DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority as a 371 of PCT/CN2022/086440 filed 4/12/2022 is acknowledged.
Preliminary Amendment filed 10/14/2024 is acknowledged.
Claims 1, 2, 6, 15-16, 19, 21-22, 24, 26, 33-35, 37, 47-48, and 52 are amended.
Claims 3-5, 7-14, 20, 23, 25, 27-32, 38-46, and 49-51 are cancelled.
Claims 1, 2, 6, 15-19, 21-22, 24, 26, 33-37, 47-48, and 52 remain pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/14/2024 and 9/30/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) is invoked.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “communication unit” in claim 48.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) it is being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) by reciting sufficient structure to perform the function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 52 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claimed computer program product could be interpreted as a transient signal, given the open-ended descriptions in paragraph 377 of the Specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 6, 15, 19, 21, 22, 26, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 6, the manner in which the equation is written out in the “wherein the DRX cycle is determined according to….” limitation is unclear. Claim 15 is rejected due to its dependence from claim 6.
Claim 19, it is unclear how the functional relationship comprises a difference of (another) difference and a start offset of the DRX configuration. Claims 21, 22, and 34 are rejected due to their dependence from claim 19.
Claim 26, the limitation "the Change time" is recited but there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim or claims 24, 17, 16, or 1 from which it depends. Further, it is unclear why “Change” is capitalized in claims 6 and 26.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 6, 16-19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 33-37, 48, and 52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang (US20250261275A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 52,
Wang discloses a computer program product (Fig. 10; paragraph 193) comprising a computer-readable program medium code stored thereupon (Fig. 10, memory 1020 storing program 1030) when executed by a processor (Fig. 10, processor 1010) causing to implement a wireless communication method (Fig. 6-9) for use in a wireless terminal (Fig. 1A; terminal device 110) comprising receiving, from a wireless network node (Fig. 1A; base station 120), a RRC signaling associated with a DRX cycle of a DRX configuration (Fig. 6-9, steps 610, 710, 810, 910; paragraph 56, 85, 103-108; receiving RRC signaling regarding DRX configuration), and using the DRX configuration to perform a DRX (Fig. 6-9, steps 620-630, 720-730, 820-830, 920-930; paragraph 157, 172, 179, 191; perform downlink channel monitoring based on the received/determined DRX configuration).
Regarding claims 2 and 35-37,
Wang discloses a wireless communication method (Fig. 6-9) for use in a wireless network node (Fig. 1A; base station 120) comprising transmitting, to a wireless terminal (Fig. 1A; terminal device 110), a RRC signaling associated with a DRX cycle of a DRX configuration (Fig. 6-9, steps 610, 710, 810, 910; paragraph 56, 85, 103-108; base station 120 sends RRC signaling to terminal device 110 regarding DRX configuration), wherein the RRC signaling comprises a value used for determining a non-integer value as the DRX cycle determined by 1000/60 ms (Fig. 4A, 6, 8, 9; paragraphs 51-61, 138, 150, 160-164, 174, 181, 197, 206; non-integer DRX cycle length). Other limitations of claims 2 and 37 presented in alternative language.
Regarding claim 48,
Wang discloses a wireless terminal (Fig. 1A; terminal device 110; Fig. 10; paragraph 193) comprising a communication unit (Fig. 10, communication interface Tx/Rx 1040) configured to receive, from a wireless network node (Fig. 1A; base station 120), a RRC signaling associated with a DRX cycle of a DRX configuration (Fig. 6-9, steps 610, 710, 810, 910; paragraph 56, 85, 103-108; base station 120 sends RRC signaling to terminal device 110 regarding DRX configuration) and a processor (Fig. 10, processor 1010), configured to using the DRX configuration to perform DRX (Fig. 6-9, steps 620-630, 720-730, 820-830, 920-930; paragraph 157, 172, 179, 191; perform downlink channel monitoring based on the received/determined DRX configuration).
Regarding claim 6 (as best understood),
Wang discloses a unit of at least one parameter of the DRX configuration is millisecond (paragraph 3, 50, 55, 93, 121, 130) and the RRC signaling does not comprise a DRX long cycle of the DRX configuration (paragraph 52, 54, 92; configuration for a short DRX cycle (not for a long DRX cycle)).
Remaining limitations are presented in alternative language and/or including indefinite language as described above in the 112(b) rejection.
Regarding claim 16,
Wang discloses the DRX configuration to perform DRX comprises at least one of: starting an on-duration timer (paragraph 56; start on-duration timer) or starting the on-duration timer after a slot offset at a time-domain position if a predetermined condition is satisfied (Fig. 5; paragraph 55-59, 93, 138-139; slot offset for starting on-duration timer), or monitoring a PDCCH according to the DRX configuration (Fig. 6-9, steps 620-630, 720-730, 820-830, 920-930; paragraph 157, 172, 179, 191; perform downlink channel monitoring based on the received/determined DRX configuration).
Regarding claims 17 and 18,
Wang discloses the predefined condition comprises at least one of: the RRC signaling associated with the non-integer value is configured or indicating at least one parameter used to adjust or determine at least one of a DRX long cycle, a DRX cycle or a start offset of the DRX configuration is configured (paragraph 55; start offset for DRX cycle; paragraph 54, 92; configuration for a long DRX cycle), an enabling signaling associated with the DRX cycle of the DRX configuration is configured (paragraph 74; activate or modify DRX configuration), or satisfying a functional relationship associated with at least one of a hyper SFN, a reference SFN, a reference subframe/system/frame number, a frame per second, an index or a fixed value, a DRX cycle or start offset of the DRX configuration, a change offset/time/cycle (paragraph 70, 98, 105; determine long DRX cycle configuration based on functional relationship associated with SFN, start offset, slot offset; modifying start time of DRX cycle).
Regarding claims 19, 21, 22, and 34 (as best understood) and 33,
Wang discloses a difference between 0 and 1 (i.e. non-integer) of the total SFN and total time according to function(SFN x 10 + SFN) of the duty cycle or SFN x 10 + function(j x DRX cycle) rounded up/down or maintained, as necessary (paragraph 57-58, 64-65, 79-84, 124, 139-142; Eqs. 2, 12, 13; determine quotient of an index of time unit and the nominal DRX cycle length and then a function of rounding down/up as necessary according to floor/ceiling, adjusted start and slot offsets, and system frame number/period).
Regarding claims 24 and 26 (as best understood),
Wang discloses the functional relationship comprises a third difference between a remainder and a start offset of the DRX configuration is smaller than 1 and is greater than or equal to 0, wherein the remainder is rounded up to a minimum integer greater than the remainder or is rounded down to a maximum integer smaller than the remainder or round (paragraph 57-58, 64-65, 79-84, 124, 139-142; determine quotient of an index of time unit and the nominal DRX cycle length and then rounding down/up as necessary according to floor/ceiling, adjusted start and slot offsets, and system frame number/period).
Remaining limitations are presented in alternative language and/or including indefinite language as described above in the 112(b) rejection.
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.
Claims 15 and 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Hande et al. (US20200404604A1), hereafter Hande.
Regarding claims 15 and 47,
Wang discloses claims 2 and 37 above, from which claims 15 and 47 depend, and further discloses a start offset of the DRX configuration (paragraph 55, 76; start offset for DRX cycle) but does not expressly disclose a jitter offset between times of generating and arrival of a packet.
Hande discloses analogous art (Title: Wireless Communication including XR Traffic Awareness; Fig. 9-16) including a jitter offset between times of generating and arrival of a packet (paragraph 85; configure DRX cycle with hold time accounting for jitter between suggested offset and actual traffic arrival).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify Wang by providing a jitter offset between times of generating and arrival of a packet, as shown by Hande, thereby ensuring DL traffic is aligned with a DRX on portion of the DRX cycle.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY B SEFCHECK whose telephone number is (571)272-3098. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6AM-4PM.
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/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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