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 .
This Office Action is in response to initial filing on 11/13/2024.
Claim 1-20 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 11/13/2024. These drawings are reviewed and accepted by the Examiner.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/13/2024 and 05/13/2025 IDS Considered are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Åström et al (US 20190342833) in view of Gupta et al (US 20230180130).
Regarding claim 1, Åström discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (i.e., wireless device 14, and [0008] includes a method performed by a wireless device ) in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving ([0006] a wireless device … receiving a wake-up signal), [via higher layer signaling], a configuration of a first number of paging occasions (POs) ([0006] a wireless device with a wake-up receiver, receiving a wake-up signal; [0060] signaling between a wireless device and a wireless communication network indicating or otherwise concerning the wireless device's wake-up receiver capability. [0067] the radio network node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions whether the device has a wake-up receiver; [0069] configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that accounts for whether the device has a wake-up receiver ) [for a paging frame (PF)], the first number of POs ([0067] FIG. 2A, the radio network node configures the wireless device scheduling a paging message to a device with wake-up receiver capability, … network node configures the wireless device with these paging occasions indicating such capability) being associated with the UE with capability of reception of a wake-up signal (WUS) ([0067] the radio network node configures the wireless device with a paging transmission window (PTW) that includes paging occasions, … network node the wireless device with these paging occasions indicating such capability);
receiving a wake-up signal (WUS) ([0006] a wireless device with a wake-up receiver, receiving a wake-up signal; [0065] FIG. 1 for example shows that the radio network node transmits a wake-up signal to the wireless device); identifying, based on the configuration, the first number of Pos ([0065] a paging message (msg) so that the paging message will be transmitted to the device within a paging occasion (PO)); and
monitoring the first number of POs to receive downlink control information (DCI) for a paging message ([0004] monitoring the downlink control channel, e.g., for paging messages; [0131] The UE receiving configuration knows paging occasions (POs) during which it will momentarily wake up and check if there is any paging message; and [0152] eNB for transmitting configuration and paging information to a UE that is equipped with a WUR, providing the UE with sufficient time to wake up).
Åström does not expressly disclose method comprising receiving, via higher layer signaling, a configuration of a first number of paging occasions for a paging frame (PF).
However, Gupta discloses receiving, via higher layer signaling, a configuration of a first number of paging occasions for a paging frame ([0033] a UE may be configured to monitor for paging via paging configuration information, the paging configuration information may indicate information relating to a paging frame (PF) and to paging occasions; [0034] the UE may be configured to monitor one paging occasion; [0100] the UE may be configured to monitor for paging via paging configuration information. The UE may receive the paging configuration information via upper layer signaling, ….; [0034] the UE may be configured to monitor one paging occasion in every paging frame as the paging frame may include multiple paging occasions).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Åström with the teachings of Gupta, the rationale being to balance network loads and reduce battery consumption.
Regarding claim 3, Åström discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the WUS is received via a WUR of the UE ([0010] receiving the wake-up signal may comprise receiving the wake-up signal using a wake-up receiver), wherein a main radio (MR) of the UE is activated based on the WUS and the first number of POs are monitored via the activated MR ([0010] The method may then further comprise, responsive to receiving the wake-up signal, awakening the wireless device from a sleep state. This awakening may include activating one or more other receivers of the wireless device.[0068] paging occasions occur during the wake-up period after transmission/reception of the wake-up signal (WUS); [0098] The wake-up period 20B may be a period over which the wireless device 14 is capable of awakening from a sleep state) .
Claim 6 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale. (Åström, Figure 12, wireless device (UE) 14; communication circuitry 820 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to transmit and/or receive information; The processing circuitry 810 is configured to perform processing).
Claim 8 contains subject matter similar to claim 3, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 11 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale. (Åström, [0115] FIG. 14 illustrates a radio network node 12 (i.e., “base station”); [0028] FIG. 6 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a radio network node).
Claim 13 contains subject matter similar to claim 3, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 16 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale. (Åström, [0115] FIG. 14 illustrates a radio network node 12: base station; The communication circuitry 1020 is configured to transmit and/or receive information; The processing circuitry 1010 is configured to perform processing described above).
Claim 18 contains subject matter similar to claim 3, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claims 2, 7, 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Åström et al (US 20190342833) in view of Gupta et al (US 20230180130) further in view of Shrivastava et al (US 20220046582).
Regarding claim 2, Åström in view of Gupta discloses the method of claim 1, but wherein indices of the first number of POs are determined by: i_s = floor (UE_ID/N) mod Ns_WUS, where: i_s is an index of a PO among the first number of POs, UE_ID is an identifier corresponding to the UE, N is a number of total PFs in a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of the UE, and Ns_WUS is the first number.
However, Shrivastava discloses wherein indices of the first number of POs are determined by: i_s = floor (UE_ID/N) mod Ns_WUS, where: i_s is an index of a PO among the first number of POs, UE_ID is an identifier corresponding to the UE, N is a number of total PFs in a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of the UE, and Ns_WUS is the first number ([0077]-[0079] disclose, Index (i_s), indicating the index of the PO is determined by: i_s=floor (UE_ID/N) mod Ns; N: number of total paging frames in T: Ns is number of paging occasions for paging frames (PF); T is the Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle of the UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Åström as modified by Gupta with the teachings of Shrivastava in order to let the network test signaling accurately which user equipment devices to fully wake up to check for communications, while allowing the others to stay in a sleep state or asleep.
Claims 7, 12 and 17 contain subject matter similar to claim 2, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19 and 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 4, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19 and 20 would be allowable because the closest prior art Åström et al (US 20190342833) in view of Gupta et al (US 20230180130) further in view of Shrivastava et al (US 20220046582)) either alone or in combination fail to anticipate or render obvious wherein the first number of POs are configured separately from a second number of POs associated with a UE without capability of reception of the WUS (claim 4); wherein the first number of POs are configured separately from a second number of POs associated with a UE without capability of reception of the WUS (claim 9); wherein the first number of POs are configured separately from a second number of POs associated with a UE without capability of reception of the WUS (claim 14); and wherein the first number of POs are configured separately from a second number of POs associated with a UE without capability of reception of the WUS (claim 19), and Claims 5, 10, 15 and 20 are also allowable in view of their dependency on independent claims 4, 9, 14 and 19, respectively, as defined in the specification, in combination with all other limitations in the claim(s) as defined by applicant.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20220312327 to Xu et al: transmit wake-up signals to a user equipment to wake-up the UE to receive a page from the base station.
US 20220312371 to Niu al: equence-based WUS design and signaling, also DCI-based WUS design which also serves as scheduling DC.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIO R PEREZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7846. The examiner can normally be reached 10Am - 6PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 5712705371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JULIO R PEREZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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