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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments on 35 USC §102 rejection filed 12/31/25 have been fully considered but they are moot due to the fact that all independent claims have been significantly amended, to which new ground rejection have been made below.
Claim Objections
Claims 7, 15, 25 and 32 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Each of these claims recites “an power saving signal”, which should be “a power saving signal”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 14, 19 and 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D2 (3GPP R1-2007675, NPL dated 12/26/24).
For independent claim 19, D2 discloses an apparatus for signal communications, applied to a network device (suggested by Section 2.1.1,1st para “… the UE monitors the paging channel for CN-initiated paging ….“; UE suggests a network device because it cannot function without it; also CN is a network device), comprising a memory, a transceiver and a processor (the memory, transceiver and processor of the network device), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program; the transceiver is configured to transmit and receive data under control of the processor; and the processor is configured to read the computer program (the computer program run on the network device) in the memory to perform:
transmitting power saving signals to a terminal on a transmission resource, wherein the power saving signals are used to indicate whether there is paging information in a group of paging occasions comprises at least one power saving signal subgroup comprising a plurality of paging occasions (Section 2.1.1, 1st para “… UE in RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE is only required to monitor paging channel during one Paging Occasions (PO) per DRX cycle” and Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message …”
2nd para “… In order to reduce some unnecessary paging monitor in idle mode, sequence-based paging early indication (PEI) is introduced in LTE for NB-IoT and MTC UE. PEI is designed for a group of UEs. …”; note that UE monitors paging occasions transmitted from gNB; and PEI is a power saving signal), and
wherein the power saving signals are sequence based power saving signals, the power saving signals corresponding to the transmission resource are divided into a plurality of at least one groups of power saving signals, and each paging occasion at least corresponds to one group of power saving signals in the plurality of groups of power saving signals (Section 2.1.1, 2nd para “… In order to reduce some unnecessary paging monitor in idle mode, sequence-based paging early indication (PEI) is introduced in LTE for NB-IoT and MTC UE. PEI is designed for a group of UEs. …”, and
the one group of power saving signals corresponding to each paging occasion comprises at least one power saving signal subgroup, and one user equipment group in each paging occasion at least corresponds to one power saving signal subgroup (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… In order to reduce some unnecessary paging receptions in idle/inactive mode, the general solution is to support UE grouping for paging. More specifically, i.e. the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. …”).
Claim 1 is rejected because it is a method performed by the network device included in the apparatus of claim 19 and has the same subject matter.
Claim 14 is rejected because it is a method performed by the terminal/UE included in the apparatus of claim 19 and has the same subject matter.
As to claim 31, it is rejected because it is equivalent to claim 14.
As to claim 32, D2 discloses claim 31, D2 further discloses: wherein the processor is configured to read the computer program in the memory to perform:
receiving at least one of following signals (as disclosed by the parent claims):
a common power saving signal specific to group of paging occasions; an power saving signal corresponding to each paging occasion; a common power saving signal specific to paging occasion; an power saving signal specific to user equipment group (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “In order to reduce some unnecessary paging receptions in idle/inactive mode, the general solution is to support UE grouping for paging. More specifically, i.e. the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. During this procedure, the legacy UEs will follow the legacy mechanism to monitor paging message, which means there is no impact to legacy UEs. Using this group based paging, only part of the UEs are indicated to receive the paging message. The paging false alarm rate can be reduced, and the solution finally enhances the power consumption performance accordingly”);
or
wherein the processor is configured to read the computer program in the memory to perform:
in a case where the common power saving signal specific to group of paging occasions or the power saving signal corresponding to each paging occasion which corresponds to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “In order to reduce some unnecessary paging receptions in idle/inactive mode, the general solution is to support UE grouping for paging. More specifically, i.e. the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. During this procedure, the legacy UEs will follow the legacy mechanism to monitor paging message, which means there is no impact to legacy UEs. Using this group based paging, only part of the UEs are indicated to receive the paging message. The paging false alarm rate can be reduced, and the solution finally enhances the power consumption performance accordingly”);
in a case where the common power saving signal specific to paging occasion which corresponds to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… During this procedure, the legacy UEs will follow the legacy mechanism to monitor paging message, which means there is no impact to legacy UEs. …);
in a case where the power saving signal specific to user equipment group which is corresponding to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “In order to reduce some unnecessary paging receptions in idle/inactive mode, the general solution is to support UE grouping for paging. More specifically, i.e. the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. …).
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.
Claims 2, 13, 15-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D2 (3GPP R1-2007675, NPL dated 12/26/24) in view of Wang (US 20220295404 A1).
As to claims 2 and 20, D2 discloses claims 1 and 19, D2 further discloses: wherein each paging occasion at least corresponds to one group of power saving signals comprises at least one of:
each paging occasion corresponds to the one group of power saving signals (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. …”); or
each paging occasion corresponds to the one group of power saving signals (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “…one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. During this procedure, the legacy UEs will follow the legacy mechanism to monitor paging message, which means there is no impact to legacy UEs”; note the legacy UE group is considered common power saving signals); and/or
wherein the one user equipment group in each paging occasion at least corresponds to one power saving signal subgroup comprises at least one of:
the one user equipment group in each paging occasion corresponds to one power saving signal subgroup (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “…one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. …”);
the one user equipment group in each paging occasion corresponds to one power saving signal subgroup and one common power saving signal in the paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message.”).
D2 is silent but Wang, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses: one group of common power saving signals (“[0013] … A DCI format can be implemented to support the transmission of UE specific power saving signals and group common power saving signals, so as to reduce configuration complexity.” in view of FIG. 2 indicating PO). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Wang to the power saving signals by D2 to yield a predictable result of reducing configuration complexity.
Therefore, it would have been obvious OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine D2 and Wang for the benefit of reducing configuration complexity ([0013] of Wang).
As to claim 13, D2 in view of Wang discloses claim 2, D2 further discloses: at least one of following steps:
transmitting, by the network device, first indication information to the terminal, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate a manner in which the power saving signals corresponding to the transmission resource are divided into the plurality of groups of power saving signals (Section 2.1.1, 1st para “… UE in RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE is only required to monitor paging channel during one Paging Occasions (PO) per DRX cycle” and Section 2.1.1, 2nd para “… In order to reduce some unnecessary paging monitor in idle mode, sequence-based paging early indication (PEI) is introduced in LTE for NB-IoT and MTC UE. PEI is designed for a group of UEs. …” and Section 2.2.2, 1st para “… that sequence based PEI signals can be used to indicate multiple paging groups via sequence or PEI resource mapping method. …”); or
transmitting, by the network device, second indication information to the terminal, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate a manner in which the one group of power saving signals corresponding to each paging occasion are divided into power saving signal subgroups (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… In order to reduce some unnecessary paging receptions in idle/inactive mode, the general solution is to support UE grouping for paging. More specifically, i.e. the UEs monitoring the same PO can be split into several groups. In this way, one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message. …”).
As to claim 15, D2 discloses claim 14, wherein the receiving, by a terminal, power saving signals transmitted by a network device on a transmission resource comprises:
receiving at least one of following signals:
receiving a power saving signal corresponding to each paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO. Only the UEs belonging to the paged group(s) need to receive the corresponding paging message.”);
a power saving signal specific to user group (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO.”).
D2 is silent but Wang, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses:
receiving at least one of following signals:
a common power saving signal specific to group of paging occasions (“[0013] … support the transmission of UE specific power saving signals and group common power saving signals, so as to reduce configuration complexity.” in view of FIG. 2 indicating PO);
a common power saving signal specific to paging occasion (“[0044] detecting the UE specific power saving signal and the group common power saving signal …” in view of FIG. 2 indicating PO); or
As to claim 16, D2 in view of Wang discloses claim 15, wherein the receiving, by the terminal, a paging message according to the power saving signals comprises:
in a case where the common power saving signal specific to group of paging occasions or the power saving signal corresponding to each paging occasion which corresponds to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving, by the terminal, the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO.” In view of the parent claim 15 that teaches the common power saving signal and transmission resource);
in a case where the common power saving signal specific to paging occasion which corresponds to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving, by the terminal, the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO.” In view of the parent claim 15 that teaches the common power saving signal and transmission resource);
in a case where the power saving signal specific to user group which is corresponding to the terminal is detected on the transmission resource for the power saving signal, receiving, by the terminal, the paging message on a corresponding paging occasion (Section 2.1.1, 3rd para “… one or more groups of UEs may be paged in one PO.”).
Claims 12 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D2 (3GPP R1-2007675, NPL dated 12/26/24) in view of Shen (CN 112040559 A).
As to claims 12 and 29, D2 discloses claims 1 and 19, but it does not specifically state:
transmitting, by the network device to the terminal, one or two pieces of following information:
the quantity G1 of user equipment groups comprised in each paging occasion (Table 2, “Number of UE groups”, such as 14, or 4).
D2 is silent but Shen, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses:
the quantity N1 of paging occasions comprised in a group of paging occasions corresponding to one transmission resource (p14, 2nd para from the bottom, “… the time domain PO number in the PUSCH time slot is 2 …”; note that “the PUSCH time slot” is a transmission resource). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Shen to the paging occasions of D2 to yield a predictable result of supporting DMRS.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine D2 and Shen for the benefit of supporting DMRS (p14, 2nd para from the bottom).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 7, 9, 17, 21, 25-26 and 34 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
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JIANYE WU whose telephone number is (571)270-1665. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8am-6pm.
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/JIANYE WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462