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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations (see claim 29) in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-6, 10-12, 15-17, 19-21, 25, 26, 29 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bhattad et al. (US 2018/0332549).
Regarding claim 1, Bhattad et al. disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Figure 6 and paragraph 72, UE 650), comprising:
at least one memory (Figure 6, memory 660); and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory (Figure 6, controller/processor 659 coupled to memory 660) and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (Paragraph 75, memory 660 that stores program codes and data. The memory 660 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination (Paragraph 75, The controller/processor can be associated with a memory 660 that stores program codes and data), is configured to:
switch, at a wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for a start of a sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to a target signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals [target signal] sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), from an extended discontinuous reception (eDRx) sleep mode of operation to an eDRx active mode of operation (Figures 15, 16 and paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which a UE awakens from a deep sleep period of eDRX cycle), wherein the target signal is associated with at least one of a synchronization signal or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) of a network node (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station [network node] using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station); and
operate, subsequent to the target signal and prior to a paging occasion (PO), in a low power mode based on a detection of at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode] instead of deep sleep as in the worst case the PDCCH monitoring period [paging occasion] might be just around the next PBCH period [prior to paging occasion]).
Regarding claim 2, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: obtain the wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for the start of the sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to the target signal that is associated with at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), wherein the synchronization signal is at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) (Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station; Paragraphs 83, 102, PSS and SSS).
Regarding claim 4, Bhattad et al. discloses wherein the target signal is associated with the synchronization signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station), wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: decode the synchronization signal prior to operation in the low power mode and an associated termination of the sample capture window (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode]; Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 5, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein to decode the synchronization signal, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to decode the PBCH based on a PBCH decoding indicative of a presence of the PBCH with the synchronization signal (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep).
Regarding claim 6, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the target signal is associated with the synchronization signal and the PBCH, wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: decode the synchronization signal and the PBCH prior to operation in the low power mode (Paragraph 140, the legacy LTE synchronization signals (PSS/SSS) can allow the UE to correct timing errors up to about +/−5 ms as the legacy synchronization signals are sent every 5 ms with an alternating pattern. However, if the UEs timing is off by an amount larger than what can be corrected by synchronization signals alone…the UE may have to go on to also decode the PBCH to obtain synchronization; Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [low power mode]) and an associated termination of the sample capture window (Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 10, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the UE is an Internet of Things (IoT) device or a wireless device (Figure 6, UE 650; Paragraph 8, The Internet of things (IoT), also referred to as the Internet of everything (IoE), is the inter-networking of physical devices, vehicles (sometimes referred to as “connected devices” and/or “smart devices”), buildings, and other items that may be embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data and other information).
Regarding claim 11, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the low power mode is at least one of the eDRx sleep mode of operation, an extended low power mode of operation, or a microsleep mode of operation (Paragraph 149, enter light sleep; the UE may enter what is referred to as “micro sleep”, where it may sleep for very short durations such as less than one subframe (for example for up to 12 symbol periods (approximately 170 micro seconds (us)). This may occur, for example, when the UE monitors a control channel at the beginning of a subframe and identifies that there is no data (physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)) scheduled for the current subframe, and may enter a micro sleep mode until the next subframe boundary. Both “macro-sleep” and “micro-sleep” are examples of a UE entering a “light sleep” state or period), and is based on an associated termination of the sample capture window (Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 12, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: switch, prior to the switch from the eDRx sleep mode of operation to the eDRx active mode of operation, from the eDRx active mode of operation to the eDRx sleep mode of operation, wherein the switch from the eDRx sleep mode of operation to the eDRx active mode of operation is based on the switch from the eDRx active mode of operation to the eDRx sleep mode of operation (Figures 15 and 16 and paragraphs 113 and 126, UE deep sleep between eDRX cycles, and waking up during wake-up periods, and repeating the process).
Regarding claim 15, Bhattad et al. disclose further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (Figure 6, transceiver 654 coupled to controller/processor 659 via RX processor 656 and TX processor 668), wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: receive, from the network node via the transceiver, at least one transmission, wherein the at least one transmission includes at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station [network node] using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station).
Regarding claim 16, Bhattad et al. disclose a method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Figure 6 and paragraph 72, UE 650), comprising:
switching, at a wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for a start of a sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to a target signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals [target signal] sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), from an extended discontinuous reception (eDRx) sleep mode of operation to an eDRx active mode of operation (Figures 15, 16 and paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which a UE awakens from a deep sleep period of eDRX cycle), wherein the target signal is associated with at least one of a synchronization signal or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) of a network node (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station [network node] using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station); and
operating, subsequent to the target signal and prior to a paging occasion (PO), in a low power mode based on a detection of at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode] instead of deep sleep as in the worst case the PDCCH monitoring period [paging occasion] might be just around the next PBCH period [prior to paging occasion]).
Regarding claim 17, Bhattad et al. disclose obtaining the wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for the start of the sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to the target signal that is associated with at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), wherein the synchronization signal is at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) (Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station; Paragraphs 83, 102, PSS and SSS).
Regarding claim 19, Bhattad et al. discloses wherein the target signal is associated with the synchronization signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station), wherein the method further comprises: decoding the synchronization signal prior to operation in the low power mode and to terminating the sample capture window (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode]; Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 20, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein to decoding the synchronization signal includes decoding the PBCH based on a PBCH decoding indicative of a presence of the PBCH with the synchronization signal (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep).
Regarding claim 21, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the target signal is associated with the synchronization signal and the PBCH, wherein the method further comprises: decoding the synchronization signal and the PBCH prior to operation in the low power mode (Paragraph 140, the legacy LTE synchronization signals (PSS/SSS) can allow the UE to correct timing errors up to about +/−5 ms as the legacy synchronization signals are sent every 5 ms with an alternating pattern. However, if the UEs timing is off by an amount larger than what can be corrected by synchronization signals alone…the UE may have to go on to also decode the PBCH to obtain synchronization; Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [low power mode]) and to terminating the sample capture window (Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 25, Bhattad et al. disclose wherein the UE is an Internet of Things (IoT) device or a wireless device (Figure 6, UE 650; Paragraph 8, The Internet of things (IoT), also referred to as the Internet of everything (IoE), is the inter-networking of physical devices, vehicles (sometimes referred to as “connected devices” and/or “smart devices”), buildings, and other items that may be embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data and other information); or wherein the low power mode is at least one of the eDRx sleep mode of operation, an extended low power mode of operation, or a microsleep mode of operation (Paragraph 149, enter light sleep; the UE may enter what is referred to as “micro sleep”, where it may sleep for very short durations such as less than one subframe (for example for up to 12 symbol periods (approximately 170 micro seconds (us)). This may occur, for example, when the UE monitors a control channel at the beginning of a subframe and identifies that there is no data (physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)) scheduled for the current subframe, and may enter a micro sleep mode until the next subframe boundary. Both “macro-sleep” and “micro-sleep” are examples of a UE entering a “light sleep” state or period), and is based on an associated termination of the sample capture window (Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Regarding claim 26, Bhattad et al. disclose switching, prior to the switch from the eDRx sleep mode of operation to the eDRx active mode of operation, from the eDRx active mode of operation to the eDRx sleep mode of operation, wherein the switch from the eDRx sleep mode of operation to the eDRx active mode of operation is based on the switch from the eDRx active mode of operation to the eDRx sleep mode of operation (Figures 15 and 16 and paragraphs 113 and 126, UE deep sleep between eDRX cycles, and waking up during wake-up periods, and repeating the process).
Regarding claim 29, Bhattad et al. disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Figure 6 and paragraph 72, UE 650), comprising:
means for switching (Figure 6, controller/processor 659 of UE 650), at a wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for a start of a sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to a target signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals [target signal] sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), from an extended discontinuous reception (eDRx) sleep mode of operation to an eDRx active mode of operation (Figures 15, 16 and paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which a UE awakens from a deep sleep period of eDRX cycle), wherein the target signal is associated with at least one of a synchronization signal or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) of a network node (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station [network node] using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station); and
means for operating (Figure 6, controller/processor 659 of UE 650), subsequent to the target signal and prior to a paging occasion (PO), in a low power mode based on a detection of at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode] instead of deep sleep as in the worst case the PDCCH monitoring period [paging occasion] might be just around the next PBCH period [prior to paging occasion]).
Regarding claim 30, Bhattad et al. disclose a computer-readable medium storing computer executable code at a user equipment (Figure 6 and paragraph 75, The controller/processor 659 implements the L2 layer. The controller/processor can be associated with a memory 660 that stores program codes and data. The memory 660 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium), the code when executed by the at least one processor causes the UE to:
switch, at a wakeup time (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606) for a start of a sample capture window (Paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 is the capture window) that is prior to a target signal (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, synchronization signals [target signal] sent during wake-up period 1506, 1606), from an extended discontinuous reception (eDRx) sleep mode of operation to an eDRx active mode of operation (Figures 15, 16 and paragraphs 103, 115, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which a UE awakens from a deep sleep period of eDRX cycle), wherein the target signal is associated with at least one of a synchronization signal or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) of a network node (Paragraphs 103-104, 106, 116-117, UE synchronize to a base station [network node] using synchronization signals; Paragraph 52, a UE may perform a full PSS/SSS cycle or even a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) decode to obtain full timing and frequency synchronization with a base station); and
operate, subsequent to the target signal and prior to a paging occasion (PO), in a low power mode based on a detection of at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode] instead of deep sleep as in the worst case the PDCCH monitoring period [paging occasion] might be just around the next PBCH period [prior to paging occasion]).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 7 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bhattad et al. as applied to claims 6 and 21 above, and further in view of Koskinen et al. (US 2023/0232314).
Regarding claims 7 and 22, Bhattad et al. disclose the claimed invention above as well as wherein the synchronization signal and the PBCH are present in a single subframe (Bhattad et al., Paragraph 140, if the UEs timing is off by an amount larger than what can be corrected by synchronization signals alone…the UE may have to go on to also decode the PBCH to obtain synchronization); wherein the at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH includes a cell identifier for a cell (Bhattad et al., Paragraph 143, a modified synchronization signal that may use a unique cell identification (ID) dependent sequence to distinguish from an existing (non-modified) synchronization signal); wherein to operate in the low power mode based on the detection of at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH, the at least one processor is configured to operate in the low power mode responsive to the decode of the synchronization signal and the PBCH from the single subframe and without samples or a detection of the at least one of the synchronization signal or the PBCH (Bhattad et al., Paragraph 149, Regarding power savings, in an exemplary embodiment, a UE in eDRX mode could awaken just before the modified PBCH, decode the modified PBCH and enter light sleep [operate low power mode] instead of deep sleep as in the worst case the PDCCH monitoring period might be just around the next PBCH period) based on the associated termination of the sample capture window (Bhattad et al., Paragraphs 104, 116, wake-up period 1506, 1606 during which UE performs synchronization with the base station using synchronization signals; Figures 15 and 16, wake-up period 1506, 1606 [capture window] terminates prior to light sleep state periods 1516, 1517 and 1616, 1617).
Bhattad et al. do not disclose the following limitations that are disclosed by Koskinen et al.: the cell identifier being obtained by the UE prior to the eDRx sleep mode of operation (Koskinen et al., Paragraph 3, UE devices with access to a wireless network using reduced power, such as the ability to operate in an extended sleep cycle mode, an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) mode; Paragraph 9, UE device is further caused to receive a first cell identifier from the first cell prior to entering the sleep state).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Bhattad et al. with the cited disclosure from Koskinen et al. in order to further provided ability to operate in an extended sleep cycle mode such as eDRX mode (Koskinen et al., Paragraph 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 23, 24, 27 and 28 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 claims 3 and 18, the prior art discloses and adequately suggests the claimed invention except for the sample capture window being associated with a backoff time that is prior to the target signal; regarding claims 8 (with further dependent claim 9) and 23 (with further dependent claim 24), the prior art discloses and adequately suggests the claimed invention except for the synchronization signal and PBCH being present in different subframes, decoding the synchronization signal for a first subframe, operating low power mode after the first subframe and prior a second subframe carrying the PBCH, decoding the PBCH from the second subframe prior to low power mode operation after the target signal and prior to the PO; regarding claims 13 (with further dependent claim 14) and 27 (with further dependent claim 28), the prior art discloses and adequately suggests the claimed invention except for outputting an indication of the low power mode operation based on the synchronization signal or the PBCH.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OTIS L THOMPSON, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-1953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 6:30am - 7:00pm.
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/OTIS L THOMPSON, JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
May 20, 2026
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