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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 6, 8-10, 12, 14-16, 18, 20, 22-24, 26, 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang (Pub No 20200245395)
Regarding claim 1 and 15,
Zhang teaches a method comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the wireless device to: (see para [0447])
receiving, by a wireless device in a radio resource control (RRC)-connected state, at least one parameter associated with discontinuous reception (DRX); (interpreted as A single DRX configuration parameter set per MAC entity may consist of various parameters, presented by way of example and without limitation: an optional short on-duration timer (shortOnDurationTimer), a long on duration timer (which is also referred to herein as a regular on duration timer, or simply an on-duration timer (onDurationTimer)), an inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer), see para [0159]. Also see RRC_connected state for drx para [0002])
based on an uplink transmission for beam failure recovery, determining, by the wireless device in the RRC-connected state, that the wireless device is in a DRX active time; (interpreted as when a beam failure procedure is triggered at the UE, it will send a beam recovery request (BRR) in the uplink, and wait for gNB/network's response in the DL within a predefined brr-ResponseWindowTimer. For example, an apparatus (UE) may transmit a beam failure recovery request during an active time of the apparatus, and wait for a response to the beam recovery request during the active time, see para [0091]. Examiner notes that it is implicit that the device would know that the device expecting a response to the beam recovery request would be in active time to receive the response)
receiving, via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) being monitored in the DRX active time, downlink control information (DCI) associated with the uplink transmission; and communicating, based on one or more grants indicated by the DCI, one or more packets. (interpreted as if the UE detects the PDCCH on the primary BPL (beam pair link) successfully, it will perform its UL/DL transmission and reception procedures according to the DCI in this PDCCH, see para [0094]. Also see A, a user equipment (UE) in a connected mode (RRC_CONNECTED state) monitors the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to get the downlink transmission grant for the UE to receive downlink data on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). A connected state discontinuous reception (DRX) procedure is introduced in LTE/LTE-A standards to achieve UE power savings, see para [0002])
Regarding claim 9 and 23,
Zhang teaches a method comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the base station to:
transmitting, by a base station to a wireless device that is in a radio resource control (RRC)-connected state, at least one parameter associated with discontinuous reception (DRX); (interpreted as A single DRX configuration parameter set per MAC entity may consist of various parameters, presented by way of example and without limitation: an optional short on-duration timer (shortOnDurationTimer), a long on duration timer (which is also referred to herein as a regular on duration timer, or simply an on-duration timer (onDurationTimer)), an inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer), see para [0159]. Also see RRC_connected state for drx para [0002])
receiving, from the wireless device in the RRC-connected state, an uplink transmission for beam failure recovery, wherein based on the uplink transmission for beam failure recovery, the wireless device in the RRC-connected state is in a DRX active time; (interpreted as when a beam failure procedure is triggered at the UE, it will send a beam recovery request (BRR) in the uplink, and wait for gNB/network's response in the DL within a predefined brr-ResponseWindowTimer. For example, an apparatus (UE) may transmit a beam failure recovery request during an active time of the apparatus, and wait for a response to the beam recovery request during the active time, see para [0091]. Examiner notes that it is implicit that the device would know that the device expecting a response to the beam recovery request would be in active time to receive the response)
transmitting, via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to be monitored in the DRX active time, downlink control information (DCI) associated with the uplink transmission; and communicating, based on one or more grants indicated by the DCI, one or more packets. (interpreted as if the UE detects the PDCCH on the primary BPL (beam pair link) successfully, it will perform its UL/DL transmission and reception procedures according to the DCI in this PDCCH, see para [0094]. Also see A, a user equipment (UE) in a connected mode (RRC_CONNECTED state) monitors the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to get the downlink transmission grant for the UE to receive downlink data on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). A connected state discontinuous reception (DRX) procedure is introduced in LTE/LTE-A standards to achieve UE power savings, see para [0002])
Regarding claim 2 and 10 and 16 and 24,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter associated with DRX comprises at least one of: a DRX on-duration timer; a DRX inactivity timer; a DRX retransmission timer; a DRX cycle start offset associated with a first length; or a DRX parameter associated with a second length. (interpreted as A single DRX configuration parameter set per MAC entity may consist of various parameters, presented by way of example and without limitation: an optional short on-duration timer (shortOnDurationTimer), a long on duration timer (which is also referred to herein as a regular on duration timer, or simply an on-duration timer (onDurationTimer)), an inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer), see para [0159]. Also see RRC_connected state for drx para [0002])
Regarding claim 4 and 12 and 18 and 26,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the DRX active time is according to at least one 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard. (interpreted as The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) develops technical standards for cellular telecommunications network technologies, see para [0430])
Regarding claim 6 and 20,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, based on the receiving the DCI associated with the uplink transmission, a beam for a transmission to a base station, wherein the uplink transmission comprises a scheduling request for beam failure recovery. (interpreted as In some cases, when a DRX cycle is configured, the Active Time includes the time while, for example, 1) onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer or drx-Retransmission Timer or drx-ULRetransmissionTimer or mac-ContentionResolution Timer is running; or 2) a Scheduling Request or Beam Recovery Request is sent on PUCCH and is pending, see para [0097])
Regarding claim 8 and 14 and 22,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more grants indicated by the DCI comprises an uplink grant, and wherein the communicating the one or more packets comprises transmitting, to a base station, the one or more packets. (interpreted as an uplink grant for a pending HARQ retransmission can occur and there is data in the corresponding HARQ buffer for synchronous HARQ process, see para [0337]. Also see The transmit/receive element 122 may be configured to transmit signals to, or receive signals from, a base station (e.g., the base station 114a), see para [0448])
Regarding claim 28,
Zhang teaches the base station of claim 23, wherein the one or more grants indicated by the DCI comprises an uplink grant, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the base station to communicate the one or more packets by receiving, from the wireless device, the one or more packets. . (interpreted as an uplink grant for a pending HARQ retransmission can occur and there is data in the corresponding HARQ buffer for synchronous HARQ process, see para [0337]. Also see The transmit/receive element 122 may be configured to transmit signals to, or receive signals from, a base station (e.g., the base station 114a), see para [0448])
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.
Claim(s) 3, 11, 17, 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (Pub No 20200245395) further in view of Da Silva (Pub No 20210185754)
Regarding claim 3 and 11 and 17 and 25,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving one or more RRC messages comprising one or more downlink beam failure recovery parameters; and detecting a beam failure associated with a secondary cell, wherein the uplink transmission for beam failure recovery comprises a scheduling request for beam failure recovery. (interpreted as In some cases, when a DRX cycle is configured, the Active Time includes the time while, for example, 1) onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer or drx-Retransmission Timer or drx-ULRetransmissionTimer or mac-ContentionResolution Timer is running; or 2) a Scheduling Request or Beam Recovery Request is sent on PUCCH and is pending, see para [0097])
However Zhang does not teach beam failure recovery associated with a second cell
Da silva teaches beam failure recovery associated with a second cell (interpreted as The beam selection abovementioned, where the selection may be associated to the primary cell or a cell of the set of neighbor cells, may occur upon beam failure detection while the wireless device 10 is in connected state, such as RRC_CONNECTED state, see para [0095])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the beam failure recovery taught by Zhang with the beam failure recovery for second cells as taught by Da silva with the motivation being to use additional cells for mitigating connection failure.
Claim(s) 7, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (Pub No 20200245395) further in view of Tsai (Pub No 20210076445)
Regarding claim 7 and 21,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: starting a first timer; (interpreted as To accommodate a beam failure recovery's impact, in an example, when a UE transmits a BRR on its configured UL transmission/resources, a brr-Response Window Timer will be started. The DRX Active time may include such a response window, see para [0092])
However does not teach monitoring, after an expiration of the first timer, the PDCCH for reception of the DCI associated with the uplink transmission; after the expiration of the first timer, starting a second timer; and based on an expiration of the second timer, stopping the monitoring the PDCCH for reception of the DCI associated with the uplink transmission.
Tsai teaches monitoring, after an expiration of the first timer, the PDCCH for reception of the DCI associated with the uplink transmission; (interpreted as If UE receives the gNB's Beam Recovery (BR) response before the beam failure recovery timer expires or before the UE has reached the maximum transmission number of Beam Failure Recovery Requests (BFRRs), then the UE may resume the BWP inactivity timer, see para [0241])
after the expiration of the first timer, starting a second timer; and based on an expiration of the second timer, stopping the monitoring the PDCCH for reception of the DCI associated with the uplink transmission. (interpreted as The UE may keep monitoring DL DCI until the BWP inactivity timer expires, see para [0263])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the timers taught by Zhang with the timers for second cells as taught by Tsai with the motivation being to prevent the system waiting indefinitely for a response.
Claim(s) 5, 13, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (Pub No 20200245395) further in view of Kim (Pub No 20240237125)
Regarding claim 5 and 13 and 19,
Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, however does not teach further comprising: skipping, during a DRX inactive time, PDCCH monitoring.
Kim teaches further comprising: skipping, during a DRX inactive time, PDCCH monitoring. (interpreted as wireless device may monitor PDCCH during a DRX active time associated with the first DRX configuration information and skip monitoring of PDCCH during a DRX inactive time associated with the first DRX configuration information, see para [0078])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the inactive time taught by Zhang with the skipping monitoring during inactive time as taught by Kim with the motivation being to conserve power.
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (Pub No 20200245395) further in view of Kim (Pub No 20190166576)
Regarding claim 27,
Zhang teaches the base station of claim 23, however does not teach wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the base station to: skip, during a DRX inactive time, DCI transmission to the wireless device.
Kim teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the base station to: skip, during a DRX inactive time, DCI transmission to the wireless device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the inactive time taught by Zhang with the skipping monitoring during inactive time as taught by Kim with the motivation being to conserve power/resources.
Conclusion
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/BAO G NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2461 /HUY D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461