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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 08/28/2024 comply with all application rules and regulations. Therefore, the information referred to therein have been considered
Specification Objection
3. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested:
“METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION DRX CYCLE CONFIGURATION IN WCS.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 20-21, 24-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ang et al. (US-20200389933-A1), as field on Jun. 04, 2020 and published on Dec. 10, 2020.
Regarding Claim 20 (New), Ang teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising (Figs. 1-2, abstract and [0005] describe that the method includes system, UE and network node (BS)): receiving, from an access network node, information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN) ([0006] states “receiving a discontinuous reception cycle configuration from a base station that indicates a discontinuous reception cycle associated with a discontinuous reception period, the discontinuous reception cycle having an ON-duration during which the UE is to wake up from a sleep mode to monitor for transmissions from the base station, determining, based on the discontinuous reception cycle configuration, a plurality of start times comprising a start time for the ON-duration…. The determining”. [0078] states “The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms”. Fig. 4, [0092], [0099] and [0123] explain that the anchor cycle can be aligned with system timing reference, SFN, as also described in [0005], lines 10-14. That confirms the UE can receive, from the BS, , information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of DRX cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN), see also claim 4 and [0177]), and non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle ([0100] states “DRX cycle durations may be configured based on a rational number that is used to determine the DRX cycle durations. In such cases, instead of supporting only integer millisecond DRX cycle durations, a DRX configuration may support non-integer millisecond DRX cycle durations as a rational number.” Which confirms the system can support the non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle), the non-integer number of milliseconds corresponding to a video frame rate (Figs. 3-5, [0054] and example in [0086] and [0-089] that describe the XR downlink traffic that has a periodic pattern with a frame rate of transmitted data (e.g., H.264/H.265 encoded video). Such downlink traffic may be quasi-periodic with burst a every frame at one frame-per-second (1/fps), or two possibly per frame at 1/(2*fps). An update rate is may be, for example, 120 Hz or 60 Hz, thus resulting in a downlink traffic burst arrival periodicity of 8.333 ms or 16.667 ms, respectively. Which implies the possibility of having the non-integer number of milliseconds for a video/XR frame rate, see also [0057] and [0100]); and configuring the on-duration period of the DRX cycle based on the information ([0092], [0095] and [0126] describe the starting offset as a part of configuration information. [0005], [0055], and [0081] describe the rational/ non-integer number duration as configuration of the DRX cycle. Traffic periodicity [0106], anchor cycle duration [0092] and method of signaling [0099] can also considered type of information to configure the on-duration period of the DRX cycle).
Regarding Claim 21 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 20,
Ang further teaches wherein the specific SFN is at least one of 0 or a predetermined number ([0078] states “The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms.” That confirms the SFN can be 0 or any determined number according to the configuration).
Regarding claim 24 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 20, further comprising:
Ang further teaches receiving further information for adjusting at least one of the start offset or the on-duration period ([0037] states “the discontinuous reception cycle configuration includes a first starting offset for a first ON-duration within at least a first discontinuous reception cycle of the set of discontinuous reception cycles, and a second starting offset for a second ON-duration within at least a second discontinuous reception cycle of the set of discontinuous reception cycles, where the first starting offset may be different than the second starting offset” see also Fig. 5, [0093]-[0095], and [0155] states “configuration for the UE that indicates a set of discontinuous reception cycles within a discontinuous reception period that each have an ON-duration during which the UE is to wake up from a sleep mode to monitor for transmissions from the base station, “ that implies the UE can receive further information for adjusting at least one of the start offset or the on-duration period ); and adjusting the at least one of the start offset or the on-duration period based on the further information (Fig. 5, [0093]-[0094] illustrate the DRX configuration with dynamic offset adjustment” that explicitly states “In this example, an adjustment 520 to the DRX ON-duration start offset may be made following the third downlink burst 510-c, which …. downlink traffic bursts 510.”, see also the flowcharts Figs. 16-20).
Regarding claim 25 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 24, wherein
Ang further teaches the adjusting is performed by adjusting an on-duration period of a current iteration of the DRX cycle (Fig. 5, [0093]-[0095] illustrate the DRX configuration with dynamic offset adjustment” that explicitly states “In this example, an adjustment 520 to the DRX ON-duration start offset may be made following the third downlink burst 510-c, which …. downlink traffic bursts 510.”, see also the flowcharts Figs. 16-20). Fig. 5 and [0095] shows the dynamically adjustment , increased by I ms, to realign the on-duration with the arrival download transmission).
Regarding claim 26 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 24,
Ang further teaches wherein the adjusting is performed by adjusting each on-duration period of following iterations of the DRX cycle (Flowcharts in Figs. 18 and 20, [0176] describes that the UE can receive configuration or further information to allow it to adjust the start time/on duration for each DRX cycle in a period, not only the current one. See also [0017] and claims 16-17, where [0031] and [0128] describe the adjusting of the start time of each of the set of ON-durations to align with a timing boundary used for wireless communications between the UE and the base station, and the start time of each of the set of ON-durations may be adjusted to align with a nearest timing boundary, a next timing boundary, or a previous timing boundary).
Regarding claim 27 (New), Ang teaches The method according to claim 24,
Ang further teaches wherein the adjusting is performed in a unit smaller than a subframe. ([0100] explicitly states “Based on the starting point of the DRX cycle, the associated ON-duration may be quantized, in some cases, to start at a slot/mini-slot boundary of the current active bandwidth part” and [0078] states “Time intervals of a communications resource may be organized according to radio frames each having a duration of 10 milliseconds (ms), where the frame period may be expressed as Tf=307,200 Ts. The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms” that means the adjustment can be 0.5 or less and the symbol, which is a fraction of a slot, hence, both are smaller than the subframe , about 1 ms).
Regarding claim 28 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 24,
Ang further teaches wherein the further information is transmitted by at least one of: downlink control information (DCI); a physical layer signaling; a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE); or a MAC signaling ([0055], [0081], [0095], [0107] depict that the DRX configuration information may be provided in DCI or in one or more MAC-CEs).
Regarding claim 29 (New), Ang teaches The method according to claim 20,
Ang further teaches wherein the information is transmitted by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message ([0077] [0092], and [0099] illustrate that the base station may configure a UE with such a DRX configuration via radio resource control (RRC) signaling).
Regarding claim 30 (New), Ang teaches a method performed by an access network node, the method comprising (Figs. 1-2, abstract and [0005] describe that the method includes system, UE and network node (BS)): transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN) ([0006] states “receiving a discontinuous reception cycle configuration, from a base station, that indicates a discontinuous reception cycle associated with a discontinuous reception period, the discontinuous reception cycle having an ON-duration during which the UE is to wake up from a sleep mode to monitor for transmissions from the base station, determining, based on the discontinuous reception cycle configuration, a plurality of start times comprising a start time for the ON-duration…. The determining”. [0078] states “The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms”. Fig. 4, [0092], [0099] and [0123] explain that the anchor cycle can be aligned with system timing reference, SFN, as also described in [0005], lines 10-14. That confirms the UE can receive, from the BS, , information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of DRX cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN), see also claim 4 and [0177]), and non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle ([0100] states “DRX cycle durations may be configured based on a rational number that is used to determine the DRX cycle durations. In such cases, instead of supporting only integer millisecond DRX cycle durations, a DRX configuration may support non-integer millisecond DRX cycle durations as a rational number.” Which confirms the system can support the non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle), the non-integer number of milliseconds corresponding to a video frame rate (Figs. 3-5, [0054] and example in [0086] and [0-089] that describe the XR downlink traffic that has a periodic pattern with a frame rate of transmitted data (e.g., H.264/H.265 encoded video). Such downlink traffic may be quasi-periodic with burst a every frame at one frame-per-second (1/fps), or two possibly per frame at 1/(2*fps). An update rate is may be, for example, 120 Hz or 60 Hz, thus resulting in a downlink traffic burst arrival periodicity of 8.333 ms or 16.667 ms, respectively. Which implies the possibility of having the non-integer number of milliseconds for a video/XR frame rate, see also [0057] and [0100]);, for configuring the UE with the on-duration period of the DRX cycle ([0092], [0095] and [0126] describe the starting offset as a part of configuration information. [0005], [0055], and [0081] describe the rational/ non-integer number duration as configuration of the DRX cycle. Traffic periodicity [0106], anchor cycle duration [0092] and method of signaling [0099] can also considered type of information to configure the on-duration period of the DRX cycle).
Regarding claim 31 (New), Ang teaches a user equipment (UE) comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to (Figs. 8-11 and [0007], [0024], [0033] and [0109]-[0115] describe how the apparatus, such as UE or network node, may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may be executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform the steps of method): receive, from an access network node, information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN) ([0006] states “receiving a discontinuous reception cycle configuration from a base station that indicates a discontinuous reception cycle associated with a discontinuous reception period, the discontinuous reception cycle having an ON-duration during which the UE is to wake up from a sleep mode to monitor for transmissions from the base station, determining, based on the discontinuous reception cycle configuration, a plurality of start times comprising a start time for the ON-duration…. The determining”. [0078] states “The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms”. Fig. 4, [0092], [0099] and [0123] explain that the anchor cycle can be aligned with system timing reference, SFN, as also described in [0005], lines 10-14. That confirms the UE can receive, from the BS, , information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of DRX cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN), see also claim 4 and [0177]), and non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle ([0100] states “DRX cycle durations may be configured based on a rational number that is used to determine the DRX cycle durations. In such cases, instead of supporting only integer millisecond DRX cycle durations, a DRX configuration may support non-integer millisecond DRX cycle durations as a rational number.” Which confirms the system can support the non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle), the non-integer number of milliseconds corresponding to a video frame rate (Figs. 3-5, [0054] and example in [0086] and [0-089] that describe the XR downlink traffic that has a periodic pattern with a frame rate of transmitted data (e.g., H.264/H.265 encoded video). Such downlink traffic may be quasi-periodic with burst a every frame at one frame-per-second (1/fps), or two possibly per frame at 1/(2*fps). An update rate is may be, for example, 120 Hz or 60 Hz, thus resulting in a downlink traffic burst arrival periodicity of 8.333 ms or 16.667 ms, respectively. Which implies the possibility of having the non-integer number of milliseconds for a video/XR frame rate, see also [0057] and [0100]); and configure the on-duration period of the DRX cycle based on the information ([0092], [0095] and [0126] describe the starting offset as a part of configuration information. [0005], [0055], and [0081] describe the rational/ non-integer number duration as configuration of the DRX cycle. Traffic periodicity [0106], anchor cycle duration [0092] and method of signaling [0099] can also considered type of information to configure the on-duration period of the DRX cycle).
Regarding claim 32 (New), Ang teaches an access network node comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to (Figs. 1, 7-15 and [0017]-[0018], [0032]- [0035] and [0109]-[0115] describe how the apparatus, such as UE or network node, may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may be executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform the steps of method): transmit, to a user equipment (UE), information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN) ([0006] states “receiving a discontinuous reception cycle configuration from a base station that indicates a discontinuous reception cycle associated with a discontinuous reception period, the discontinuous reception cycle having an ON-duration during which the UE is to wake up from a sleep mode to monitor for transmissions from the base station, determining, based on the discontinuous reception cycle configuration, a plurality of start times comprising a start time for the ON-duration…. The determining”. [0078] states “The radio frames may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) ranging from 0 to 1023. Each frame may include 10 subframes numbered from 0 to 9, and each subframe may have a duration of 1 ms”. Fig. 4, [0092], [0099] and [0123] explain that the anchor cycle can be aligned with system timing reference, SFN, as also described in [0005], lines 10-14. That confirms the UE can receive, from the BS, , information for indicating a start offset of an on-duration period of DRX cycle relative to a specific system frame number (SFN), see also claim 4 and [0177]), and non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle ([0100] states “DRX cycle durations may be configured based on a rational number that is used to determine the DRX cycle durations. In such cases, instead of supporting only integer millisecond DRX cycle durations, a DRX configuration may support non-integer millisecond DRX cycle durations as a rational number.” Which confirms the system can support the non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the DRX cycle), the non-integer number of milliseconds corresponding to a video frame rate (Figs. 3-5, [0054] and example in [0086] and [0-089] that describe the XR downlink traffic that has a periodic pattern with a frame rate of transmitted data (e.g., H.264/H.265 encoded video). Such downlink traffic may be quasi-periodic with burst a every frame at one frame-per-second (1/fps), or two possibly per frame at 1/(2*fps). An update rate is may be, for example, 120 Hz or 60 Hz, thus resulting in a downlink traffic burst arrival periodicity of 8.333 ms or 16.667 ms, respectively. Which implies the possibility of having the non-integer number of milliseconds for a video/XR frame rate, see also [0057] and [0100]), for configuring the UE with the on-duration period of the DRX cycle information ([0092], [0095] and [0126] describe the starting offset as a part of configuration information. [0005], [0055], and [0081] describe the rational/ non-integer number duration as configuration of the DRX cycle. Traffic periodicity [0106], anchor cycle duration [0092] and method of signaling [0099] can also considered type of information to configure the on-duration period of the DRX cycle).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ang et al. (US-20200389933-A1), as field on Jun. 04, 2020 and published on Dec. 10, 2020, in view of Pradas et al. (US-20230284331-A1) as field on Jul. 21, 2021 and published on Sep. 07, 2023.
Regarding Claim 22 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 20,
Ang fails to teach wherein the information includes information indicating the specific SFN.
However, Pradas teaches the information includes information indicating the specific SFN ([0019] and [0024] describe the DRX On period is determined by using the equation which included the specific value of SFN, as shown in Table 1 and 2, the SFN value =0 since the first row , that implies the starting point where the SFC=0, as a specific value, and the subframe=0).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ang to incorporate the teachings of Pradas (in analogous art) by adding the information includes information indicating the specific SFN to define the weak up of UE to monitor the downlink (Pradas, [0019]).
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ang et al. (US-20200389933-A1), as field on Jun. 04, 2020 and published on Dec. 10, 2020, in view of Gaal et al. (US-20110105069-A1) as field on Apr. 21, 2010 and published on May. 05, 2011.
Regarding Claim 23 (New), Ang teaches the method according to claim 20,
Ang further teaches wherein the information indicates a respective starting point of the on-duration period of a plurality of DRX cycles ([0037],[0083], [0124] and [0153] describe the configuration includes a first starting offset for a first ON-duration within at least a first discontinuous reception cycle of the set of discontinuous reception cycles, and a second starting offset for a second ON-duration within at least a second discontinuous reception cycle of the set of discontinuous reception cycles, where the first starting offset is different than the second starting offset. That confirm the configuration information indicates a respective starting point of the on-duration period of a plurality of DRX cycles), and a respective non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the plurality of the DRX cycles ([0099] states that the BS may configured a separate DRX configuration and that depend on the UE capabilities to perform DRX procedures with the non-uniform DRX cycles, and the base station may enable the capability when providing the DRX configuration. [0100] states “In such cases, instead of supporting only integer millisecond DRX cycle durations, a DRX configuration may support non-integer millisecond DRX cycle durations as a rational number. “ That means the information indicates respective non-integer number of milliseconds of the on-duration period of the plurality of the DRX cycles ), and
Ang fails to teach each of the plurality of the DRX cycles corresponds to a respective data stream.
However, Gaal teaches each of the plurality of the DRX cycles corresponds to a respective data stream (Tables 3-4 illustrate the mapping between the inactive period, such as DRX cycle, and frequency carrier, which can be mapped to the data streams, as stated in abstract lines 5-7, [0018] and [0020], which provides “the method can also include, in response to a second inactivity period, operating in a second state wherein a second DRX cycle is provided and a second one or more of the plurality of frequency carriers of the multicarrier wireless system is monitored to receive data during an awake period of the second DRX cycle. … period of the third DRX cycle.” See also [0077] provides that Tables 1-4 are exemplary relative values of inactivity periods, P, DRX cycle lengths, L and/or carriers, f, that can be embodied in the DRX configuration information 314, and by which the UE 122' can perform DRX. Table 1 illustrates DRX based on time parameters. While Tables 2, 3 and 4 are based on a combination of time and frequency parameters. ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ang to incorporate the teachings of Gaal (in analogous art) by adding each of the plurality of the DRX cycles corresponds to a respective data stream for facilitating discontinuous reception in multicarrier wireless communication systems, in particular. (Gaal, [0003]).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure.
Lee et al. (US-20230051778-A1), Paradas et al. (US-20250056654-A1), Lee et al. (US-20230008854-A1), and Chen et al. (US-20240172322-A1) teach methods relating to power saving and DRX operation in modern wireless network systems.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANAA S AL SAMAHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4171. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/SANAA AL SAMAHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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