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 .
The office action is a response to Applicant’s After Final Amended Response, filed December 22, 2025.
Claims 10, 21 and 26 have been amended.
Claims 1, 3-8, and 24 have been cancelled.
Claims 2, 9, 11, 20, 22-25, and 27-52 had previously been cancelled.
Claims 10, 12-19, 21 and 26 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to independent claims in Remarks, filed October 3, 2025 have been considered but are moot because the amendment requiring consideration of “transmitting the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising transmitting the WUS in one or more symbols immediately adjacent in time to symbols in which the SSB is transmitted” had been recited in the alternative in the prior set of claims, among options to transmit the wakeup signal (WUS) in conjunction with synchronization signal block (SSB); “Xu”, the primary reference, had not been required to disclose it. Examiner has identified a secondary reference (see “Hsieh”, below) that is reasoned to teach the above limitation, and is being combined with Xu as a new grounds of rejection in a Final Office Action..
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 10, 13-17 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220312327 A1 (hereinafter Xu) in view of Hsieh et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200146095 A1 (hereinafter Hsieh), and in view of Sun et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220116876 A1 (hereinafter Sun).
Regarding Claim 10, Xu discloses a method, in a wireless device configured to communicate wirelessly with one or more network nodes in a wireless communication network (e.g., ¶ [0003], [0003] Other exemplary embodiments are related to a base station… configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE)), the method comprising: receiving, from a network node, a synchronization signal block, SSB, comprising one or more synchronization signals (e.g., ¶ [0002], Some exemplary embodiments are related to a method performed by a base station. The method includes transmitting one or more synchronization signals, wherein the synchronization signals correspond to a wake-up signal (WUS) that is to be transmitted to a user equipment (UE); receiving a wake-up signal, WUS, the WUS indicating whether the wireless device should monitor a physical channel during at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission (e.g., ¶ [0042], The network may transmit a WUS during the WUS occasion 320. In some embodiments, downlink control information (DCI) based wake-up signaling may be implemented. In this configuration, the WUS occasion 320 may represent a set of PDCCH monitoring occasions and may include multiple time slots (e.g., subframe or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol) during which the WUS DCI may be transmitted), transmitting the WUS comprising transmitting the WUS in conjunction with the SSB (e.g., FIG.3, ¶ [0042], Within the WUS occasion 320, each monitoring occasion is associated with one of the SSBs 301-304), receiving the WUS comprising receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB, the WUS comprising an index identifying a group of wireless devices that includes the wireless device (e.g., ¶ [0077] , the UE 110 may determine its PO location using legacy techniques. The UE 110 may then determine the WUS occasion set 920 location. Within the WUS occasion set 920, the UE 110 may find its WUS occasion based on its UE ID (e.g., 5G S-temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) or any other appropriate UE ID). The WUS occasion index may be set to equal to UE ID mod N).
Xu discloses receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising frequency multiplexing the WUS with the SSB (e.g., FIG. 3, ¶ [0042], The network may transmit a WUS during the WUS occasion 320. In some embodiments, downlink control information (DCI) based wake-up signaling may be implemented. In this configuration, the WUS occasion 320 may represent a set of PDCCH monitoring occasions and may include multiple time slots (e.g., subframe or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol) during which the WUS DCI may be transmitted. Within the WUS occasion 320, each monitoring occasion is associated with one of the SSBs 301-304 [i.e., transmitting the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising at least… frequency multiplexing the WUS with the SSB]).
Xu does not expressly disclose receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising receiving the WUS in one or more symbols immediately adjacent to symbols in which the SSB is transmitted.
Xu does not expressly disclose estimating a downlink quality.
Hsieh discloses receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising receiving the WUS in one or more symbols immediately adjacent to symbols in which the SSB is transmitted (e.g., FIG. 5, ¶ [0051], The network may configure multiple monitoring occasions (i.e., time-frequency positions such as preconfigured symbol times and preconfigured frequency channels) for a UE to monitor. The UE monitors these time-frequency positions to find a WUS block 510… In one embodiment, the symbol time in which a WUS block 510 is transmitted precedes and is substantially adjacent to the symbol time in which its corresponding SSB 240 is transmitted).
Hsieh discloses estimating a downlink quality (e.g., ¶ [0004], A User Equipment (UE) in a 5G NR network periodically measures the quality of received signals).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB, as disclosed by Xu, with the disclosure of receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB comprising receiving the WUS in one or more symbols immediately adjacent in time to symbols in which the SSB is transmitted, and further determining downlink signal quality, as disclosed by Hsieh. The motivation to combine would have been to reduce power consumption (Hsieh: e.g., ¶ [0002]).
Xu in view of Hsieh does not expressly disclose using less than all of a bandwidth occupied by the WUS for detecting the WUS based on the estimated downlink quality.
Sun discloses using less than all of a bandwidth occupied by the WUS for detecting the WUS based on the estimated downlink quality (e.g., ¶ [0097], monitoring the signal quality on a bandwidth part (BWP) corresponding to the WUS [i.e., BWP being less than the full bandwidth]; e.g., ¶ [0098], the signal quality of the reference signal related to the WUS can be monitored on the BWP)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of receiving the WUS in conjunction with the SSB and determining downlink signal quality, as disclosed by Xu in view of Hsieh, with the disclosure of estimating downlink signal quality and using less than all of a bandwidth occupied by the WUS for detecting the WUS based on the estimated downlink quality, as disclosed by Sun. The motivation to combine would have been to support an efficient link management method (Sun: e.g., ¶ [0002]).
Regarding Claim 13, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu discloses wherein the WUS indicates that the wireless device or group of wireless devices should monitor the physical channel during the at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission, and wherein the method further comprises monitoring the at least one paging opportunity associated with WUS transmission (e.g., FIG. 6, ¶ [0067], To utilize the configuration shown in the timing diagram 610, the UE 110 may initially determine its PO locations and WUS occasion location. If the WUS indicates that the UE 110 is to wake-up for paging monitoring, the UE 110 may wakeup and enter the active mode of data exchange processing to monitor the N POs. If the WUS indicates that the UE 110 is to sleep, the UE 110 will sleep and not monitor the N Pos [i.e., wireless devices monitor the physical channel during the at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission]. Within the N POs, the UE 110 will not monitor WUS occasions. After N consecutive POs, the UE 110 will resume monitoring WUS occasions).
Regarding Claim 14, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu discloses wherein the WUS indicates that the wireless device need not monitor the physical channel during the at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission (e.g., FIG. 6, ¶ [0067], To utilize the configuration shown in the timing diagram 610, the UE 110 may initially determine its PO locations and WUS occasion location. If the WUS indicates that the UE 110 is to wake-up for paging monitoring, the UE 110 may wakeup and enter the active mode of data exchange processing to monitor the N POs. If the WUS indicates that the UE 110 is to sleep, the UE 110 will sleep and not monitor the N Pos [i.e., wireless devices need not monitor the physical channel during the at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission]. Within the N POs, the UE 110 will not monitor WUS occasions. After N consecutive POs, the UE 110 will resume monitoring WUS occasions).
Regarding Claim 16, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu discloses wherein the at least one paging opportunity comprises two or more paging opportunities (e.g., FIG.. 6, ¶ [0067], the UE 110 may wakeup and enter the active mode of data exchange processing to monitor the N POs [i.e., multiple paging opportunities]), and wherein the WUS comprises two or more respective indications indicating whether each paging opportunity should be monitored (e.g., FIG. 6, ¶ [0067], the UE 110 may wakeup and enter the active mode of data exchange processing to monitor the N POs. If the WUS indicates that the UE 110 is to sleep, the UE 110 will sleep and not monitor the N POs. Within the N POs, the UE 110 will not monitor WUS occasions. After N consecutive POs, the UE 110 will resume monitoring WUS occasions [i.e., indicating whether each paging opportunity should be monitored]).
Regarding Claim 17, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu discloses wherein receiving the WUS comprises transmitting at least one of the following signals: a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, message (e.g., ¶ [0042], the WUS occasion 320 may represent a set of PDCCH monitoring occasions); a predetermined sequence-based signal; a predetermined reference signal (e.g., ¶ [0044], reference signal based wake-up signaling may be implemented.; ¶ [0045] During the WUS occasion 320, the UE 110 may monitor for a WUS reference signal); a synchronization signal (e.g., ¶ [0042], WUS occasion 320, each monitoring occasion is associated with one of the SSBs 301-304 [i.e., synchronization based signal]); a channel-state information reference signal, CSI-RS; and a tracking reference signal, TRS.
Regarding Claim 26, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses a wireless device comprising radio circuitry configured to communicate with one or more network nodes in a wireless communication network and further comprising processing circuitry operatively coupled to the radio circuitry (Xu: e.g., FIGS. 1, 2; ¶ [0025], UE 110 may be configured to communicate with one or more networks; e.g., ¶ [0030] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary UE 110 according to various exemplary embodiments. The UE 110 will be described with regard to the network arrangement 100 of FIG. 1. The UE 110 may represent any electronic device and may include a processor 205, a memory arrangement 210, a display device 215, an input/output (I/O) device 220, a transceiver 225 and other components 230), the radio circuitry and the processing circuitry collectively configured to exchange information with network nodes that is functionally similar to the information exchange between the network node and wireless device in the method of claim 1. Therefore, the reasoning used in the examination of claim 1 shall be applied to claim 24.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, in further view of Peng et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220286964 A1 (hereinafter Peng).
Regarding Claim 12, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu does not expressly disclose wherein receiving the WUS comprises selecting one of a plurality of search spaces in which to receive the WUS, the selected search space corresponding to a group of wireless devices that includes the wireless device.
Peng discloses wherein receiving the WUS comprises selecting one of a plurality of search spaces in which to receive the WUS, the selected search space corresponding to a respective group of wireless devices (e.g., ¶ [0178], the WUS carrying paging indication is transmitted in form of PDCCH within a search space. Some search space or search space set can be configured for WUS. Alternatively, WUS has N search space(s) where the N is a positive integer. Alternatively, WUS has N=1 search space where both the common WUS and UE group WUS are transmitted in this search space. Alternatively, WUS has N=1 search space where both the common WUS and UE group WUS are transmitted in this search space but with different CCE. Alternatively, WUS has N=2 search spaces where the common WUS is transmitted in one search space while the UE group WUS is transmitted in the other search space. Alternatively, WUS has N=2 search spaces where the common WUS is transmitted in one search space with lowest index while the UE group WUS can be transmitted in any one of the search space [Peng at least discloses multiple search space, at least one of which carries the UE group information]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of transmitting a WUS indicating whether a wireless device or group of wireless devices should monitor a physical channel during at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission, as disclosed by Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, with the disclosure of selecting one of a plurality of search spaces in which to transmit the WUS, each search space corresponding to a respective group of wireless devices, as disclosed by Peng. The motivation to combine would have been to reduce power consumption and to improve power savings for a communication device during wireless operations such as paging (Peng: e.g., ¶ [0005]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, in further view of Agiwal et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20190159165 A1 (hereinafter Agiwal).
Regarding Claim 15, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun does not expressly disclose wherein the at least one paging opportunity consists of all predetermined paging opportunities between the SSB and a following SSB.
Peng discloses wherein the at least one paging opportunity consists of all predetermined paging opportunities between the SSB and a following SSB (e.g., ¶ [0121], In order to determine the time slot corresponding to best/suitable SS block, a UE needs to know the mapping between one or more SS blocks and time slots in PO; e.g., ¶ [0123], explicit Signaling can be used. The mapping between one or more SS blocks (SS block IDs) and time slots in PO can be explicit signaled in system information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of transmitting a WUS indicating whether a wireless device or group of wireless devices should monitor a physical channel during at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission, as disclosed by Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, with the disclosure of at least one paging opportunity consists of all predetermined paging opportunities between the SSB and a following SSB, as disclosed by Agiwal. The motivation to combine would have been to reduce power consumption and to reduce signaling overhead and UE power consumption (Agiwal: e.g., ¶ [0005]).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, in further view of Menon et al, U.S. Patent Publication No. 10356752 B1 (hereinafter Menon).
Regarding Claim 21, Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun discloses all the limitations of the method of claim 10.
Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun does not expressly disclose wherein the method further comprises: estimating a downlink quality; electing to continue monitoring for WUS indications, based on the estimated downlink quality.
Menon discloses wherein the method further comprises: estimating a downlink quality (e.g., FIG. 7, Col 12, lines 8-16: At 720, a receive power of a reference signal may be measured corresponding to a paging candidate for a number of repetitions of the control channel within the CSS. The RS may be an NB-IoT NRS. For the paging candidate with R repetitions, the RS may be assumed to accompany the repeated control channel, e.g., within R consecutive NPDCCH subframes. The receive power of the RS may be based on an energy metric (e.g., NRSEE) or NRSRP value as described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5); electing to continue monitoring for WUS indications (e.g., Column 1, lines 44-60: In a wireless network, a base station and/or a network entity may inform one or more UEs of certain information via paging… A UE in idle mode may be configured to monitor paging on a paging cycle, during which the UE may periodically search for a potential paging indication. In some cases, the UE may operate in a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mode whose on/off durations may coincide with the configured paging cycle. A paging cycle may determine how frequently UE would check for paging; for example, for a paging cycle of 128 radio frames a UE may wake up to search for paging every 128 radio frames. Within the duration of a paging cycle, a UE may search for paging on a particular paging occasion assigned to or configured for the UE. A base station may schedule different UEs on different paging occasions even though these UEs share the same paging cycle), based on the estimated downlink quality (e.g., FIG. 7, Col 12, lines 17-21: At 730, a UE may determine whether to terminate the paging search based at least on the measured receive power of the RS when the paging indication is not successfully decoded. Thus, a UE may declare no paging is present without searching the full CSS.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of transmitting a WUS indicating whether a wireless device or group of wireless devices should monitor a physical channel during at least one paging opportunity associated with the WUS transmission, as disclosed by Xu in view of Hsieh and in view of Sun, with the disclosure of determining whether to monitor for paging opportunity based on downlink signal quality, as disclosed by Menon. The motivation to combine would have been to consider early termination of paging search (Menon: Col 1, lines 7-8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 18, dependent from claim 10, the prior art of record fails to disclose individually or in combination or render obvious the limitations regarding collecting samples of the SSB and the WUS; performing synchronization based on the samples of the SSB; and using a correction obtained from performing synchronization to correct one or both of time and/or frequency offsets in the samples of the WUS, prior to detecting the WUS.
Regarding Claim 19, dependent from claim 10, the prior art of record fails to disclose individually or in combination or render obvious the limitations regarding estimating a rate or probability of receiving a WUS indication; estimating a power saving from monitoring for WUS indications rather than PDCCCH and/or PDSCH monitoring; and electing to continue monitoring for WUS indications based on the estimated power saving.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References considered relevant to this application are listed in the attached "Notice of References Cited” (PTO-892).
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/VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2471