DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-12, 15-17, 19, 21, 24, 26, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Priyanto et al. (US 2024/0349194, “Priyanto”) in view of HU et al. (US 2024/0334337, “HU”).
Regarding claim 1, Priyanto discloses an apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
- at least one processor; and memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to (See Fig.5 and ¶.69):
- transmit an indication of a time period for an energy harvesting procedure during which a first wireless device pauses communications with a second wireless device (See 805 & 806 Fig.8 and ¶.109, at step 805, the gNB grants the EH gap. This may be referred to as an initial signal since it initiates the EH gap. At step 806, the UE stops communication with the gNB; See ¶.86, the UE may indicate an initial energy level and expected rate of energy depletion. This allows the gNB to adjust its scheduling accordingly and to provide an EH gap where necessary (the trigger thus being, for example, the expiry of a time period of energy consumption at a given expected rate which indicates the UE is about to run out of power). This information (e.g. an initial energy level and expected rate of energy depletion) can be explicitly indicated to the gNB by the UE in advance, thereby allowing the gNB to allocate an EH-gap (in which it does not communicate with the UE) at the appropriate time without needing to receive a further indication from the UE; See 901 Fig.9 and ¶.112, at step 901, the control circuitry controls the communication circuitry to suspend the receiving of wireless signals from or transmitting of wireless signals to the second wireless apparatus during a time period when there is insufficient energy in the energy storage device usable by the communication circuitry);
- pause a connected mode inactivity timer, a connected mode idle timer, or both, at the first wireless device at a beginning of the time period (See ¶.103, the indicated details of the EH gap can include the granted EH gap duration, the minimum energy level that should be obtained by the device during the EH gap, and the expected UE state after the gap (e.g. maintain RRC connected mode or enter inactive/idle mode); See ¶.108, knows from the previous signaling (indicating the UE is in a low energy state) and the fact the UE is no longer responding the gNB that the UE is in the EH gap state; Examiner’s Note: HU discloses the limitations “pause a connected mode inactivity/idle timer”);
- perform the energy harvesting procedure during the time period (See 807 Fig.8, ‘Energy Harvesting’ during the energy harvesting gap time period; See 600B Fig.6, energy harvesting gap period);
- resume the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both, at an end of the time period (See 808 Fig.8 and ¶.109, at step 808, after the EH gap, the UE resumes communication with the gNB); and
- communicate with the second wireless device in a connected communications mode after the end of the time period (See 600A Fig.6, RRC connected for communication after the harvesting gap time period) and in accordance with a status of the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both; 902 Fig.9 and ¶.113, resume communication with the second wireless telecommunications apparatus after a time period of accumulating sufficient energy by energy harvesting; See 706 Fig.7, resume RRC connected mode; Examiner’s Note: HU discloses the limitations “a status of the connected mode inactivity/idle timer).
Priyanto discloses the method of start and stop of energy harvesting gap time period (See Figs.6-10), but does not explicitly disclose the limitations “pause and resume a connected mode inactivity/idle timer.”
However, HU discloses “pause and resume a connected mode inactivity/idle timer” (HU, See Fig.10 and ¶.200, for a terminal in an RRC connected state, the terminal stops or suspends the BWP-inactivity timer that is operating in response to switching from the normal receiving state to the low-power receiving state. In response to switching from the low-power receiving state to the normal receiving state, the terminal continues to operate on the original activated BWP while starting or resuming the operation of the BWP-inactivity timer.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the method of “pausing and resuming a connected mode inactivity/idle timer” as taught by HU into the system of Priyanto, so that it provides a way of switching from the normal receiving state to the low-power receiving state and vice versa (HU, See ¶.200).
Regarding claim 2, Priyanto discloses “receive control signaling indicating that the first wireless device is to communicate with the second wireless device during a second time period (See Fig.6 and ¶.80, gap period and resume).”
Regarding claim 3, Priyanto discloses “receive control signaling indicating that the first wireless device is to perform a random access procedure over a set of random access resources indicated in the control signaling (See ¶.88, this indication can be, for example, a simple 1 bit indication transmitted as a UCI (uplink control information) in a periodically occurring PUCCH (physical uplink control channel) resource that has been configured for the UE or transmitted as a PRACH (physical random access channel) using a known sequence. Alternatively, or additionally, this indication can be a message in a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) in which case the UE may have to send an SR (scheduling request) to request for PUSCH resources).”
Regarding claim 4, Priyanto discloses “perform the random access procedure over the set of random access resources with the second wireless device in accordance with the received control signaling (See ¶.88).”
Regarding claim 7, Priyanto does not explicitly disclose what HU discloses “transmit an indication that the first wireless device has resumed the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both, based at least in part on resuming the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both (HU, See Fig.10 and ¶.200, for a terminal in an RRC connected state, the terminal stops or suspends the BWP-inactivity timer that is operating in response to switching from the normal receiving state to the low-power receiving state. In response to switching from the low-power receiving state to the normal receiving state, the terminal continues to operate on the original activated BWP while starting or resuming the operation of the BWP-inactivity timer).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, Priyanto does not explicitly disclose what HU discloses “start a resumed communications timer; and perform a random access procedure with the second wireless device according to an expiration of the resumed communications timer (HU, See ¶.59-60, in the case of timeout of the BWP-inactivity timer, the BWP for the terminal is automatically switched to the default BWP or the initial BWP. The default BWP and the initial BWP are both determined by RRC configuration. [0060] 4. BWP switching is caused by random access initialization. [0061] In an initialization process of a random access channel (RACH), in the case that the terminal does not configure a physical random access channel (PRACH) scenario on the currently activated UL BWP, the terminal automatically switches the UL BWP to an initial uplink BWP (initial UL BWP), and meanwhile switches the DL BWP to an initial downlink BWP (initial DL BWP)).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, it is an apparatus claim performed at a receiver corresponding to the claim 1 performed at a transmitter at and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claims 10-12 and 15-16, they are claims corresponding to claims 2-4 & 7-8, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Regarding claim 17, Priyanto discloses an apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
- at least one processor; and memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to (As rejected in claim 1):
- transmit an indication of a time period for an energy harvesting procedure during which a first wireless device pauses communications with a second wireless device (As rejected in claim 1);
- select an initial value of a connected mode inactivity timer, a connected mode idle timer, or both, based at least in part on transmitting the indication of the time period, wherein the initial value is associated with the energy harvesting procedure (Priyanto, See 600B Fig.6 for starting point of energy harvesting gap period; HU, See ¶.59, In the case that the terminal performs data transmission and reception over a BWP, the terminal starts a BWP-inactivity timer corresponding to the BWP. In the case of the BWP-inactivity timer timeout, it is deemed that the terminal does not perform data transmission and reception on the BWP within the duration, and at the moment, the BWP for the terminal is switched to a default BWP or an initially configured BWP);
- start the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both, at the first wireless device at a beginning of the time period according to the selected initial value (As rejected in claim 1; HU, See ¶.55, the terminal starts or restarts the BWP-inactivity timer);
- perform the energy harvesting procedure during the time period (Priyanto, See Figs.6-8); and
- perform a random access procedure with the second wireless device according to an expiration of the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both (As rejected in claim 8; HU, See ¶.59-60, in the case of timeout of the BWP-inactivity timer, the BWP for the terminal is automatically switched to the default BWP or the initial BWP. The default BWP and the initial BWP are both determined by RRC configuration. [0060] 4. BWP switching is caused by random access initialization. [0061] In an initialization process of a random access channel (RACH), in the case that the terminal does not configure a physical random access channel (PRACH) scenario on the currently activated UL BWP, the terminal automatically switches the UL BWP to an initial uplink BWP (initial UL BWP), and meanwhile switches the DL BWP to an initial downlink BWP (initial DL BWP)).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, Priyanto discloses “receive an indication of random access resources; and perform the random access procedure over the indicated random access resources (See ¶.88, this indication can be, for example, a simple 1 bit indication transmitted as a UCI (uplink control information) in a periodically occurring PUCCH (physical uplink control channel) resource that has been configured for the UE or transmitted as a PRACH (physical random access channel) using a known sequence. Alternatively, or additionally, this indication can be a message in a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) in which case the UE may have to send an SR (scheduling request) to request for PUSCH resources).”
Regarding claim 21, Priyanto discloses “transmit an updated indication of the time period for the energy harvesting procedure (See Fig.6 and ¶.80, performing new energy harvesting cycle).”
Regarding claim 24, it is an apparatus claim performed at a receiver side corresponding to the claim performed at a transmitter side and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claims 26 and 28, they are claims corresponding to claims 19 & 21, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Claims 5, 6, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Priyanto in view of HU and further in view of Martin et al. (US 2025/0039728, “Martin”; Provisional 63/250,076, hereinafter “Prov’076”).
Regarding claim 5, Priyanto and HU do not explicitly disclose what Martin discloses “transmit a random access preamble and an indication that the first wireless device will pause random access procedure communications (Martin, See ¶.113, For information related to what UL resource(s) should be used for the power recovery message transmission, in examples, CG and/or RACH preamble may be used as UL resources. The UL resource information may include (e.g., may further include) a validity time of the UL resource. If the WTRU attempts to send the power recovery message within the validity time, the WTRU may use the UL resource given by the EH response message. For information related to how long WTRU can stay in the RRC_POWER_OFF state, the EH response message may signal how long WTRU can perform EH in the state; See ¶.160, If the type of resource is PRACH, the WTRU may transmit a PRACH preamble to indicate the WTRU is returning or ready to return from the lower power operation (e.g., the power off state). The WTRU may use at least one of a specific (e.g., configured) preamble, resource in time, or frequency for this purpose. The WTRU may be configured with a set of one or more preambles or a set of PRACH resources (e.g., time and or frequency domain information or resources) and may choose a preamble and/or a resource from the set for the transmission. The set of one or more preambles or PRACH resources may be indicated in the EH response; See ¶.76, A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) associated with EH may be configured to send a request indicating a requested off time. The requested off time may correspond to a requested period of time associated with the WTRU entering a lower power operation (e.g., the WTRU powers off, operates in low power, and/or performs EH). The requested off time may correspond to a requested period of time associated with the WTRU stopping or pausing UL transmission, DL reception, and/or one or more other functions. The WTRU may receive a response (e.g., in response to the request). The response may be a message such as an EH response message. The response (e.g., the EH response message) may include information indicating one or more of: an off length of time (e.g., a period of time associated with the WTRU entering the lower power operation, where the off length of time may be the same or different than the requested off time);
Prov’076, See ¶.86, the WTRU may be configured with some preconfigured resource(s) in uplink for the WTRU to indicate the uplink recovery indication. The preconfigured resource(s) may be dedicated RACH preamble or PUSCH resource (CG) to send the indication. The preconfigured resources may include a set of the timing domain and frequency domain resources. The preconfigured resource may be periodic and the timing defined by the EH specific DRX/DTX. The NW may identify the WTRU based on the preconfigured resource(s); See further ¶.100; See ¶.98 and ¶.103 for stop/suspend protocol timers).”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the method of “transmitting a random access preamble and an indication that the first wireless device will pause random access procedure communications” as taught by Martin into the system of Priyanto and HU, so that it provides a way of stopping or pausing UL transmission (Martin, See ¶.76).
Regarding claim 6, Priyanto and HU do not explicitly disclose what Martin discloses “transmit the indication of the time period comprising an indication that the first wireless device will not perform the random access procedure (Martin, See ¶.113, for information related to what UL resource(s) should be used for the power recovery message transmission, in examples, CG and/or RACH preamble may be used as UL resources; See ¶.76, the requested off time may correspond to a requested period of time associated with the WTRU stopping or pausing UL transmission; Prov’076, See ¶.86, ¶,98, ¶.100, and ¶.103).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 5.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, they are claims corresponding to claims 5 & 6, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Claims 18 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Priyanto in view of HU and further in view of Zhou et al. (US 2025/0126556, “Zhou”).
Regarding claim 18, Priyanto discloses “determine that the first wireless device will enter an idle mode based at least in part on a length of the time period being greater than the initial value of the connected mode inactivity timer, the connected mode idle timer, or both (Priyanto, See ¶.103, the expected UE state after the gap (e.g. maintain RRC connected mode or enter inactive/idle mode)),” but does not explicitly disclose the limitations “enter an idle mode based at least in part on a length of the time period being greater than the initial value of the connected mode inactivity/idle timer.”
However, Zhou discloses the method of “entering an idle mode based at least in part on a length of the time period being greater than the initial value of the connected mode inactivity/idle timer (Zhou, See ¶.34, In the idle state, the inactive state, or the camped-normally substate, the UE closes the low-power receiver, opens the legacy receiver, and opens an idle timer. When the idle timer expires, the UE stops the idle state or the inactive state and enters the standby mode; See ¶.65, the expiration of the timer means that the timing of the timer exceeds a set value; See ¶.66, the first timer exceeds a first predefined value (that is, when the first timer expires early); See further ¶.108-109 and ¶.135).”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the method of “entering an idle mode based at least in part on a length of the time period being greater than the initial value of the connected mode inactivity/idle timer” as taught by Zhou into the system of Priyanto and HU, so that it provides a way of switching from standby state into an idle state (Zhou, See ¶.34).
Regarding claim 25, it is a claim corresponding to the claim 18 and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, and 30 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jung H Park whose telephone number is 571-272-8565. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:00 AM-3:00 PM.
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/JUNG H PARK/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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