DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the amendment filed 29 July 2026. Claims 1, 6-7, 9, 13-14, 18, and 24-36 are pending in this application.
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 § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 6-7, 18, 24-28, and 32-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2024/0267848) in view of Fu et al. (WO2019/154027, citing the translation provided with the first Office action mailed 30 April 2026) and Karjalainen et al. (US 2020/0336194).
For Claims 1 and 18, Lee teaches a method for detection, implemented by a terminal, and a terminal comprising a processor and a communication interface (see abstract); the method comprising:
measuring, in a cell after completing cell selection or reselection in cells configured with a first signal or channel, signal qualities or signal strengths of a cell currently selected by the terminal (see paragraphs 11-12), wherein the measurement comprises measurement based on the first signal or channel and/or measurement based on an inherent measurement resource of the cell currently selected by the terminal (see paragraphs 11-12, 76-78: colocation of beams) ,
wherein the inherent measurement resource comprises signals and/or channels that are usable for measurement of the terminal and have to be sent when a network side is capable of providing a service for the terminal (see paragraphs 76-78),
the inherent measurement resource comprises one of: a reference signal for synchronization in a system (see paragraphs 76-78); a reference signal and/or channel for synchronization and primary system information indication in the system (see paragraphs 76-78); or a reference signal configured by the system and usable for idle-state measurement,
when the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets a first condition, selecting, from the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, a transmission signal or channel with the best signal quality or the best signal strength as a detection target (see paragraphs 81, 90, 98); and
wherein the first condition represents one of:
a transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel is detected; a detected power of the transmission signal or channel is greater than or equal to a first threshold (see paragraphs 81, 90-91, 99); a detected quality of the transmission signal or channel is greater than or equal to a second threshold; the detected power of the transmission signal or channel is greater than the first threshold; or the detected quality of the transmission signal or channel is greater than the second threshold.
Though Lee may detect when none of the at least one transmission signal or channel meets the first condition (see paragraph 97), Lee as applied above is not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the cell being selected to camp on (see p. 10, where underlined), or
that the first signal or channel is used for the terminal to perform detection after camping on a cell and to determine, based on a detection result of the at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, whether subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the cell camped on, and/or subsequent detection or monitoring for a scheduling signal are needed (see p. 12-13, underlined portions); and
when a detection result of none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets the first condition, performing cell camping and/or screening out a target transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource by measuring the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the cell currently selected by the terminal (see p. 12-13, where underlined).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or channel as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
The references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Karjalainen teaches that one of at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel has a Quasi Co-Location (QCL) relationship with at least one of at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the cell currently selected by the terminal (see abstract, paragraphs 39, 43, 47).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to utilize a QCL relationship as in Karjalainen when handling the collocated signaling as in Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable results of employing known signaling for handling collocated resources.
For Claim 6, Lee as applied above is not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein
when at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets the first condition, detection for any transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are not needed; or
when none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets the first condition, the detection for the transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource, screening for the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed (see p. 12-13, underlined portions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or channel cell as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
For Claims 7 and 24, Lee as applied above is not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein
when a received signal strength of the selected transmission signal or channel does not meet a third threshold and/or a received signal quality of the selected transmission signal or channel does not meet a fourth threshold, detection or monitoring for at least one transmission signal or channel corresponding to the inherent measurement resource, and/or the detection or monitoring for the a scheduling signal are needed, and detection for at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal of the cell currently selected by the terminal is not needed (see pages 5, 10-13: underlined portions); or
when the received signal strength of the selected transmission signal or channel meets a fifth threshold and/or the received signal quality of the selected transmission signal or channel meets a sixth threshold, a transmission signal or channel of the first signal corresponding to a transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the cell currently selected by the terminal is detected, and whether detection or monitoring for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the cell currently selected by the terminal, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are determined to be needed based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel (see pages 13-14, underlined portions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or channel as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
For Claims 25 and 33, Lee further teaches the method, wherein when the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets the first condition, the terminal maintains dormant, and there is no data need to be received and detected by the terminal (see paragraphs 6, 89, and 96).
For Claims 26 and 34, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein the method further comprises: when the detection result of none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel meets the first condition, determining whether a current location of the terminal still belongs to the cell currently selected by the terminal based on the measurement of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, when the terminal still belongs to the cell currently selected by the terminal, screening out a target transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, and exiting a dormant state, and when determining, based on the measurement of at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, that a signal strength of the cell currently selected by the terminal at the current location of the terminal has met a cell reselection condition, performing cell reselection (see underlined portions on p. 12-13 and the two paragraphs following the underlined portions on p. 12).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or cell as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately connect to the network.
For Claims 27 and 35, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein the first signal or channel being used for the terminal to perform detection after camping on the cell and to determine, based on the detection result of the at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the cell camped on, and/or the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed comprises that the first signal or channel is used for the terminal to perform detection after camping on the cell and to determine, based on the detection result of the at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the cell camped on, and the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed (see underlined portions on p. 13).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to determine the necessity for monitoring as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to conserve resources by only monitoring as required.
For Claims 28 and 36, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein the first signal or channel being used for the terminal to perform detection after camping on the cell and to determine, based on the detection result of the at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the cell camped on, and/or the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed comprises that the first signal or channel is used for the terminal to perform detection after camping on the cell and to determine, based on the detection result of the at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel, whether the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal is needed (see parge 14, first full paragraph, last 3 paragraphs).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to determine the necessity for monitoring as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to conserve resources by only monitoring as required.
Claim(s) 9, 13-14, 29, and 31-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2024/0267848) in view of Peng et al. (US 2024/0114554), Fu et al. (WO2019/154027), and Karjalainen et al. (US 2020/0336194).
For Claim 9, Lee teaches a method for detection, implemented by a first terminal, the method comprising:
measuring signal qualities or signal strengths of the second node upon receiving first information from the second node, wherein the first information indicates that the second node will transmit a second signal or channel, the measurement comprises measurement based on the second signal or channel and/or measurement based on an inherent measurement resource from the second node (see paragraphs 11-12, 76-78),
the inherent measurement resource comprises one of: a reference signal for synchronization in a link (see paragraphs 76-78); a reference signal and/or channel for synchronization and primary system information indication in the link (see paragraphs 76-78); or a reference signal configured by a system and usable for idle-state measurement, and
when the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel meets a second condition, selecting, from the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, a transmission signal or channel with the best signal quality or the best signal strength as a detection target (see paragraphs 81, 90, 98); and
wherein the second condition represents one of:
a transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel is detected; a detected power of the transmission signal or channel is greater than or equal to a seventh threshold (see paragraphs 81, 90-91, 99); a detected quality of the transmission signal or channel is greater than or equal to an eighth threshold; the detected power of the transmission signal or channel is greater than the seventh threshold; or the detected quality of the transmission signal or channel is greater than the eighth threshold.
Lee as applied above is not explicit as to, but Peng teaches completing terminal selection and selecting to monitor a second terminal (see paragraphs 32-35); and
monitoring the second terminal wherein the first information indicates that the second terminal will transmit a second signal or channel (see paragraphs 44, 46, 93-97).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to provide for measurements in a sidelink case as in Peng when monitoring the transmission medium as in Lee. The motivation would be to allow for sensing of a shared band.
The references as applied above are not explicit as to, though Lee does teach detection when none of the at least one transmission signal or channel meets the first condition (see paragraph 97), but Fu as modified by Peng above teaches the second signal or channel is used for the first terminal to perform detection after performing terminal selection and to determine, based on a detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, whether subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and/or subsequent detection or monitoring for a scheduling signal are needed (see p. 12-13, underlined portions);
when a detection result of none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel meets the second condition, screening out a target transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource by measuring the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal (see p. 12-13, where underlined).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to screen out signals as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
The references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Karjalainen teaches that one of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel has a Quasi Co-Location (QCL) relationship with at least one of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal (see abstract, paragraphs 39, 43, 47).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to utilize a QCL relationship as in Karjalainen when handling the collocated signaling as in Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable results of employing known signaling for handling collocated resources.
For Claim 13, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu as modified by Peng above teaches the method, wherein
when at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel meets the second condition, detection for any transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are not needed; or
when none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel meets the second condition, the detection for the transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource, screening for the at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed (see p. 12-13, underlined portions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or channel cell as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
For Claim 14, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu teaches the method, wherein
when a received signal strength of the selected transmission signal or channel does not meet a ninth threshold and/or a received signal quality of the selected transmission signal or channel does not meet a tenth threshold, detection or monitoring for at least one transmission signal or channel corresponding to the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and/or detection or monitoring for a scheduling signal are needed, and detection for the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal of the second terminal is not needed (see pages 5, 10-13: underlined portions); or
when the received signal strength of the selected transmission signal or channel meets an eleventh threshold and/or the received signal quality of the selected transmission signal or channel meets a twelfth threshold, a transmission signal or channel of the second signal corresponding to a transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal is detected, and whether detection or monitoring for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and/or the detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are determined to be needed based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel (see pages 13-14, underlined portions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to select a signal or channel as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to appropriately handle a triggered RRM measurement.
For Claim 29, Lee further teaches the method, wherein when the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel meets the second condition, the first terminal maintains dormant, and there is no data need to be received and detected by the first terminal (see paragraphs 6, 89, and 96).
For Claim 31, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu as modified above teaches the method, wherein the second signal or channel being used for the first terminal to perform detection after performing terminal selection and to determine, based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed comprises that the second signal or channel is used for the first terminal to perform detection after performing terminal selection and to determine, based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed (see underlined portions on p. 13).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to determine the necessity for monitoring as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to conserve resources by only monitoring as required.
For Claim 32, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Fu as modified above teaches the method, wherein the second signal or channel being used for the first terminal to perform detection after performing terminal selection and to determine, based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, whether the subsequent monitoring or detection for transmission signals or channels of the inherent measurement resource of the second terminal, and the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal are needed comprises that the second signal or channel is used for the first terminal to perform detection after performing terminal selection and to determine, based on the detection result of at least one transmission signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the second signal or channel, whether the subsequent detection or monitoring for the scheduling signal is needed (see parge 14, first full paragraph, last 3 paragraphs).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to determine the necessity for monitoring as in Fu when implementing the measuring and detection operations of Lee. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of providing for the UE to conserve resources by only monitoring as required.
Claim(s) 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2024/0267848), Peng et al. (US 2024/0114554), Fu et al. (WO2019/154027), and Karjalainen et al. (US 2020/0336194) as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Orsino (US 2025/0175237).
For Claim 30, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Orsino teaches the method, wherein when the detection result of none of the at least one transmission signal or channel of a first signal or channel meets the second condition, the first terminal is not within a coverage of the second signal or channel, and the first terminal does not continue detection for the second signal or channel on a current beam (see paragraphs 48, 53-54).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to determine whether to continue detection as in Orison when implementing the operation of Lee and Fu. The motivation would be to conserve resources by avoiding performing detection on out of coverage signals.
Response to Arguments
The amendment filed 29 July 2026 has been entered.
Previous rejections under 35 USC 112 are withdrawn in light of the amendments.
Applicant’s arguments regarding rejections under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered, but are not persuasive. The claims remain rejected under 35 USC 103.
With regards to “the inherent measurement resource comprises one of: a reference signal for synchronization in a system; a reference signal and/or channel for synchronization and primary system information indication in the system; or a reference signal configured by the system and usable for idle-state measurement”, please note that Lee, not Fu, is relied on for teaching this matter. Moreover, Fu does teach the inherent measurement resource as described in paragraphs 63 and 65 of the pre-grant publication of the instant application.
In addition, the cited portions of Fu do explicitly teach the terminal listening to a WUS or synchronization signal and then determining whether to perform additional measurements, reselect, or cease or continue with measurements and thus teach the matter for which Fu is relied upon.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bala et al. (US2022/0303795) teaches a terminal ignoring a WUS based on signal strength. Yang et al. (US 2021/0195529) teaches a UE waking up with a WUS only when there is a PDCCH to be detected.
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.
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/CASSANDRA L DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2466 8/18/2026
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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