CTNF 18/671,251 CTNF 73460 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 1-7 are 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. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite in that it fails to point out what is included or excluded by the claim language. This claim is an omnibus type claim, since the BRI is a method with no steps. See MPEP 2111.04 (II). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Agiwal et al (2024/0137908) hereinafter “Agiwal” . As to claim 1, Agiwal discloses A communication method, comprising: if a terminal device is configured with Extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX) and supports subgrouping paging (see [0338]-[0348]: “option 5” / [0083]-[0110], determining, by the terminal device, information of a target paging to be monitored based on an identity of the terminal device, (“First UE_ID=5G-S-TMSI mod X1… Second_UE_ID=5G-S-TMSI”, [0347]: First_UE_ID is used for PF and PO determination and Second_UE_ID is used for group ID determination”) wherein the identity of the terminal device is determined based on a preset cycle of the eDRX and/or a maximum number of subgroupings supported by one paging occasion ([0340]: “First_UE_ID=5G-S-TMSI mod X1,”, [0342]: “…X1 =1024*DRX cycle length/256”, [0343]” “…X1=Max value of N…”). Also see, [0076]-[0079], Fig 2, steps 203, 211, & 215 and [0084]-[0110]. It is noted that the BRI of a method claim with contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. For example, assume a method claim requires step A if a first condition happens and step B if a second condition happens. If the claimed invention may be practiced without either the first or second condition happening, then neither step A or B is required by the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim. If the claimed invention requires the first condition to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires step A. If the claimed invention requires both the first and second conditions to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires both steps A and B. In this case, nothing in the claim requires the ‘if’ statement to be true, thus the BRI of the method of claim 1 does not require the ‘determining’ step. See MPEP 2111.04 (II) Contingent Limitatons. Further it is noted that the method does not recite that it includes a step of “determining the identity of the terminal device”, therefore the wherein clause is considered an intended use outside the scope of the method claimed. Art was nevertheless applied to the limitations as presented for compact prosecution. As to claim 2, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the target paging comprises an index of a paging subgrouping in which the terminal device is located. See [0051]. As to claim 3, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the identity of the terminal device comprises a first identity, and the first identity is determined based on a maximum number of paging occasions ([0078]:“…Ns is the number of POs per paging frame and P is the number of paging groups or subgroups…”, [0088]: if N*Ns*P is greater than 1024… the UE may determine the UE_ID as follows”) in the preset cycle of the eDRX and the maximum number of subgroupings supported by one paging occasion. Also [0340]: “First_UE_ID=5G-S-TMSI mod X1,”, [0342]: “…X1 =1024*DRX cycle length/256”, [0343]” “…X1=Max value of N…”), As to claim 4, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 3, wherein the maximum number of subgroupings comprises a maximum number of subgroupings supported by a cell based on the identity of the terminal device. See [0085]-[0086]. As to claim 5, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 3, wherein the maximum number of subgroupings is indicated (P) by a network device or determined by predefined information. See [0085]-[0086]. As to claim 6, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 1, wherein a cell in which the terminal device is located supports the eDRX and the subgrouping paging. See [0085]-[0086]. As to claim 7, Agiwal discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the subgrouping paging comprises subgrouping paging based on the identity of the terminal device. See [0085]-[0086]. As to claim 8, Agiwal discloses A terminal device (Fig 8), comprising: a processor 810 and a memory 830, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions; and the processor executes the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to enable the processor to: perform the method of claim 1, as applied above to claim 1. Claims 9-14 correspond to method claims 2-7, respectively. As to claim 15, Agiwal discloses A network device (Fig 9), comprising: a processor 910, a memory 930 and a sender 920, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions and the processor executes the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to enable the processor to: configure (inherent) an index of a paging subgrouping to a terminal device (see [0049]-[0059]); enable the sender to send (step 201) the index of the paging subgrouping to the terminal device, wherein if the terminal device is configured with Extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX) and supports subgrouping paging, the terminal device monitors subgrouping paging based on the index of the paging subgrouping, see [0084]-[0085], [0100]-[0103]. Also see reciprocal method as applied above to claims 1 and 8. The examiner notes that the “wherein” clause merely recites an intended use not carrying patentable weight since the instant claim is defined by its structure which is limited to the network device and it relates to the “terminal” device. Claims 16-17 and 18-19 correspond to claims 3-4 and 6-7 respectively. As to claim 20, Agiwal discloses The network device of claim 15, wherein the network device is a core network device (eNB/gNB see [0027]) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Agiwal et al. (2022/0132464) additionally provide for the UE_ID based on the 5G s-TMSI mod X. [0398], etc. Murray et al. (2020/0404617) provide for the UE_ID based on the UE IMSI mod X. [0194], etc. Rune (2021/0127354) provides for UE ID based on indexed UE ID [0269]-[0270]. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER KINCAID whose telephone number is (571)272-7922. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7-5. 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, Yuwen Pan can be reached at 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. LESTER G. KINCAID Primary Patent Examiner Art Unit 2649 /LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 2 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 3 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 4 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 5 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 6 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 7 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 8 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 9 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/671,251 Page 10 Art Unit: 2649
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