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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-6, 8-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Astrom et al. (US 2019/0342833 A1; hereinafter Astrom).
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 17, Astrom teaches a terminal (read as a wireless device), comprising a processor (Fig. 12, element 810 Processing Circuity; ¶ [0111] The wireless device includes processing circuitry.),
a memory, and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and capable of running (read as executing) in the processor (Fig. 12, element 830 Memory; The processing circuitry is configured to perform processing, such as by executing instructions stored in memory.),
wherein the program or instruction is executed by the processor to implement:
obtaining, by a first module of a terminal (read as wireless device or the device), a wakeup signal (Fig. 5, step 130 Monitor for a wake-up signal using a wake-up receiver or one or more other receivers, depending respectively on whether or not the indicated wake-up period is less than the maximum period supported by the radio network node., step 140 Receive a wake-up signal; ¶ [0055] Awaken the wireless device from a sleep state by transmitting a so-called wake-up signal (WUS) to the device.); and
in a case that a first target occasion is an occasion outside a paging time window (PTW) of a first discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle, being triggered, by a second module of the terminal, to switch to an idle state (Fig. 2A; Fig. 2B, ¶ [0067] The radio node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions (e.g., according to a certain DRX configuration).; ¶ [0069] If the wireless device has wake-up receiver capability, the radio network node may configure the PTW to start later. The radio network node may delay the start of the PTW to give a device with wake-up receiver capability extra time to awaken, e.g., from a deeper sleep state.; ¶ [0070] If the wireless device has wake-up receiver capability, the radio network node configures the device with a PTW that starts after the device’s wake-up period.; ¶ [0079] a discontinuous reception, DRX, cycle length used by the wireless device.; ¶ [0134] A physical signal/channel indicating whether the UE needs to decode subsequent physical channel(s) is introduced at least for idle mode paging. The physical signal/channel is an example of the wake-up signal.),
wherein the first target occasion (read as paging occasion) is determined based on an occasion on which the first module obtains the wakeup signal (read as receiving a wake-up signal) (Fig. 2A & 2B; Fig. 5 step 140 Receive a Wake-up Signal; ¶ [0078] A paging period is defined within which one or more paging messages are transmittable to the wireless device after transmission of a WUS.; ¶ [0079] The wake-up signal awakens the wireless device from a sleep state. The wakeup period may therefore represent the start of a paging occasion.; ¶ [0080] Receiving a wake-up signal.; ¶ [0081] Monitoring for a paging message during a paging occasion that starts after at least the wake-up period has passed since an end of the wake-up signal.), and
the first DRX cycle comprises the PTW (¶ [0067] Configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) (e.g., according to a certain DRX configuration.).
Regarding claims 2, 10, and 18, Astrom teaches in a case that the second module is in the idle state (read as discontinuous reception (DRX) mode), controlling, by the terminal, the second module to monitor a paging message based on a second DRX cycle (Fig., 2A & 2B; ¶ [0003] Operate in discontinuous reception (DRX) mode after a period of inactivity.; ¶ [0054] The wireless device includes one or more receivers that are configured for receiving downlink control information (e.g., paging messages). The wireless device may receive downlink control information only discontinuously in time, e.g., according to a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode or DRX configuration of the wireless device.; ¶ [0067] The radio network node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions (e.g., according to a certain DRX configuration).; ¶ [0082] awakening the wireless device form a sleep state. ).
Regarding claims 3, 11, and 19, Astrom teaches controlling, by the terminal, the second module to monitor a paging message based on a second DRX cycle starting at a second target occasion, wherein the second target occasion is an occasion on which switching the second module to the idle state is completed (Fig. 2A, ¶ [0065] The device will awaken from a sleep state over a wake-up period that ends at time TAWAKE. The paging message will be transmitted to the device within a paging occasion (PO) that occurs after the wake-up period. The wake-up period signaled by the wireless device. The paging occasion starts at time TAWAKE, at which point the wireless device has awaken.; ¶ [0067] The radio network node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions (e.g., according to a certain DRX configuration).; ¶ [0082] Awakening includes activating one or more other receivers of the wireless device; and after awakening, using the one or more other receivers to receive a paging message during a paging occasion that occurs after the wake-up period. Alternatively, the paging occasion may be the first paging occasion that occurs within a paging transmission window for the wireless device, wherein the paging transmission window starts after the wake-up period.).
Regarding claims 4, 12, and 20, Astrom teaches controlling, by the terminal, the second module to monitor a paging message within a second DRX cycle of the PTW of the first DRX cycle, and the PTW comprises a plurality of the second DRX cycles (Fig. 2A & 2B; ¶ [0067] The radio node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions (e.g., according to a certain DRX configuration).; ¶ [0068] Schedule paging messages to be transmitted to the wireless device starting in the first paging occasion of the PTW and recurring in each subsequent paging occasion.; ¶ [0073] The maximum WUP in this case may be determined as the number of M of Pos multiplied by a DRX cycle length.; ¶ [0101] After awakening, using the one or more other receivers to receive a paging message during a paging occasion that occurs after the wake-up period.).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Astrom teaches wherein, within a time outside the PTW of the first DRX cycle, in a case that the second module is not triggered to switch to the idle state, the second module is in a dormant state (¶ [0136] In order to reach extremely low power consumption during sleep, the modem needs to be switched off entirely. While the WUR is operating, the baseband remains in deep sleep thereby allowing for even further power savings. Due to the deep sleep state, though, the UE will require a longer wake-up time from detecting the WUS until it can receive the xPDCCH.).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Astrom teaches wherein the method further comprises: in a case that the second module is in the idle state, controlling, by the terminal, the second module to perform radio resource management RRM measurement in the second DRX cycle (¶ [0145] The UE is configured for DRX or eDRX as usual.; ¶ [0147] A UE waking up from deep sleep confirms its cell id from, e.g., the RSS. A UE unable to confirm the cell id will start the data radio and perform cell search/reselection etc.).
Regarding claims 8 and 16, Astrom teaches wherein the first module is a wakeup signal receiving module of the terminal, and the second module is a data transmission module of the terminal (¶ [0112] The wireless device includes a signaling unit or module for transmitting and/or receiving the signaling.; ¶ [0113] Includes a WUS receiving unit or module for receiving a wake-up signal using a wake-up receiver.).
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.
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 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Astrom in view of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #93, Nokia, Wake-up signal for efeMTC (R1-1086174; hereinafter 3GPP R1-1086174).
Regarding claim 7 and 15, Astrom does not explicitly teach wherein the wakeup signal comprises at least one of the following: identification information of the terminal; or identification information of a group which the terminal belongs to.
In analogous art, 3GPP R1-1806174 teaches wherein the wakeup signal comprises at least one of the following: identification information of the terminal; or identification information of a group which the terminal belongs to (Section 3 – Design considerations, Since the WUS also conveys the group ID, these IDs could be provided by the WUS. Proposal 2: The UE group ID can be conveyed by scrambling sequence.; Note: MPEP 2143.03, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art. See, e.g., Fresenius USA, Inc. v. Baxter Int’l, Inc., 582 F.3d 1288, 92 USPQ2d 1163, 1171 (Fed. Cir. 2009).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the technique for power consumption reduction taught by 3GPP R1-1806174 with the wake-up receiver and paging occasion method as taught by Astrom. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce UE power consumption while reliably waking in time to monitor for the paging occasion by using the short wake-up signal design of R1-1806174 to trigger and tailor the wake-up receiver based wake/sleep and paging occasion monitoring of Astrom (3GPP R1-1806174: Section 3 – Design Considerations).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bhattad et al. (US 2018/0332533 A1) discloses “Wake-up Signal (WUS) and Wake-up Receiver (WUR) in a Communication Device”
Qiao (US 2024/0080764 A1) discloses “Method and Apparatus for Power Saving Mode Transmission”
Zhang et al. (US 2017/0201963 A1) discloses “Paging Optimization for Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IOT)”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M KAYAL whose telephone number is (703)756-4576. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30 ET.
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/D.M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464