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 § 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 1-2, 9, 15, 17, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al (2025/0365669).
Regarding claims 1 and 29, Li discloses a method and a user equipment (UE) (see terminal in figure 1), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories (see figure 11) and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: receive, via a first radio (see the first module (the first radio) is a main communication module configured to send and receive mobile communication data in paragraph 0067) at the UE, control signaling that indicates a configuration associated with a wake-up signal and that also indicates an association between the wake-up signal and a semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see the UE is indicated to perform WUS (wake-up signal) monitoring in discontinuous reception (DRX) on duration. In this case, to monitor the WUS in the DRX on duration, the terminal preferentially determines to perform WUS monitoring in paragraph 0278; the first information includes a wake up signal, and the second information includes at least one of a semi-persistent scheduling physical downlink shared channel (SPS PDSCH) in paragraph 0329); monitor, via a second radio (a low power wake up receiver (LP-WUR) at the UE, for the wake-up signal in accordance with the configuration (see LP-WUR and an energy-saving state, the terminal enables the low power receiving module to monitor the LP-WUS and disables the main communication module in paragraph 0067); and perform one of a first procedure or a second procedure based at least in part on the monitoring, the first procedure pertaining to monitoring, via the first radio, the semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see an SPS PDSCH occasion in paragraph 0274; After monitoring the wake up signal by using the low power receiving module, the terminal triggers the main communication module (the first radio) to switch from being disabled to being enabled through a series of determinations. In this case, the low power receiving module (the second radio) enters a disabled state from a working state in paragraph 0067), and the second procedure pertaining to maintaining the first radio of the UE in a sleep mode (see sleep state in paragraph 0003; when the terminal enables the low power wake up receiver to receive the low power wake up signal, a main receiver module (the first radio) may operate at a lower power consumption level (sleep mode/state), thereby reducing power consumption by receiving the low power wake up signal in paragraph 0070).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses wherein the UE performs the first procedure based at least in part on the wake-up signal indicating that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes a physical downlink shared channel (see receiving, by the terminal, the SPS PDSCH in paragraph 0190), and wherein, to perform the first procedure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: wake up the first radio of the UE (see After monitoring the wake up signal by using the low power receiving module, the terminal triggers the main communication module to switch from being disabled to being enabled through a series of determinations in paragraph 0067); monitor, based at least in part on waking up the first radio, the semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see an SPS PDSCH occasion in paragraph 0274; the terminal stops WUS monitoring and resumes PDCCH monitoring in paragraph 0281); and receive, via the first radio, the physical downlink shared channel based at least in part on the monitoring (see receiving, by the terminal, an SPS PDSCH in paragraph 0199).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses refrain from waking up the first radio of the UE, wherein the first radio is maintained in the sleep mode based at least in part on refraining from waking up the first radio (see sleep state in paragraph 0003; when the terminal enables the low power wake up receiver to receive the low power wake up signal, a main receiver module (the first radio) may operate at a lower power consumption level (sleep mode/state), thereby reducing power consumption by receiving the low power wake up signal in paragraph 0070).).
Regarding claim 15, Li discloses wherein performance of the first procedure or the second procedure is based at least in part on a modulation scheme of the wake-up signal, a data rate of a symbol used to transmit the wake-up signal, a waveform pattern of the wake-up signal, or a combination thereof (see modulation in paragraphs 0084-0085 and the wake up signal receiving refers to the wake up signal on which rate-matching or puncture is performed in paragraph 0202).
Regarding claim 17, Li discloses wherein the wake-up signal is a low-power wake-up signal (see a low power wake up signal (LP-WUS) is received by introducing a low power wake up receiver (LP-WUR) in a mobile communication terminal in paragraph 0003).
Claims 18-23, 25-26, 28, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wu Min (WO 2024/039180 A1).
Regarding claims 18 and 30, Wu Min discloses a method and a network entity (see BS in figure 1 and 3B), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to: transmit control signaling that indicates a configuration associated with a wake-up signal and that also indicates an association between the wake-up signal and a semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see information for indicating a configuration index of a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to be received or skipped by the UE in paragraph 28; the UE in the RRC-connected state receives configuration information for the LP-WUS, and monitors the LP-WUS through the LP-WUR based on the configuration information. The LP-WUS may carry information for waking up at least one UE respectively, and/or the LP-WUS may carry information for waking up at least one UE group respectively, and/or the LP-WUS may carry common wake up information in paragraph 117); and transmit the wake-up signal in accordance with the configuration, wherein the wake-up signal indicates to a user equipment (UE) whether the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes a physical downlink shared channel (see information for indicating a configuration index of a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to be received or skipped by the UE in paragraphs 28; receiving a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) PDSCH on a resource of a next SPS PDSCH in paragraph 36).
Regarding claim 19, Wu Min discloses wherein the wake-up signal indicates that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes the physical downlink shared channel, and the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to: transmit, via the semi-persistent scheduling occasion, the physical downlink shared channel (see receiving (by the UE) a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) PDSCH on a resource of a next SPS PDSCH in paragraph 36).
Regarding claim 20, Wu Min discloses transmit, prior to transmitting the physical downlink shared channel, downlink control information that indicates a set of parameters associated with receiving the physical downlink shared channel (see the UE in the RRC-connected state receives configuration information for the LP-WUS in paragraphs 117 and a dedicated configuration parameter in paragraphs 120; information for indicating a configuration index of a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to be received or skipped by the UE in paragraph 28).
Regarding claim 21, Wu Min discloses the set of parameters comprise a quantity of resource blocks of the semi-persistent scheduling occasion, a modulation and coding scheme associated with the physical downlink shared channel (see a channel coding and modulation block 205 in figure 2A), a set of resources for indicating feedback associated with the physical downlink shared channel, or a combination thereof.
Regarding claim 22, Wu Min discloses refrain from transmitting downlink control information based at least in part on the wake-up signal further indicating for the UE to skip monitoring for the downlink control information (see skipping the reception of all subsequent data signals if there is no data signal that needs to be received in paragraph 33. Note that when there is no data signal that needs to be received, there will be no downlink control information need to be transmitted).
Regarding claim 23, Wu Min discloses wherein the wake-up signal indicates for the UE to skip monitoring for the downlink control information is based at least in part on a stability of a channel between the UE and the network entity, a variability of traffic load communicated via the channel, or both (see skipping the reception of all subsequent data signals if there is no data signal that needs to be received in paragraph 33).
Regarding claim 25, Wu Min discloses wherein the wake-up signal indicates that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion does not include the physical downlink shared channel, and refrain from transmitting the physical downlink shared channel via the semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see The LP-WUS indicates whether the UE receives the PDSCH on the corresponding SPS-PDSCH transmission occasion in paragraph 129).
Regarding claim 26, Wu Min discloses transmit the wake-up signal according to a periodicity that is based at least in part on a periodicity of the semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see In an RRC-idle state/inactive state, a receiver of the UE is in a sleep state for most of a DRX cycle, and only needs to wake up periodically to monitor a Paging Occasion (PO) in paragraph 114).
Regarding claim 28, Wu Min discloses wherein bit values of one or more bits of the wake-up signal indicate whether the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes the physical downlink shared channel (see The LP-WUS indicates whether the UE receives the PDSCH on the corresponding SPS-PDSCH transmission occasion in paragraphs 129 and The second part of the signal is called a data signal (which is called a WUS-Data for short) for carrying related information bits for waking up the UE in paragraph 132).
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 3-6, 10, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Wu Min (WO 2024/039180 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses receiving SPS PDSCH as described in previous paragraphs but doesn't specifically disclose the wake-up signal indicating that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes the physical downlink shared channel, the downlink control information indicating a set of parameters for receiving the physical downlink shared channel. However, Wu Min discloses this feature (see if the UE monitors Downlink Control Information (DCI) scheduling new data transmission, then the UE starts a drx-inactivityTimer (DRX inactivity timer). During the DRX active time, a base station may indicate the UE to enter the DRX inactive time in advance by signaling, or when all DRX timers of the UE stop running, the UE may enter the DRX inactive time in paragraph 114; The LP-WUS indicates whether the UE receives the PDSCH on the corresponding SPS-PDSCH transmission occasion in paragraph 129). The claim would have been obvious because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.
Regarding claim 4, Wu Min discloses wherein the set of parameters comprise a quantity of resource blocks of the semi-persistent scheduling occasion, a modulation and coding scheme associated with the physical downlink shared channel (see a channel coding and modulation in paragraph 87), a set of resources for indicating feedback associated with the physical downlink shared channel, or a combination thereof.
Regarding claim 5, Wu Min discloses refrain from monitoring for downlink control information based at least in part on the wake-up signal further indicating for the UE to skip monitoring for the downlink control information, wherein receiving the physical downlink shared channel comprises: receive the physical downlink shared channel via the semi-persistent scheduling occasion according to a set of parameters indicated in the control signaling (see information for indicating a configuration index of an SPS-PDSCH to be received or skipped by the UE in paragraph 30).
Regarding claim 6, Wu Min discloses wherein the wake-up signal indicating for the UE to skip monitoring for the downlink control information is based at least in part on a stability of a channel between the UE and a network entity, a variability of traffic load communicated via the channel (see skipping the reception of all subsequent data signals if there is no data signal that needs to be received in paragraph 33), or both.
Regarding claim 10, Wu Min discloses wherein the UE performs the second procedure based at least in part on the wake-up signal indicating that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion does not include a physical downlink shared channel (see The LP-WUS indicates whether the UE receives the PDSCH on the corresponding SPS-PDSCH transmission occasion in paragraph 129). Wu Min doesn't specifically disclose refrain from transmitting feedback information associated with the physical downlink shared channel based at least in part on the wake-up signal indicating that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion does not include the physical downlink shared channel. However, it is obvious that feedback is not needed when no physical downlink shared channel is scheduled. This feature is obvious.
Regarding claim 14, Wu Min discloses wherein performance of the first procedure or the second procedure is based at least in part on bit values of one or more bits of the wake-up signal (see The LP-WUS indicates whether the UE receives the PDSCH on the corresponding SPS-PDSCH transmission occasion in paragraphs 129 and The second part of the signal is called a data signal (which is called a WUS-Data for short) for carrying related information bits for waking up the UE in paragraph 132).
Regarding claim 16, Wu Min discloses wherein a periodicity of the wake-up signal is based at least in part on a periodicity of the semi-persistent scheduling occasion (see In an RRC-idle state/inactive state, a receiver of the UE is in a sleep state for most of a DRX cycle, and only needs to wake up periodically to monitor a Paging Occasion (PO) in paragraph 114).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lee et al (2026/0052599).
Regarding claim 7, Li doesn't specifically disclose the physical downlink shared channel carries data associated with extended reality applications. However, Lee discloses this feature (see The SPS PDSCH may include eXtended Reality (XR) traffic in paragraph 0017). The claim would have been obvious because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.
Regarding claim 8, Lee discloses wherein the physical downlink shared channel is a retransmission and the UE monitors for the retransmission or for a downlink control information that schedules the retransmission based at least in part on the wake-up signal indicating that the semi-persistent scheduling occasion includes the physical downlink shared channel (see If the UE sends a NACK for retransmission of an SPS PDSCH containing a MAC PDU in paragraph 0140).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Yang et al (2022/0394618).
Regarding claim 13, Li doesn't specifically disclose the control signaling further indicates a jitter range associated with the semi-persistent scheduling occasion, and monitoring the wake-up signal is in accordance with the jitter range associated with the semi-persistent scheduling occasion. However, Yang discloses a PDCCH wake up signal (WUS), wherein the PDCCH WUS comprises information for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDCCH) (see paragraph 0103) and when jitter is expected, SPS configuration may be adjusted with the jitter range (see paragraph 0069). The claim would have been obvious because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu Min in view of Lee et al (2026/0052599).
Regarding claim 24, Li doesn't specifically disclose the physical downlink shared channel carries data associated with extended reality applications. However, Lee discloses this feature (see The SPS PDSCH may include eXtended Reality (XR) traffic in paragraph 0017). The claim would have been obvious because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu Min in view of Yang et al (2022/0394618).
Regarding claim 27, Wu Min doesn't specifically disclose the control signaling indicates a jitter range associated with the semi-persistent scheduling occasion, and transmitting the wake-up signal is in accordance with the jitter range associated with the semi-persistent scheduling occasion. However, Yang discloses a PDCCH wake up signal (WUS), wherein the PDCCH WUS comprises information for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDCCH) (see paragraph 0103) and when jitter is expected, SPS configuration may be adjusted with the jitter range (see paragraph 0069). The claim would have been obvious because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-12 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
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/BRIAN D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475