DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Amendment filed 7/22/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1, 3, 7, 14, 15, 17, and 20 have been amended.
Claims 2 and 16 have been cancelled.
Claims 1, 3-15, and 17-20 remain pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 7-10, 15, 17, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abdelghaffar et al. (US20230156601A1; “Abdelghaffar”), in view of Bergstrom et al. (US20200367234A1; “Bergstrom”).
Regarding claims 1, 15, and 20,
Abdelghaffar discloses a method performed by the at least one processor in a base station (Title: Techniques for Configuring Use of an Energy Saving Mode) including an apparatus (Fig. 1, 2, 4, base station 105) comprising at least one memory/non-transitory computer readable medium (Fig. 8, 830/835; Fig. 12, 1230/1235) configured to store computer program code/instructions and at least one processor (paragraph 151, 192) configured to access said at least one memory/computer readable medium and operate as instructed by the computer program code/instructions, to execute the method (Fig. 4).
Abdelghaffar discloses sending, in a first, normal state (Fig. 4, steps 405-410; default/normal energy mode), a first set of one or more probing messages to a UE, the first set of the one or more probing messages including a set of reference signals (paragraph 112; monitoring set of CSI-RS in accordance with default energy saving mode prior to step 410) and receiving, in response to the first one or more probing messages, a first channel state information (CSI) report from the UE that includes first CSI derived from measurements of the set of reference signals (Fig. 4, step 425; paragraph 112; transmit CSI feedback in accordance with default energy saving mode).
Abdelghaffar further shows sending, in a second, energy-saving state (Fig. 4, step 410-420), a second set of one or more probing messages to the UE, the second set of the one or more probing messages including a subset of the reference signals and receiving, in response to the second set of one or more probing messages, a second CSI report that includes second CSI derived from measurement of the subset of the reference signals (Fig. 4, step 425) without sending the remaining subset of reference signal included in the first set (paragraph 57, 96, 113-114; reducing number of CSI-RS resources in first energy saving mode being used in steps 415-420).
Abdelghaffar fails to expressly disclose the base station determining which UEs are to be configured with coverage enhancement.
Bergstrom discloses analogous art (Title; Abstract; Supplemental Activity Configuration/SAC for lean carrier operation including reduced bandwidth reference signals) including the base station determining which UEs are to be configured with coverage enhancement (paragraphs 17, 19, 28, 60, 127-141, 163-173; SAC includes coverage enchancement level of the UE determined by the base station signaling the SAC).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Abdelghaffar by determining which UEs are to be configured with coverage enhancement, as shown by Bergstrom, thereby enabling base stations to efficiently serve UEs operating in different conditions under a wide range of scenarios.
Regarding claims 3 and 17,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses, in the energy saving state, one or more antennas are turned off (Fig. 2-3; paragraph 56, 87-92; turn off antenna panels to reduce energy consumption).
Regarding claims 4 and 18,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses the first set of the one or more probing messages include an indication of a window having a duration in which UE measures the subset of reference signals (paragraphs 19, 40, 69-71, 111, 144, 185; indication of energy saving mode based on a duration between previous energy saving mode).
Regarding claim 7,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses transmitting, to the UE, a predetermined downlink signal that causes the UE to terminate measuring of the set of reference signals in the normal state and initiate measuring of the subset of reference signals in the energy saving state (Fig. 4, step 410, 435; indication of base station switching to a first/different energy saving mode).
Regarding claim 8,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses the predetermined downlink signal is a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signal (paragraph 72, 119+; various control channels).
Regarding claim 9,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses the measuring of the subset of reference signals is terminated after a predetermined time interval (paragraphs 19, 40, 69-71, 111, 144, 185; indication of energy saving mode based on a duration/predetermined time interval between previous energy saving mode and corresponding CSI-RS resources).
Regarding claim 10,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom discloses classifying, based on the one or more CSI reports, each UE in one or more UEs into one of a plurality of classification groups (paragraph 31, 98, 105-106, 176; groups of CSI-RS ports).
Claims 5, 6, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom in view of Lincoln et al. (US20180234153A1; “Lincoln”).
Regarding claim 5, 6, and 19,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom does not expressly the window is configured with a periodic time interval or that the second CSI report is transmitted from the UE to the base station at a timing outside of the window.
Lincoln discloses analogous art (Title; Low-Power Channel-State-Information Reporting Mode) including default/legacy and low power modes (default/legacy mode; paragraph 73-79; low power mode; paragraph 78-79) for processing a subset of reference signals (Fig. 1-4; paragraphs 47-48, 53-54, 62-69; CSI-RS transmission/measurement of all antennas to select the “best” configuration among all possible configurations; paragraphs 70-79, 82-84, 99; Fig. 5, steps 520-550; CSI-RS transmission/measurement of subset of antennas to select “good enough” beam configuration; Fig. 7, step 740; paragraphs 23-25, 73, 99-; “good enough” beam configuration allows further CSI-RS measurements to be discontinued/not performed once a good enough beam is selected, thereby avoiding the need to evaluate all CSI-RS symbols) where the window is configured with a periodic time interval (Fig. 1, 3, 4; paragraph 18; time repetition of CSI-RSs) or that the second CSI report is transmitted from the UE to the base station at a timing outside of the window (paragraph 100, 117-120; separate first/second time intervals for first/second reporting modes).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom by configuring the window with a periodic time interval and transmitting the second CSI report outside of the window, as shown by Lincoln, thereby allowing efficient multiplexing of UEs with different configurations with respect to network loading.
Claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom in view of Su et al. (US20180227880A1), hereafter Su.
Regarding claims 11 and 12,
The combination of Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom does not expressly disclose the plurality of classification groups, as described in claim 11, or the cell enhancement coverage includes repetition of one or more downlink signals or repetition of one or more uplink signals.
Su discloses analogous art (Title: Efficient Paging and Idle Mode Wakeup for Wireless Devices Supporting Coverage Enhanced Mode) including a plurality of classification groups include: (i) a first classification group in which each UE assigned to the first classification group does not utilize cell enhancement coverage when the base station is in the energy saving state (Fig. 5, normal coverage; paragraphs 62-66, 75-76; Fig. 8; lowest/low-power sleep) and (ii) a second classification group in which each UE assigned to the second classification group utilizes cell enhancement coverage when the base station is in an energy saving state (Fig. 5, enhanced coverage; Fig. 8; lowest/low-power sleep; paragraph 98-106; DSDS UEs to make use of enchanced coverage in power-save mode) where the cell enhancement coverage includes repetition of one or more downlink signals or repetition of one or more uplink signals (Fig. 5, enhanced coverage; paragraph 98-102; mPDCCH/PDSCH; paragraph 103-106; DSDS-capable UEs make use of control channel/PUCCH repetition level provided when in enhanced coverage mode to save power consumption).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom by including a plurality of classification groups include a first classification group in which each UE assigned to the first classification group does not utilize cell enhancement coverage when the base station is in the energy saving state and a second classification group in which each UE assigned to the second classification group utilizes cell enhancement coverage when the base station is in an energy saving state where the cell enhancement coverage includes repetition of one or more downlink signals or repetition of one or more uplink signals, as shown by Su, thereby providing efficient wakeup for devices supporting coverage enhanced mode in a wireless communication system.
Regarding claim 13,
The combination of Abdelghaffar, Bergstrom, and Su discloses the one or more downlink signals include one of a PDCCH signal and PDSCH signal, and wherein the one or more uplink signals include one of a PUSCH and a PUCCH signal (Abdelghaffar: paragraph 72, 119+; various control/data channels; Bergstrom: paragraph 189, Table 6; Su: paragraph 110). See motivation above.
Regarding claim 14,
Abdelghaffar discloses transmitting to the UE an energy saving state indication of when the energy saving state is applied (Fig. 4, step 410, 435) but fails to expressly disclose an indication of one or more bits specifying one or more time slots which the energy saving state is applied.
Su discloses analogous art (Title: Efficient Paging and Idle Mode Wakeup for Wireless Devices Supporting Coverage Enhanced Mode) including an indication of one or more bits specifying one or more time slots which the energy saving state is applied (Fig. 8; paragraphs 99-106; different low-power sleep durations applied for different scenarios specifying one or more time slots).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom by including an indication of one or more bits specifying one or more time slots which the energy saving state is applied, as shown by Su, thereby enabling sleep duration to be adapted based on performance and estimated channel conditions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/22/2026 with respect to the pending claims, as amended, have been fully considered but they are moot because the new ground of rejection relies on newly-cited Abdelghaffar and Bergstrom references for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
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/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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