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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/10/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 02/10/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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 9, 11, 13-15 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mukherjee et al. (US 2021/0250895 A1, hereinafter “Mukherjee”).
As to claim 9:
Mukkerjee disclose a power saving method (“Skipping monitoring of the paging occasions reduces power consumed by the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]), comprising:
receiving, by a terminal (mobile communication device 110; Fig. 3), indication information that comprises a first information field for indicating to skip a paging detection for a paging occasion (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169]-[0170] “setting a data value or data field=00 in communications 345; the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame”; [0184] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the first time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having first information field); and
skipping, by the terminal, detecting the corresponding paging occasion according to the first information field (“Skipping monitoring of the paging occasions reduces power consumed by the mobile communication device 110”; [0184]; [0170]),
receiving, by the terminal, a paging message that comprises a second information field indicating number of skipped cycles (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169] “data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0188]-[0189] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the second time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having second information field); and
skipping, by the terminal, the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field (“Skipping monitoring of the paging occasions reduces power consumed by the mobile communication device 110”; [0184]; [0170]),
wherein the first information field and the second information field are carried in different signaling messages (“the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, thus would read on different signaling messages).
As to claim 11:
Mukherjee further discloses wherein all bits of the second information field are used for indicating the number of skipped cycles; or part of the bits of the second information field are used for indicating the number of skipped cycles (“wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; [0169]; [0172]; [0181] “a bit value or setting of data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames… A bit value or setting of 11 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip the next four paging frames”; [0188]-[0189]).
As to claim 13:
Mukherjee further discloses skipping the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field (“wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; [0169]-[0170]; [0172] ; [0224]“a bit value or setting of data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames… notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip the next four paging frames”; [0188]-[0189]), comprises: counting one or more paging occasions for which the terminal skips the detection according to the number of skipped cycles indicated by the second information field (“the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame of the wireless paging channel 131 from the first wireless network 121”; [0184]; [0224]); and receiving, in response to the count reaching the number of skipped cycles, the indication information again (“the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame of the wireless paging channel 131 from the first wireless network 121”; [0184]; [0224]).
As to claim 14:
Mukherjee further discloses wherein the indication information comprises physical layer Downlink Control Information (DCI) (“communications 345 such as including a ‘paging skip’ indication from the wireless network 122 is transmitted using the short message paging container sent on PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control CHannel) using DCI (Downlink Control Information)”; [0172]).
As to claim 15:
Mukherjee further discloses wherein a value of the first information field is predefined (“communications 345 such as including a ‘paging skip’ indication from the wireless network 122 is transmitted using the short message paging container sent on PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control CHannel) using DCI (Downlink Control Information)”; [0172] “a bit value or setting of data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames”; see [0184]-[0189] see also Fig. 4 where page schedule info is predefined).
As to claim 32:
Mukherjee further discloses a terminal (mobile communication device 110; Fig. 3), comprising: a processor (a processor; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]); and a transceiver (transceiver; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]) connected to the processor (a processor; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]), wherein the processor is configured to load and execute executable instructions to implement the power saving method of claim 9 (“computer processor hardware and/or corresponding executable instructions to carry out the different operations as discussed herein”; [0245]; [0184] see also claim 9).
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.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mukherjee (US 2021/0250895 A1) in view of Ly et al. (US 2021/0144672 A1, hereinafter “Ly”).
As to claim 12:
Mukherjee discloses the invention set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose wherein skipping the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field, comprises: obtaining a list of terminal identifiers in the paging message, the list of terminal identifiers comprising one or more terminal identifiers for skipping the paging detection; and skipping, in response to the list of terminal identifiers comprising an identifier of the terminal, the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field.
However, Ly discloses skipping the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field, comprises: obtaining a list of terminal identifiers in the paging message, the list of terminal identifiers comprising one or more terminal identifiers for skipping the paging detection; and skipping, in response to the list of terminal identifiers comprising an identifier of the terminal, the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field (“For example, UE 120 may determine a paging frame and a paging occasion based at least in part on a paging cycle and a UE identifier of UE 120. In this case, UE 120 may determine the resources for monitoring reference signal or channel based at least in part on the paging frame, the paging occasion, and a time offset value (e.g., a fixed offset value or a system information-configured offset value)”; [0076]; [0094] “In some aspects, the reference signal may include a sequence or identifier to indicate which UE or UEs are to attempt to receive the paging”; [0080]-[0082]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Ly into Mukherjee’s system/method as it would allow skipping the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field to comprise: obtaining a list of terminal identifiers in the paging message, the list of terminal identifiers comprising one or more terminal identifiers for skipping the paging detection; and skipping, in response to the list of terminal identifiers comprising an identifier of the terminal, the paging occasion indicated by the number of skipped cycles according to the second information field. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been to reduce power consumption (Ly; [0073]-[0074]; [0080]).
Claims 1-2, 4, 7-8 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mukherjee (US 2021/0250895 A1) in view of Zhu et al. (US 2020/0296687 A1, hereinafter “Zhu”).
As to claim 1:
Mukherjee discloses a power saving method (“Skipping monitoring of the paging occasions reduces power consumed by the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]), comprising:
obtaining, by the access network device (base station 162 of wireless network 122; see Figs. 3-5), configuration information (determines/obtains which data value/field to set from the choices of “00” ,“01”, “10”, “11”; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]-[0189]; [0162]; [0178]-[0179]), wherein the configuration information is used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion (“setting a data value or data field=00 in communications 345; the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame”; [0184]), and the configuration information further comprises number of skipped cycles for the terminal to skip detecting the paging occasion (“data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0188]-[0189]);
sending, by the access network device (base station 162 of wireless network 122; see Figs. 3-5), indication information to the terminal based on the configuration information (based on which data field values are used; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]-[0189]), wherein the indication information comprises a first information field that indicates to skip the paging occasion (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169]-[0170] “setting a data value or data field=00 in communications 345; the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame”; [0184] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the first time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having first information field);
determining, by the access network device, a second information field based on the number of skipped cycles (“that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169] “data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0184]-[0189]); and
sending, by the access network device, a paging message to the terminal, the paging message comprising the second information field that indicates the number of skipped cycles (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169] “data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0188]-[0189] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the second time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having second information field),
wherein the first information field and the second information field are carried in different signaling messages (“the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, thus would read on different signaling messages).
Mukherjee does not explicitly discloses after a core network groups a paging occasion of a terminal according to a type of the terminal, obtaining, by an access network device, a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network.
However Zhu discloses after a core network groups a paging occasion of a terminal according to a type of the terminal (“the core network device may group the terminals according to a service requirement. For example, terminals associated with a same service are classified into one group, and a first group identifier… After allocating the first group identifier of the first terminal group, the core network device sends the first group identifier to the access network device”; [0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090]), obtaining, by an access network device, a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network (“A core network device sends a first group identifier of a first terminal group and an identifier of a terminal included in the first terminal group to the access network device”; [0084]-[0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”);
obtaining, by the access network device, configuration information based on the grouping result (“A core network device sends a first group identifier of a first terminal group and an identifier of a terminal included in the first terminal group to the access network device”; [0084]-[0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zhu into Mukherjee’s system/method as it would allow, after a core network groups a paging occasion of a terminal according to a type of the terminal, obtaining, by an access network device, a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network; and obtaining, by the access network device, configuration information based on the grouping result. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been improve system efficiency (Zhu; [0006]).
As to claim 2:
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above. Mukherjee further discloses wherein the configuration information is used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion when the terminal is in an idle state (“wireless networks 121 or 122 may broadcast a request for provision of said information (such as timing information associated with paging notifications and/or paging occasions as described herein from each of the different wireless paging channels) by INACTIVE UEs”; [0107]; [0109]; [0004]; [0235]).
As to claim 4:
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above. Zhu further discloses wherein the configuration information is used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion (“The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”; [0083]) according to the type of the terminal (“the core network device may group the terminals according to a service requirement. For example, terminals associated with a same service are classified into one group, and a first group identifier… After allocating the first group identifier of the first terminal group, the core network device sends the first group identifier to the access network device”; [0085]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zhu into Mukherjee’s system/method as it would allow the configuration information to be used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion according to the type of the terminal. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been improve system efficiency (Zhu; [0006]).
As to claim 7:
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above. Mukherjee further discloses wherein all bits of the second information field are used for indicating the number of skipped cycles; or part of the bits of the second information field are used for indicating the number of skipped cycles (“wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; [0169]; [0172]; [0181] “a bit value or setting of data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames… A bit value or setting of 11 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip the next four paging frames”; [0188]-[0189]).
As to claim 8:
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above. Mukherjee further discloses wherein the indication information comprises physical layer Downlink Control Information (DCI) (“communications 345 such as including a ‘paging skip’ indication from the wireless network 122 is transmitted using the short message paging container sent on PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control CHannel) using DCI (Downlink Control Information)”; [0172]).
As to claim 31:
Mukherjee discloses an access network device (base station 162 of wireless network 122; see Figs. 3-5), comprising:
a processor (processor; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]): and
a transceiver (transceiver; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]) connected to the processor (processor; see Fig. 11; [0244]-[0246]),
wherein the processor is configured to load and execute executable instructions to implement acts comprising (“computer processor hardware and/or corresponding executable instructions to carry out the different operations as discussed herein”; [0245]; [0184]):
obtaining configuration information (determines/obtains which data value/field to set from the choices of “00” ,“01”, “10”, “11”; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]-[0189]; [0162]; [0178]-[0179]), wherein the configuration information is used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion (“setting a data value or data field=00 in communications 345; the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame”; [0184]), and the configuration information further comprises number of skipped cycles for the terminal to skip detecting the paging occasion (“data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0188]-[0189]);
sending indication information to the terminal based on the configuration information (based on which data field values are used; see Figs. 3-5; [0184]-[0189]), wherein the indication information comprises a first information field that indicates to skip the paging occasion (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169]-[0170] “setting a data value or data field=00 in communications 345; the 00 setting notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip all subsequent paging occasions until a next paging frame”; [0184] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the first time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having first information field);
determining a second information field based on the number of skipped cycles (“that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169] “data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0184]-[0189]); and
sending a paging message to the terminal, the paging message comprising the second information field that indicates the number of skipped cycles (“the mobile communication device 110 monitors paging occasion 532-1 of paging frame 542-1 (between time T51 and T52) in wireless paging channel 132 and receives communications 345. Assume further that wireless network 122 (network B) informs the mobile communication device 110 of the paging notification schedule information (such as absence of one or more paging notifications) via a ‘paging skip’ message in communications 345 of the paging occasion 531-2 assigned to the mobile communication device 110”; see Figs. 4-5; [0169] “data string 10 in the communications 345 notifies the mobile communication device 110 to skip monitoring of the next two paging frames of the wireless paging channel 131”; [0188]-[0189] “the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152]; [0184]; [0224] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, accordingly the second time communications 345 is transmitted is interpreted as having second information field),
wherein the first information field and the second information field are carried in different signaling messages (“the wireless base station 162 communicates the paging schedule information 321 (or derivative information thereof) associated with the first wireless network 121 in one or more paging occasions (assigned to the mobile communication device 110)”; [0162]; [0152] the examiner interprets communications 345 is transmitted to the communication device 110 more than one time, thus would read on different signaling messages).
Mukherjee does not explicitly discloses after a paging occasion of a terminal is grouped by a core network according to a type of the terminal, obtaining a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network.
However Zhu discloses after a paging occasion of a terminal is grouped by a core network according to a type of the terminal (“the core network device may group the terminals according to a service requirement. For example, terminals associated with a same service are classified into one group, and a first group identifier… After allocating the first group identifier of the first terminal group, the core network device sends the first group identifier to the access network device”; [0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090]), obtaining a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network (“A core network device sends a first group identifier of a first terminal group and an identifier of a terminal included in the first terminal group to the access network device”; [0084]-[0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”);
obtaining configuration information based on the grouping result (“A core network device sends a first group identifier of a first terminal group and an identifier of a terminal included in the first terminal group to the access network device”; [0084]-[0085] “The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zhu into Mukherjee’s system/method as it would allow, after a paging occasion of a terminal is grouped by a core network according to a type of the terminal, obtaining a grouping result of the paging occasion of the terminal from the core network; and obtaining configuration information based on the grouping result. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been improve system efficiency (Zhu; [0006]).
Claims 5 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mukherjee (US 2021/0250895 A1) in view of Zhu (US 2020/0296687 A1) and further in view of Li et al. (US 2022/0408405 A1, hereinafter “Li”).
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the configuration information is used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R 17 standard to skip the paging occasion.
However, Li discloses the configuration information is used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R 17 standard to skip the paging occasion (“low complexity UE 140-a may send its UE_ID and idle DRX configuration information to the second UE 115-a so that the second UE 115-a may determine the paging occasion for the low complexity UE 140-a and receive paging messages for the low complexity UE 140-a from the network. For example, low complexity UE 140-a may send its UE_ID and idle DRX configuration information such that UE 115-a may determine which paging occasions will be skipped by the low complexity UE 140-a (e.g., and thus determine which paging occasions the UE 115-a will monitor on behalf of the low complexity UE 140-a). Further, the UE 115-a may identify paging messages intended for the low complexity UE 140-a based on the received UE_ID of the low complexity UE 140-a. For example, base station 105-a may send paging messages for the low complexity UE 140-a that are identifiable as being for the low complexity UE 140-a based on including the UE_ID of the low complexity UE 140-a in the paging message”; [0096]; [0005]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li into the combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu as it would allow the configuration information to be used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R 17 standard to skip the paging occasion. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been to improve paging procedures for user equipment (UEs) with reduced capabilities as well as increase power savings during paging procedures (Li; [0005]).
As to claim 35:
The combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu discloses the invention set forth above. Zhu further discloses wherein the configuration information is used for configuring the terminal to skip the paging occasion (“The first group identifier and the second group identifier are used to indicate a paging occasion (Paging Occasion, PO) for the first terminal group”; see Figs. 3-8; [0090] “access network device sends the first group identifier and a second group identifier to the first terminal group…In addition to the first group identifier, the group configuration may further include the second group identifier”; [0087]-[0088] “access network device notifies a terminal of a group configuration”; [0083]) according to the type of the terminal (“the core network device may group the terminals according to a service requirement. For example, terminals associated with a same service are classified into one group, and a first group identifier… After allocating the first group identifier of the first terminal group, the core network device sends the first group identifier to the access network device”; [0085]) but does not explicitly disclose the configuration information is further used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R17 standard to skip the paging occasion.
However, Li discloses the configuration information is further used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R17 standard to skip the paging occasion (“low complexity UE 140-a may send its UE_ID and idle DRX configuration information to the second UE 115-a so that the second UE 115-a may determine the paging occasion for the low complexity UE 140-a and receive paging messages for the low complexity UE 140-a from the network. For example, low complexity UE 140-a may send its UE_ID and idle DRX configuration information such that UE 115-a may determine which paging occasions will be skipped by the low complexity UE 140-a (e.g., and thus determine which paging occasions the UE 115-a will monitor on behalf of the low complexity UE 140-a). Further, the UE 115-a may identify paging messages intended for the low complexity UE 140-a based on the received UE_ID of the low complexity UE 140-a. For example, base station 105-a may send paging messages for the low complexity UE 140-a that are identifiable as being for the low complexity UE 140-a based on including the UE_ID of the low complexity UE 140-a in the paging message”; [0096]; [0005]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li into the combined system/method of Mukherjee and Zhu as it would allow the configuration information to be further used for configuring a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal of R17 standard to skip the paging occasion. Such combination would have been obvious as the references are from analogous art where a motivation would have been to improve paging procedures for user equipment (UEs) with reduced capabilities as well as increase power savings during paging procedures (Li; [0005]).
Conclusion
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/MARIELA VIDAL CARPIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476