Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/700,224

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ENERGY-SAVING INDICATION INFORMATION, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING ENERGY-SAVING INDICATION INFORMATION, AND DEVICE AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Apr 10, 2024
Priority
Oct 15, 2021 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2021124086
Examiner
BARAKAT, MOHAMED
Art Unit
2689
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1m
Est. Remaining
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allowance Rate
623 granted / 846 resolved
+11.6% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+23.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
867
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
84.1%
+44.1% vs TC avg
§102
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§112
8.2%
-31.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 846 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claim status 2. In response to the amendments filed 06/04/2026, claims 1, 4, 8, 11-12, 15 and 18 were amended, claims 2-3, 9-10 and 21-23 were canceled and new claims 24-27 and 29-30 were added. Therefore, claims 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-19, 24-27 and 29-30 are currently pending for examination. Claim Objections 3. The numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not). Misnumbered claims 29 and 30 should be claims 28-29, because there is no claim 28. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. Claims 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-19, 24-27 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma et al. (Ma; US 2024/0089921) in view of Cui et al. (Cui; US 2024/0244583). For claim 1, Ma discloses a method for transmitting energy-saving indication information, performed by a network device [E.g. 0137-0138, 0054-0060], comprising: sending a system message to a user device, wherein the system message comprises information indicating enabling a paging early indication (PEI) [E.g. 0137: One embodiment provides a signal sending method applied by a base station. The signal sending method is applicable to the case where multiple PEI time domain positions are determined. As shown in FIG. 2A, the signal sending method provided by the embodiment of the present application mainly includes S21, 0138: In S21, a PEI signal is sent before a PO, where the PEI signal is used for instructing a UE to perform a predefined operation based on the PEI signal]; wherein the system message comprises a higher-layer parameter representing the information for indicating to enable the PEI [E.g. 0175-0187, 0199, 0231]; and in response to the network device being configured with a control resource set for transmitting the PEI, performing: configuring a common search space (CSS) for transmitting downlink control information (DCI) carrying the PEI, and transmitting the DCI carrying the PEI through the CSS [E.g. 0325-0329, 0348]. Ma fails to expressly disclose wherein the system message comprises a number of user device groups corresponding to each paging occasion (PO) supported by the PEI, and a number of POs corresponding to the PEI. However, as shown by Cui, it was well known in the art of communication to include system message comprises a number of user device groups corresponding to each paging occasion (PO) supported by the PEI, and a number of POs corresponding to the PEI [E.g. 0058-0059, 0063, 0066-0080]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of communication before the effective filling date of the claimed invention modify Ma with the teaching of Cui in order to manage a larger number of user devices and Pos more efficiently, also it is merely combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. For claim 3, Ma discloses wherein the system message comprises at least one of: a number of user device groups corresponding to each paging occasion (PO) supported by the PEI; or a number of POs corresponding to the PEI [E.g. 0195-0203]. For claim 4, Ma discloses transmitting the DCI carrying the PEI through one of: Type #0 CSS, Type #0-A CSS, Type #1 CSS, or Type #2 CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 5, Ma discloses in response to the network device not being configured with a control resource set for transmitting the PEI, transmitting DCI carrying the PEI based on a default CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 6, Ma discloses wherein the default CSS is specified by a communication protocol [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 7, Ma discloses wherein the default CSS comprises one of: a CSS for transmitting DCI for scheduling paging, Type #0 CSS, Type #0-A CSS, Type #1 CSS, or Type #2 CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 8, Ma discloses a method for receiving energy-saving indication information, performed by a user device [E.g. 0137-0138, 0510, Fig. 11]., comprising: receiving a system message from a network device, wherein the system message comprises information indicating enabling a paging early indication (PEI) [E.g. 0137: One embodiment provides a signal sending method applied by a base station. The signal sending method is applicable to the case where multiple PEI time domain positions are determined. As shown in FIG. 2A, the signal sending method provided by the embodiment of the present application mainly includes S21, 0138: In S21, a PEI signal is sent before a PO, where the PEI signal is used for instructing a UE to perform a predefined operation based on the PEI signal]; wherein the system message comprises a higher-layer parameter representing the information for indicating to enable the PEI [E.g. 0175-0187, 0199, 0231]; and the network device being configured with a control resource set for transmitting the PEI, receiving downlink control information (DCI) carrying the PEI based on a common search space (CSS) for transmitting downlink control information (DCI) carrying the PEI [E.g. 0325-0329, 0348]. Ma fails to expressly disclose wherein the system message comprises a number of user device groups corresponding to each paging occasion (PO) supported by the PEI, and a number of POs corresponding to the PEI. However, as shown by Cui, it was well known in the art of communication to include system message comprises a number of user device groups corresponding to each paging occasion (PO) supported by the PEI, and a number of POs corresponding to the PEI [E.g. 0058-0059, 0063, 0066-0080]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of communication before the effective filling date of the claimed invention modify Ma with the teaching of Cui in order to manage a larger number of user devices and Pos more efficiently, also it is merely combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. For claim 11, Ma discloses determining at least one of the following specified by a communication protocol: a number of user device groups corresponding to each PO supported by the PEI; or a number of POs corresponding to the PEI [E.g. 0195-0203]. For claim 12, Ma discloses wherein the DCI carrying the PEI is received based on one of: a common search space (CSS) for transmitting the DCI carrying the PEI, Type #0 CSS, Type #0-A CSS, Type #1 CSS, or Type #2 CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 13, Ma discloses in response to the network device not being configured with a control resource set for transmitting the PEI, receiving DCI carrying the PEI based on a default CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 14, Ma discloses wherein the default CSS is specified by a communication protocol [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 15, Ma discloses wherein the default CSS comprises one of: a CSS for transmitting DCI for scheduling paging, Type #0 CSS, Type #0-A CSS, Type #1 CSS, or Type #2 CSS [E.g. 0327-0330]. For claim 18, is interpreted and rejected as discussed with respect to claim 1. For claim 19, Ma discloses a mobile terminal comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor; wherein, the processor is configured to perform the method for receiving energy-saving indication information according to claim 8 [E.g. 0137-0138, 0510, Fig. 11]. For claim 24, Cui further teaches wherein one PEI corresponds to one PO or multiple Pos [E.g. 0058-0059]. For claim 25, Ma disclose wherein the information indicating enabling the PEI is used to configure a CSS for the DCI carrying the PEI [E.g. 0231, 0315, 0322, 0328, 0348]. For claim 26, is interpreted and rejected as discussed with respect to claim 24. For claim 27, is interpreted and rejected as discussed with respect to claim 25. For claim 29, is interpreted and rejected as discussed with respect to claim 24. For claim 30, is interpreted and rejected as discussed with respect to claim 25. Response to Remarks 7. The Applicant's remarks regarding the rejection have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the new ground of rejection. Conclusion 8. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action. 9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED BARAKAT whose telephone number is (571)270-3696. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00am-5:00PM. 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, Davetta Goins can be reached on (571) 272-2957. 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. /MOHAMED BARAKAT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 10, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 04, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jun 04, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 22, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
74%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+23.2%)
2y 4m (~1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 846 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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