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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/17/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3-5 ,8-10, 13-15, 17-19, 22-24, 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ljung et al (US 20200022081 A1, hereinafter Ljung) in view of Zhang et al (US 20200145921 A1, hereinafter Zhang).
Consider claims 1, 15 and 29, Ljung discloses a method of transmitting control information in a wireless communication system to a wireless device performed by a network node of the wireless communication system, the node comprising a transceiver and a controller, where at least two wake-up signal (WUS) transmission modes are selectable, the method comprising:
determining a link quality between the network node and the wireless device (it
may be possible that the signal quality of the wireless link is determined based on a measurement report received by the BS from the UE. Alternatively or additionally, the signal quality of the wireless link may be determined based on the channel sensing performed by the BS (paragraph 145);
selecting a WUS transmission mode based on the link quality, the selected WUS transmission mode is updated periodically or based on occurrence of an event, wherein the selected WUS transmission mode is signalled to the wireless device (When determining the sequence design in 2052, different decision criteria can be taken into account. For example, it may be possible to take into account a signal quality of the wireless link between the UE and the BS. For example, if the signal quality on the wireless link is poor, then a more robust sequence design may be selected. For example, the spreading parameter may be selected such that a longer spreading code is applied. Then, even individual errors the received wake-up signal may be compensated for by the longer length of the resulting sequence of the wake-up signal. In various examples described herein, it may be possible that the signal quality of the wireless link is determined based on a measurement report received by the BS from the UE. Alternatively or additionally, the signal quality of the wireless link may be determined based on the channel sensing performed by the BS, paragraph 145; A further example of a decision criterion is the mobility of the UE. The mobility of the UE may describe a tendency of the UE to move. For example, the mobility of the UE may describe a velocity of the UE. For example, the mobility of the UE may describe a frequency of handovers of the UE. For example, if the mobility of the UE is comparably high, it can be expected that the signal quality associated with the wireless link between the UE and the BS degrades significantly in the future. Then, in may be possible to select a more robust sequence design, paragraph 146; the sequence design of the wake-up signal may be re-adjusted over the course of time for a given UE, paragraph 80; dynamic adjustment becomes possible within a pre-configured framework, e.g., to account for changing channel conditions, etc., paragraph 81; a downlink control message is communicated between the BS and the UE…he downlink control message is indicative of a sequence design of a wake-up signal, paragraphs 135-136); and
applying the selected WUS transmission mode such that when transmitting the control information to the wireless device, the wireless device is enabled to be awake to receive the control information (wake-up signal is transmitted (see, e.g., FIG. 8B wake-up signal 4003) and/or received (communicated). This is in accordance with the sequence design, paragraph 138; at least one further signal is communicated between the BS and the UE… An example would be at least one of the paging signals 4004, 4005 in FIG. 9A., paragraph 139).
While Ljung discloses a capability control message 4011 transmitted by the UE 130 and received by the BS 112, the capability control message 4011 is indicative of a capability of the UE 130 to support various candidate sequence designs of the wake-up signal (see Fig. 9B and paragraph 118), Ljung does not expressly disclose sending an explicit request to the wireless device to ask whether reception of a WUS in a particular format is feasible and based on the response to this request, determining whether to configure the WUS transmission mode.
In the same field of endeavor, Zhang discloses sending an explicit request to the wireless device to ask whether reception of a WUS in a particular format is feasible and based on the response to this request, determining whether to configure the WUS transmission mode (Alternatively, the CN 903 may may initiate WUS capability signaling via a WUS capability information request to the gNB 902 (step 912). The gNB 902 may send a WUS capability information request to UE 901 (step 913). The UE 901 may send a WUS capability information report to the gNB 902 (step 914), which may send a WUS capability information report to the CN 903 (step 915), see Fig. 9 and paragraph 123).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Zhang with the teachings of Ljung to improve wake-up signal (WUS) operation in a wireless communication system by providing alternative ways to signal UE WUS capabilities.
Consider claims 3 and 17, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung discloses configuring, by the network node, the wireless device to the selected WUS transmission mode (By implementing the control message 4001 to be indicative of the sequence design of the wake-up signal 4003, it is possible to dynamically adjust the sequence design of the wake-up signal 4003, e.g., depending on the UE 130 and/or depending on time. Certain properties of the wireless link 101 between the UE 130 and the BS 112 can be taken into account when determining the sequence design. Then, the UE 130 may be informed appropriately, Fig. 9A and paragraph 99).
Consider claims 4 and 18, and as applied to claims 1 and 17 respectively above, Ljung discloses wherein the configuring of the wireless device comprises transmitting a control message to the wireless device about the selected WUS transmission mode (By implementing the control message 4001 to be indicative of the sequence design of the wake-up signal 4003, it is possible to dynamically adjust the sequence design of the wake-up signal 4003, e.g., depending on the UE 130 and/or depending on time. Certain properties of the wireless link 101 between the UE 130 and the BS 112 can be taken into account when determining the sequence design. Then, the UE 130 may be informed appropriately, Fig. 9A and paragraph 99).
Consider claims 5 and 19, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung discloses comprising determining a WUS transmission robustness goal, wherein the selecting of the WUS transmission mode is further based on the WUS transmission robustness goal (if the signal quality on the wireless link is poor, then a more robust sequence design may be selected, see paragraph 145).
Consider claims 8 and 22, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung discloses wherein the selected WUS mode comprises a configuration of at least one of: search space and control resource set; bandwidth part; offset in time or frequency; signal type; signal format; power; payload size; code rate; bandwidth; aggregation level; and modulation and coding (the control message 4001 may be indicative of certain properties associated with the wake-up technology implemented by the UE 130 and the wake-up signal configuration by the eNB 112... For example, the control message 4001 may be indicative of a modulation and/or coding scheme (MCS), paragraph 98).
Consider claims 9 and 23, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung discloses comprising: grouping a plurality of wireless terminals into a group; and transmitting control information to the wireless devices of the group (For example, control message 4001 may be indicative the sequence ID of a UE or a group of UEs, paragraph 98).
Consider claims 10 and 24, and as applied to claims 9 and 23 respectively above, Ljung discloses wherein the plurality of wireless devices of the group are grouped based on at least one of: having same selected WUS transmission mode; having matching link quality; having same allocated bandwidth; having same control information configuration; having same synchronisation configuration; and having same WUS monitoring occasion configuration (UE-group specific WUS, paragraph 119).
Consider claims 13 and 27, and as applied to claims 9 and 23 respectively above, Ljung discloses wherein a group WUS-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) is associated to the wireless devices within a same group (The P-RNTI may not refer to a particular UE, but to a group of UEs, paragraph 111)
Consider claims 14 and 28 , and as applied to claims 1 and 15 above, Ljung discloses wherein the selection of the WUS transmission mode is further based on a discontinuous reception configuration applied for the wireless device (the wake-up signal 4003 is communicated in accordance with the timing of the DRX cycle, paragraph 128).
Claims 2, 7, 16, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ljung in view of Zhang, and further in view of Yang et al (US 20210204216 A1, hereinafter Yang).
Consider claims 2 and 16, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung as modified by Zhang does not expressly disclose wherein the selecting of the WUS transmission mode comprises selecting a WUS transmission mode implicating not applying a WUS when link quality is below a first threshold, and selecting a WUS transmission mode implicating applying a WUS when link quality is above the first threshold.
In the same field of endeavor, Yang discloses wherein the selecting of the WUS transmission mode comprises selecting a WUS transmission mode implicating not applying a WUS when link quality is below a first threshold, and selecting a WUS transmission mode implicating applying a WUS when link quality is above the first threshold (Yang discloses that the power-saving signal transmission and reception mode may include a prohibited transmission and reception mode [i.e. WUS is not transmitted] (see paragraphs 84-85); Yang further discloses that the prohibited transmission and reception mode may correspond to a first power consumption mode (see paragraph 88); the terminal may configure the power consumption mode of the terminal in accordance with a measurement value of RSRP, RSRQ, RSSI or SINR, or any other values (see paragraph 92)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Ljung as modified by Zhang to transmit and receive a power-saving signal and configure a power consumption mode flexibly.
Consider claims 7 and 21, and as applied to claims 1 and 15 respectively above, Ljung as modified by Zhang discloses determining a signal quality of the wireless link (see paragraph 145), but does not expressly disclose wherein the determining of the link quality to use for the selecting of the WUS transmission mode is based on at least one of: measurement reports from the wireless device including at least one of: Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) report; beam management (BM) report; link adaptation (LA) report; and sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; quality metric including at least one of: Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP); Signal-to-Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR); and Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); a historical modulation and coding scheme (MCS) format for WUS; and a noise figure relation between one of a Wake-Up Radio (WUR) receiver and receiver configuration used for receiving the WUS, and one of a receiver and receiver configuration used for non-WUS signals.
In the same field of endeavor, Yang discloses wherein the determining of the link quality to use for the selecting of the WUS transmission mode is based on at least one of: measurement reports from the wireless device including at least one of: Channel State Information Reference Signal, CSI-RS, report; beam management, BM, report; link adaptation, LA, report; and sounding reference signal, SRS, transmission; quality metric including at least one of: Reference Signal Receive Power, RSRP; Signal-to-Interference and Noise Ratio, SINR; and Channel Quality Indicator, CQI; a historical modulation and coding scheme, MCS, format for WUS; and a noise figure relation between one of a Wake-Up Radio, WUR, receiver and receiver configuration used for receiving the WUS, and one of a receiver and receiver configuration used for non-WUS signals (The measurement information may include a measurement value of a target signal. Here, the measurement value may be RSRP, RSRQ, RSSI or SINR. The measurement may be performed by the terminal on the basis of at least one of the power-saving signal, an on-demand RS, a PSS/SSS, an SSB, a CSI-RS, and a CRS, paragraph 61).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Ljung as modified by Zhang to transmit and receive a power-saving signal and configure a power consumption mode flexibly.
Claims 6 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ljung in view of Zhang, and further in view of Wong et al (US 20210058909 A1, hereinafter Wong).
Consider claims 6 and 20, and as applied to claims 5 and 19 respectively above, Ljung as modified by Zhang does not expressly disclose wherein the determining of the WUS transmission robustness goal is based on a maximum allowable WUS missed detection rate.
In the same field of endeavor, Wong discloses wherein the determining of the WUS transmission robustness goal is based on a maximum allowable WUS missed detection rate (If it is desired that the WUS miss detection rate be maintained (e.g. at 1%) then the WUS repetition would have to increase for a targeted SNR, paragraph 72).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Wong with the teachings of Ljung as modified by Zhang to efficiently support connectivity for a wide range of devices associated with different applications and different characteristic data traffic profiles.
Claims 11 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ljung in view of Zhang, and further in view of Wang et al (US 20140348110 A1, hereinafter Wang).
Consider claims 11 and 25, and as applied to claims 9 and 23 respectively above, Ljung as modified by Zhang does not expressly disclose transmitting a group-WUS targeting multiple wireless devices, wherein a group-WUS format is selected to match a link quality of the wireless device with a worst channel in the group comprising the multiple wireless devices.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang discloses transmitting a group-WUS targeting multiple wireless devices, wherein a group-WUS format is selected to match a link quality of the wireless device with a worst channel in the group comprising the multiple wireless devices (Wang discloses a method for transmitting control information in which during Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) selection, an MCS corresponding to a UE with a worst channel condition in a UE group needs to be selected as an MCS used by the whole UE group, paragraph 186).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to select UE with a worst channel condition in a UE group, as disclosed in Wang with in the wake-up signal of Ljung as modified by Zhang to ensure wake-up signal reception by all UEs in a group.
Claims 12 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ljung in view of Zhang, and further in view of Lee et al (US 20210314866 A1, hereinafter Lee).
Consider claims 12 and 26, and as applied to claims 9 and 23 respectively above, Ljung as modified by Zhang does not expressly disclose wherein a bitmap in Downlink Control Information, DCI, indicates which wireless devices should wake up in a next on-duration.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee discloses wherein a bitmap in Downlink Control Information (DCI) indicates which wireless devices should wake up in a next on-duration (when the ESS is used to indicate whether to wake-up or not to wake-up during a specific DRX ON duration for a group of WTRUs, then the DCI may indicate to each WTRU, or to each group of WTRUs, whether to wake-up or not-to-wake-up during an ON duration, for example by using a bitmap or an index to a pre-configured table. Each bit in the bitmap may indicate to one specific WTRU or a group of WTRUs whether to wake-up or not-to wake-up, paragraph 224).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Ljung as modified by Zhang to improve power efficiency and effectiveness of signaling protocols.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
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/GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642