Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/717,616

Discontinuous Reception Operation of a Wireless Communication Device

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jun 07, 2024
Priority
Dec 20, 2021 — provisional 63/291,549 +1 more
Examiner
REYES ORTIZ, HECTOR E
Art Unit
2472
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
9m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allowance Rate
250 granted / 304 resolved
+24.2% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+11.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
342
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
91.2%
+51.2% vs TC avg
§102
2.2%
-37.8% vs TC avg
§112
4.0%
-36.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 304 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/717,616 CTNF 91630 Detailed Action The office action is in response to the communications filed on 06/07/2024 . Notice of 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. Claims Status Claims 1-32 have been cancelled. Claims 33-52 have been newly added. Claims 33-52 are pending in this application. Response to Amendment Applicant’s preliminary amendment, filed 06/07/2024 , has been entered and considered. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/07/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Prior Art Made of Record 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lee et al. ( Publication Patent No. US 2023/0008854), the prior art relates to misalignment of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle and extended reality traffic periodicity; see figure 5 ¶ 42 . 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. Claims 33-37, 39-47, and 49-52 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ang et al. (Publication No. US 2020/0389933, hereinafter referred to as Ang). Regarding claims 33 and 43, Ang discloses a method performed by a wireless communication device for discontinuous reception (DRX) operation in a wireless communication network, the method comprising (A process flow that supports discontinuous reception techniques with non-uniform cycle durations; see figure 7.) : receiving, from the wireless communication network, a DRX configuration that configures the wireless communication device with respective durations of multiple on-duration timers for a DRX group (A user equipment (UE) receive a DRX configuration information from a base station (BS); figure 7 step 720 & ¶ 54) , wherein the DRX group comprises one or more serving cells of the wireless communication device (The limitation is interpreted as a single serving cell enabling the DRX process, which is disclosed by the prior art as the BS; see figure 7 element 105-b & ¶ 54.) , wherein the multiple on-duration timers include an inner on-duration timer and an outer on-duration timer (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration; see ¶ 55.) , wherein running of the outer on-duration timer is a prerequisite for starting or re-starting the inner on-duration timer (A set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55.) . Regarding claim 34, Ang discloses starting or re-starting the inner on-duration timer if the outer on-duration timer is running (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration, wherein the set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55. The UE initiate DRX procedure, and receive downlink (DL) transmission(s) from the BS; see figure 7 step 730-735.) ; and/or stopping the inner on-duration timer upon expiry of the outer on-duration timer (It is interpreted that the inner cycles stop when the outer cycle finish because the inner cycles can only be activated within outer cycle duration.). Regarding claims 35 and 45, Ang monitoring a downlink control channel on the one or more serving cells if the DRX group is in active time, wherein the active time for the DRX group includes at least time while the inner on-duration timer is running; and receiving a downlink control message on the downlink control channel based on said monitoring (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration, wherein the set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55. The UE initiate DRX procedure, and receive [monitor] downlink (DL) transmission(s) [downlink control channel] from the BS; see figure 7 step 730-735.). Regarding claims 36 and 46, Ang discloses that the active time further depends on an inactivity timer, wherein the active time for the DRX group includes at least (The inactivity timer manager may initiate a discontinuous reception cycle inactivity timer based on an absolute time relative to each ON-duration or adjusted ON-duration; see ¶ 129.) .: time while the inner and outer on-duration timers are running simultaneously (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration, wherein the set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55. The UE initiate DRX procedure, and receive [monitor] downlink (DL) transmission(s) [downlink control channel] from the BS; see figure 7 step 730-735.) ; and time while the outer on-duration timer and the inactivity timer are running simultaneously (NOTE: The inactivity time is initiated during the ON-duration of the DRX; see ¶ 129. As a result, the outer cycle duration is simultaneously running with the inactivity time, and consequently the inner cycle duration is also running because is within the outer cycle duration; see figure 6.) . Regarding claims 37 and 47, Ang discloses that while the outer on-duration timer is running, monitoring a downlink control channel on the one or more serving cells discontinuously at times when the inner on-duration timer runs (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration, wherein the set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55. The UE initiate DRX procedure, and receive [monitor] downlink (DL) transmission(s) [downlink control channel] from the BS; see figure 7 step 730-735.). Regarding claims 39 and 49, Ang discloses that the duration of the inner on-duration timer is shorter than the duration of the outer on-duration timer (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration, wherein the set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55.) . Regarding claims 40 and 50, Ang discloses 40. The method of claim 33, wherein an on-duration period of an inner DRX cycle has a duration equal to the duration of the inner on-duration timer, wherein an on-duration period of an outer DRX cycle has a duration equal to the duration of the outer on-duration timer, and wherein the on-duration period of an outer DRX cycle spans a set of multiple inner DRX cycles (Multiple DRX configurations may be configured, including an outer cycle configuration having a cycle duration that corresponds to the DRX time period, and an inner cycle configuration in which a set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration, and where different inner cycles may have different cycle durations; see ¶ 55.) . Regarding claims 41 and 51, Ang discloses 41. The method of claim 33, wherein the multiple on-duration timers include multiple inner on-duration timers, wherein an on-duration period of an outer DRX cycle has a duration equal to the duration of the outer on-duration timer, wherein an on-duration period of an outer DRX cycle spans a set of multiple inner DRX cycles, wherein on-duration periods of at least some of the multiple inner DRX cycles in the set have different durations corresponding to the durations of the multiple inner on-duration timers. (Multiple DRX configurations may be configured, including an outer cycle configuration having a cycle duration that corresponds to the DRX time period, and an inner cycle configuration in which a set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration, and where different inner cycles may have different cycle durations; see ¶ 55.). Regarding claims 42 and 52, Ang discloses a method performed by a network node of configuring a wireless communication device for discontinuous reception (DRX) operation in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: (A process flow that supports discontinuous reception techniques with non-uniform cycle durations; see figure 7.) : transmitting, to the wireless communication device, a DRX configuration that configures the wireless communication device with respective durations of multiple on-duration timers for a DRX group (A user equipment (UE) receive a DRX configuration information from a base station (BS); figure 7 step 720 & ¶ 54) , wherein the DRX group comprises one or more serving cells of the wireless communication device (The limitation is interpreted as a single serving cell enabling the DRX process, which is disclosed by the prior art as the BS; see figure 7 element 105-b & ¶ 54.) , wherein the multiple on-duration timers include an inner on-duration timer and an outer on-duration timer (The DRX configuration information includes an outer cycle configuration and an inner cycle configuration; see ¶ 55.) , wherein running of the outer on-duration timer is a prerequisite for starting or re-starting the inner on-duration timer (A set of inner DRX cycles are within one outer cycle duration; see ¶ 55.) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-fti The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under AIA 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 38 and 48 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ang et al. ( Publication Patent No. US 2020/0389933 , hereinafter referred to as Ang) in view of Agiwal et al. (Publication No. US 2021/0282187, hereinafter referred as Agiwal). Regarding claims 38 and 48, Ang discloses a process flow that supports discontinuous reception techniques with non-uniform cycle durations, but fails to explicitly disclose receiving by the wireless communication device of a stop indication from the wireless communication network triggers stopping of one or more of the inner on-duration timer, the outer on-duration timer, and an inactivity timer. However, in analogous art, Agiwal discloses that if drx-InactivityTimer is running and the UE (100) receives the dlCOTInactive indication, then the UE (100) stops drx-InactivityTimer; see ¶ 241. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ang with the stop indication of Agiwal in order to accelerate the recovery of transmission by restarting the DRX cycle. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hector Reyes (Hector.Reyes@uspto.gov) whose telephone number is (571) 270-0239 . The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6-5. 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, Kevin Bates (Kevin.Bates@uspto.gov) can be reached on (571) 270-0239 . 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. /H.R/Examiner, Art Unit 2472 /KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 2 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 3 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 4 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 5 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 6 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 7 Art Unit: 2472 Application/Control Number: 18/717,616 Page 8 Art Unit: 2472
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 07, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
82%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+11.5%)
2y 10m (~9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 304 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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