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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 06/03/2024.
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)(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 1, 7-10, 9 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lau et al. (U.S. Pub. 20190141671).
Regarding claim 1 Lau disclose, a method comprising: by a network control plane in a wireless communication network para. 38, “MME device 220 (referred to hereafter simply as “MME 220”) may implement control plane processing for access network 120”:
receiving a power saving mode entry message from a wireless user device;
para. 20, Fig. 9A-B, “Normally a PSM UE's TAU timer is determined and requested by the UE device, but the service network can override a PSM UE's requested TAU timer”
indicating a current power saving mode timer to the wireless user device para. 66, “PSM connection manager 610 may provide a TAU response with the special wake-up time that UE device 110 may implement”;
determining an adjustment time based on an amount of time elapsed between an initial power saving mode timer and a power saving mode exit message associated with the wireless user device para. 85, “UE device 110 may receive TAU response 950, store the special wake-up time “X,” and then enter a PSM sleep interval, as indicated by reference 955. UE device 110 may then wake up at time “X,” as indicated by reference 960”;
receiving a message forwarding request for the wireless user device from a messaging server before the current power saving mode update timer expired para. 20, “there are common instances where the need for an AS to request a special wake-up time for data services would be beneficial. For example, a PSM UE (e.g., an MTC device) may need to wake up for a special software update”;
determining a retransmission time based on an amount of time remaining on the current power saving mode timer and the adjustment time para. 78, “The paging request may include the message size and the maximum retransmission time for SMSC 270”; and
directing the messaging server to retransmit the message forwarding request at the retransmission time para. 78, “MT SMS paging request manager 700 may receive a service request from MME to download messages the MME determines are deliverable, and, for the deliverable messages, send downlink SM data to MME 220”.
Regarding claim 7 Lau disclose, wherein the network control plane comprises one or more of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) or an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) para. 21, “The SMS-IWF device may identify a mobility management entity (MME) associated with the UE device and may forward the SM to the identified MME”.
Regarding claim 8 Lau disclose, wherein the messaging server comprises a Short-Message-Service Center (SMSC) para. 21, “An SMS-IWF device may interface a wireless access network with a short message switching center (SMSC)”.
Regarding claim 9 Lau disclose, wherein the wireless user device comprises at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) User Equipment (UE), a Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) UE, or an LTE/5GNR UE para. 29, “Access network 120 may establish a packet data network (PDN) connection between UE device 110 and core network 130 via one or more Access Point Names (APNs). In some implementations, access network 120 may include a Long Term Evolution (LTE) access network”.
Regarding claim 10 Lau disclose, a wireless communication network comprising: control plane circuitry para. 49, Fig. 3, “MME 220, may include a processor 320, a memory 330, an input device 340”. Furthermore claim 10, recites an apparatus performing functions corresponding to the method of claim 1 and thus is rejected under the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16 Lau disclose, wherein the network control plane comprises one or more of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) or an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) para. 21, “The SMS-IWF device may identify a mobility management entity (MME) associated with the UE device and may forward the SM to the identified MME”; and
the messaging server comprises a Short-Message-Service Center (SMSC) para. 21, “An SMS-IWF device may interface a wireless access network with a short message switching center (SMSC)”.
Regarding claim 17 the limitations of claim 17 are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claim 9.
Claim 18 recites a computer–program product corresponding to the apparatus of claim 10 and thus is rejected under the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 10.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 2-3, 6, 11-12, 15 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lau et al. (U.S. Pub. 20190141671) in view of Shih (EPO. Pub. NL2012468).
Regarding claim 2 Lau disclose, further comprising:
receiving an initial power saving mode entry message from the wireless user device para. 84, “UE device 110 may send a TAU request 945 to MME 220”;
indicating the initial power saving mode timer and an initial transmission time window to the wireless user device para. 84, “MME 220 may receive TAU request 945 and provide a TAU response 950 that includes the special wake-up time “X” for UE device 110's next wake-up interval”;
receiving an initial message forwarding request for the wireless user device from the messaging server before the initial power saving mode timer has expired para. 82, “AS 140 may provide a special wake-up time request 905 to SCEF 265 (e.g., an API call over the T8 interface). Special wake-up time request 905 may include a device ID for UE device 110 and a requested wake-up time “X.””;
selecting an initial retransmission time based on an amount of time remaining on the initial power saving mode timer and the transmission time window para. 105, “MME 220 may determine (e.g., using UE wake-up log 620) that the UE device 110 wake-up time is within the maximum retransmission time for SMSC 270 and may send the UE device wake-up time to SMSC 270 as the requested retransmission time”; and
Lau does not specifically disclose, directing the messaging server to retransmit the initial message forwarding request at the initial retransmission time. However, Shih teaches, “the pager 20 can require the monitoring server 50 for retransmitting or forwarding the message at some point in time sent from the transmitter 10”, see para. 16.
Lau and Shih are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to configuring power saving mode parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Shih in the system of Lau so the system can provide fast recovery for packet lost and preserve reliable connections. The motivation for doing so would have been to reduce the power consumption of the terminal and avoid large RRTs delays.
Regarding claim 3 Lau disclose, further comprising:
receiving the power saving mode exit message; during the initial transmission time window para. 46, “The modified T8 interface supports special wake-up time requests from AS 140”,
Lau does not specifically disclose, receiving the initial message forwarding request retransmitted by the messaging server at the initial retransmission time. However, Shih teaches, “the pager 20 can require the monitoring server 50 for retransmitting or forwarding the message at some point in time sent from the transmitter 10”; see para. 16.
Shih further teaches, forwarding an initial text message included in the initial message forwarding request for delivery to the wireless user device para. 26, “forwarding the messages that has been sent from the transmitter to a certain pager via the GSM /GPRS system”; and
wherein: receiving the power saving mode entry message from the wireless user device comprises receiving the power saving mode entry message from the wireless user device subsequent to the end of the initial transmission time window para. 00, “wherein the transmitter is further capable of linking to a computer utilized for linking the monitoring server via Internet and for transmitting /receiving messages or commands from/to the monitoring server; the transmitter is also capable of accessing to the database of the monitoring server via Internet for inquiring or tracking all of the messages replied from the pagers of the group”.
Lau and Shih are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to configuring power saving mode parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Shih in the system of Lau so the system can allow the device to transition into deep sleep without losing network registration. The motivation for doing so would have been to reduce the power consumption of the terminal and optimize battery life.
Regarding claim 6 Lau disclose, wherein: the power saving mode entry message comprises a User Equipment (UE) idle mode indication para. 2, “PSM enables user equipment (UE) to enter a deep-sleep mode for long periods”;
the current power saving mode timer comprises a Tracking Area Update (TAU) timer para. 20, “The wake-up schedule for a PSM UE is determined by the TAU timer”;
the initial power saving mode timer comprises an initial TAU timer; the power saving mode exit message comprises a TAU message para. 20, “Normally a PSM UE's TAU timer is determined and requested by the UE device”;
the message forwarding request comprises a Mobile Terminated Forward Short Message Request (TFR) para. 96, “SMSC 270 may forward the SM to SMS-IWF 260 (e.g., via an MTForwardSM MAP-E message)”; and
Lau does not specifically disclose, directing the messaging server to retransmit the message forwarding request at the retransmission time comprises transferring a Requested Retransmission Time (RRT) message that indicates retransmission time to the messaging server. However, Shih teaches, para. 16, “the pager 20 can require the monitoring server 50 for retransmitting or forwarding the message at some point in time sent from the transmitter 10”.
Lau and Shih are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to configuring power saving mode parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Shih in the system of Lau so the system can provide fast recovery for packet lost and preserve reliable connections. The motivation for doing so would have been to reduce the power consumption of the terminal and optimize battery life.
Regarding claims 11-12 and 15 the limitations of claims 11-12 and 15, respectively, are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claims 2-3 and 6, respectively.
Regarding claims 19 and 20 the limitations of claims 19 and 20, respectively, are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claims 3 and 6, respectively.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 13-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Mutikainen (U.S. Pub. 20160255584) which disclose(s) user equipment power optimization.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAUL RIVAS whose telephone number is (571)270–5590. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy K. Kundu, can be reached on (571) 272 - 8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571–272–8300.
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/R.R/ Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/SUJOY K KUNDU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471