DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 9/29/2025.
Claims 1, 3-13 and 15-22 are still pending. This action is made FINAL.
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 .
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.t
Claims 1, 3-10, 12-13, and 15-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Islam et al (US 20200037396 A1, hereinafter Islam) in view of Ang et al (US 20200221384 A1, hereinafter Ang).
Consider claim 1, 13, and 20, Islam discloses a power-saving signal monitoring method, executed by a terminal comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to implement operations comprising (an apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprises: memory and processing circuitry, wherein, the processing circuitry, paragraph 217; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions to cause processing circuitry of a UE or gNB, upon execution of the instructions by the processing circuitry, to perform any of the function recited in the Examples herein, paragraph 219):
monitoring at least one power-saving signal based on at least one target power-saving signal Monitoring Occasion (MO) of a plurality of power-saving signal MOs associated with onduration of Connected Discontinuous Reception (CDRX), wherein the plurality of power-saving signal MOs belonging to one more search spaces are located between a power-saving signal offset and the onduration of the CDRX, the power signal offset is configured by the network side for the terminal, and the plurality of power-saving signal MOs are further determined based on a search space parameter, wherein the search space parameter comprises a monitoring duration (C-DRX, UE is operating in a DRX mode in RRC-connected state CDRX, paragraph 24; The first ON duration implies a period/duration during which UE monitors for WUS, i.e., the first duration comprises the monitoring occasions for WUS, paragraph 59; In FIGS. 7-8, there is a gap between when drx-onDurationTimer-WUS ends and drx-onDurationTimer starts. This implies WUS is monitored at an offset before when drx-onDurationTimer can start…Ngap can be indicated as part of the WUS signaling, paragraph 62; the L1 trigger providing WUS may additionally indicate bandwidth part so that the UE wakes up in a different bandwidth part, FIG. 8. This implies UE enters active state in the new/indicated bandwidth part. UE may be in the new bandwidth part for a duration configured by a timer or until further signalling is received to switch paragraph 69; as part of search space configuration where the search space is associated with a CORESET configured in a bandwidth part, UE may receive one or more of the following parameters related to GTS signaling and/or WUS signaling and/or activation signaling and/or deactivation signaling: PDCCH monitoring periodicity; PDCCH monitoring offset; PDCCH monitoring pattern; paragraphs 164-167).
Islam further discloses receiving power-saving signals to indicate different indication information,
wherein the different indication information comprises:
first indication information indicating to monitor a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) (wake-up signal (WUS), paragraph 50); and
second indication information indicating not to monitor the PDCCH (go-to-sleep signal (GTS), paragraph 50).
However Islam does not expressly disclose wherein when the terminal receives a plurality of power-saving signals on the plurality of power-saving signals MOs associated with the onduration of the CDRX, the terminal does not expect the received power-saving signals to indicate different indication information.
In the same field of endeavor, Ang discloses wherein when the terminal receives a plurality of power-saving signals on the plurality of power-saving signals MOs associated with the onduration of the CDRX, the terminal does not expect the received power-saving signals to indicate different indication information (in some examples, the PDCCH-WUS may be transmitted in multiple CORESETS, for example, to improve robustness. In some such examples in which the PDCCH-WUS is transmitted in multiple CORESETs, the WUS decoded from the multiple CORESETs may be combined together depending on configuration information. For example, the UE may expect identical WUS information. In certain such examples, if inconsistent information is detected across the decoded WUS, the UE may either drop the WUS information or select WUS with better reliability, paragraph 108).
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 Ang with the teachings of Islam in order for a wireless device to resolve conflicting control information.
Consider claims 3, 15 and 21, and as applied to claims 1, 13 and 20 respectively above, Islam discloses wherein:
monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO of the plurality of power-saving signal MOs associated with the onduration of the CDRX comprises:
selecting Z power-saving signal MOs that do not overlap with a first resource from the plurality of power-saving signal MOs associated with the onduration of the CDRX, wherein Z is an integer greater than or equal to 0 (there can be M=>1 monitoring occasions configured within the monitoring window for WU, paragraph 62).; and
monitoring at least one power-saving signal based on at least one target power-saving signal MO of the Z power-saving signal Mos (UE detects WUS, paragraph 62); or
the power-saving signal monitoring method further comprises:
monitoring a PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX when Z is equal to 0 (see Fig 12 showing DRX not activated i.e. .no wake up signal and PDCCH being received, see also paragraph 103).
Consider claims 4, 16 and 22, and as applied to claims 3, 15 and 21 respectively above, Islam discloses wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO of the Z power-saving signal MOs comprises:
monitoring at least one power-saving signal in the Z power-saving signal MOs when Z is equal to 1 (It is assumed that M=1 in FIG. 10, paragraph 64); or
selecting M target power-saving signal MOs from the Z power-saving signal MOs when Z is greater than 1, and monitoring at least one power-saving signal based on the M target power-saving signal MOs, wherein the M target power-saving signal MOs are M power-saving signal MOs closest to the onduration of the CDRX or M power-saving signal MOs farthest from the onduration of the CDRX among the Z power-saving signal MOs, and M is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to Z.
Consider claims 5 and 17, and as applied to claims 1 and 13 respectively above, Islam discloses wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO comprises:
monitoring at least one power-saving signal from a first one power-saving signal MO of the at least one target power-saving signal MO; and
when a first power-saving signal indicating to monitor a PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX is detected, skipping monitoring a subsequent target power-saving signal MO (In another example, there can be M=>1 monitoring occasions configured within the monitoring window for WUS. In one example, if UE detects WUS early during the monitoring window, UE may sleep for the remaining duration of the monitoring window and turns ON when configured ON duration for PDCCH monitoring starts, paragraph 62); or
when a no power-saving signal is detected or a second power-saving signal indicating not to monitor the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX is detected, continuing to monitor a next target power-saving signal MO until the first power-saving signal is detected or monitoring of the last target power-saving signal MO of the at least one target power-saving signal MO is completed.
Consider claims 6 and 18, and as applied to claims 5 and 17 respectively above, Islam discloses when the first power-saving signal is detected, monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX (In another example, there can be M=>1 monitoring occasions configured within the monitoring window for WUS. In one example, if UE detects WUS early during the monitoring window, UE may sleep for the remaining duration of the monitoring window and turns ON when configured ON duration for PDCCH monitoring starts, paragraph 62);
when power-saving signals detected in the at least one target power-saving signal MO are all the second power-saving signal, skipping monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX (UE may potentially skip PDCCH monitoring for a period/duration following GTS trigger is detected, paragraph 51); or
when no power-saving signal is detected on the at least one target power-saving signal MO, performing a preset behavior.
Consider claims 7 and 19, and as applied to claims 1 and 13 respectively above, Islam discloses wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO comprises one of following:
monitoring at least one power-saving signal on a first one power-saving signal MO or a last one power-saving signal MO of the at least one target power-saving signal MO; or
monitoring at least one power-saving signal on the at least one target power-saving signal MO (It is assumed that M=1 in FIG. 10, paragraph 64).
Consider claim 8, and as applied to claim 7 above, Islam discloses
when at least one power-saving signal is detected, performing a monitoring action according to the detected at least one power-saving signal, wherein the monitoring action comprises monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX, or skipping monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX (In another example, there can be M=>1 monitoring occasions configured within the monitoring window for WUS. In one example, if UE detects WUS early during the monitoring window, UE may sleep for the remaining duration of the monitoring window and turns ON when configured ON duration for PDCCH monitoring starts, paragraph 62; UE may potentially skip PDCCH monitoring for a period/duration following GTS trigger is detected, paragraph 51); or when no power-saving signal is detected, performing a preset behavior.
Consider claim 9, and as applied to claim 7 above, Islam discloses in a case of detecting that the number of first power-saving signals indicating to monitor the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX is greater than or equal to N, monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1(In another example, there can be M=>1 monitoring occasions configured within the monitoring window for WUS. In one example, if UE detects WUS early during the monitoring window, UE may sleep for the remaining duration of the monitoring window and turns ON when configured ON duration for PDCCH monitoring starts, paragraph 62);
in a case of detecting that the number of second power-saving signals indicating not to monitor the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX is greater than or equal to X, skipping monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX, wherein X is an integer greater than or equal to 1;
when power-saving signals detected on the at least one target power-saving signal MO are all the second power-saving signal, skipping monitoring the PDCCH in the onduration of the CDRX (UE may potentially skip PDCCH monitoring for a period/duration following GTS trigger is detected, paragraph 51); or
when no power-saving signal is detected on the at least one target power-saving signal MO, performing a preset behavior.
Consider claim 10, and as applied to claim 1 above, Islam discloses wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO comprises:
when a third power-saving signal indicating not to start drx-ondurationtimer of a next DRX period is detected in the at least one target power-saving signal MO, skipping monitoring a subsequent target power-saving signal MO (UE may potentially skip PDCCH monitoring for a period/duration following GTS trigger is detected, paragraph 51; In one example, if UE detects WUS early during the monitoring window, UE may sleep for the remaining duration of the monitoring window and turns ON when configured ON duration for PDCCH monitoring starts, paragraph 62);
when a fourth power-saving signal indicating to start drx-ondurationtimer of a next DRX period is detected in the at least one target power-saving signal MO, continuing to monitor a next target power saving signal MO; or
when the third power-saving signal and the fourth power-saving signal in the at least one target power-saving signal MO are detected, performing a preset behavior, or stopping monitoring and performing a preset behavior.
Consider claim 12, and as applied to claim 1 above, Islam discloses before monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO, further comprising: receiving Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, wherein the RRC signaling carries first information for indicating the at least one target power-saving signal MO, or second information for indicating a monitoring action on the at least one target power-saving signal MO (Here, one or more of additional parameters, if configured as part of DRX configuration, may correspond to configurations related to wake-up signal monitoring, paragraph 32; DRX configuration by RRC, paragraph 38).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Islam in view of Ang, and further in view of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #98bis Chongqing, China, October 14th – 20th, 2019, R1-1911039, Motorola Mobility, Lenovo, Monitoring of PDCCH-based power saving signal/channel, hereinafter R1-1911039.
Consider claim 11, and as applied to claim 1 above, the combination of Islam and Ang does not expressly disclose wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO comprises:
when incorrect monitoring occurs on all of the at least one target power-saving signal MO, performing a preset behavior; or
when incorrect monitoring occurs on the at least one target power-saving signal MO, skipping monitoring a subsequent target power-saving signal MO and performing a preset behavior.
In the same field of endeavor, R1-1911039 discloses
wherein monitoring the at least one power-saving signal based on the at least one target power-saving signal MO comprises:
when incorrect monitoring occurs on all of the at least one target power-saving signal MO, performing a preset behavior (If a UE has not detected the PDCCH-based power saving channel in one or multiple monitoring occasions close to the start time of DRX ON duration, the UE monitors the PDCCH-based power saving channel on all the power saving channel monitoring occasions configured within the following DRX cycle until the UE detect the PDCCH based power saving channel, see last paragraph on page 2 and first paragraph on page 3); or
when incorrect monitoring occurs on the at least one target power-saving signal MO, skipping monitoring a subsequent target power-saving signal MO and performing a preset behavior.
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 R1-1911039 with the teachings of Islam and Ang to avoid significant delay in packet delivery and throughput degradation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on page 13 that Islam does not disclose, at least, that "the plurality of power-saving signal MOs belonging to one or more search spaces are located between a power-saving signal offset and the onduration of the CDRX. the power-saving signal offset is configured by the network side for the terminal." as recited in amended claim 1 (and similarly by claims 13 and 20).
The Examiner respectfully disagrees, as Islam discloses that in FIGS. 7-8, there is a gap between when drx-onDurationTimer-WUS ends and drx-onDurationTimer start, and that this implies that WUS is monitored at an offset before when drx-onDurationTimer can start (see paragraph 62). Thus, the drx-onDurationTimer-WUS is between an offset and the onduration of the CDRX. Furthermore, Islam discloses that the YE acts based on a configured DRX mode according to higher layer signaled DRX configuration (see paragraph 59) and that a parameter Ngap can be indicated as part of the WUS signaling (see paragraph 62).
Regarding Ang, the Applicant argues on page 14 that the inconsistent information in Ang cannot be mapped to the claimed “different indication information”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees, as the inconsistent information in Ang is clearly a “different indication information” as Ang teaches that the UE is expecting identical information. Thus if the information received by the UE is not identical then the information received is different.
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 GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO whose telephone number is (571)270-1781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Wednesday 8:30-5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, RAFAEL PEREZ-GUTIERREZ can be reached at (571) 272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642