DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Chinese Application No. 202210475915.2, filed on April 29, 2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on April 21, 2025 and July 2, 2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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)(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 1-17, 27, 34 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Byun et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20160174149 A1 (hereinafter Byun).
Regarding Claim 1, Byun discloses an information transmission method, comprising: transmitting, by a first network node, first information to at least one second network node (e.g., ¶ [0016] [0090] [0092] method of a first base station to transmit an idle state switching request message to a second base station and transmission of a Coverage Compensation Request Message to a compensation base station), wherein the first information indicates the energy-saving state level information of the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0019] the Coverage Compensation Request Message includes Load information of the first base station, Coverage information of the first base station, and information notifying that the first base station is capable of being switched to the Idle state; e.g., ¶ [0078] [0094] [0095] In the Signaling based approach, saving base station may decide to turn its power off or to shift to an Idle or Dormant state when its cell load is maintained at or below a threshold for a predetermined period of time), or instructs the at least one second network node to enter an energy-saving state and indicates the energy-saving state level information of the second network node (e.g., ¶ [0018] [0090] [0091] [0106] [0107] the first base station transmits an Idle State Switching Request Message to the second base station, wherein the message triggers the other saving base stations to be switched to the idle state, and the first base station is capable of triggering, deciding and indicating idle state switching).
Regarding Claim 2, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses further comprising: in a case that the first network node receives energy-saving state level information from a third network node, performing coverage compensation operations based on the energy-saving state level information of the third network node (e.g., ¶ [0017] compensation base stations are capable of compensating for coverage of a saving base station); wherein the coverage compensation operation includes covering areas that are not covered by signals from the third network node (e.g., ¶ [0081] [0082] [0093] [0103] [0105] compensation base station determines whether it can perform coverage compensation of the first base station and may compensate for the coverage area serviced by the saving base station).
Regarding Claim 3, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses further comprising: transmitting first energy-saving state level change information to at least one second network node when the energy-saving state level information of the first network node is changed (e.g., ¶ [0016] idle state switching indication message; e.g., ¶ [0100]-[0106] [0126]-[0132] [following the process of FIGS. 6 and 7] as a response to the Idle State Switching Request Message transmitted to the second base station, the first base station may receive an Idle State Switching Response Message from the second base station, and, as a response to the Coverage Compensation Request Message transmitted to the compensation base station in step S602, the first base station may receive a Coverage Compensation Response Message from the compensation base station, and decide whether the first and second base stations are to switch to the Idle state).
Regarding Claim 4, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 3.
Byun discloses further comprising: determining that the energy-saving state level information of the first network node is changed when the energy-saving condition met by the first network node is changed (e.g., ¶ [0020] Idle State Switching Request Message and the Coverage Compensation Request Message are transmitted when load of the first base station is maintained equal to or below predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period of time; e.g., ¶ [0078] In the Signaling based approach, the saving base station verifies its Cell load information, and, in case the Cell load is maintained at a predetermined threshold value or below for a predetermined period of time, the saving base station may decide to turn its power off or to shift to an Idle or Dormant state).
Regarding Claim 5, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 3.
Byun discloses further comprising: receiving first response information corresponding to the first energy-saving state level change information (e.g., ¶ [0016] receipt of a Coverage Compensation Response Message and an idle state switching response message; e.g., ¶ [0021] Coverage Compensation Response Message includes a result of whether to decide the coverage compensation of the first station, wherein the result of whether to decide the coverage compensation of the first station is decided based upon whether or not the coverage of the compensation base station is capable of compensating for the coverage of the first base station; e.g., ¶ [0100]-[0103] [0126][0127] Idle State Switching Response Message may include information of the presence or absence of coverage compensation received from the linked compensation base station).
Regarding Claim 6, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses further comprising: transmitting second energy-saving state level change information to the second network node when the energy-saving condition met by the second network node is changed (e.g., ¶ [0016] [0090] first base station transmits an Idle State Switching Request Message to the second base station; e.g., ¶ [0018] [0107] [0115] [0116] the first base station may trigger idle state switching respective to one or more saving base stations within the compensation group).
Regarding Claim 7, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 6.
Byun discloses further comprising: receiving second response information corresponding to the second energy-saving state level change information (e.g., ¶ [0016] receipt of a Coverage Compensation Response Message and an idle state switching response message; e.g.,¶ [0115] [0116] the first base station may trigger idle state switching respective to one or more saving base stations [i.e., corresponding to second change information] within the compensation group).
Regarding Claim 8, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses wherein at least one of the first network node and the second network node is a distributed network node (e.g., ¶ [0069] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 respectively illustrate environment having a single coverage compensation base station and multiple coverage compensation base stations to which the present invention can be applied; e.g., ¶ [0072] Based upon the distribution of the two types of base stations, two different scenarios may be divided as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 4 corresponds to a case when Cell 1 to Cell 3 are compensation base stations and when Cell 4 to Cell 6 are Saving base stations, and FIG. 5 corresponds to a case when Cell 1 to Cell 3 are Saving base stations and when Cell 4 to Cell 6 are compensation base stations).
Regarding Claim 9, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses further comprising: receiving third response information corresponding to the first information (e.g., ¶ [0007] [0010] [0070], [0071] [0078] [0081] [0082] [0085] [0108] [0136] different operating and reduced-power states of a base station [each state information is being interpreted as a different response]).
Regarding Claim 10, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 4.
Byun discloses wherein the energy-saving conditions relate to at least one of the following: service load; energy-saving strategy; or, service transmission information (e.g., ¶ (e.g., ¶ [0020] Idle State Switching Request Message and the Coverage Compensation Request Message are transmitted when load of the first base station is maintained equal to or below predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period of time; e.g., ¶ [0078] In the Signaling based approach, the saving base station verifies its Cell load information, and, in case the Cell load is maintained at a predetermined threshold value or below for a predetermined period of time, the saving base station may decide to turn its power off or to shift to an Idle or Dormant state).
Regarding Claim 11, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 1.
Byun discloses wherein the level information includes one of the following: a first level energy-saving state where all devices of the network node is in an active or working state; a second level energy-saving state where a first portion of devices of the network node is off or in sleep mode, the number of the first portion of devices being less than a first preset threshold; a third level energy-saving state where a second portion of devices of the network node is off or in sleep mode, the number of the second portion of devices being greater than or equal to the first preset threshold and less than a second preset threshold; a fourth level energy-saving state where a third portion of devices of the network node is off or in sleep mode, the number of the third portion of devices being greater than or equal to the second preset threshold and less than a third preset threshold; a fifth level energy-saving state where the cell associated with the network node is in a listening state; or, a sixth level energy-saving state where all devices of the network node are off or in a sleep state (e.g., ¶ [0081] [0092]-[0094] [0100]-[0103] [0122]-[0125] compensation base station receives a Coverage Compensation Request Message, determines whether it can compensate for the coverage of the saving base station, and transmits a Coverage Compensation Response Message [broadly interpreted that any of the disclosed determination of coverage compensation may be applied as a saving state, which compensates stations in one or more supported states).
Regarding Claim 12, Byun discloses an information transmission method, comprising: receiving, by a second network node, first information transmitted by the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0016] [0090] [0092] method of a first base station to transmit an idle state switching request message to a second base station and transmission of a Coverage Compensation Request Message to a compensation base station), where the first information is used to indicate the energy-saving state level information of the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0019] the Coverage Compensation Request Message includes Load information of the first base station, Coverage information of the first base station, and information notifying that the first base station is capable of being switched to the Idle state; e.g., ¶ [0078] [0094] [0095] In the Signaling based approach, saving base station may decide to turn its power off or to shift to an Idle or Dormant state when its cell load is maintained at or below a threshold for a predetermined period of time), or instructs at least one second network node to enter an energy-saving state and indicates the energy-saving state level information (e.g., ¶ [0018] [0090] [0091] [0106] [0107] the first base station transmits an Idle State Switching Request Message to the second base station, wherein the message triggers the other saving base stations to be switched to the idle state, and the first base station is capable of triggering, deciding and indicating idle state switching).
.
Regarding Claim 13, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 12.
Byun discloses wherein after the second network node receives the first information transmitted by the first network node, the method further comprises: performing coverage compensation operations by the second network node based on the energy-saving state level information of the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0017] compensation base stations are capable of compensating for coverage of a saving base station); wherein the coverage compensation operation includes covering areas that are not covered by signals from the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0081] [0082] [0093] [0103] [0105] compensation base station determines whether it can perform coverage compensation of the first base station and may compensate for the coverage area serviced by the saving base station).
Regarding Claim 14, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 12.
Byun discloses further comprising: receiving first energy-saving state level change information transmitted by the first network node, wherein the first energy-saving state level change information indicates a change in the energy-saving state level information of the first network node (e.g., ¶ [0016] idle state switching indication message; e.g., ¶ [0100]-[0106] [0126]-[0132] [following the process of FIGS. 6 and 7] as a response to the Idle State Switching Request Message transmitted to the second base station, the first base station may receive an Idle State Switching Response Message from the second base station, and, as a response to the Coverage Compensation Request Message transmitted to the compensation base station in step S602, the first base station may receive a Coverage Compensation Response Message from the compensation base station, and decide whether the first and second base stations are to switch to the Idle state); or, receiving second energy-saving state level change information transmitted by the first network node, and switching between different levels of energy-saving states based on the second energy-saving state level change information (e.g., ¶ [0016] [0090] first base station transmits an Idle State Switching Request Message to the second base station; e.g., ¶ [0018] [0107] [0115] [0116] the first base station may trigger idle state switching respective to one or more saving base stations within the compensation group).
Regarding Claim 15, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 14.
Byun discloses further comprising: transmitting first response information corresponding to the first energy-saving state level change information (e.g., ¶ [0016] receipt of a Coverage Compensation Response Message and an idle state switching response message; e.g., ¶ [0021] Coverage Compensation Response Message includes a result of whether to decide the coverage compensation of the first station, wherein the result of whether to decide the coverage compensation of the first station is decided based upon whether or not the coverage of the compensation base station is capable of compensating for the coverage of the first base station; e.g., ¶ [0100]-[0103] [0126][0127] Idle State Switching Response Message may include information of the presence or absence of coverage compensation received from the linked compensation base station); or, transmitting second response information corresponding to the second energy-saving state level change information (e.g., ¶ [0016] receipt of a Coverage Compensation Response Message and an idle state switching response message; e.g.,¶ [0115] [0116] the first base station may trigger idle state switching respective to one or more saving base stations [i.e., corresponding to second change information] within the compensation group).
Regarding Claim 16, Byun discloses all the limitations of the information transmission method according to claim 12.
Byun discloses wherein after the second network node receives the first information transmitted by the first network node, the method further comprises: transmitting third response information corresponding to the first information (e.g., ¶ [0007] [0010] [0070], [0071] [0078] [0081] [0082] [0085] [0108] [0136] different operating and reduced-power states of a base station [each state information is being interpreted as a different response]).
Regarding Claim 17, Byun discloses an information transmission device, applied to the first network node (e.g., FIG. 9, base station 200 [which may communicate with another base station (e.g., ¶ [0152])]), comprising a memory, a transceiver and a processor (e.g., ¶ [0154] Radio Frequency unit (210) including a transmitter (211) and a receiver (212), a processor (220), and a memory (230)), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (e.g., ¶ [0162]), the transceiver is configured to transmit and receive data under the control of the processor (e.g., ¶ [0159]), and the processor is configured to read the computer program in the memory to implement operational steps that are functionally similar to those performed by the first network node in the method of claim 1. Therefore, the reasoning used in the examination of claim 1 shall be applied to claim 17.
Regarding Claim 27, the claim is directed to an information transmission device, applied to the first network node, configured in an operationally similar way to the information transmission device of Claim 17, to implement operational steps that are functionally similar to those performed by the first network node in the method of claim 1. Therefore, the reasoning used in the examination of claims 1 and 17 shall be applied to claim 27.
Regarding Claim 34, Byun discloses a processor readable storage medium storing a computer program (e.g., ¶ [0166]), wherein the computer program is configured to execute operational steps that are functionally similar to those performed by the first network node in the method according to claim 1. Therefore, the reasoning used in the examination of claim 1 shall be applied to claim 34.
Regarding Claim 35, Byun discloses a processor readable storage medium storing a computer program (e.g., ¶ [0166]), wherein the computer program is configured to execute operational steps that are functionally similar to those performed by the first network node in the method according to claim 12. Therefore, the reasoning used in the examination of claim 12 shall be applied to claim 35.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References considered relevant to this application are listed in the attached "Notice of References Cited” (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV whose telephone number is (571)272-0549. The examiner can normally be reached Monday--Friday (9-5).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached at (571) 272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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