DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 have been examined.
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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20230146267 A1 to Subrahmanya et al. (hereinafter “Subrahmanya”).
As per claim 1, Subrahmanya discloses an information transmission method, comprising: monitoring, by a terminal device, a wake-up signal (WUS) (Subrahmanya [0041] User equipment may continuously or periodically activate a receiver (e.g., a receiver of a cellular modem) to ensure that wireless (e.g., cellular) signals are received. However, this continuous or periodic activation of the receiver may consume excessive power. Instead, the user equipment may include a wake-up or low power receiver that may consume less power than the cellular receiver as it is lower in complexity (e.g., may not demodulate a received signal, may not amplify a received signal, may not filter a received signal, or so on). If the user equipment is not actively receiving a wireless signal, or not receiving a wireless signal for a threshold period of time, the user equipment may cause the receiver to enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated (e.g., powered off), and activate the wake-up signal receiver. The wake-up signal receiver may then periodically scan for a wireless wake-up signal sent from a wireless (e.g., cellular) network. [0042] Upon receiving the wake-up signal, the wake-up signal receiver may activate or wake up the cellular receiver, which may begin receiving wireless signals (e.g., cellular signals having user data). The wake-up signal receiver may then enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated. However, embedding the wake-up signal in a cellular signal (e.g., having a frequency between 700 megahertz (MHz) and 71 gigahertz (GHz)) may include several drawbacks, such as causing interference with the cellular signal and/or other cellular signals and/or reducing overall spectrum efficiency of a cell or base stations. That is, an increase in traffic of the cell may negatively impact coordination between the wake-up signal receiver and the cell.); wherein the WUS comprises N signal portions, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (Subrahmanya [0031] In some instances, a first set of the active user equipment may utilize a second set of the active user equipment to receive and transfer one or more data sets or portions of the data. In particular, the first set of the active user equipment may cooperate and coordinate to transmit the same data and/or the same data sets. Additionally or alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may not transmit its received data set to other sets of the user equipment and may assemble multiple data sets received from the other sets of the user equipment. The first set of the active user equipment may receive one or more data sets from the second set of the active user equipment. Accordingly, only the first set of the active user equipment may receive all data sets and may reassemble the data from the data sets. Additionally, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit one or more data sets to one or more passive user equipment. Alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit the data to one or more passive user equipment. In some instances, a first passive user equipment may transmit one or more data sets or the data to a second passive user equipment. Additionally, the active user equipment may cooperate to transmit the same data set to one or more base stations simultaneously, concurrently, consecutively, overlapping, separately, and so forth. Moreover, a passive user equipment may transmit the same data set to several active user equipment for transmission to the base stations. In certain instances, the passive user equipment may transmit the same data set sequentially or broadcast concurrently to several active user equipment. [0051] Establishing communication with the wireless communication network may begin with receiving system synchronization signals, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and so forth. The user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and may determine radio frame boundaries based on the synchronization signals. The user equipment may also receive system information transmitted via one or more base stations of the wireless communication network. The primary user equipment may transmit user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment to one or more active user equipment. The user equipment capabilities may include communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, radio frequency bands, carrier frequencies, cell identifiers, radio access technologies, and so forth associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and/or the system information from the wireless communication network based on the user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive a portion of the synchronization signals and/or a portion of the system information. The primary user equipment may receive these portions from the active user equipment and may assemble these portions to form the synchronization signals and/or the system information. [0070] In certain embodiments, any suitable number of active UE 208 may be communicatively coupled with any number of base stations 104. A target UE (e.g., first active UE 208A, first passive UE 210B) may request data from the wireless communication network 102. The group of UE 206 may coordinate and cooperate to transmit the request to the wireless communication network 102. Each active UE 208 may receive the data 204 and/or one or more sets 204A, 204B (e.g., a portion, a subset) of the data from the wireless communication network 102 via base stations 104. The active UEs 208 may transfer the sets of data to other active UEs 208 within the group of user equipment 206. The active UEs 208 may assemble the data based at least in part on the received sets of the data. The group of user equipment 206 may coordinate and cooperate to provide the data to the target UE. Accordingly, the target UE may receive the data and/or the data sets and may assemble the data based on the data sets. [0096] The processor also transmits a wake-up signal to the first user equipment via the device-to-device communication link. The wake-up signal causes the first user equipment to activate a cellular receiver. Each reference signal of the set of reference signals includes a corresponding frequency.).
As per claim 2, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the N signal portions comprise a first signal portion, and the first signal portion is used for carrying target information (Subrahmanya [0041] User equipment may continuously or periodically activate a receiver (e.g., a receiver of a cellular modem) to ensure that wireless (e.g., cellular) signals are received. However, this continuous or periodic activation of the receiver may consume excessive power. Instead, the user equipment may include a wake-up or low power receiver that may consume less power than the cellular receiver as it is lower in complexity (e.g., may not demodulate a received signal, may not amplify a received signal, may not filter a received signal, or so on). If the user equipment is not actively receiving a wireless signal, or not receiving a wireless signal for a threshold period of time, the user equipment may cause the receiver to enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated (e.g., powered off), and activate the wake-up signal receiver. The wake-up signal receiver may then periodically scan for a wireless wake-up signal sent from a wireless (e.g., cellular) network. [0042] Upon receiving the wake-up signal, the wake-up signal receiver may activate or wake up the cellular receiver, which may begin receiving wireless signals (e.g., cellular signals having user data). The wake-up signal receiver may then enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated. However, embedding the wake-up signal in a cellular signal (e.g., having a frequency between 700 megahertz (MHz) and 71 gigahertz (GHz)) may include several drawbacks, such as causing interference with the cellular signal and/or other cellular signals and/or reducing overall spectrum efficiency of a cell or base stations. That is, an increase in traffic of the cell may negatively impact coordination between the wake-up signal receiver and the cell. [0077] Based on satisfaction of at least one criteria of the set of connection criteria (YES path of block 408), the active UE 208 may receive (block 410) one or more synchronization signals. For example, the active UE 208 may scan for the synchronization signals based on satisfying the at least one criteria. The active UE 208 may receive the synchronization signals via the base stations 104. At block 412, the active UE 208 may transmit a reference signal based on the one or more synchronization signals. The active UE 208 may transmit reference signals on a local communications frequency. The reference signals may include specialized wake-up signals that reduce power consumption. Additionally or alternatively, the reference signals may include a first reference signal that includes a specialized wake-up signal and a second reference signal that includes additional information. The active UE 208 may transmit the second reference signal based on an acknowledgement from another UE 10 of the first reference signal. In certain embodiments, the active UE 208 may select one or more reference signals based on various transmission criteria. For example, the transmission criteria may include a power connection, a battery level of the user equipment, a time window, a geographic area of the user equipment, user equipment capabilities (e.g., communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, and so forth), and so forth. The active UE 208 may establish (block 414) a device-to-device communication link with another UE 10. For example, the active UE 208 may receive an acknowledgment message from the UE 10 based on receiving the reference signals. The active UE 208 may establish the device-to-device communication link in response to receiving the acknowledgment message from the UE 10.).
As per claim 3, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the target information comprises at least one of: wake-up information (Subrahmanya [0077] Based on satisfaction of at least one criteria of the set of connection criteria (YES path of block 408), the active UE 208 may receive (block 410) one or more synchronization signals. For example, the active UE 208 may scan for the synchronization signals based on satisfying the at least one criteria. The active UE 208 may receive the synchronization signals via the base stations 104. At block 412, the active UE 208 may transmit a reference signal based on the one or more synchronization signals. The active UE 208 may transmit reference signals on a local communications frequency. The reference signals may include specialized wake-up signals that reduce power consumption. Additionally or alternatively, the reference signals may include a first reference signal that includes a specialized wake-up signal and a second reference signal that includes additional information. The active UE 208 may transmit the second reference signal based on an acknowledgement from another UE 10 of the first reference signal. In certain embodiments, the active UE 208 may select one or more reference signals based on various transmission criteria. For example, the transmission criteria may include a power connection, a battery level of the user equipment, a time window, a geographic area of the user equipment, user equipment capabilities (e.g., communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, and so forth), and so forth. The active UE 208 may establish (block 414) a device-to-device communication link with another UE 10. For example, the active UE 208 may receive an acknowledgment message from the UE 10 based on receiving the reference signals. The active UE 208 may establish the device-to-device communication link in response to receiving the acknowledgment message from the UE 10.), or a paging short message (Subrahmanya [0036] Active user equipment may be controlled or configured using control channels based on the direct connection to the base station. Passive user equipment may have an indirect connection to the base station and may be accessible via an updated control channel path. Control channels provide configuration data to user equipment for paging the user equipment and scheduling data reception and transmission. Active user equipment may identify that a paging message, a configuration message, and/or control data is intended for passive user equipment. The active user equipment may perform the identification based on an identifier associated with a protocol layer format.).
As per claim 4, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the wake-up information is dedicated to the terminal device; or the wake-up information is shared by a terminal device group, and the terminal device group comprises the terminal device (Subrahmanya [0076] The active UE 208 may determine (block 408) whether the set of UE attributes satisfy at least one criteria of the set of the connection criteria. If the active UE 208 is connected to an electrical grid (e.g., such that it is not powered via its battery), it may not require the benefits of shared resources within the group of UE 206 and may not join the group of UE 206. Alternatively, when connected to the electrical grid, the active UE 206 may join the group of UE 206 to receive additional tasks. The active UE 208 may be permitted to search for and join the group of UE 206 during a particular time window. Additionally, the active UE 208 may search for and enter the group of UE 206 when within a particular geographic area or in proximity or range of a set of UE 10, such as a home or an office. The active UE 208 may lack radio technology or does not support particular frequencies. As such, the active UE 208 may search for and enter the group of UE 206 with different and/or greater UE attributes. Additionally, the active UE 208 may determine whether the UE attributes permit the active UE 208 to communicate with other user equipment in the group of UE 206. In response to failing to satisfy at least one criteria of the set of connection criteria (NO path of block 408), the active UE 208 may return to receive (block 402) a subsequent request for group formation. [0077] Based on satisfaction of at least one criteria of the set of connection criteria (YES path of block 408), the active UE 208 may receive (block 410) one or more synchronization signals. For example, the active UE 208 may scan for the synchronization signals based on satisfying the at least one criteria. The active UE 208 may receive the synchronization signals via the base stations 104. At block 412, the active UE 208 may transmit a reference signal based on the one or more synchronization signals. The active UE 208 may transmit reference signals on a local communications frequency. The reference signals may include specialized wake-up signals that reduce power consumption. Additionally or alternatively, the reference signals may include a first reference signal that includes a specialized wake-up signal and a second reference signal that includes additional information. The active UE 208 may transmit the second reference signal based on an acknowledgement from another UE 10 of the first reference signal. In certain embodiments, the active UE 208 may select one or more reference signals based on various transmission criteria. For example, the transmission criteria may include a power connection, a battery level of the user equipment, a time window, a geographic area of the user equipment, user equipment capabilities (e.g., communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, and so forth), and so forth. The active UE 208 may establish (block 414) a device-to-device communication link with another UE 10. For example, the active UE 208 may receive an acknowledgment message from the UE 10 based on receiving the reference signals. The active UE 208 may establish the device-to-device communication link in response to receiving the acknowledgment message from the UE 10.); or the wake-up information is dedicated to a first service cell, and the first service cell is a service cell at which the terminal device is located (Subrahmanya Fig. 4 and [0076-0077]).
As per claim 5, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the first signal portion is further used for carrying a synchronization sequence, and the synchronization sequence is used for the terminal device to maintain synchronization (Subrahmanya [0093-0099]).
As per claim 6, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the synchronization sequence is located at one of following positions: before the first signal portion; within the first signal portion (Subrahmanya [0051,0119-0120]); and after the first signal portion.
As per claim 18, Subrahmanya discloses an information transmission method, comprising: sending, by a network device, a wake-up signal (WUS) (Subrahmanya [0041] User equipment may continuously or periodically activate a receiver (e.g., a receiver of a cellular modem) to ensure that wireless (e.g., cellular) signals are received. However, this continuous or periodic activation of the receiver may consume excessive power. Instead, the user equipment may include a wake-up or low power receiver that may consume less power than the cellular receiver as it is lower in complexity (e.g., may not demodulate a received signal, may not amplify a received signal, may not filter a received signal, or so on). If the user equipment is not actively receiving a wireless signal, or not receiving a wireless signal for a threshold period of time, the user equipment may cause the receiver to enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated (e.g., powered off), and activate the wake-up signal receiver. The wake-up signal receiver may then periodically scan for a wireless wake-up signal sent from a wireless (e.g., cellular) network. [0042] Upon receiving the wake-up signal, the wake-up signal receiver may activate or wake up the cellular receiver, which may begin receiving wireless signals (e.g., cellular signals having user data). The wake-up signal receiver may then enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated. However, embedding the wake-up signal in a cellular signal (e.g., having a frequency between 700 megahertz (MHz) and 71 gigahertz (GHz)) may include several drawbacks, such as causing interference with the cellular signal and/or other cellular signals and/or reducing overall spectrum efficiency of a cell or base stations. That is, an increase in traffic of the cell may negatively impact coordination between the wake-up signal receiver and the cell.); wherein the WUS comprises N signal portions, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (Subrahmanya [0031] In some instances, a first set of the active user equipment may utilize a second set of the active user equipment to receive and transfer one or more data sets or portions of the data. In particular, the first set of the active user equipment may cooperate and coordinate to transmit the same data and/or the same data sets. Additionally or alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may not transmit its received data set to other sets of the user equipment and may assemble multiple data sets received from the other sets of the user equipment. The first set of the active user equipment may receive one or more data sets from the second set of the active user equipment. Accordingly, only the first set of the active user equipment may receive all data sets and may reassemble the data from the data sets. Additionally, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit one or more data sets to one or more passive user equipment. Alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit the data to one or more passive user equipment. In some instances, a first passive user equipment may transmit one or more data sets or the data to a second passive user equipment. Additionally, the active user equipment may cooperate to transmit the same data set to one or more base stations simultaneously, concurrently, consecutively, overlapping, separately, and so forth. Moreover, a passive user equipment may transmit the same data set to several active user equipment for transmission to the base stations. In certain instances, the passive user equipment may transmit the same data set sequentially or broadcast concurrently to several active user equipment. [0051] Establishing communication with the wireless communication network may begin with receiving system synchronization signals, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and so forth. The user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and may determine radio frame boundaries based on the synchronization signals. The user equipment may also receive system information transmitted via one or more base stations of the wireless communication network. The primary user equipment may transmit user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment to one or more active user equipment. The user equipment capabilities may include communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, radio frequency bands, carrier frequencies, cell identifiers, radio access technologies, and so forth associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and/or the system information from the wireless communication network based on the user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive a portion of the synchronization signals and/or a portion of the system information. The primary user equipment may receive these portions from the active user equipment and may assemble these portions to form the synchronization signals and/or the system information. [0070] In certain embodiments, any suitable number of active UE 208 may be communicatively coupled with any number of base stations 104. A target UE (e.g., first active UE 208A, first passive UE 210B) may request data from the wireless communication network 102. The group of UE 206 may coordinate and cooperate to transmit the request to the wireless communication network 102. Each active UE 208 may receive the data 204 and/or one or more sets 204A, 204B (e.g., a portion, a subset) of the data from the wireless communication network 102 via base stations 104. The active UEs 208 may transfer the sets of data to other active UEs 208 within the group of user equipment 206. The active UEs 208 may assemble the data based at least in part on the received sets of the data. The group of user equipment 206 may coordinate and cooperate to provide the data to the target UE. Accordingly, the target UE may receive the data and/or the data sets and may assemble the data based on the data sets. [0096] The processor also transmits a wake-up signal to the first user equipment via the device-to-device communication link. The wake-up signal causes the first user equipment to activate a cellular receiver. Each reference signal of the set of reference signals includes a corresponding frequency.).
As per claim 19, Subrahmanya discloses a terminal device (Subrahmanya Fig. 1 and 2), comprising: a processor and a memory (Subrahmanya Fig. 1 and 2), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (Subrahmanya Fig. 1 and 2, [0057,0059]), and the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the terminal device to perform (Subrahmanya Fig. 1 and 2, [0057,0059]): monitoring a wake-up signal (WUS) (Subrahmanya [0041] User equipment may continuously or periodically activate a receiver (e.g., a receiver of a cellular modem) to ensure that wireless (e.g., cellular) signals are received. However, this continuous or periodic activation of the receiver may consume excessive power. Instead, the user equipment may include a wake-up or low power receiver that may consume less power than the cellular receiver as it is lower in complexity (e.g., may not demodulate a received signal, may not amplify a received signal, may not filter a received signal, or so on). If the user equipment is not actively receiving a wireless signal, or not receiving a wireless signal for a threshold period of time, the user equipment may cause the receiver to enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated (e.g., powered off), and activate the wake-up signal receiver. The wake-up signal receiver may then periodically scan for a wireless wake-up signal sent from a wireless (e.g., cellular) network. [0042] Upon receiving the wake-up signal, the wake-up signal receiver may activate or wake up the cellular receiver, which may begin receiving wireless signals (e.g., cellular signals having user data). The wake-up signal receiver may then enter a sleep or power-saving mode, or be deactivated. However, embedding the wake-up signal in a cellular signal (e.g., having a frequency between 700 megahertz (MHz) and 71 gigahertz (GHz)) may include several drawbacks, such as causing interference with the cellular signal and/or other cellular signals and/or reducing overall spectrum efficiency of a cell or base stations. That is, an increase in traffic of the cell may negatively impact coordination between the wake-up signal receiver and the cell.); wherein the WUS comprises N signal portions, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (Subrahmanya [0031] In some instances, a first set of the active user equipment may utilize a second set of the active user equipment to receive and transfer one or more data sets or portions of the data. In particular, the first set of the active user equipment may cooperate and coordinate to transmit the same data and/or the same data sets. Additionally or alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may not transmit its received data set to other sets of the user equipment and may assemble multiple data sets received from the other sets of the user equipment. The first set of the active user equipment may receive one or more data sets from the second set of the active user equipment. Accordingly, only the first set of the active user equipment may receive all data sets and may reassemble the data from the data sets. Additionally, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit one or more data sets to one or more passive user equipment. Alternatively, the first set of the active user equipment may transmit the data to one or more passive user equipment. In some instances, a first passive user equipment may transmit one or more data sets or the data to a second passive user equipment. Additionally, the active user equipment may cooperate to transmit the same data set to one or more base stations simultaneously, concurrently, consecutively, overlapping, separately, and so forth. Moreover, a passive user equipment may transmit the same data set to several active user equipment for transmission to the base stations. In certain instances, the passive user equipment may transmit the same data set sequentially or broadcast concurrently to several active user equipment. [0051] Establishing communication with the wireless communication network may begin with receiving system synchronization signals, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and so forth. The user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and may determine radio frame boundaries based on the synchronization signals. The user equipment may also receive system information transmitted via one or more base stations of the wireless communication network. The primary user equipment may transmit user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment to one or more active user equipment. The user equipment capabilities may include communication capabilities, computing and/or processing capabilities, sensing capabilities, radio frequency bands, carrier frequencies, cell identifiers, radio access technologies, and so forth associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive the synchronization signals and/or the system information from the wireless communication network based on the user equipment capabilities associated with the primary user equipment. The active user equipment may receive a portion of the synchronization signals and/or a portion of the system information. The primary user equipment may receive these portions from the active user equipment and may assemble these portions to form the synchronization signals and/or the system information. [0070] In certain embodiments, any suitable number of active UE 208 may be communicatively coupled with any number of base stations 104. A target UE (e.g., first active UE 208A, first passive UE 210B) may request data from the wireless communication network 102. The group of UE 206 may coordinate and cooperate to transmit the request to the wireless communication network 102. Each active UE 208 may receive the data 204 and/or one or more sets 204A, 204B (e.g., a portion, a subset) of the data from the wireless communication network 102 via base stations 104. The active UEs 208 may transfer the sets of data to other active UEs 208 within the group of user equipment 206. The active UEs 208 may assemble the data based at least in part on the received sets of the data. The group of user equipment 206 may coordinate and cooperate to provide the data to the target UE. Accordingly, the target UE may receive the data and/or the data sets and may assemble the data based on the data sets. [0096] The processor also transmits a wake-up signal to the first user equipment via the device-to-device communication link. The wake-up signal causes the first user equipment to activate a cellular receiver. Each reference signal of the set of reference signals includes a corresponding frequency.).
As per claim 20, Subrahmanya discloses a network device (Subrahmanya Fig. 3), comprising: a processor and a memory (Subrahmanya Fig. 3, [0057,0059,0067,0147]), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (Subrahmanya Fig. 3, [0057,0059,0067,0147]), and the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the network device to perform the method of claim 18 (See claim 18 and Subrahmanya Fig. 3, [0057,0059,0067,0147]).
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) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Subrahmanya as applied to claims 1-6 and 18-20 above, and further in view of US 20200029302 A1 to Cox et al. (hereinafter “Cox”).
As per claim 11, Subrahmanya discloses the method of claim 1, wherein different signal portions in the N signal portions use a same symbol length; or at least one signal portion in the N signal portions and other signal portions use different symbol lengths.
Subrahmanya may not explicitly disclose, but Cox, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein different signal portions in the N signal portions use a same symbol length (Cox Figs. 10 and 11); or at least one signal portion in the N signal portions and other signal portions use different symbol lengths (Cox Figs. 10 and 11). The purpose of Cox is to improve WUS efficiency (Cox [0127]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cox with Subrahmanya, to improve WUS efficiency (Cox [0127]).
As per claim 12, Subrahmanya and Cox discloses the method of claim 11, wherein a relationship between the different symbol lengths is preset, or is configured by a network device.
Subrahmanya may not explicitly disclose, but Cox, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein a relationship between the different symbol lengths is preset (Cox Figs. 10 and 11), or is configured by a network device (Cox Figs. 10 and 11). The purpose of Cox is to improve WUS efficiency (Cox [0127]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cox with Subrahmanya, to improve WUS efficiency (Cox [0127]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 13-17 are 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7161. The examiner can normally be reached Flex.
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FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2476
/FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
Prosecution Insights