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 .
Priority
Examiner acknowledges the following data:
Parent data
18691995 filed 03/14/2024 is a National Stage entry of PCT/CN2021/122224, International Filing Date: 09/30/2021.
Status of the Application
This Non-final office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment received by the Office on 14 March 2024. Claims 1-75 have been presented in the application, of which, claims 1-62 are cancelled, and claims 63-75 are new. Accordingly, pending claims 63-75 are addressed herein.
Information Disclosure statements
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted and filed on 03/28/2024 and 06/03/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 63-66, 68, 70, 72-75 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheng et al (US 2024/0163846) in view of Zhang et al (UD 2022/0417949).
Regarding claim 63, Sheng et al discloses user equipment (UE) device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) comprising:
at least one processor (fig. 3 item 11, processor); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the UE device to (processors may be coupled with the memory/storage and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory/storage to enable various applications and/or operating systems running on the system, [0104], lines 8-9):
receive from a base station an explicit or implicit indication of mapping between one or more first scheme paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12);
map a first scheme paging subgroup of the UE device to a L1 paging subgroup based on the received indication of mapping (Once UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping), system partitions (maps) UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) into a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 1-12, [0055], lines 1-7);
monitor for a paging early indication (PEI) from the base station including an indication of the mapped L1 paging subgroup (Base station configuring, to a user equipment (UE), a shared layer 1 (L1) signaling for paging early indication (PEI) before a next paging occasion (PO) (or called a second PO), wherein the shared L1 signaling for PEI indicates information of UE groups/sub-groups (indication of the mapped L1 paging subgroup) for paging and an availability of a tracking reference signal (TRS)/channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) before the next PO. [0053], lines 1-9); and
receive a paging message from the base station based on the PEI (base station such as a gNB transmits a shared PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) prior the PO to the UE, [0054], lines 7-12).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1).
Regarding claim 64, Sheng et al discloses UE device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) wherein the first scheme paging subgroups comprise network assigned paging subgroups (bitmap based indication method is used to carry UE group/sub-group information for paging. Where each bit in a payload of the sequence based PEI, the P-DCI based PEI, or the P-PDSCH based PEI is associated to a UE group/sub-group. When the bit is “1”, the UE group/sub-group is paged, and when the bit is “0”, the UE group/sub-group is not paged. This indication method uses two schemes for mapping, i.e., a one-to-one mapping and a one-to-many mapping, [0063], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 65, Sheng et al discloses UE device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) wherein the explicit indication of mapping between one or more network assigned paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups comprises an association of the network assigned paging subgroup of the UE device to a L1 paging subgroup (code based indication method of L1 signaling is used to inform a UE or groups/sub-groups of UEs about an availability of TRS/CSI-RS. In this indication method, different codes of B bits in a payload of the sequence based PEI, the P-DCI based PEI, or the P-PDSCH based PEI are sent to the UE, to inform the availability of different TRS/CSI-RS occasions. [0067]).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1)
Regarding claim 66, Sheng et al discloses UE device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) wherein receiving an implicit indication of mapping between one or more network assigned paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups comprises (code based indication method of L1 signaling is used to inform a UE or groups/sub-groups of UEs about an availability of TRS/CSI-RS. In this indication method, different codes of B bits in a payload of the sequence based PEI, the P-DCI based PEI, or the P-PDSCH based PEI are sent to the UE, to inform the availability of different TRS/CSI-RS occasions. [0067]).:
receiving subgrouping information comprising at least one of information about cell support to network assignment based paging subgrouping and/or UE-ID based paging subgrouping, a number of L1 paging subgroups assigned to the network assigned paging subgroups and/or the UE-ID based paging subgroups, or a total number of available L1 subgroups (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12); and
deriving the mapping between the network assigned paging subgroup of the UE device and an L1 paging subgroup from the subgrouping information and predefined or standardized rules (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1)
Regarding claim 68, Sheng et al discloses network function device wherein the first paging subgrouping scheme comprises network assignment based paging subgrouping (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12), and the second paging subgrouping scheme comprises UE identity (UE-ID) based paging subgrouping (The UE attempts a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding for a downlink control information (DCI) scrambled with a paging-radio network temporary identifier (P-RNTI). 5. If no paging is found, the UE goes to discontinuous reception (DRX). 6. If paging-DCI (P-DCI) is found, depending on a payload, the UE decodes a corresponding physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). 7. If a UE identity is included in the PDSCH, the UE starts a random access channel (RACH) procedure, otherwise the UE goes back to DRX, [0043], lines 3-7).
Regarding claim 70, Sheng et al discloses network function device wherein the indication of UE (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) capability to support paging subgrouping comprises at least one of a network assigned paging subgroup ID indicating that the UE device supports network assignment based paging subgrouping, or an indication of supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping (The UE attempts a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding for a downlink control information (DCI) scrambled with a paging-radio network temporary identifier (P-RNTI). 5. If no paging is found, the UE goes to discontinuous reception (DRX). 6. If paging-DCI (P-DCI) is found, depending on a payload, the UE decodes a corresponding physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). 7. If a UE identity is included in the PDSCH, the UE starts a random access channel (RACH) procedure, otherwise the UE goes back to DRX, [0043], lines 3-7).
Regarding claim 72, Sheng et al discloses method implemented at a user equipment (UE) device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) comprising:
receiving from a base station an explicit or implicit indication of mapping between one or more first scheme paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12);
mapping a first scheme paging subgroup of the UE device to a L1 paging subgroup based on the received indication of mapping (Once UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping), system partitions (maps) UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) into a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 1-12, [0055], lines 1-7);
monitoring for a paging early indication (PEI) from the base station including an indication of the mapped L1 paging subgroup (Base station configuring, to a user equipment (UE), a shared layer 1 (L1) signaling for paging early indication (PEI) before a next paging occasion (PO) (or called a second PO), wherein the shared L1 signaling for PEI indicates information of UE groups/sub-groups (indication of the mapped L1 paging subgroup) for paging and an availability of a tracking reference signal (TRS)/channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) before the next PO. [0053], lines 1-9); and
receiving a paging message from the base station based on the PEI (base station such as a gNB transmits a shared PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) prior the PO to the UE, [0054], lines 7-12).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1).
Regarding claim 73, Sheng et al discloses method wherein the first scheme paging subgroups comprise network assigned paging subgroups (bitmap based indication method is used to carry UE group/sub-group information for paging. Where each bit in a payload of the sequence based PEI, the P-DCI based PEI, or the P-PDSCH based PEI is associated to a UE group/sub-group. When the bit is “1”, the UE group/sub-group is paged, and when the bit is “0”, the UE group/sub-group is not paged. This indication method uses two schemes for mapping, i.e., a one-to-one mapping and a one-to-many mapping, [0063], lines 1-4)..
Regarding claim 74, Sheng et al discloses method wherein the explicit indication of mapping between one or more network assigned paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups comprises an association of the network assigned paging subgroup of the UE device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) to a L1 paging subgroup (code based indication method of L1 signaling is used to inform a UE or groups/sub-groups of UEs about an availability of TRS/CSI-RS. In this indication method, different codes of B bits in a payload of the sequence based PEI, the P-DCI based PEI, or the P-PDSCH based PEI are sent to the UE, to inform the availability of different TRS/CSI-RS occasions. [0067]).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1)
Regarding claim 75, Sheng et al discloses method wherein receiving an implicit indication of mapping between one or more network assigned paging subgroups and one or more L1 paging subgroups comprises (UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping) between UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) and a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 7-12):
receiving subgrouping information comprising at least one of information about cell support to network assignment based paging subgrouping and/or UE-ID based paging subgrouping, a number of L1 paging subgroups assigned to the network assigned paging subgroups and/or the UE-ID based paging subgroups, or a total number of available L1 subgroups (Once UE receives from base station an indication of partitioning (mapping), system partitions (maps) UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method (first scheme paging subgroups) into a shared L1 signaling overhead which includes PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) (L1 paging subgroups), [0054], lines 1-12, [0055], lines 1-7); and
deriving the mapping between the network assigned paging subgroup of the UE device and an L1 paging subgroup from the subgrouping information and predefined or standardized rules (Base station configuring, to a user equipment (UE), a shared layer 1 (L1) signaling for paging early indication (PEI) before a next paging occasion (PO) (or called a second PO), wherein the shared L1 signaling for PEI indicates information of UE groups/sub-groups (indication of the mapped L1 paging subgroup) for paging and an availability of a tracking reference signal (TRS)/channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) before the next PO. [0053], lines 1-9).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of indication of remapping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of indication of remapping (If the layer-1 ID is indicated, it is necessary to firstly revert/remap the layer-1 ID, [0093], line 1).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of indication of remapping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve (Zhang et al, [0002], line 1).
Claims 67, 69 and 71 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheng et al (US 2024/0163846) in view of Dhanda et al (UD 2020/0245246).
Regarding claim 67, Sheng et al discloses network function device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) in a core network, comprising (availability of TRS/CSI-RS depends on a connected UE in the network, [0077], line 13):
at least one processor (fig. 3 item 11, processor); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the network function device to (processors may be coupled with the memory/storage and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory/storage to enable various applications and/or operating systems running on the system, [0104], lines 8-9):
transmit a paging notification for a UE device to the base station, the paging notification including an indication of UE capability to support paging subgrouping (base station such as a gNB transmits a shared PEI (a sequence based PEI, a P-DCI based PEI, or a P-PDSCH based PEI) prior the PO to the UE, whereby PEI contains bits' field and it can be partitioned into two sets which perform two functions. Firstly, it indicates the UE group/sub-group information for paging according to bitmapping method explained in later embodiments. Secondly it informs the prior availability indication of TRS/CSI-RS to the UE according to a code indication method explained in later embodiments. [0054], lines 7-12).
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of provide to a base station at least one of (i) statistics information of user equipment (UE) devices supporting a first paging subgrouping scheme and/or UE devices supporting a second paging subgrouping scheme or (ii) first scheme paging subgroup information comprising at least one of an estimated number of UE devices per first scheme paging subgroup and/or an average paging probability per first scheme paging subgroup.
However, Dhanda et al specifically teaches concept of provide to a base station at least one of (i) statistics information of user equipment (UE) devices supporting a first paging subgrouping scheme and/or UE devices supporting a second paging subgrouping scheme or (ii) first scheme paging subgroup information comprising at least one of an estimated number of UE devices per first scheme paging subgroup and/or an average paging probability per first scheme paging subgroup (MME may determine a mapping of MME-level WUS sub-groups to base station-level WUS sub-groups. An MME-level WUS sub-group (also referred to herein as a network device-level WUS sub-group) may refer to a WUS group used by an MME to perform wakeup signaling or trigger wakeup signaling by a BS. For example, an MME-level WUS sub-group may be associated with a probability bucket, a frequency of paging, or another type of group. For example, the MME may use a particular number of MME-level WUS sub-groups (e.g., any integer number of WUS sub-groups), whereas different base stations associated with the MME may use different numbers of WUS sub-groups, [0067], lines 1-6).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of provide to a base station at least one of (i) statistics information of user equipment (UE) devices supporting a first paging subgrouping scheme and/or UE devices supporting a second paging subgrouping scheme or (ii) first scheme paging subgroup information comprising at least one of an estimated number of UE devices per first scheme paging subgroup and/or an average paging probability per first scheme paging subgroup of Dhanda et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve wireless communication and to techniques and apparatuses for wakeup signal grouping, (Dhanda et al, [0002], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 69, Sheng et al discloses network function device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment)
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of wherein the statistics information comprises a percentage of UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and/or a percentage of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in an aggregation of the UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and the UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in a cell, a tracking arca, or a registration area.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of wherein the statistics information comprises a percentage of UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and/or a percentage of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in an aggregation of the UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and the UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in a cell, a tracking arca, or a registration area (MME-level or network-level WUS sub-groups may be associated with respective buckets within MME-level or network-level WUS sub-groups based at least in part on probability of paging or frequency of paging, and the base station-level WUS sub-groups may be WUS groups. When base station-level WUS groups are mapped to network-level WUS-sub-groups, the base station WUS groups may be considered sub-groups in connection with the mapping enabling the base station WUS groups to provide a functionality of WUS sub-groups, [0067], lines 10-14).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of wherein the statistics information comprises a percentage of UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and/or a percentage of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in an aggregation of the UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping and the UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping in a cell, a tracking arca, or a registration area of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve wireless communication and to techniques and apparatuses for wakeup signal grouping, (Dhanda et al, [0002], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 71, Sheng et al discloses network function device (fig. 3 item 10, User equipment) wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the network function device to (processors may be coupled with the memory/storage and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory/storage to enable various applications and/or operating systems running on the system, [0104], lines 8-9):
Sheng et al does not specifically disclose concept of determine network assigned paging subgroups based on the statistics information of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping and/or UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of determine network assigned paging subgroups based on the statistics information of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping and/or UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping (system information may provide information enabling the UE to identify a WUS sub-group to which the UE is assigned or is to be assigned, such as based at least in part on a value associated with the UE (e.g., a paging probability, a frequency of paging, and/or the like). In some aspects, the system information may identify a paging probability or a frequency of paging for the UE, [0072], lines 4-7).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Sheng et al with concept of determine network assigned paging subgroups based on the statistics information of UE devices supporting UE-ID based paging subgrouping and/or UE devices supporting network assignment based paging subgrouping of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve wireless communication and to techniques and apparatuses for wakeup signal grouping, (Dhanda et al, [0002], lines 1-2).
Conclusion
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/FRANTZ BATAILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
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