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 .
Responsive to amendments filed 09/30/2025.
Claims 37-45, 48-50, 52-55, and 57-58 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and remarks filed on 09/30/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot in light of the new grounds of rejection presented below and that have been necessitated by the amendments.
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.
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(s) 37-40, 45, 48-50, 52-55, and 58 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2017/0303236; hereinafter Sun) in view of Sha et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2021/0168894; hereinafter Sha).
Regarding claim 37 Sun discloses an apparatus (fig. 16), comprising:
at least one processor (processor 1620 in fig. 16); and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor (memory 1610 in fig. 16), the memory storing instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor (paragraph 0361), causing the apparatus to:
transmit, to one or more terminal devices, configuration information for configuring one or more paging occasions in a discontinuous reception cycle (paragraphs 0077-0078; wherein a base station transmits configuration information to a UE including paging occasions (PO) in a DRX cycle);
generate an indication indicating whether the one or more terminal devices may stop monitoring the paging messages during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0081-0082, 0098-0099; wherein a paging queue status/paging queue empty indication detected by the UE, prompts the UE to disable paging monitoring); and
transmit the generated indication to the one or more terminal devices (paragraphs 0053, 0056; the indication is transmitted to the UE).
Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Sha in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses the indication is transmitted in downlink control information associated with the one or more paging messages (paragraph 0082; the base station indicates the UE to stop Paging monitoring through PDCCH DCI). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Sha, in order to conserve energy (Sha: paragraph 0002).
Regarding claim 38 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of: one or more parameters of the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging frames in the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging occasions per paging frame, a number of paging occasions per terminal device, an offset to determine a paging frame, and a number of groups of terminal devices monitoring per paging occasion (paragraphs 0070-0071, 0075, 0088; DRX/paging cycle, offset information).
Regarding claim 39 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein generating the indication is performed according to a determination on whether a channel is available during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0067, 0069, 0073, 0080; LBT fail or success).
Regarding claim 40 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein the configuration information is transmitted in system information or via a radio resource control signaling (paragraph 0088; RRC message).
Regarding claim 45 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Sha in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the indication is a 1-bit information element (paragraph 0082; The indication indicated can be an explicit indication or implied indication of an information bit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Sha, in order to conserve energy (Sha: paragraph 0002).
Regarding claim 48 Sun discloses an apparatus (fig. 12), comprising:
at least one processor (processor 1220 in figure 12); and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor (memory 1210 in figure 12), the memory storing instructions therein (paragraph 0361), the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the apparatus to:
receive, from a network device, configuration information for configuring one or more paging occasions in a discontinuous reception cycle (paragraphs 0077-0078; wherein a base station transmits configuration information to a UE including paging occasions (PO) in a DRX cycle);
monitor paging messages during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0062, 0075; POs are used by UEs to monitor paging from a base station); and
receive an indication indicating whether the apparatus may stop monitoring paging message during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0081-0082, 0098-0099; wherein a paging queue status/paging queue empty indication detected by the UE, prompts the UE to disable paging monitoring).
Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Sha in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses the indication is transmitted in downlink control information associated with the one or more paging messages (paragraph 0082; the base station indicates the UE to stop Paging monitoring through PDCCH DCI). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Sha, in order to conserve energy (Sha: paragraph 0002).
Regarding claim 49 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 48, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of: one or more parameters of the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging frames in the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging occasions per paging frame, a number of paging occasions per terminal device, an offset to determine a paging frame, and a number of groups of terminal devices monitoring per paging occasion (paragraphs 0070-0071, 0075, 0088; DRX/paging cycle, offset information).
Regarding claim 50 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 48, wherein the configuration information is received in system information or via a radio resource control signaling (paragraph 0088; RRC message).
Regarding claim 52 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 48. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Murray in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the indication is a 1-bit information element (paragraph 0082; The indication indicated can be an explicit indication or implied indication of an information bit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Sha, in order to conserve energy (Sha: paragraph 0002).
Regarding claim 53 Sun discloses a method (fig. 7), comprising:
receiving, by a terminal device and from a network device, configuration information for configuring one or more paging occasions in a discontinuous reception cycle (paragraphs 0077-0078; wherein a base station transmits configuration information to a UE including paging occasions (PO) in a DRX cycle);
monitoring paging messages during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0275, 0330, 0336; POs are used by UEs to monitor paging from a base station); and
receiving an indication indicating whether the apparatus may stop monitoring paging message during the one or more paging occasions (paragraphs 0081-0082, 0098-0099; wherein a paging queue status/paging queue empty indication detected by the UE, prompts the UE to disable paging monitoring).
Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Sha in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses the indication is transmitted in downlink control information associated with the one or more paging messages (paragraph 0082; the base station indicates the UE to stop Paging monitoring through PDCCH DCI). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Sha, in order to conserve energy (Sha: paragraph 0002).
Regarding claim 54 Sun discloses the method of claim 53, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of: one or more parameters of the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging frames in the discontinuous reception cycle, a number of paging occasions per paging frame, a number of paging occasions per terminal device, an offset to determine a paging frame, and a number of groups of terminal devices monitoring per paging occasion (paragraphs 0070-0071, 0075, 0088; DRX/paging cycle, offset information).
Regarding claim 55 Sun discloses the method of claim 53, wherein the configuration information is received in system information or via a radio resource control signaling (paragraph 0088; RRC message).
Regarding claim 57 the modified Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein the indication is transmitted in the downlink control information associated with the one or more paging messages (paragraph 0100; wherein the indication taught by Sun can be transmitted in a DCI message).
Claim(s) 58 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Sha and further in view of Hsu et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2013/0015953; hereinafter Hsu).
Regarding claim 58 Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Hsu in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the indication is transmitted in the one or more paging messages (paragraph 0047; flag added to paging messages). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Hsu, in order to solve paging overload and increase performance (Hsu: paragraph 0007).
Claim(s) 41-44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Sha and further in view of Murray et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2020/0404617; hereinafter Murray).
Regarding claim 41 the modified Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Murray in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the apparatus is caused to generate the indication by: comparing a number of paging recorders in the one or more paging messages with a threshold number (paragraph 0300; paging records compared to the limited number that can be included in a paging message); and in response to determining the number of paging recorders is being below a threshold number, generating the indication such that the indication indicates the one or more terminal devices may not stop monitoring the paging messages (paragraphs 0292, 0300-0301, 0460-0464; wherein for the determined number of UEs that can read the paging message, the indicator is sent to either monitor or not). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Murray, in order to increase paging efficiency in 5G (Murray: paragraph 0123).
Regarding claim 42 the modified Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Murray in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the apparatus is caused to generate the indication by: comparing a payload size of the one or more paging messages with a transport block size (TBS) of a downlink channel (paragraphs 0375-0377, 0407, 0495-0503; wherein a paging message size is compared to available resources for POs); and in response to the payload size of the one or more paging messages being below the TBS, generating the indication such that the indication indicates the one or more terminal devices may not stop monitoring paging messages (paragraphs 0375-0377, 0407, 0495-0503; the paging indication informs the UE to monitor occasions within the slots/mini-slots accordingly). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Murray, in order to increase paging efficiency in 5G (Murray: paragraph 0123).
Regarding claim 43 the modified Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Murray in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the apparatus is caused to generate the indication by: comparing a number of paging recorders in the one or more paging messages with a threshold number (paragraph 0300; paging records compared to the limited number that can be included in a paging message); and in response to determining the number of paging recorders exceeds the threshold number, generating the indication that the one or more terminal devices may stop monitoring paging messages (paragraphs 0292, 0300-0301, 0460-0464; wherein for the determined number of UEs that can read the paging message, the indicator is sent to either monitor or not). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Murray, in order to increase paging efficiency in 5G (Murray: paragraph 0123).
Regarding claim 44 the modified Sun discloses the apparatus of claim 37. Sun does not explicitly disclose, but Murray in the same field of endeavor related to paging transmission, discloses wherein the apparatus is caused to generate the indication by: comparing a payload size of the one or more paging messages with a transport block size (TBS) of a downlink channel (paragraphs 0375-0377, 0407, 0495-0503; wherein a paging message size is compared to available resources for POs); and in response to determining the payload size of the one or more paging messages exceeds the TBS, generating the indication that the one or more terminal devices may stop monitoring paging messages (paragraphs 0375-0377, 0407, 0495-0503; the paging indication informs the UE to monitor occasions within the slots/mini-slots accordingly). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Sun with the teachings of Murray, in order to increase paging efficiency in 5G (Murray: paragraph 0123).
Prior Art Made of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US PGPUB 2020/0092846 to Deng et al. – that discloses beamformed paging. A transmission/reception point (TRP) may transmit a paging inquiry signal using beam sweeping in a paging inquiry (PI) block with a different time, frequency resource set and/or sequence configuration associated with the same paging occasion (PO), for example, to randomize and/or distribute WTRUs into different monitoring groups. A WTRU may transmit an uplink paging inquiry response indicating a downlink beam for a paging data transmission and/or a WTRU ID.
USPN 11,818,686 to Zhou et al. – which teaches a UE that may receive configuration parameters indicating monitoring occasions of a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for receiving a first downlink control information (DCI). The first DCI may comprise: a paging early indication (PEI) indicating whether to monitor paging occasions for receiving a second DCI scheduling a paging message; and a tracking reference signal (TRS) availability indication indicating whether a TRS is available. In response to skipping monitoring the monitoring occasions for receiving the first DCI, the wireless device may: determine that the TRS is unavailable, and monitor the paging occasions. The wireless device may receive, via the paging occasions and using a synchronization signal block (SSB) based on the TRS being unavailable, the second DCI scheduling the paging message.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aixa A Guadalupe-Cruz whose telephone number is (571)270-7523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 6AM - 4:00PM.
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/Aixa Guadalupe-Cruz/
Examiner
Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights