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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) was/were submitted on 10/30/2024 and 05/28/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
The present Office Action is based upon the original patent application filed on 09/30/2024 as modified by the preliminary amendment filed on 03/06/2025.
Claim(s) 21-40 are now pending in the present application.
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.
(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) 21, 24, 28, 31, 35, and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ma et al. (US 2024/0236858 A1), hereinafter referred to as Ma.
Regarding claim 21, Ma teaches: A method ( see ¶[0005] This document relates to methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication, and more specifically, for transmitting and receiving signal for power management ), comprising:
receiving, by a first access network device, first information from a terminal device ( see ¶[0006], The method includes transmitting, by a user equipment (UE) to a base station, a reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; ¶[0007] ); and
determining, by the first access network device based on the first information ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation), whether to adjust a working status of the first access network device, wherein the working status comprises a sleep mode ( see ¶[0043], the information comprises at least one of the following: an indication which is used to indicate a power state; a power state transition indication; a wake up indication; a set of measurement results; or assistance information; ¶[0045] the power state comprises a first power state, wherein the first power state comprises at least one of the following: turning on at least one of the elements; turning on at least one of the components of at least one of elements; increasing transmission of a given reference signal; increasing transmission of a pre-determined data; increasing a configuration of at least one of elements; or keeping an element on current state; ¶[0211]- ¶[0213]; ¶[0220]-¶[0224]) or a receiving and demodulation state.
Regarding claim 24, Ma teaches: The method according to claim 21, further comprising: in response to the first access network device determining to adjust the working status of the first access network device, performing any of the following ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation; ¶[0220]- ¶[0224]):
modifying, by the first access network device, the sleep mode of the first access network device based on the first information ( see ¶[0211] A base station (e.g., gNB) may receive the information carried by a data or/and reference signal from the UE; and/or the gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to at least one of the following, ¶[0212], The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to the network receiving X indication from UE to indicate a state (mode) transition, where X≥1 or X/N≥p. N is the number of UEs in one cell, p≤1, and/or X is the number of UEs in the same power consumption state., ¶[0213] The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to UE assistance information in the information);
modifying, by the first access network device, the receiving and demodulation state of the first access network device based on the first information;
switching, by the first access network device, from the receiving and demodulation state to the sleep mode based on the first information; or
switching, by the first access network device, from the sleep mode to the receiving and demodulation state based on the first information.
(Note: The limitations of claim 24 are written in the alternative “or”. Therefore, it is sufficient to show that the applied reference teaches one of the alternative limitations )
Regarding claim 28, Ma teaches: A communication apparatus (see FIG. 2 a network node; ¶[0013]; ¶[0035] ), comprising: one or more processors (Processor(s) 221) configured to run instructions in a memory (Memories 222), wherein running the instructions enables the apparatus to ( ¶[0009], a device for wireless communication may include a memory storing instructions and a processing circuitry in communication with the memory. When the processing circuitry executes the instructions, the processing circuitry is configured to carry out the above methods; ¶[0036] System circuitry 204 may include processor(s) 221 and/or memory 222. Memory 222 may include an operating system 224, instructions 226, and parameters 228. Instructions 226 may be configured for the one or more of the processors 124 to perform the functions of the network node. The parameters 228 may include parameters to support execution of the instructions 226 ):
receive first information from a terminal device ( see ¶[0006], The method includes transmitting, by a user equipment (UE) to a base station, a reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; ¶[0007] ); and
determine, based on the first information ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation), whether to adjust a working status of a first access network device, wherein the working status comprises a sleep mode ( see ¶[0043], the information comprises at least one of the following: an indication which is used to indicate a power state; a power state transition indication; a wake up indication; a set of measurement results; or assistance information; ¶[0045] the power state comprises a first power state, wherein the first power state comprises at least one of the following: turning on at least one of the elements; turning on at least one of the components of at least one of elements; increasing transmission of a given reference signal; increasing transmission of a pre-determined data; increasing a configuration of at least one of elements; or keeping an element on current state; ¶[0211]- ¶[0213]; ¶[0220]-¶[0224]) or a receiving and demodulation state.
Regarding claim 31, Ma teaches: The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein running the instructions further enables the apparatus to: in response to the first access network device determining to adjust the working status of the first access network device, performing any of the following ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation; ¶[0220]- ¶[0224]):
modifying the sleep mode of the first access network device based on the first information ( see ¶[0211] A base station (e.g., gNB) may receive the information carried by a data or/and reference signal from the UE; and/or the gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to at least one of the following, ¶[0212], The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to the network receiving X indication from UE to indicate a state (mode) transition, where X≥1 or X/N≥p. N is the number of UEs in one cell, p≤1, and/or X is the number of UEs in the same power consumption state., ¶[0213] The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to UE assistance information in the information);
modifying the receiving and demodulation state of the first access network device based on the first information;
switching from the receiving and demodulation state to the sleep mode based on the first information; or
switching from the sleep mode to the receiving and demodulation state based on the first information.
(Note: The limitations of claim 31 are written in the alternative “or”. Therefore, it is sufficient to show that the applied reference teaches one of the alternative limitations )
Regarding claim 35, Ma teaches: A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a computer, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium is applied to a first communication apparatus ( see ¶[0010] a computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the above methods), and the instructions comprise instructions for:
receiving first information from a terminal device ( see ¶[0006], The method includes transmitting, by a user equipment (UE) to a base station, a reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; ¶[0007] ); and
determining, based on the first information ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation), whether to adjust a working status of a first access network device, wherein the working status comprises a sleep mode ( see ¶[0043], the information comprises at least one of the following: an indication which is used to indicate a power state; a power state transition indication; a wake up indication; a set of measurement results; or assistance information; ¶[0045] the power state comprises a first power state, wherein the first power state comprises at least one of the following: turning on at least one of the elements; turning on at least one of the components of at least one of elements; increasing transmission of a given reference signal; increasing transmission of a pre-determined data; increasing a configuration of at least one of elements; or keeping an element on current state; ¶[0211]- ¶[0213]; ¶[0220]-¶[0224]) or a receiving and demodulation state.
Regarding claim 38, Ma teaches: The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for: in response to the first access network device determining to adjust the working status of the first access network device, performing any of the following ( see ¶[0007] The method includes receiving, by a base station from a user equipment (UE), an initial reference signal or a channel, wherein the initial reference signal or the channel is used for measurement or used to carry first information; and performing, by the base station, at least one of a measurement operation or a power state related operation; ¶[0220]- ¶[0224]):
modifying the sleep mode of the first access network device based on the first information ( see ¶[0211] A base station (e.g., gNB) may receive the information carried by a data or/and reference signal from the UE; and/or the gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to at least one of the following, ¶[0212], The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to the network receiving X indication from UE to indicate a state (mode) transition, where X≥1 or X/N≥p. N is the number of UEs in one cell, p≤1, and/or X is the number of UEs in the same power consumption state., ¶[0213] The gNB may perform the state (mode) transition operation according to UE assistance information in the information);
modifying the receiving and demodulation state of the first access network device based on the first information;
switching from the receiving and demodulation state to the sleep mode based on the first information; or
switching from the sleep mode to the receiving and demodulation state based on the first information.
(Note: The limitations of claim 38 are written in the alternative “or”. Therefore, it is sufficient to show that the applied reference teaches one of the alternative limitations )
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.
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) 25-26, 32-33, and 39-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma as applied to claims 21, 24, 28, 31, 35, and 38 above, and further in view of Salem et al. (US 2020/0389916 A1), hereinafter referred to as Salem.
Regarding claim 25, Ma teaches the method according to claim 21. Ma however, fails to explicitly teach information related to: sending, by the first access network device, configuration information to the terminal device, wherein the configuration information is used to configure a configured grant (CG) resource for uplink transmission; and wherein receiving, by the first access network device, the first information from the terminal device comprises: receiving, by the first access network device, the first information from the terminal device before a time domain location of the to-be-used CG resource of the terminal device arrives.
However, Salem, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches (see claim 9, A method for a base station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: transmitting, by the base station, configured grant (CG) resource configuration information to an electronic device (ED) to configure the ED for CG uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum, the CG resource configuration information comprising: an indication of a CG time domain resource duration within a period of a CG time domain resource; and an indication of a periodicity of the CG time domain resource; and receiving, by the base station, the CG uplink transmission over the unlicensed spectrum in accordance with the CG resource configuration information; ¶[0007]; ¶[0167]; ¶[0192]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ma's teachings with Salem's above teaching in order to mitigate excess latency and improve the spectrum efficiency ( see ¶[0072] ). Known work in one field of endeavor (Salem prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or different one (Ma prior art) based on design incentives ( mitigate excess latency and improve the spectrum efficiency ) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 26, the combination teaches: The method according to claim 25, further comprising: receiving, by the first access network device, indication information from the terminal device, wherein the indication information indicates a first time-frequency resource, and the first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource that is in the to-be-used CG resource and that is to be used by the terminal device to perform uplink transmission (see claim 9, A method for a base station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: transmitting, by the base station, configured grant (CG) resource configuration information to an electronic device (ED) to configure the ED for CG uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum, the CG resource configuration information comprising: an indication of a CG time domain resource duration within a period of a CG time domain resource; and an indication of a periodicity of the CG time domain resource; and receiving, by the base station, the CG uplink transmission over the unlicensed spectrum in accordance with the CG resource configuration information; ¶[0007]; ¶[0167]; ¶[0192] ).
Claims 32 and 39 recite similar limitations of claim 25 and are thus rejected under the similar rationale.
Claims 33 and 40 recite similar limitations of claim 26 and are thus rejected under the similar rationale.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 22-23, 27, 29-30, 34, and 36-37 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Islam et al. (US 2019/0059056 A1) discloses transmission of a wakeup signal through millimeter wave (mmW) and sub-6 GHz bands
Lin et al. (US 2016/0234713 A1) discloses information transmission method, apparatus, and system
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANG BOI THAWNG whose telephone number is (703)756-4751. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/MANG BOI THAWNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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