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 .
Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 21, 24, 27, 29-32, 35, 39-42 are pending in this office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant Argues:
On pages 13-14 of the remarks, Applicant argues when Zhou's base station transmits commands to the UE, these commands relate to the UE's power states. For example, although paragraph [0395] of Zhou recites "a second power state may comprise a power saving state of the cell," the same paragraph of Zhou also recites that "[a] wireless device, in the second power state, performs at least one of: refraining from monitoring downlink control channel on/for the cell, refraining from receiving downlink TBs via the cell, refraining from transmitting PUCCH/PUSCH/RACH on/for the cell, transmitting CSI report for the cell." At best, Zhou describes operations performed by the UE, such as refraining from monitoring for, transmitting, or receiving particular signals. However, these differ from the base station notifying the UE about its own power consumption.
Moreover, Zhou's description of the power-saving mode of the UE is not tied to any response signal sent between the UE and the base station. For example, although paragraph [0302] of Zhou recites that the wireless device receives a first command, the same paragraph of Zhou then recites that "[t]he wireless device receives a second command (e.g., 2nd MAC CE) indicating switching the cell into a dormant state (e.g., power saving state). In response to the second command, the wireless device transmits the second SRSs on the cell which is in dormant state." There is nothing in Zhou to teach that the second command is issued in response to a first message carrying information about an initial reference signal. At best, Zhou's second command is sent in isolation, without considering the first message.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
Zhou: Fig. 29: [0302] gNB transmit a MAC CE transitioning Scell into power saving state; in the power saving state, the gNB does not transmit on Scell thereby saving power/reduced power consumption of the gNB. The 2nd MAC CE as indicated in Fig. 29 is in response to UE transmitting a SRS. The SRS is a reference signal. Applicant did not define what an initial reference signal is. The SRS is sent and in response the 2nd MAC CE is received from the gNB.
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.
(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, 3, 5-6, 8, 12-13, 16, 27, 29-32, 35 and 39-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou et al (US 2021/0185614 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches a method for wireless communication, comprising:
transmitting, by a user equipment (UE) to a base station, an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information, so that the base station is configured to perform at least one of measurement, power state transition or keeping on a current power state (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], [0393]-[0394] UE transmits SRS/initial reference signal or PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH/channel; the base station responds by sending PDCCH; two power states configured for SRS transmission; [0108] SRS used by the base station to estimate/measure channel quality) and
receiving, by the UE from the base station, a response corresponding to the initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the response comprising second information (Zhou: Fig. 1; [0341], UE monitors PDCCH; UE receive channel measurement quality and other information such as timing advance from the base station) and notifies the UE of operations, sates, or configurations corresponding to reduced power consumption of the base station (Zhou: Fig. 29: [0302] gNB transmit a MAC CE transitioning Scell into power saving state; in the power saving state, the gNB does not transmit on Scell thereby saving power/reduced power consumption of the gNB).
Regarding claim 27, Zhou teaches a method for wireless communication, comprising.
receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], [0393]-[0394] UE transmits SRS/initial reference signal or PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH/channel; the base station responds by sending PDCCH; two power states configured for SRS transmission; [0108] SRS used by the base station to estimate/measure channel quality);
performing, by the base station, at least one of measurement, power state transition or keeping on a current power state; and transmitting, by the base station, a response corresponding to the initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the response comprising second information (Zhou: Fig. 1; [0341], UE monitors PDCCH; UE receive channel measurement quality and other information such as timing advance from the base station) and notifies the UE of operations, sates, or configurations corresponding to reduced power consumption of the base station (Zhou: Fig. 29: [0302] gNB transmit a MAC CE transitioning Scell into power saving state; in the power saving state, the gNB does not transmit on Scell thereby saving power/reduced power consumption of the gNB).
Regarding claim 39, Zhou teaches an apparatus comprising: memory storing instructions; and i processor in communication with the memory, wherein, when the processor executes the instructions, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform:
transmitting, to a base station, an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information, so that the base station is configured to perform at least one of measurement, power state transition or keeping on a current power state (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], [0393]-[0394] UE transmits SRS/initial reference signal or PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH/channel; the base station responds by sending PDCCH; two power states configured for SRS transmission; [0108] SRS used by the base station to estimate/measure channel quality); and
receiving, from the base station, a response corresponding to the initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the response comprising second information (Zhou: Fig. 1; [0341], UE monitors PDCCH; UE receive channel measurement quality and other information such as timing advance from the base station) and notifies the UE of operations, sates, or configurations corresponding to reduced power consumption of the base station (Zhou: Fig. 29: [0302] gNB transmit a MAC CE transitioning Scell into power saving state; in the power saving state, the gNB does not transmit on Scell thereby saving power/reduced power consumption of the gNB).
Regarding claim 41, Zhou teaches a wireless communication node comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor in communication with the memory, wherein, when the processor executes the instructions, the processor is configured to cause the wireless communication node to perform:
receiving, from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], [0393]-[0394] UE transmits SRS/initial reference signal or PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH/channel; the base station responds by sending PDCCH; two power states configured for SRS transmission; [0108] SRS used by the base station to estimate/measure channel quality);
performing at least one of measurement, power state transition or keeping on a current power state; and transmitting a response comprising second information (Zhou: Fig. 1; [0341], UE monitors PDCCH; UE receive channel measurement quality and other information such as timing advance from the base station), wherein the response notifies the UE of operations, sates, or configurations corresponding to reduced power consumption of the base station (Zhou: Fig. 29: [0302] gNB transmit a MAC CE transitioning Scell into power saving state; in the power saving state, the gNB does not transmit on Scell thereby saving power/reduced power consumption of the gNB).
Regarding claims 3, 29, 40 and 42, Zhou teaches wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used to carry first information, wherein: the first information comprises at least one of the following: an indication which is used to indicate a power state; a power state transition indication; a wake-up indication a set of measurement results; or assistance information (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], UE transmits a wake-up signal in the SRS for the base station to determine UE wake-up state).
Regarding claims 5 and 30, Zhou teaches wherein: with a first condition, the base station transmit the response to the UE, wherein the first condition comprises at least one of the following: receiving the initial reference signal or the channel (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0108]; [0304] base station transmit PDCCH and measurement result after receiving the SRS signal from the UE); a second power state being indicated by the initial reference signal or the channel; a second power state being determined by the initial reference signal or the channel; a measurement result satisfied a first condition; the measurement results carried by the initial reference signal or the channel satisfied the first condition; or the power state of base station is changed.
Regarding claims 6 and 31, Zhou teaches wherein: the second information comprises at least one of the following: an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) indication; an indication of operation; a timing advance (TA) command (Zhou: Fig. 1; [0341], UE monitors PDCCH; UE receive channel measurement quality and other information such as timing advance from the base station); or a handover command.
Regarding claims 8 and 32, Zhou teaches wherein: the UE monitors the response from the base station in a set of monitor occasions (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0304], PDCCH monitor occasions during the DRX On Durations); or the UE monitors the response from the base station in a set of monitor occasions within a reception window wherein location of the monitor occasions is determined by at least one of the following: a start point; a duration; an end point; a periodicity; or a search space configuration.
Regarding claim 12, Zhou teaches wherein: an occurrence of the response is determined by at least one of the following: the first information carried by the initial reference signal or the channel (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0108]; [0304] base station transmits PDCCH and measurement result after receiving the SRS signal from the UE); a measurement result of the initial reference signal or the channel sent by the UE; a UE capability; a higher layer signaling; a SCS; or a frequency range.
Regarding claim 13, Zhou teaches wherein: the UE receives the response sent by the base station that is determined by at least one of the following: the first information sent by the UE (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0108]; [0304] base station transmits PDCCH and measurement result after receiving the SRS signal from the UE); a periodicity; a channel quality or a maximum reception times.
Regarding claims 16 and 35, Zhou teaches wherein: the response sent by the base station is carried by at least one of the following: a Message B based channel; a DCI (Zhou: Fig. 31; [0108]; [0304] base station transmits PDCCH/DCI and measurement result after receiving the SRS signal from the UE); a sequence; or a higher layer signaling.
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 21 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0185614 A1) in view of Iwai et al (US 2014/0050182 A1)
Regarding claim 21, Zhou does not explicitly disclose wherein: with a given condition, the UE continues to transmit the initial reference signal or the channel, wherein the given condition comprises at least one of the following: the UE not receiving any indication from the base station; the UE receiving a NACK indication from the base station; or the response from the base station being different from an indication by the UE.
Iwai teaches wherein: with a given condition, the UE continues to transmit the initial reference signal or the channel, wherein the given condition comprises at least one of the following: the UE not receiving any indication from the base station; the UE receiving a NACK indication from the base station; or the response from the base station being different from an indication by the UE (Iwai: Figs. 11-13; [0058], [0090], [0107]).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Zhou wherein: with a given condition, the UE continues to transmit the initial reference signal or the channel, wherein the given condition comprises at least one of the following: the UE not receiving any indication from the base station; the UE receiving a NACK indication from the base station; or the response from the base station being different from an indication by the UE as disclosed by to provide a system for (Abstract).
Regarding claim 24, Zhou in view Iwai of teaches wherein: the UE continues to transmit the initial reference signal or the channel with an increased power, wherein the increased power is determined by at least one of the following: a higher layer parameter; a UE capability; a transmission times; a power in a previous transmission; or a delta value (Iwai: Fig. 13; [0085], SRS power boosted by delta value).
Conclusion
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.
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/KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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