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 .
This action is in response to the amendment filed on 5/27/2026. Claims 1-20 are pending and have been considered below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 5/27/26 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of new ground of rejection necessitated by the amendment that incorporated partial subject matter of previous claim(s) hence changed the scope of the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-11, 13-18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nimbalker et al. (WO 2025169123) in view of Hoglund (US 2020/0169982).
Regarding claims 1 and 13:
Nimbalker discloses a system and method for a user equipment (UE) (abstract; see figures), comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code (fig 6 [memory 610]; para 132-133); and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code (fig 6 [processor 602]; para 133-135; para 170) to cause the UE to:
receive signaling indicating a first paging configuration identifying a plurality of first paging frames within a paging cycle and a second paging configuration identifying a plurality of second paging frames within the paging cycle, wherein a first scheduling distribution of the plurality of first paging frames within the paging cycle differs from a second scheduling distribution of the plurality of second paging frames (para 13-14; see para 15-16, partially reproduced herein with emphasis {receiving a first paging configuration. In one embodiment, the first paging configuration is a legacy paging configuration. [0016] In one embodiment, the enhanced paging configuration is based on the first paging configuration. In one embodiment, one or more parameters of the first paging configuration may further define the enhanced paging configuration such that the paging frames and/or paging occasions defined by the first paging configuration do not overlap with the paging frames and/or paging occasions defined by the enhanced paging configuration}; figures 1-4; fig 3 [two different distributions of PFs]);
receive control signaling comprising a paging early indication that indicates the first paging configuration, the second paging configuration, or both (para 5 [PDCCH , Downlink Control Information (DCI)]; para 75-81; para 68 {The UE may determine the PO/PF to monitor, e.g. whether to monitor according to the first, second, or both configurations, based on a gNB indication. The indication from gNB may be in form of L1/L2 signaling. For example, the information can be embedded in a DCI sent in a common search space such as DO scrambled by Paging Early Indication (PEI)…}); and
monitor for a paging message in one or more paging frames based at least in part on the control signaling (para 12; para 25 {monitoring for a paging message based on the indicated number of paging frames…}; figures; para 75-80; and see throughout the disclosure).
Nimbalker discloses all of the subject matter as described above except for specifically teaching that wherein the control signaling further comprises an indication of a UE subgroup comprising the UE; wherein one or more paging occasions associated with the one or more paging frames correspond to the UE subgroup.
However, Hoglund in the same field of endeavor discloses a system and method for paging wherein the control signaling further comprises an indication of a UE subgroup comprising the UE; wherein one or more paging occasions associated with the one or more paging frames correspond to the UE subgroup (para 20 {The indicator added to the power control signal uniquely identifies a subgroup of radio devices out of all radio devices sharing at least the same PF, wherein the subgroup comprises the radio device that is currently being paged…}; see figs; para 23 {the indicator may, according to the scheme, uniquely identify a subgroup of one or more radio devices comprising at least the radio device that is being paged within a group of radio devices sharing the same paging frame (PF) and the same paging occasion (PO)}; and see throughout the disclosure).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use teachings of Hoglund in Nimbalker in order to provide reduced power consumption for physical channels with an improved power control signaling to enable a more power efficient idle mode paging while avoiding or at least reducing false paging (KSR: Combining Prior Art Elements According to Known Methods to Yield Predictable Results).
Regarding claims 2, 14:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein: the paging early indication indicates the second paging configuration; and the paging early indication is associated with a second radio network temporary identifier that is associated with the second paging configuration and is different than a first radio network temporary identifier that is associated with the first paging configuration (para 55,68; para 63 {the type of paging configuration, i.e., the first (legacy) paging configuration or the second paging configuration etc., is indicated in the "paging information container" so that the gNB can page the UE accordingly when the paging request is received from the core network. Such indication can simply be a bit that indicates that the UE supports the "second indication"…}; para 77 {DCI of the second configured paging may be encoded with another RNTI}; and see throughout).
Regarding claim 3, 15:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein the plurality of second paging frames are indicated in the second paging configuration as one or more clusters of second paging frames of the plurality of second paging frames, the second paging frames of each cluster of the one or more clusters being consecutive in time (see figure 3 [paging frame groups PFG, are clusters consecutive in time]; para 37,89, 107; and see throughout disclosure).
Regarding claim 4:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein the second paging configuration indicates a quantity of the one or more clusters of second paging frames and a quantity of second paging frames in the plurality of second paging frames (para 20 { indicates a number of paging frames in a paging frame group}; para 25 {..NG is a number of paging frames in a paging frame group, T is a DRX cycle indicated in broadcast system information, N is a number of total paging frames in T…}; para 26-30; and see throughout disclosure).
Regarding claims 5, 16:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and the control signaling is downlink control information (para 4,73; para76-79; and throughout).
Regarding claim 7, 17:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein the second paging configuration indicates a quantity of paging occasions comprised in one or more second paging frames of the plurality of second paging frames (para 13; para 32 {enhanced paging configuration comprises a parameter that defines a number of paging occasions within a paging frame}; para 62; figs; and throughout disclosure).
Regarding claim 8, 18:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein: the paging early indication indicates the second paging configuration; the first paging configuration indicates a plurality of first paging occasions (para 189); and the second paging configuration indicates a plurality of second paging occasions (para 13,32,62; and throughout).
Regarding claim 9:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein monitoring for the paging message in the one or more paging frames is based at least in part on a correspondence between one or more first paging occasions of the plurality of first paging occasions and one or more second paging occasions of the plurality of second paging occasions (para 48 [UE monitors POs corresponding to the one or more of the two paging configurations]; para 55; and throughout).
Regarding claim 10:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein the correspondence is based at least in part on the one or more first paging occasions and the one or more second paging occasions corresponding to an identifier of the UE (para 55 {UE monitors for paging in the monitoring occasion(s) associated with the determined PO (e.g. monitors for Paging Radio Network Temporary Identity (P-RNTI) in the paging search space, and corresponding Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), if any) and looks for its UE ID}; para 66-68; and throughout disclosure).
Regarding claim 11:
Nimbalker et al discloses all of the subject matter as described above and wherein monitoring for the paging message in the one or more paging frames comprises monitoring one or more of the plurality of first paging occasions, monitoring one or more of the plurality of second paging occasions, or both (para 68 {the first paging configuration can yield a first PO in a first PF and the second paging configuration can yield a second PO in a second PF. The UE may monitor both the first and second POs in a DRX cycle. The UE may determine the PO/PF to monitor, e.g. whether to monitor according to the first, second, or both configurations}; and throughout disclosure).
Regarding claim 20:
Nimbalker discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communications (abstract; see figures), comprising:
means for receiving signaling indicating a first paging configuration identifying a plurality of first paging frames within a paging cycle and a second paging configuration identifying a plurality of second paging frames within the paging cycle, wherein a first scheduling distribution of the plurality of first paging frames within the paging cycle differs from a second scheduling distribution of the plurality of second paging frames (figure 6,10 [showing means as, processing, memory, communication interface…]; (para 13-14; see para 15-16, partially reproduced herein with emphasis {receiving a first paging configuration. In one embodiment, the first paging configuration is a legacy paging configuration. [0016] In one embodiment, the enhanced paging configuration is based on the first paging configuration. In one embodiment, one or more parameters of the first paging configuration may further define the enhanced paging configuration such that the paging frames and/or paging occasions defined by the first paging configuration do not overlap with the paging frames and/or paging occasions defined by the enhanced paging configuration …}; figures 1-4));
means for receiving control signaling comprising a paging early indication that indicates the first paging configuration, the second paging configuration, or both (para 5 [PDCCH , Downlink Control Information (DCI)]; para 75-81; para 68 {The UE may determine the PO/PF to monitor, e.g. whether to monitor according to the first, second, or both configurations, based on a gNB indication. The indication from gNB may be in form of L1/L2 signaling. For example, the information can be embedded in a DCI sent in a common search space such as DO scrambled by Paging Early Indication (PEI)…}); and
means for monitoring for a paging message in one or more paging frames based at least in part on the control signaling (para 12; para 25 {monitoring for a paging message based on the indicated number of paging frames…}; figures; para 75-80; and see throughout the disclosure).
Nimbalker discloses all of the subject matter as described above except for specifically teaching that wherein the control signaling further comprises an indication of a UE subgroup comprising the UE; wherein one or more paging occasions associated with the one or more paging frames correspond to the UE subgroup.
However, Hoglund in the same field of endeavor discloses a system and method for paging wherein the control signaling further comprises an indication of a UE subgroup comprising the UE; wherein one or more paging occasions associated with the one or more paging frames correspond to the UE subgroup (para 20 {The indicator added to the power control signal uniquely identifies a subgroup of radio devices out of all radio devices sharing at least the same PF, wherein the subgroup comprises the radio device that is currently being paged…}; see figs; para 23 {the indicator may, according to the scheme, uniquely identify a subgroup of one or more radio devices comprising at least the radio device that is being paged within a group of radio devices sharing the same paging frame (PF) and the same paging occasion (PO)}; and see throughout the disclosure).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use teachings of Hoglund in Nimbalker in order to provide reduced power consumption for physical channels with an improved power control signaling to enable a more power efficient idle mode paging while avoiding or at least reducing false paging (KSR: Combining Prior Art Elements According to Known Methods to Yield Predictable Results).
Claim(s) 12,19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nimbalker et al. (WO 2025169123) in view of Hoglund (US 2020/0169982) as above, ad further in view of Kaikkonen et al. (US 2024/0073862).
Regarding claims 12, 19:
Nimbalker discloses all of the subject matter as described above except for specifically teaching that receive an indication to skip monitoring of a first paging occasion associated with the first paging configuration; and skip monitoring of a second paging occasion associated with the second paging configuration, wherein the first paging occasion is associated with the second paging occasion.
However, Kaikkonen in the same field of endeavor discloses a system and method for paging enhancement where receive an indication to skip monitoring of a first paging occasion associated with the first paging configuration; and skip monitoring of a second paging occasion associated with the second paging configuration, wherein the first paging occasion is associated with the second paging occasion (para 42 {indicate whether the UE skips the subsequent monitoring occasions}; figs; para 64,112; and see throughout the disclosure).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use teachings of Kaikkonen in Nimbalker in order to provide paging enhancement and monitor or skip monitoring of paging occasions for improvements in power saving (KSR: Combining Prior Art Elements According to Known Methods to Yield Predictable Results).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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 HIRDEPAL SINGH whose telephone number is 571-270-1688. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5:00pm M-F.
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, Hannah S Wang can be reached on (571) 272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HIRDEPAL SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
Prosecution Insights