Office Action Predictor
Last updated: April 16, 2026
Application No. 18/417,070

Paging Monitoring Method and Apparatus, Communications Device, Storage Medium, and System

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 19, 2024
Examiner
WONG, WARNER
Art Unit
2469
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Vivo Mobile Communication Co., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 8m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allow Rate
936 granted / 1048 resolved
+31.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+9.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
1089
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.1%
-33.9% vs TC avg
§103
56.2%
+16.2% vs TC avg
§102
24.8%
-15.2% vs TC avg
§112
2.8%
-37.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1048 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 1-5 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shi (US 2021/0014825). Regarding claims 1 and 16, Shi describes a paging monitoring method/user equipment UE, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions that are stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or the instructions, when executed by the processor (fig. 8 & para. 26, remote unit as UE which comprises processor 801, memory 802 to execute program), causes the UE to perform: obtaining, by a user equipment UE, target configuration information (para. 6 & 26, UE receiving its WUS (target) configuration information), wherein the target configuration information comprises at least one of the following: a correspondence between a power saving signal and a paging occasion PO (para. 6, PO monitoring configuration is associated (correspondence) with the WUS configuration information as part of paging process for power saving, para. 2), monitoring, by the UE, the power saving signal based on the target configuration information (para. 6, monitoring a paging (power saving) message in a PO based on PO monitoring configuration information). Regarding claims 2 and 17, Shi describes: wherein the UE supports the power saving signal and that one power saving signal is corresponding to a plurality of POs (para. 2-3, remote unit monitors paging (power saving) messages in POs); and the correspondence between the power saving signal and the PO is that one power saving signal is corresponding to M POs, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (para. 6, the paging message (power saving signal) on a [one] PO). Regarding claims 3 and 18, Shi describes: wherein that one power saving signal is corresponding to M POs comprises at least one of the following that: one power saving signal is corresponding to all subgroups in M POs, one power saving signal is corresponding to one subgroup in M POs (para. 45, the WUS (power saving) signal is associated with a specific group [of groups] of POs). See also para. 57). Regarding claims 4 and 19, Shi describes: wherein the first cycle is any one of the following: the first cycle comprises at least one of the following: the target resource information comprises at least one of the following: time domain resource information of the power saving signal (para. 6 in view of para. 51, in power saving paging process, the PO monitoring configuration information comprising a DRX or eDRX (time domain resource information) cycle that is longer than a predefined time length). Regarding claim 5, Shi describes: wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the UE, first indication information sent by a network side device, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate that the network side device supports that one power saving signal is corresponding to a plurality of POs (para. 2-3 & 6 in view of para. 26-27, regarding WUS for power saving, UE receiving WUS (first indication) configuration sent by base station (network side device) is associated with a specific group [of groups] of POs). See also para. 57). Regarding claim 14, Shi describes a paging monitoring method, comprising: sending, by a network side device, target configuration information to a user equipment UE (para. 6 & 26-27, base station sends WUS (target) configuration information to receiving UE), wherein the target configuration information is used for the UE to monitor a power saving signal, wherein the target configuration information comprises at least one of the following: a correspondence between a power saving signal and a paging occasion PO (para. 6, PO monitoring configuration is associated (correspondence) with the WUS configuration information as part of paging process for power saving, para. 2), Regarding claim 15, Shi describes: wherein the network side device supports that one power saving signal is corresponding to a plurality of POs; and the method further comprises: sending, by the network side device, first indication information to the UE, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate that the network side device supports that one power saving signal is corresponding to a plurality of POs (para. 2-3 & 6 in view of para. 26-27, regarding WUS for power saving, base station (network side device) sends WUS (first indication) configuration to receiving UE is associated with a specific group [of groups] of POs). See also para. 57). Regarding claim 20, Shi describes: a network side device, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions that are stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, steps of the paging monitoring method according to claim 14 are implemented (fig. 9 & para. 27, base unit as base station (network side device) with processor 901 & memory 902 to execute method in claim 14). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 6-13 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. Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe: wherein the target configuration information comprises: the correspondence between the power saving signal and the PO, the first cycle, and the target resource information; and the target resource information comprises the time domain resource information of the power saving signal; and the monitoring, by the UE, the power saving signal based on the target configuration information comprises: determining, by the UE, a first correspondence based on the correspondence between the power saving signal and the PO, wherein the first correspondence is a correspondence between a power saving signal to be monitored by the UE and a PO to be monitored by the UE; determining, by the UE, a first time domain resource based on the first correspondence, the first cycle, and the time domain resource information of the power saving signal, wherein the first time domain resource is a time domain resource in which the power saving signal to be monitored by the UE is located; and monitoring, by the UE, the power saving signal in the first time domain resource. The closest prior art, Shi, describing regarding power saving paging (signal), where UE receiving the WUS configuration information comprises the PO monitoring configuration information which comprises a DRX or eDRX (first) cycle (para. 6 in view of para. 51), and the WUS mechanism includes a response comprising indication information which is associated with the RA preamble resource in time/frequency/code domain (target resource information), para. 54-55), in combination with Liao (US 2021/0144638) describing determining the monitoring occasion of power saving signal (fig. 5), and Lyu (US 2023/0097949) describing terminal receiving power saving indication information indication whether terminal needs to receive paging message in a target paging occasion group (fig. 6), fail to render this dependent claim’s features as a whole obvious. Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe: wherein the target configuration information comprises the target resource information, and the target resource information comprises time domain resource information of the power saving signal; and the monitoring, by the UE, the power saving signal based on the target configuration information comprises: determining, by the UE, a second time domain resource based on the time domain resource information of the power saving signal, and the second time domain resource is a time domain resource in which a power saving signal whose distance from a PO to be monitored by the UE is the smallest is located; and monitoring, by the UE, the power saving signal in the second time domain resource. The closest prior art, Wang (US 2021/0368444) describing configuring, by the network device, time-domain transmission resources for the terminal; where the time-domain transmission resources correspond to the DRX cycle; and the time-domain transmission resources include a distance between the power saving instruction signal and a start point of the DRX cycle (para. 12), or Wang (US 2022/0110057) describing determining the transmission resource for the power-saving signal within the opportunity for DRX in accordance with the candidate transmission resources for the power-saving signal and the transmission for the predetermined high-priority signal includes: obtaining a distance value between each candidate transmission resource of the at least two candidate transmission resources (para. 13), in combination with Shi, fail to render the above features as a whole obvious. Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe: wherein the target configuration information comprises at least one of the following: the correspondence between the power saving signal and the paging occasion PO; and the method further comprises: in a case that PO change is supported, monitoring, by the UE, the PO based on the target configuration information The closest prior art, Shi describing PO monitoring configuration is associated (correspondence) with the WUS configuration information as part of paging process for power saving, para. 2), where UE monitors a paging message in a PO based on PO monitoring configuration which is associated with WUS configuration, with the WUS mechanism updated or changed (para. 41), in combination with Liao (US 2021/0144638) describing determining the monitoring occasion of power saving signal (fig. 5), and Lyu (US 2023/0097949) describing terminal receiving power saving indication information indication whether terminal needs to receive paging message in a target paging occasion group (fig. 6), fail to render this dependent claim’s features as a whole obvious. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Li (US 2025/0071683) describing a terminal monitors a WUS, the WUS comprising at least one of the following: grouping information and terminal wake-up indication information; and on the basis of at least one of the grouping information and the terminal wake-up indication information, the terminal determines whether to be woken up (abstract), Liu (US 2019/0349856) describing terminal receiving WUS sequence (configuration) for wake up for a PO (fig. 14 & para. 126), Fu (US 2022/0124625) describing monitoring power-saving signal (title), Wang (US 2024/0147372) describing power saving signal monitoring method (fig. 2), Miao (US 2022/0015034) describing monitoring power saving signal at a resource indicated by received configuration information of power saving signal (title), Zhou (US 2020/0092814) describing DCI information comprising indication bitmap of which downlink control channel to monitor (abstract), Maleki (US 2023/0104198) describing power savings achieved by configuring the UE with a sparse search space for power savings and a packed search space for normal PDCCH monitoring (abstract), Maleki (US 2022/0394616) describing configuring (401) the WD with a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration having an ON-duration configuration and a long/short DRX cycle configuration, the DRX configuration defining a timing and a length of an ON-duration for the WD based on a message from the network node (abstract), Lin (US 2023/0007589) describing UE receiving an indication to monitor a power saving signal in a monitoring occasion from a base station, where the power saving signal detects whether a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is not monitored in DRX ON duration (abstract), Lo (US 2022/0312316) describing power saving method & monitoring data channel (title & fig. 6), Guo (US 2022/0182942) describing monitoring, by a user device, power saving indications transmitted from a network device during corresponding monitoring occasions predefined or configured by a higher layer parameter, Cheng (US 2021/0051584) describing method of monitoring PDCCH for power saving signal (fig. 1), Lin (US 2021/0007050) describing monitoring power saving signal (fig. 9), Kim (US 2023/0131118) describing UE receiving POSS configuration information & performing monitoring on a POSS from BS (abstract), Mohammad Soleymani (US 2024/0188042) describing paging early indication where UE monitors 1+ paging occasions (abstract), He (US 2023/0370967) describing Indication of whether a terminal device group detects paging messages at a paging occasion group through a bit field provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure (para 16 & fig. 10, also para. 64-65,96-98, 120,133). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARNER WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8197. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am - 3:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. WARNER WONG Primary Examiner Art Unit 2469 /WARNER WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 19, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Mar 25, 2026
Response Filed

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
89%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+9.7%)
2y 8m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1048 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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