a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the DRX configuration comprising a first parameter for configuring a DRX cycle using an integer value; determining, based on whether the DRX configuration further comprises a second parameter, whether to configure the DRX cycle based on the first parameter, wherein the second parameter is for configuring the DRX cycle using a non-integer value; ... in a case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, determining to configure the DRX cycle based on the second parameter, instead of the first parameter,” as recited in amended independent claim 1.
Examiner’s Response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. As a result of the amendments to the claims, the Examiner has reformatted the rejection. However, KD teaches “receiving a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the DRX configuration comprising a first parameter for configuring a DRX cycle using an integer value; determining, based on whether the DRX configuration further comprises a second parameter, whether to configure the DRX cycle based on the first parameter, wherein the second parameter is for configuring the DRX cycle using a non-integer value; ... in a case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, determining to configure the DRX cycle based on the second parameter, instead of the first parameter”.
For example, KD teaches in the Abstract “receiving, by a wireless device, one or more discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration parameters indicating: a first DRX cycle ... The DRX cycle can be the first DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters not indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value. Alternatively, the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value.” KD also teaches at [0316] that “the one or more DRX configuration parameters may configure at least two DRX configurations.” That is, KD teaches a single DRX configuration parameter may include indications for both integer and non-integer DRX cycle configurations, and may choose to use the non-integer cycle in a case that both configurations are included. By this rationale, KD teaches the amended limitations. See updated rejection below.
Regarding all other arguments presented by the applicant, the arguments are substantially the same as those which have already been addressed above and in the interest of brevity, the examiner directs the applicant to those responses above.
Claim Objections
Claims 9, 10, and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 9 and 10 each recite the limitation “cause the UE to: not applying the first parameter,” but should instead read “cause the UE to: not apply the first parameter.”
Claim 14 recites the limitation “The method of claim 13,” but should instead read “The UE of claim 13.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1, 4, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Khoshkholgh Dashtaki et al. (US 2025/0176067 A1, hereinafter “KD”).
Regarding Claim 1, KD teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the DRX configuration comprising a first parameter for configuring a DRX cycle using an integer value (KD: In an example, the base station may transmit, to the wireless device ... one or more RRC messages ... the one or more RRC messages may comprise one or more configuration parameters, see paragraph [0231]; the one or more configuration parameters may comprise one or more DRX configuration parameters, see paragraph [0267]; receiving, by a wireless device, one or more discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration parameters indicating: a first DRX cycle, see Abstract; a DRX cycle of the DRX configuration being an integer value (e.g., a first DRX configuration), see paragraph [0444]);
determining, based on whether the DRX configuration further comprises a second parameter, whether to configure the DRX cycle based on the first parameter, wherein the second parameter is for configuring the DRX cycle using a non-integer value (KD: The DRX cycle can be the first DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters not indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract);
in a case that the DRX configuration does not comprise the second parameter, determining to configure the DRX cycle based on the first parameter (KD: The DRX cycle can be the first DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters not indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract); and
in a case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, determining to configure the DRX cycle based on the second parameter, instead of the first parameter (KD: Alternatively, the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract).
Regarding Claim 4, KD teaches the method of claim 1, wherein in the case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, the method further comprises: applying the second parameter for configuring the DRX cycle (KD: Alternatively, the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract); and
starting a timer upon applying the second parameter for configuring the DRX cycle (KD: the wireless device may start the DRX ODT [on duration timer] (e.g., at a beginning of a DRX cycle ... of the DRX configuration), see paragraph [0393]).
Regarding Claim 8, KD teaches a user equipment (UE), comprising: at least one processor (KD: FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a wireless device 1502 ... in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, see paragraph [0208]; the processing system 1518 may comprise ... one or more processors, see paragraph [0215]); and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor and storing one or more computer-executable instructions (KD: the processing system 1518 may be associated with ... a memory 1524 ... memory 1524 ... may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by ... the processing system 1518 to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the present application, see paragraph [0214]).
Regarding all other limitations of claim 8, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 1, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding Claim 11, KD teaches the UE of claim 8.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 11, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 4, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
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 2 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KD in view of Fu et al. (US 2024/0365428 A1, hereinafter “Fu”).
Regarding Claim 2, KD teaches the method of claim 1, wherein, in the case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, the method further comprises not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle (KD: the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract).
KD does not teach not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle after receiving a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE).
However, in the same field of endeavor, Fu teaches not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle after receiving a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (Fu: In S402, a plurality of sets of DRX configurations are received, wherein the plurality of sets of DRX configurations include the specific DRX configuration, and the specific DRX configuration corresponds to a parameter configuration with a non-integer cycle, see paragraph [0057]; In S404, a first medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) is received, wherein the first MAC CE is a MAC CE used for the specific DRX configuration, see paragraph [0083]; In S406, operations related to the specific DRX configuration are performed in response to reception of the first MAC CE, see paragraph [0100]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kim to include the features as taught by Fu above in order to improve energy saving of the UE (Fu: see paragraph [0054]).
Regarding Claim 9, KD teaches the UE of claim 8.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 9, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 2, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KD in view of Lee et al. (US 2015/0208462 A1, hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding Claim 3, KD teaches the method of claim 1, wherein, in the case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, the method further comprises not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle (KD: the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract).
KD does not teach not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle after an expiration of a timer.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Lee teaches not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle after an expiration of a timer (Lee: if drx-InactivityTimer expires … if the Short DRX cycle is configured [first parameter]: start or restart drx-ShortCycle timer and use the Short DRX Cycle. else: use the Long DRX cycle [second parameter], see paragraphs [0070]-[0074]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of KD to include the features as taught by Lee above in order to achieve more efficient DRX operation (Lee: see paragraph [0015]).
Regarding Claim 10, KD teaches the UE of claim 8.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 10, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 3, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KD in view of Kim (US 2024/0334536 A1, hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 5, KD teaches the method of claim 1, wherein, in the case that the DRX configuration comprises the second parameter, the method further comprises not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle (KD: the DRX cycle can be the second DRX cycle, based on the one or more DRX configuration parameters indicating the second DRX cycle with the non-integer value, see Abstract).
KD does not explicitly teach, the RRC signaling is for configuring one or more cell groups, and not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle to the one or more cell groups.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches RRC signaling is for configuring one or more cell groups, and not applying the first parameter for configuring the DRX cycle to the one or more cell groups (Kim: Serving Cells of the terminal may be configured by RRC in two DRX groups with separate DRX parameters, see paragraph [0099]; If a non-integer value is configured for long DRX cycle of the primary DRX group ... the terminal applies on_duration_starting_point_determination_mode_2 for the primary DRX group, see paragraph [0187]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of KD to include the features as taught by Kim above in order to reduce signaling overhead (Kim: see paragraph [0185]).
Regarding Claim 12, KD teaches the UE of claim 8.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 12, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 5, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KD in view of Yu et al. (US 2024/0057213 A1, hereinafter “Yu”).
Regarding Claim 6, KD teaches the method of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach, the second parameter comprises a numerator of the non-integer value and a denominator of the non-integer value.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Yu teaches the second parameter comprises a numerator of the non-integer value and a denominator of the non-integer value (Yu: The terminal 310 may configure drx-LongCycle as a numerator and denominator, a fraction, or a value in the Hz unit, see paragraph [0094]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of KD to include the features as taught by Yu above in order to accurately match active time and traffic periods (Yu: see paragraph [0010]).
Regarding Claim 13, KD teaches the UE of claim 8.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 13, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 6, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KD-Yu in view of Liu (US 2023/0422342 A1, hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding Claim 7, KD-Yu teaches the method of claim 6, but does not explicitly teach, wherein the numerator is in a unit of milliseconds.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Liu teaches, the numerator is in a unit of milliseconds (Liu: the base station configures DRX-related timers and parameters for the terminal, including … the cycle and offset of the … DRX cycle. The unit of cycle and offset can be millisecond, see paragraphs [0041]-[0042]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of KD-Yu to include the features as taught by Liu above in order to support the DRX mechanism (Liu: see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding Claim 14, KD-Yu teaches the UE of claim 13.
Regarding all other limitations of claim 14, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 7, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
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 PHILLIP J EGAN KEARNS whose telephone number is 571-272-4869. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-6 EST.
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, NOEL BEHARRY can be reached at 571-270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416