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 § 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) 1 – 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KUBOTA et al. WO 2022-245778 Al (listed in applicant submitted IDS and listed as D1 in PCT report; with pub. date 24 November 2022), hereinafter Kubota in view of Sharma et al. US 20200280959 A1, hereinafter Sharma.
Regarding claim 1, Kubota teaches a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:
(Kubota: Summary, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 1, para. [0056] WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, and para. [0064] processor 118 may further be coupled to other peripherals 138, which may include one or more software and/or hardware modules that provide additional features, functionality and/or wired or wireless connectivity)
a transceiver (Kubota: Summary, Fig. 4 and Fig. 1, para. [0056] WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122) configured to
receive first configuration information including at least one cell capable of using low-power (LP) signals and second configuration information including a set of threshold parameters for a cell reselection operation using the LP signals; and
(Kubota: para. [0140 & 0096-0097 & 0137] and Table 1 WTRU may be (pre)configured with or may receive (e.g., via SI) one or more of the following cell (re-)selection and IDLE states transition parameters/configuration information: cell quality hysteresis (e.g., Qhyst), for example, for ranking criteria; a scaling factor (e.g., auuAnchor), for example, for balancing link quality of the ULP cell with associated Uu Cell (e.g., to enable fast fallback to Uu IDLE state); one or more ULPRS measurement thresholds, for example, to initiate cell reselection (corresponds to claim limitation “a set of threshold parameters for a cell reselection”) or IDLE states transition; and/or UuRS measurement configuration information and/or triggering thresholds. Para. [0096] ultra-low power (ULP) system. Para. [0097] WTRU may be connected to a serving Uu cell (e.g., first Uu cell) and a serving ULP cell (e.g., first ULP cell, which corresponds to claim limitation “at least one cell capable of using low-power (LP) signals”) that is associated with the serving Uu cell. The WTRU may be configured to determine whether a first measurement associated with the serving ULP cell is below a threshold (e.g., ULP reselection threshold))
a low power receiver configured to receive the LP signals;
(Kubota: para. [0105] Ultra Low Power (ULP) receiver. para. [0209 & 0235] WTRU may obtain a downlink signaling service, for example, via a ULP receiver with ultra low power consumption)
a processor operably coupled to the transceiver (Kubota: Summary, Fig. 4 and Fig. 1, para. [0056] WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, and para. [0064] processor 118 may further be coupled to other peripherals 138, which may include one or more software and/or hardware modules that provide additional features, functionality and/or wired or wireless connectivity)
and the low power receiver (Kubota: para. [0105] Ultra Low Power (ULP) receiver. para. [0209 & 0235] WTRU may obtain a downlink signaling service, for example, via a ULP receiver with ultra low power consumption), the processor configured to:
perform, based on the first configuration information, a measurement operation on the LP signals, and perform, based on the set of threshold parameters and a measurement result of the measurement operation, the cell reselection operation.
(Kubota: para. [0128 & 0097] WTRU may determine the quality (e.g., RSRP) of the serving ULP cell and/or the neighboring ULP cells, for example, for ULP cell reselection and/or for detection of out-of- ULP service. The WTRU may detect out-of-ULP service, for example, if the determined qualities (e.g., RSRPs) of the ULP cell and the neighboring ULP cells are (e.g., all) below a detectability threshold. The WTRU may initiate evaluation (e.g., determine) the quality (e.g., RSRP) of the neighboring ULP cells, for example, based on a measurement of the serving ULP cell. For example, the WTRU may determine the quality (e.g., RSRP of the neighboring ULP cells (e.g., for ULP cell reselection if the measurement of the serving ULP cell is below a threshold (e.g., ULP cell reselection threshold). Para. [0004], Kubota teaches that WTRU may be configured (corresponds to claim limitation “based on the first configuration information”) to determine whether a first measurement associated with the serving ULP cell is below a threshold (e.g., ULP reselection threshold). The WTRU may be configured to perform measurements on neighboring ULP cells (e.g., second ULP cell associated with the serving Uu cell and a third ULP cell associated with a second Uu cell), for example, if the first measurement is below the first threshold)
It is noted that Kubota does not explicitly disclose: receive first configuration information including an identification (ID) of at least one cell capable of using low-power (LP) signals comprising an LP wake-up signal (LP WUS).
However, Sharma from the same or similar fields of endeavor teaches the use of: receive first configuration information including an identification (ID) of at least one cell capable of using low-power (LP) signals (Sharma: para. [0080] terminal device knows its WUS Global ID from the signalling received in step T2, and can determine the cell IDs for it serving cell and neighbouring cells in the usual way (e.g. from a Neighbour Cell List transmitted by the first network access node to which the terminal device is initially attached, which corresponds to claim limitation “an identification (ID) of at least one cell”). Para. [0032-0036] low power mode. Para. [0048 & 0046] terminal device may be configured to perform a cell selection/reselection procedure if it determines that it has not been paged for more than a threshold amount of time, i.e. what might be considered a validity period for the WUS configuration information for at least one of the radio access nodes)
comprising an LP wake-up signal (LP WUS) or an LP synchronization signal (LP SS)
(Sharma: para. [0034 & 0036] WUS may also be encoded with a format that enables low power decoding (e.g. the WUS (corresponds to claim limitation “LP WUS”) may be a narrow bandwidth signal that can be decoded with low power using a low sampling rate receiver)). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Sharma in the apparatus of Kubota. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so for benefit of being able to allow a terminal device to enter a more power efficient state, while reducing the signalling between the CN and the RAN (Sharma: para. [0025]).
Regarding claim 2, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 1, wherein the first configuration information further includes at least one of frequency information to communicate with the LP signals and LP signal measurement timing information including at least one of a periodicity, a duration, and a timing offset (Kubota: para. [0145] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example ULP cell reselection procedure. As shown in FIG. 5, a WTRU may be (pre)configured with, receive (e.g., via SI), and/or determine, for example, one or more of the following cell (re-)selection and IDLE states transition parameters/configuration information: cell quality hysteresis (Qhyst), for example, for ranking criteria; ULPRS and UuRS measurement mapping information (e.g., carrier frequency/band of operation (corresponds to claim limitation “frequency information”), transmit signal power, number of allocated resources (corresponds to claim limitation “duration”), number of transmit antennas/beamforming, and/or the like); mapping function(s) between measured RSRP of UuRS and/or interpolated link quality of the Uu cell and serving/neighboring cell quality offsets (e.g., QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, s and QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, n); and/or measurement thresholds and configuration information used for IDLE states transition and UuRS measurement relaxation)
Kubota does not explicitly teach: LP signal measurement timing information including at least one of a periodicity, and a timing offset.
However, Sharma from the same or similar fields of endeavor teaches the use of: and LP signal measurement timing information including at least one of a periodicity (Sharma: para. [0046 & 0090] WUS configurations, for example also having different periodicities (which corresponds to claim limitation “periodicity” and relative offsets in terms of the timings of WUS signals and associated paging occasions as well as different WUS signalling formats (WUS patterns)), a duration (Sharma: para. [0090] WUS signalling location (e.g. an indication of a narrowband within a broader network frequency range), and a timing offset. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Sharma in the apparatus of Kubota. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so for benefit of being able to allow a terminal device to enter a more power efficient state, while reducing the signalling between the CN and the RAN (Sharma: para. [0025]).
Regarding claim 3, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the measurement operation for the LP signals over a frequency identified by the frequency information included in the first configuration information. (Kubota: para. [0145] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example ULP cell reselection procedure. As shown in FIG. 5, a WTRU may be (pre)configured with, receive (e.g., via SI), and/or determine, for example, one or more of the following cell (re-)selection and IDLE states transition parameters/configuration information: cell quality hysteresis (Qhyst), for example, for ranking criteria; ULPRS and UuRS measurement mapping information (e.g., carrier frequency/band of operation (corresponds to claim limitation “frequency information”), transmit signal power, number of allocated resources, number of transmit antennas/beamforming, and/or the like); mapping function(s) between measured RSRP of UuRS and/or interpolated link quality of the Uu cell and serving/neighboring cell quality offsets (e.g., QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, s and QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, n); and/or measurement thresholds and configuration information used for IDLE states transition and UuRS measurement relaxation)
Regarding claim 4, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to perform, based on the LP signal measurement timing information, the measurement operation for the LP signals. (Kubota: para. [0145] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example ULP cell reselection procedure. As shown in FIG. 5, a WTRU may be (pre)configured with, receive (e.g., via SI), and/or determine, for example, one or more of the following cell (re-)selection and IDLE states transition parameters/configuration information: cell quality hysteresis (Qhyst), for example, for ranking criteria; ULPRS and UuRS measurement mapping information (e.g., carrier frequency/band of operation (corresponds to claim limitation “frequency information”), transmit signal power, number of allocated resources, number of transmit antennas/beamforming, and/or the like); mapping function(s) between measured RSRP of UuRS and/or interpolated link quality of the Uu cell and serving/neighboring cell quality offsets (e.g., QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, s and QoffsetuuAnchorRSRP, n); and/or measurement thresholds and configuration information used for IDLE states transition and UuRS measurement relaxation. Para. [0140 & 0142] one or more ULPRS measurement thresholds (corresponds to claim limitation “measurement operation for the LP signals”), for example, to initiate cell reselection or IDLE states transition; and/or UuRS measurement configuration information and/or triggering thresholds.)
Regarding claim 5, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 1, wherein the second configuration information further includes at least one of a set of offset parameters for the cell reselection operation (Kubota: para. [0130] The one or more offsets (corresponds to claim limitation “a set of offset parameters”) may be provided to the WTRU for (e.g., each of the) ULP cell(s) that are associated with the serving (e.g., last-known serving) Uu cell and neighboring Uu cells as part of system information (e.g., SIB3, SIB4, and/or SIB5). Information about the offsets may be provided as part of a message (e.g., an RRCRelease message)) and cell access information. (According to instant published Specificaiton para. [0111] cell access information (e.g., PLMN related information, barring information). Kubota: para. [0237-0239] A ULP capable WTRU may make a PLMN selection. A WTRU may perform a PLMN selection for ULP service across one or more PLMNs included in an equivalent PLMN list (corresponds to claim limitation “cell access information”) for ULP service (e.g., provided during a registration procedure), for example, if (e.g., when) a user of a WTRU may (e.g., expect to) obtain a ULP service)
Regarding claim 6, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain, based on the set of offset parameters, a set of parameter values of the LP signal for the cell reselection operation. (Kubota: para. [0130] The one or more offsets (corresponds to claim limitation “a set of offset parameters”) may be provided to the WTRU for (e.g., each of the) ULP cell(s) that are associated with the serving (e.g., last-known serving) Uu cell and neighboring Uu cells as part of system information (e.g., SIB3, SIB4, and/or SIB5). Information about the offsets may be provided as part of a message (e.g., an RRCRelease message). Para. [0131] [0131] As shown in FIG. 4A at 404, the WTRU may generate a ULP cell ranking (corresponds to claim limitation “a set of parameter values”), for example, based on measured RSRP value(s) of ULP cell(s) associated with the serving Uu cell, measured RSRP value(s) of neighbor ULP cell(s) and offset(s) (corresponds to claim limitation “a set of offset parameters”) (e.g., “ Offsetdifferentuucei /”) associated with the (e.g., each) neighboring ULP cell. The WTRU may determine signal qualities associated with the ULP cells based on the measured RSRP values of the relevant ULP cells and the offset for the (e.g., each) neighboring ULP cells. The WTRU may select a ULP cell (e.g., from the ULP cell ranking), for example based on the determined signal qualities (e.g., from the measured RSRP values of the relevant ULP cells and the offset for each neighboring ULP cell). The selected ULP cell may be the ULP cell (e.g., from the ULP cell ranking - corresponds to claim limitation “a set of parameter values”) with the highest signal quality)
Regarding claim 7, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to determine, based on the cell access information (According to instant published Specificaiton para. [0111] cell access information (e.g., PLMN related information, barring information). Kubota: para. [0237-0239] A ULP capable WTRU may make a PLMN selection. A WTRU may perform a PLMN selection for ULP service across one or more PLMNs included in an equivalent PLMN list (corresponds to claim limitation “cell access information”) for ULP service (e.g., provided during a registration procedure), for example, if (e.g., when) a user of a WTRU may (e.g., expect to) obtain a ULP service), a cell where the UE camps. (Kubota: para. [0239 & 0237-0239] A WTRU may (e.g., if ULP PLMN is prioritized) search (e.g., all) available PLMNs and report (e.g., to the non-access stratum (NAS) layer) PLMN identities (e.g., all PLMN identities), for example, with ULP-Uu-IF availability information and/or quality of the cell information (e.g., RSRP of the ULPRS). A cell selection procedure may be requested (e.g., the NAS layer may request the AS layer to perform a cell selection procedure), for example, to select a suitable cell (e.g., of the NAS) selected ULP available PLMN to camp on. The WTRU may (e.g., continuously) perform ULP PLMN selection, for example, if (e.g., while) the WTRU is camped on a cell on a ULP not-available PLMN (e.g., may be similar to a home PLMN (HPLMN) search while the WTRU is in a roaming area))
Regarding claim 8, Kubota and Sharma teach the UE of claim 1, wherein the low power receiver configured to receive the LP signals, (Kubota: para. [0105] Ultra Low Power (ULP) receiver. para. [0209 & 0235] WTRU may obtain a downlink signaling service, for example, via a ULP receiver with ultra low power consumption) while the UE is in an RRC IDLE/INACTIVE state (Kubota: para. [0099-0100 & 0107-0108]] A wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) camped on the selected ULP cell may move into ULP idle mode. Para. [0117] A WTRU may support Uu RRC states (e.g., RRC IDLE, RRC INACTIVE, RRC CONNECTED states, and the like). A WTRU may support an RRC state for ULP support in IDLE mode (e.g., ULP RRC IDLE state). A WTRU may have multiple (e.g., two) states in idle mode in a ULP network (e.g., as shown by example in FIG. 3). Para. [0118-0120] WTRU may enter a ULP RRC IDLE state (e.g., only) from an RRC-IDLE state) or (Sharma: para. [0051 & 0078-0079] terminal device 508 is initially in RRC_IDLE mode and configured for a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode of operation with the network access node 504 in a manner that uses wake-up signalling)
Regarding claims 9-16, Kubota and Sharma teach all the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claims 1-8, and therefore method claims 9-16 are rejected using the same rationales.
Regarding claims 17-20, Kubota and Sharma teach a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system, the BS comprising: (Kubota: Summary, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 1A, para. [0044-0052] communications systems 100 may also include a base station 114a and/or a base station 114b. Each of the base stations 114a, 114b may be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of the WTRUs 102a) and Kubota and Sharma teach all the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claims 1-2, 5 and 8, and therefore apparatus claims 17-20 are rejected using the same rationales.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/16/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With respect to applicant’s remarks on independent claims 1, 9 and 17, applicant submits:
“To remedy this deficiency of Kubota, the Office Action alleges that Sharma discloses "wherein the LP signal comprise a LP wake-up signal (LP WUS) . . . or a LP synchronization signal (LP SS)" at paragraphs [0034] and [0031]. While the cited portions of Sharma disclose that a UE may receive a WUS encoded in a format that enables low power decoding, as well as a PSS/SSS, Sharma does not disclose or suggest measurement of a WUS or a PSS/SSS by a UE. The Office Action relies on impermissible hindsight gleaned from the Applicant's specification to suggest substituting the measurement of a reference signal (i.e., measurement of RSRP) as disclosed by Kubota with measurement of an LP signal that comprises an LP WUS or an LP SS as recited by claim 1 as part of a cell reselection operation.” (pages 10-11)
Kubota in para. [0105] teaches Ultra Low Power (ULP) receiver. para. [0209 & 0235] WTRU may obtain a downlink signaling service, for example, via a ULP receiver with ultra low power consumption. The ULP receiver of Kubota corresponds to claim limitation “a low power receiver configured to receive the LP signals”.
As cited in the rejection above, Kubota in para. [0128 & 0097 & 0004] further teaches WTRU may determine the quality (e.g., RSRP) of the serving ULP cell and/or the neighboring ULP cells, for example, for ULP cell reselection and/or for detection of out-of- ULP service. The WTRU may detect out-of-ULP service, for example, if the determined qualities (e.g., RSRPs) of the ULP cell and the neighboring ULP cells are (e.g., all) below a detectability threshold. The WTRU may initiate evaluation (e.g., determine) the quality (e.g., RSRP) of the neighboring ULP cells, for example, based on a measurement of the serving ULP cell. For example, the WTRU may determine the quality (e.g., RSRP of the neighboring ULP cells (e.g., for ULP cell reselection if the measurement of the serving ULP cell is below a threshold (e.g., ULP cell reselection threshold). In Para. [0004], Kubota teaches that WTRU may be configured (corresponds to claim limitation “based on the first configuration information”) to determine whether a first measurement associated with the serving ULP cell is below a threshold (e.g., ULP reselection threshold). The WTRU may be configured to perform measurements on neighboring ULP cells (e.g., second ULP cell associated with the serving Uu cell and a third ULP cell associated with a second Uu cell), for example, if the first measurement is below the first threshold. The cited portion(s) of Kubota teaches claim limitation “perform, based on the first configuration information, a measurement operation on the LP signals, and perform, based on the set of threshold parameters and a measurement result of the measurement operation, the cell reselection operation”.
Sharma in para. [0034] teaches low sampling rate receiver, which corresponds to claim limitation “a low power receiver configured to receive the LP signals”. In Sharma in para. [0034 & 0036] further teaches WUS (or LP WUS) may also be encoded with a format that enables low power decoding (e.g. the WUS (corresponds to claim limitation “LP WUS”) may be a narrow bandwidth signal that can be decoded with low power using a low sampling rate receiver. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Sharma in the apparatus of Kubota. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so for benefit of being able to allow a terminal device to enter a more power efficient state, while reducing the signalling between the CN and the RAN (Sharma: para. [0025]).
Therefore, the cited portion(s) of Sharma teaches the claim limitation “an LP wake-up signal (LP WUS) or an LP synchronization signal (LP SS)”, and thus rejection is maintained.
In response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please also see PTO-892:
Fu US20250212126A1, in para. [0050] teaches low-power wake-up signal is received by a set receiver of the user device. In an example, this set receiver can be referred to as an LPWUS receiver. Para. [0004 & 0055] The LP WUS receiver needs to receive a synchronization signal to maintain the local clock.
Wang et al. US 20250151135 A1 in para. [0167] teaches synchronization signal may be used by the terminal device to perform time synchronization with the network device based on the low power synchronization signal in the wake-up signal. Alternatively, the terminal device may measure signal quality of the low power synchronization signal, to determine signal quality of a current WUR link or quality of a signal in a cell.
Wei et al. US20260067823A1 para. [0120 & 0078 & 0082 & 0095-0097] and Fig. 10 At 1022, the UE 1002 may receive an indication of one or more criteria associated with a fallback to the main radio from the LP-WUR from a network node 1004. The one or more criteria may be associated with at least one of a timer that is started or restarted after an LP-SS or an LP-WUS is received, via WUR para. [0051 & 0070-0074] signal monitoring component 198 may be configured to select whether to use an LP-WUR, a main radio, or both the LP-WUR and Fig. 406 WUR. For power savings associated with the use of the WUR may be preserved by not waking up the main radio unnecessarily frequently (Wei: para. [0024 & 0073 & 0075 & 0152]).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WUTCHUNG CHU whose telephone number is (571)272-4064. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
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, Moo R Jeong can be reached at (571) 272-9617. 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.
/WUTCHUNG CHU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2418
Prosecution Insights