DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the 371 application entering national stage from PCT/CN2023/095730 filed on 5/23/2023. Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application CN202210682185.3 filed on 6/15/2022. Claims 1-17 and 21 are pending and ready for examination.
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 § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-6, 9-11 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (WO 2019/179261 A1; provided in Applicant’s IDS dated 5/26/2026, hereinafter Wu. English translation is provided).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a data transmission method, applied to a first communication node, comprising: detecting a first signal [Wu discloses that a network device configures a wakeup signal (WUS) for the terminal and the terminal may detect the WUS in the physical channel. WUS is also referred to as an early indication signal (Wu paragraph 0039)]; and
Receiving a preamble information block according to a detection result of the first signal, wherein the preamble information block comprises at least one of: a synchronization system message block, a synchronization signal, a primary system message bearer channel, a secondary system message bearer channel, a first reference signal, or a second signal [Wu discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045). If the early indication signal is QCL with the target signal, the target signal is received according to the QCL parameter (Wu paragraphs 0050-0051). Thus, a preamble information block (e.g. SSB) is received according to a detection result of the first signal (i.e. early indication signal or WUS)].
Regarding claim 2, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 1. Wu further discloses wherein receiving the preamble information block according to the detection result of the first signal comprises: in response to the first signal being detected, receiving the preamble information block according to first information, wherein the first information is used to determine a receiving position of the preamble information block [Wu discloses that when the target signal is an SSB, a QCL relationship between an early indication signal and an SSB corresponding to an SSB resource index is indicated through system information, RRC, MAC-CE, or DCI (Wu paragraph 0054); indicating a first information (i.e. resource index) which can be used to determine a position of the information block (i.e. SSB)].
Regarding claim 4, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 1. Wu further discloses wherein receiving the preamble information block according to the detection result of the first signal comprises: in response to the first signal being detected, receiving the preamble information block, wherein a mapping relationship between the first signal and the preamble information block is predefined [Wu discloses that a network device configures a wakeup signal (WUS) for the terminal and the terminal may detect the WUS (e.g. early indication signal) in the physical channel. (Wu paragraph 0039). Wu further discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045). A QCL relationship between an early indication signal and an SSB corresponding to an SSB resource index number (index) is indicated through system information, RRC dedicated signaling, MAC-CE, or DCI (Wu paragraph 0054); indicating a mapping relationship between the first signal and the preamble information block].
Regarding claim 5, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 4. Wu further discloses wherein the mapping relationship between the first signal and the preamble information block comprises at least one of: a mapping relationship between an index of the first signal and a frequency domain position of the preamble information block, a mapping relationship between an index of the first signal and a time domain position of the preamble information block, a mapping relationship between an index of the first signal and a time-frequency domain position of the preamble information block, a mapping relationship between a frequency domain position where the first signal is detected and a frequency domain position of the preamble information block, a mapping relationship between a frequency domain position where the first signal is detected and a time-frequency domain position of the preamble information block, a mapping relationship between a time domain position where the first signal is detected and a time domain position of the preamble information block, or a mapping relationship between a time domain position where the first signal is detected and a time-frequency domain position of the preamble information block [Wu discloses that a QCL relationship between the early indication signal and the target signal is based on a relationship between the first transmission resource (used for an early indication signal) and the second transmission resource (used for the target signal) (Wu paragraph 0057). The QCL relationship is met when the time and/or frequency resource location between the early indication signal and a certain SSB meets a certain condition (Wu paragraph 0048). Wu further discloses examples where the first transmission resource and the second transmission resource are spaced apart by a preset time interval, it is determined that the early indication signal is quasi co-located with the target signal (Wu paragraph 0060). Also, when the frequency interval between the first transmission resource and the second transmission resource is less than a preset threshold, it is determined that the early indication signal is quasi co-located with the target signal (Wu paragraph 0063). This indicates a mapping relationship between a time/frequency domain position where the first signal is detected and a time/frequency domain position of the preamble information block].
Regarding claim 6, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 1. Wu further discloses wherein the first signal comprises at least one of: a binary amplitude keying signal or a signal composed of at least one sequence [Wu discloses that the early indication signal (including WUS) may include an OOK (on-off keying), a sequence, a payload a sequence plus load (Wu paragraphs 0040-0041)].
Regarding claim 9, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 1. Wu further discloses wherein receiving the preamble information block according to the detection result of the first signal comprises: in response to the first signal being detected and the preamble information block comprising the second signal, detecting the second signal and receiving at least one of a channel or a signal other than the second signal in the preamble information block according to a detection result of the second signal [Wu discloses that that target signal includes a SS, a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink channel. The physical downlink channel includes a PDCCH or a PDSCH, and a signal carried in the physical downlink control channel includes a signal carried in a PDCCH, for example, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of a PDCCH and a PDCCH, and a signal carried in the PDSCH, for example, a DMRS of a PDSCH and a PDSCH (Wu paragraph 0045). Thus, a second signal is detected and the target signal may also include a channel or a DMRS (i.e. a channel or a signal other than the second signal)].
Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses a data transmission method, applied to a second communication node, comprising: sending a first signal, wherein the first signal is used to indicate sending of a preamble information block [Wu discloses that a network device configures a wakeup signal (WUS) for the terminal and the terminal may detect the WUS in the physical channel. WUS is also referred to as an early indication signal (Wu paragraph 0039). Wu further discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045). Thus, the WUS is used to indicate sending a preamble information block (e.g. SSB)]; and
Sending the preamble information block, wherein the preamble information block comprises at least one of a synchronization system message block, a synchronization signal, a primary system message bearer channel, a secondary system message bearer channel, a first reference signal, or a second signal [Wu discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0034). Thus, a preamble information block is sent which may include SSB].
Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 10. Wu further discloses wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization system message block, sending the preamble information block comprises: sending the synchronization system message block with a first time unit as a period [Wu discloses that a quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045). Wu further discloses that when the target signal is an SSB, the time interval between the WUS and the SSB is T1 (Wu paragraph 0060). In another example there may be a fixed time offset between the WUS and the SSB (Wu paragraph 0061). This indicates sending the synchronization system message block with a first time unit as a period].
Regarding claim 21, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 10. Wu further discloses wherein in response to the preamble information block comprises the second signal, sending the preamble information block comprises one of: first sending the second signal and then sending at least one of a channel or a signal other than the second signal in the preamble information block [Wu discloses that that target signal includes a SS, a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink channel. The physical downlink channel includes a PDCCH or a PDSCH, and a signal carried in the physical downlink control channel includes a signal carried in a PDCCH, for example, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of a PDCCH and a PDCCH, and a signal carried in the PDSCH, for example, a DMRS of a PDSCH and a PDSCH (Wu paragraph 0045). Thus, a second signal is detected and the target signal may also include a channel or a DMRS (i.e. a channel or a signal other than the second signal)]; in response to the first signal indicating that a cell state is on, first sending the second signal, and then sending at least one of a channel or a signal other than the second signal in the preamble information block; or in response to the first signal indicating that a cell state is off, and not sending the preamble information block.
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Miao et al. (US 2021/0400584, hereinafter Miao).
Regarding claim 3, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 2. Wu further discloses wherein the first information comprises: a frequency domain position where the first signal is detected, a time domain position where the first signal is detected, frequency domain position indication information carried by the first signal, time domain position indication information carried by the first signal, and index information corresponding to the first signal [Wu discloses that when the target signal is an SSB, a QCL relationship between an early indication signal and an SSB corresponding to an SSB resource index is indicated through system information, RRC, MAC-CE, or DCI (Wu paragraph 0054)].
Wu does not expressly disclose the features of wherein the first information comprises: a frequency domain position where the first signal is detected, a time domain position where the first signal is detected, frequency domain position indication information carried by the first signal, time domain position indication information carried by the first signal.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Miao discloses an example where the resource set for the WUS may comprise one or more of a starting position in frequency of the resource set, a bandwidth part (BWP) of the resource set, a density of the resource set, a bitmap of a frequency-domain location of the resource set, a higher-layer parameter of a time-domain location, one or more antenna ports for transmission of the WUS, one or more slot indices of the resource set, or one or more symbol indices of the resource set (Miao paragraph 0147).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu to have the features of wherein the first information comprises: a frequency domain position where the first signal is detected, a time domain position where the first signal is detected, frequency domain position indication information carried by the first signal, time domain position indication information carried by the first signal; as taught by Miao. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow configuration of power saving for dynamic adaptation of different data arrival (Miao paragraph 0021).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Sun et al. (US 2024/0008140, hereinafter Sun).
Regarding claim 7, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 1. Wu further discloses wherein receiving the preamble information block according to the detection result of the first signal comprises: in response to the first signal being detected, receiving the preamble information block [Wu discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045)] and determining that the preamble information block is sent periodically.
Wu does not expressly disclose the feature of determining that the preamble information block is sent periodically.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Sun discloses that synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) may be transmitted with a periodicity when a DRX wake up or a connected DRX wake up is greater than a predetermined duration (Sun paragraph 0005).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu to have the feature of determining that the preamble information block is sent periodically; as taught by Sun. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow a UE to safely combine the timing and frequency error estimates from multiple SSBs to improve the estimation accuracy (Sun paragraph 0037).
Regarding claim 8, Wu and Sun disclose the data transmission method according to claim 7. Wu and Sun further disclose wherein receiving the preamble information block and determining that the preamble information block is sent periodically comprise at least one of: in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization system message block, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization system message block is sent periodically [Wu discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045). Sun discloses that synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) may be transmitted with a periodicity when a DRX wake up or a connected DRX wake up is greater than a predetermined duration (Sun paragraph 0005)];
In response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel are sent periodically in sequence; in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel are sent at a same period; in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel are sent periodically in sequence; in response to the preamble information block comprises the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel are sent at a same period; in response to the preamble information block comprises the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block are sent periodically in sequence; in response to the preamble information block comprises the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block are sent at a same period; in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel are sent periodically in sequence; in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that after the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel are sent at a same period, the secondary system message bearer channel is sent periodically; or in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel, receiving the preamble information block and determining that the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel are sent at a same period.
In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 7.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Yang (US 2023/0180023).
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses the data transmission method according to claim 10. Wu further discloses that wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the first reference signal [Wu discloses that when the early indication signal carries the WUS sequence, if the terminal detects the WUS sequence, it is determined that the PDCCH detection needs to be performed in the next DRX cycle (Wu paragraph 0041). A quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between the early indication signal and a target signal is determined (Wu paragraph 0043). The target signal may include a synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), a CSI-RS, a paging occasion, or a signal carried in a physical downlink control channel (e.g. PDCCH or PDSCH) (WU paragraph 0045)], sending the preamble information block comprises: sending the first reference signal with a sixteenth time unit as a period.
Wu does not expressly disclose the feature of sending the preamble information block comprises: sending the first reference signal with a sixteenth time unit as a period.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Yang discloses that when an indication information may be used to indicate beam switching or beam updating of a channel or a reference signal, the transmission may start at a time location which may be a sixteenth time location at which the network device sends the indication information (see Yang paragraphs 0138-0141).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu to have the feature of sending the preamble information block comprises: sending the first reference signal with a sixteenth time unit as a period; as taught by Yang. The suggestion/motivation would have been to improve system performance and user experience (Yang paragraphs 0004, 0279).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-16 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.
Claim 12 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel, sending the preamble information block comprises one of: first sending the synchronization system message block with a first time unit as a period, then sending the secondary system message bearer channel with a second time unit as a period; or sending the synchronization system message block and the secondary system message bearer channel with a third time unit as a period; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 13 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel, sending the preamble information block comprises at least one of: first sending the synchronization signal with a fourth time unit as a period, then sending the primary system message bearer channel with a fifth time unit as a period; or sending the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel with a sixth time unit as a period; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 14 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block, sending the preamble information block comprises at least one of: first sending the synchronization signal with a seventh time unit as a period, then sending the synchronization system message block with an eighth time unit as a period; or sending the synchronization signal and the synchronization system message block with a ninth time unit as a period; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 15 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein, in response to the preamble information block comprising the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel, sending the preamble information block comprises at least one of: first sending the synchronization signal with a tenth time unit as a period and then sending the primary system message bearer channel with an eleventh time unit as a period, finally sending the secondary system message bearer channel with a twelfth time unit as a period; first sending the synchronization signal and the primary system message bearer channel with a thirteenth time unit as a period, then sending the secondary system message bearer channel with a fourteenth time unit as a period; or sending the synchronization signal, the primary system message bearer channel, and the secondary system message bearer channel with a fifteenth time unit as a period; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/SAUMIT SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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