Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. It would be of great assistance to the office if all incoming papers pertaining to a filed application carried the following items:
i. Application number (checked for accuracy, including series code and serial no.).
ii. Group art unit number (copied from most recent Office communication).
iii. Filing date.
iv. Name of the examiner who prepared the most recent Office action.
v. Title of invention.
vi. Confirmation number (See MPEP § 503).
3. The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages, paragraph and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
4. Claim interpretation: When multiple limitations are connected with “OR”, one of the limitations doesn’t have any patentable weight since both of the limitations are optional.
Claim Rejection- 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nimbalker et al (Pub No. 2022/0078879) and further in view of Nigg et al (Pub No. 2021/0076328).
Regarding claim 1, Nimbalker et al discloses an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (Fig. 7-8: Network node and wireless device with processor-570 & 520 and memory-530), cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request for conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 90: requesting configuration of a new wakeup signals- WUS resource & Para. 188: wireless device monitor for WUS); receive at least one parameter for the conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 188: monitoring for a second WUS in a second WUS monitoring occasion based on a condition[Wingdings font/0xE0]parameter and Para. 190 & 198: wakeup signals parameter[Wingdings font/0xE0]configured to monitor the WUS wake up signal monitoring occasion); receive at least one signal, wherein the at least one signal comprises one of: a wake-up signal, a wake-up indicator, a wake-up signal beacon, or a signal configured to be measured with a wake-up receiver (Para. 184 & 188: wakeup signal is detected during the wakeup signal monitoring occasion) & (Fig. 19); in response to the receiving of the at least one signal, determine a current energy level (Para. 51: Reference signals received power condition determined & Para. 383-386: power condition of the signals).
Nimbalker et al does not explicitly discloses transmit a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement based, at least partially, on the current energy level.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nigg et al discloses device determine a current energy level (Para. 53-54: Sensor device determine low power state or full power state) and transmit a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement based, at least partially, on the current energy level (Para. 56: wakeup acknowledgement signals on a full power state) & (Abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the wireless communication protocol for acknowledging system of Nigg’s disclosure with the wake-up signal configuration system, as taught by Nimbalker. Doing so would have resulted in properly configuring wake up signals in the wireless communication system to conserve energy by the device and adjust the power of the signals based on the device conditions.
Regarding claim 2, Note the rejection as set forth above, Nimbalker et al discloses the apparatus comprises at least one of: an energy harvesting device, a reduced capability device, a cellular Internet of Things device, a narrow-band Internet of Things device, or an ambient Internet of Things device (Fig. 6 & 7-9: Wireless device and communication network device).
Regarding claim 3 & 17, Nimbalker et al discloses the request for the conditional wake-up signal operation comprises, at least, a time period for the determining of the current energy level (Para. 90: requesting configuration of a new wakeup signals- WUS resource & Para. 188 & 198: WUS wake up signal monitoring occasion & Para. 383-386: power condition of the signals).
Regarding claim 4, Nimbalker et al discloses determine the time period for the determining of the current energy level based, at least partially, on at least one of: a previous rate of energy arrival at the apparatus, a current rate of energy arrival at the apparatus, stored energy at the apparatus, or a predicted rate of energy arrival at the apparatus (Para. 188 & 198: WUS wake up signal monitoring occasion & Para. 383-386: power condition of the signals)..
Regarding claim 5, Nimbalker et al discloses the at least one parameter for the conditional wake-up signal operation comprises at least one of: an inactivity time, a duration of on-time, a wake-up cycle length (Para. 63: monitoring occasions & Para. 51: active time for WUS) & (Fig. 19: monitoring period).
Regarding claim 6, Nimbalker et al discloses the wake-up indicator is received during a wake-up cycle via a physical downlink wake-up channel (Para. 108: wake-up signals and PDCCH monitoring).
Regarding claim 7, Nimbalker et al discloses the at least one signal is received from one of: a base station, or a wake-up receiver (Fig. 12 & Abstract).
Regarding claim 8, Nimbalker et al discloses the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: in response to the at least one received signal, transition from a sleep state to an awake state (Para. 56 & 179: sleep DRX state and WUS monitoring).
Regarding claim 9, Nimbalker et al discloses the conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement comprises an indication of the current energy level (Para. 51: Reference signals received power condition determined & Para. 383-386: power condition of the signals & Fig. 4: WUS-ACK).
Regarding claim 10, Nimbalker et al discloses in response to the current energy level being at or below at least one first threshold (Para. 184: Signal quality-(power) is below the threshold & Para. 226 & 263), transmit an indication to delay one or more downlink transmissions (Para. 181: downlink monitoring); transition to a sleep state; and perform energy harvesting during the sleep state (Para. 56 & 179: sleep DRX state and WUS monitoring).
Regarding claim 11, Nimbalker et al discloses periodically determine the current energy level, during the sleep state and based on a wake-up cycle time period, until the current energy level is at or above at least one second threshold (Para. 226: metric is above a threshold value & RSRP, a RSRQ, a CSI condition).
Regarding claim 12, Nimbalker et al discloses cause the wake-up receiver to be turned off in response to the current energy level being at or below the at least one first threshold (Para. 82: Skip monitoring & RSRP lower than threshold & Para. 57-58).
Regarding claim 13, Nimbalker et al discloses in response to the current energy level being at or above at least one threshold, transmit an indication to continue with at least one downlink transmission (Para. 82-84: RSRP exceeds the threshold, the UE may skip PDCCH monitoring for this ON duration and monitor for a WUS before the next ON duration).
Regarding claim 14, Nimbalker et al discloses cause the wake-up receiver to be turned on in response to the current energy level being at or above the at least one threshold (Para. 82-84: RSRP exceeds the threshold, the UE may skip PDCCH monitoring for this ON duration and monitor for a WUS before the next ON duration).
Regarding claim 15, Nimbalker et al discloses method comprising: transmitting, with a user equipment, a request for conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 90: UE send an indication to the network node and requesting configuration of a new wakeup signals- WUS resource & Para. 188: wireless device monitor for WUS); receiving at least one parameter for the conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 188: monitoring for a second WUS in a second WUS monitoring occasion based on a condition[Wingdings font/0xE0]parameter and Para. 190 & 198: wakeup signals parameter[Wingdings font/0xE0]configured to monitor the WUS wake up signal monitoring occasion); receiving at least one signal, wherein the at least one signal comprises one of: a wake-up signal, a wake-up indicator, a wake-up signal beacon, or a signal configured to be measured with a wake-up receiver (Para. 184 & 188: wakeup signal is detected during the wakeup signal monitoring occasion) & (Fig. 19); in response to the receiving of the at least one signal, determining a current energy level (Para. 51: Reference signals received power condition determined & Para. 383-386: power condition of the signals).
Nimbalker et al does not explicitly discloses transmit a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement based, at least partially, on the current energy level.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nigg et al discloses device determine a current energy level (Para. 53-54: Sensor device determine low power state or full power state) and transmit a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement based, at least partially, on the current energy level (Para. 56: wakeup acknowledgement signals on a full power state) & (Abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the wireless communication protocol for acknowledging system of Nigg’s disclosure with the wake-up signal configuration system, as taught by Nimbalker. Doing so would have resulted in properly configuring wake up signals in the wireless communication system to conserve energy by the device and adjust the power of the signals based on the device conditions.
Regarding claim 16, Nimbalker et al discloses an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (Fig. 7-8: wireless device with processor- 520 and memory-530), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a user equipment capable of performing energy harvesting (Para. 127: UE having battery/ power source), a request for conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 90: requesting configuration of a new wakeup signals- WUS resource & Para. 188: wireless device monitor for WUS); transmit, to the user equipment, at least one parameter for the conditional wake-up signal operation (Para. 188: monitoring for a second WUS in a second WUS monitoring occasion based on a condition[Wingdings font/0xE0]parameter and Para. 190 & 198: wakeup signals parameter[Wingdings font/0xE0]configured to monitor the WUS wake up signal monitoring occasion); transmit at least one signal for the user equipment, wherein the at least one signal comprises one of: a wake-up signal, a wake-up indicator, a wake-up signal beacon, or a signal configured to be measured with a wake-up receiver (Para. 184 & 188: wakeup signal is detected during the wakeup signal monitoring occasion) & (Fig. 19).
Nimbalker et al does not explicitly discloses receive, from the user equipment, a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nigg et al discloses device communicate a conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement (Para. 56: wakeup acknowledgement signals on a full power state) & (Abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the wireless communication protocol for acknowledging system of Nigg’s disclosure with the wake-up signal configuration system, as taught by Nimbalker. Doing so would have resulted in properly configuring wake up signals in the wireless communication system to conserve energy by the device and adjust the power of the signals based on the device conditions.
Regarding claim 18, Nimbalker et al discloses determine a time offset of the conditional wake-up signal operation based, at least partially, on the indicated time period; and monitor for another conditional wake-up signal operation acknowledgement based, at least partially, on the determined time offset (Para. 63: monitoring occasions & Para. 51: active time for WUS & Fig. 19: monitoring period & Fig. 4: WUS-ACK).
Regarding claim 19, Nimbalker et al discloses a power-down time period (Para. 84: DRX-on period).
Regarding claim 20, Nimbalker et al discloses the at least one parameter for the conditional wake-up signal operation comprises at least one of: an inactivity time, a duration of on-time, a wake-up cycle length (Para. 63: monitoring occasions & Para. 51: active time for WUS) & (Fig. 19: monitoring period).
Conclusion
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/MD K TALUKDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648