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 .
Applicant’s amendment filed 12/10/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 1,3,5,6,8,11,13,15,16,18, and 20 are amended.
Claims 4 and 14 are cancelled.
Claims 1-3,5-13, and 15-22 are pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3,5,6,11-13,15,16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda (US 20230097552) in view of Lin (US 20220353815).
Re claim 1:
Freda discloses acquiring target configuration information carried on configuration signaling of an air interface (Uu) discontinuous reception mode and configuration signaling of a first discontinuous reception mode on at least one carrier (Para.[0004] The WTRU may receive a first DRX configuration associated with Uu and receive a second DRX configuration associated with sidelink DRX and Para.[0018] The base station 114a and/or the base station 114b may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals on one or more carrier frequencies); and
performing transmission according to the target configuration information (Para.[0091] Activity behavior may be determined dynamically by the WTRU…or it may be configured by the network.. Activity behavior may comprise a number of candidate frequency resources or subchannels that may be considered by the WTRU for transmission… Activity behavior may comprise an amount of resources and/or the resource pool(s) that may be used for reception/transmission/sensing);
wherein the target configuration information is used to configure the first discontinuous reception mode is, and the first discontinuous reception mode is: a Uu discontinuous reception mode used by a UE for a sidelink resource allocation mode with mode 1 (Para.[0138] A DRX configuration for Uu may be determined based on a mode of operation for sidelink. For example, a first DRX configuration for Uu may be used when a WTRU operates sidelink with Mode-1 and a second DRX configuration for Uu may be used when a WTRU operate sidelink with Mode-2. Mode-1 may be referred to as in-network sidelink operation and Mode-2 may be referred to as out-of-network sidelink operation),
Freda does not explicitly disclose wherein the configuration signaling of a first discontinuous reception mode comprises: at least one Round Trip Time (RTT) timer.
Lin discloses wherein the configuration signaling of a first discontinuous reception mode comprises: at least one Round Trip Time (RTT) timer (Para.[0060] An SL DRX configuration may include the information…an HARQ RTT timer for SL Tx).
Freda and Lin are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include configuring a RTT timer to start at a time of PSSCH transmission as taught by Lin in order to provide a robust and efficient power saving mechanism (Lin Para.[0007]).
Re claim 2:
Freda discloses wherein the target configuration information further comprises at least one retransmission timer (Para.[0086] The WTRU may be configured with a drx-RetransmissionTimerDL (per downlink HARQ process except for the broadcast process) which may indicated a maximum duration until a downlink retransmission is received. The WTRU may be configured with a drx-RetransmissionTimerUL (per uplink HARQ process)…The WTRU may be configured with a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL (per downlink HARQ process except for the broadcast process)…The WTRU may be configured with a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerUL (per uplink HARQ process)).
Re claim 3:
Freda discloses wherein at least one of the RTT timer or the retransmission timer is configured for each sidelink Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process, a downlink HARQ process (Para.[0086] The WTRU may be configured with a drx-RetransmissionTimerDL (per downlink HARQ process except for the broadcast process) which may indicated a maximum duration until a downlink retransmission is received. The WTRU may be configured with a drx-RetransmissionTimerUL (per uplink HARQ process)…The WTRU may be configured with a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL (per downlink HARQ process except for the broadcast process)…The WTRU may be configured with a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerUL (per uplink HARQ process) and Para.[0099] For example, a WTRU may be configured with separate HARQ RTT timer/retransmission timer values and use these appropriate value of the HARQ RTT/retransmission timer depending on whether the HARQ process is associated with scheduling of Uu or SL).
Re claim 5:
Freda discloses wherein the timing of RTT or the timing of the retransmission timer is related to at least one of the following: a carrier; a BandWidth Part (BWP); a resource pool; a transmission type; a feedback mechanism; the maximum number of transmissions of the sidelink grant; the number of resources of the sidelink grant; the actual number of transmissions of the sidelink grant; the minimum time interval between a Physical Sidelink Feedback CHannel (PSFCH) corresponding to a sidelink resource and a corresponding PSSCH; a transmission or reception period of the PSFCH; the maximum number of transmissions scheduled by Sidelink Control Information (SCI); the number of transmissions actually scheduled by the SCI;the maximum number of retransmissions; a resource preemption parameter; a priority; a communication range; a time delay; reliability; a Channel Busy Ratio (CBR); a Channel occupancy Ratio (CR); a time range occupied by the sidelink resource; sidelink resource configuration information; sidelink resource indication information; Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) configuration information; or PUCCH indication information; wherein the time range occupied by the sidelink resource is: W slots or W milliseconds or W subframes; related to the maximum number of transmissions of the sidelink grant; a time resource span occupied by actual transmission of the sidelink grant; related to the maximum number of transmissions scheduled by the SCI; or a time resource span occupied by the resource actually scheduled by the SCI; wherein W is a preset value (Para.[0099] For example, a WTRU may be configured with separate HARQ RTT timer/retransmission timer values and use these appropriate value of the HARQ RTT/retransmission timer depending on whether the HARQ process is associated with scheduling of Uu or SL).
Re claim 6:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does not explicitly disclose wherein after the acquiring target configuration information on at least one carrier, the method further comprises: when receiving Downlink Control Information (DCI) for scheduling a sidelink resource, at a time of the first or last transmission of a sidelink grant, at a time of a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) corresponding to the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant, or when transmission or reception of the first UE fails, starting the RTT timer according to the target configuration information.
Lin discloses wherein after the acquiring target configuration information on at least one carrier, the method further comprises: when receiving Downlink Control Information (DCI) for scheduling a sidelink resource, at a time of the first or last transmission of a sidelink grant, at a time of a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) corresponding to the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant, or when transmission or reception of the first UE fails, starting the RTT timer according to the target configuration information (Para.[0060] An SL DRX configuration may include the information…an HARQ RTT timer for SL Tx and Para.[0065] Alternatively, for mode-1 scheduling, the HARQ RTT timer for a transmitting SidelinkHARQ process may be restarted when the UE sends PUCCH as SL HARQ feedback for this transmitting SidelinkHARQ process to the gNB, aiming to request SL grants for retransmission or new transmission for this transmitting SidelinkHARQ process. Alternatively, the HARQ RTT timer for a transmitting SidelinkHARQ process is restarted after the scheduled/configured time for the receiving UE to send HARQ feedback (e.g. PSFCH)).
As shown above, Lin discloses receiving a RTT configuration. Lin does not explicitly disclose when receiving DCI for scheduling. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include when receiving a DCI for scheduling because DCI is commonly used for transmitting control information. Yi (US 20210212099) is further evidence showing receiving DCI for scheduling (Para.[0276]).
Freda and Lin are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include configuring starting a RTT timer as taught by Lin in order to provide a robust and efficient power saving mechanism (Lin Para.[0007]).
Re claim 11:
Claim 11 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1. Freda further discloses a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer-readable instructions (Freda Fig. 1B).
Re claim 12: Claim 12 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 13: Claim 13 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Re claim 15: Claim 15 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 5.
Re claim 16: Claim 16 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 6.
Re claim 20: Claim 20 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1.
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda in view of Lin as applied to claims 2 and 12 above, and further in view of Zhou (US 20220140958).
Re claim 7:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does discloses after the retransmission timer is started, monitoring a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) (Para.[0087] A WTRU configured with DRX may determine its Uu active time (i.e., the time when the WTRU actively monitors PDCCH). When a DRX cycle is configured, the Uu active time may include a time while drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer or drx-Retransmission TimerDL or drx-RetransmissionTimerUL or ra-ContentionResolutionTimer is running).
Freda does not explicitly disclose PDCCH scrambled by a sidelink RNTI.
Zhou discloses PDCCH scrambled by a sidelink RNTI (Para.[0117] monitoring time of the PDCCH scrambled by a sidelink RNTI).
Freda and Zhou are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include PDCCH scrambled by a sidelink RNTI as taught by Zhou in order to feedback HARQ-ACK codebook (Zhou Para.[0005]).
Re claim 17: Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 7.
Claim(s) 8 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda in view of Lin as applied to claims 2 and 12 above, and further in view of Hong (US 20220394810).
Re claim 8:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does not explicitly disclose wherein a duration of a first RTT timer corresponding to the first discontinuous reception mode is not less than any one of the following: a duration from a time of the sidelink grant to a time of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission; a duration from a time of activation signaling corresponding to the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission; a duration from a time of the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission; or a duration from a time of a Physical Sidelink Feedback CHannel (PSFCH) corresponding to the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission.
Hong discloses wherein a duration of a first RTT timer corresponding to the first discontinuous reception mode is not less than any one of the following: a duration from a time of the sidelink grant to a time of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission; a duration from a time of activation signaling corresponding to the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission; a duration from a time of the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission; or a duration from a time of a Physical Sidelink Feedback CHannel (PSFCH) corresponding to the first or last transmission of the sidelink grant to a time of PUCCH transmission (Para.[0359] For example, when using a sidelink transmission mode (e.g., mode 1) scheduled by the base station, if the transmission UE receives a HARQ feedback (NACK) from the reception UE for HARQ retransmission, the transmission UE indicates (e.g., inform), to the base station, that retransmission is needed. For example, the transmission UE may indicate, to the base station, that retransmission is necessary through at least one of a sidelink HARQ ACK/NACK report via PUCCH or PUSCH, PUCCH, an L1 signaling, BSR, and a MAC CE. Thereafter, the transmission UE may receive the sidelink grant from the base station and perform HARQ retransmission to the reception UE and Para.[0360] As such, for sidelink retransmission, the total RTT may be calculated by adding the round trip time (RTT) on the PC5 interface between the transmission UE and the reception UE to the round trip time (RTT) on the Uu interface between the UE and the base station).
Freda and Hong are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include a RTT timer duration not less than a certain duration as taught by Hong in order to prevent drastic increase in power consumption (Hong Para.[0008]).
Re claim 18: Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 8.
Claim(s) 9,19,21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda in view of Lin as applied to claims 1,2,11,12, and 20 above, and further in view of Yi (US 20210212099).
Re claim 9:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does not explicitly disclose wherein when a target discontinuous transmission or reception mode is the first discontinuous reception mode, after the acquiring target configuration information on at least one carrier, the method further comprises: when a first condition is met, using, according to the target configuration information, at least one of a timer corresponding to the first discontinuous transmission or reception mode or a timer corresponding to the Uu discontinuous reception mode; when a first Round Trip Time (RTT) timer expires, starting a first retransmission timer according to the target configuration information; when a second condition is met, starting an activity timer according to the target configuration information; wherein the timer corresponding to the first discontinuous reception mode comprises at least one of the following: the first RTT timer or the first retransmission timer; and the timer corresponding to the Uu discontinuous reception mode comprises at least one of the following: a second RTT timer or a second retransmission timer; the first condition comprises any one of the following: a third condition, the first UE receives at least one of first Downlink Control Information (DCI), or the first UE receives or sends information on a configured sidelink grant; the second condition comprises any one of the following: the third condition or the first UE receives at least one of second DCI; the third condition comprises: the first UE monitors a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH); or a resource indicated by the first DCI is used for non-initial transmission; the second DCI indicates to activate a sidelink resource or deactivate a sidelink resource; or a resource indicated by the second DCI at least comprises a resource for initial transmission.
Yi discloses wherein when a target discontinuous transmission or reception mode is the first discontinuous reception mode, after the acquiring target configuration information on at least one carrier, the method further comprises: when a first condition is met, using, according to the target configuration information, at least one of a timer corresponding to the first discontinuous transmission or reception mode or a timer corresponding to the Uu discontinuous reception mode; when a first Round Trip Time (RTT) timer expires, starting a first retransmission timer according to the target configuration information; when a second condition is met, starting an activity timer according to the target configuration information; wherein the timer corresponding to the first discontinuous reception mode comprises at least one of the following: the first RTT timer or the first retransmission timer; and the timer corresponding to the Uu discontinuous reception mode comprises at least one of the following: a second RTT timer or a second retransmission timer; the first condition comprises any one of the following: a third condition, the first UE receives at least one of first Downlink Control Information (DCI), or the first UE receives or sends information on a configured sidelink grant; the second condition comprises any one of the following: the third condition or the first UE receives at least one of second DCI; the third condition comprises: the first UE monitors a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH); or a resource indicated by the first DCI is used for non-initial transmission; the second DCI indicates to activate a sidelink resource or deactivate a sidelink resource; or a resource indicated by the second DCI at least comprises a resource for initial transmission (Para.[0276] In an example, in response to receiving a scheduling DCI for one or more sidelink transmission, the wireless device may start a drx-SL-HARQ-RTT-Timer (e.g., drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerSL) for a corresponding sidelink HARQ process in a first symbol after an end of a PUCCH or PUSCH comprising a HARQ-ACK feedback for the sidelink HARQ process. The wireless device may stop a drx-SL-RetransmissionTimer (e.g., drx-RetransmissionTimerSL) additionally in response to the starting of the drx-SL-HARQ-RTT-Timer. In response to receiving a SL DCI, the wireless device may start or restart a drx-InactivityTimer in a first symbol after an end of the SL DCI reception when the wireless device is configured not to monitor one or more RNTIs for SL DCIs in non-ActiveTime. In response to an expiry of the drx-SL-HARQ-RTT-Timer for the corresponding sidelink HARQ process, the wireless device may start the drx-SL-RetransmissionTimer when the wireless device may have not successfully transmitted a sidelink TB corresponding to the HARQ process to one or more receivers and the wireless device may need retransmission grants for one or more retransmissions (e.g., the wireless device may have sent a negative HARQ-ACK feedback for the corresponding sidelink HARQ process)).
Freda and Yi are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include starting a RTT timer and retransmission timer as taught by Yi in order to increase scheduling flexibility, enhance power efficiency, and avoid performance degradation (Yi Para.[0234]).
Re claim 19: Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 9.
Re claim 21:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does not explicitly disclose after the retransmission timer is started, monitor sidelink Downlink Control Information (SL-DCI) for scheduling a sidelink resource.
Yi discloses after the retransmission timer is started, monitor sidelink Downlink Control Information (SL-DCI) for scheduling a sidelink resource (Para.[0274] The wireless device may monitor one or more DCIs and/or one or more sidelink DCIs when the wireless device is on ActiveTime. The wireless device may determine ActiveTime while drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer or drx-RetransmissionTimerDL or drx-RetransmissionTimerUL is running…Additionally, the wireless device may determine ActiveTime while DRX-SL-RetransmissionTimer or drx-SL-HARQ-RTT is running).
Freda and Yi are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include monitoring sidelink DCI after a retransmission timer is started a RTT timer and retransmission timer as taught by Yi in order to increase scheduling flexibility, enhance power efficiency, and avoid performance degradation (Yi Para.[0234]).
Re claim 22: Claim 22 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 21.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda in view of Lin as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Luo (US 20220408514).
Re claim 10:
As discussed above, Freda in view of Lin meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Freda does not explicitly disclose performing at least one of the following operations: performing sidelink Channel State Information (CSI) measurement during a first active time of the first discontinuous reception mode; reporting a sidelink CSI report when receiving a sidelink Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for channel measurement or Channel State Information Interference Measurement (CSI-IM) for interference measurement within a second active time of the first discontinuous reception mode or not later than a second active time of the first discontinuous reception mode; measuring a sidelink CSI-RS within an active time of the first discontinuous transmission mode; or expecting that there is no sidelink CSI-RS outside the active time of the first discontinuous reception mode, wherein the first active time is an active time in which the sidelink CSI report is reported, and the second active time is an active time in which a CSI reference resource is received.
Luo discloses performing at least one of the following operations: performing sidelink Channel State Information (CSI) measurement during a first active time of the first discontinuous reception mode; reporting a sidelink CSI report when receiving a sidelink Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for channel measurement or Channel State Information Interference Measurement (CSI-IM) for interference measurement within a second active time of the first discontinuous reception mode or not later than a second active time of the first discontinuous reception mode; measuring a sidelink CSI-RS within an active time of the first discontinuous transmission mode; or expecting that there is no sidelink CSI-RS outside the active time of the first discontinuous reception mode, wherein the first active time is an active time in which the sidelink CSI report is reported, and the second active time is an active time in which a CSI reference resource is received (Para.[0054] Thus, if the UE is configured with a sidelink DRX, the most recent CSI measurement timing may occur in the sidelink DRX active time for CSI to be reported).
Freda and Luo are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Freda to include performing CSI measurements as taught by Luo in order to save power of the communication terminals (Luo Para.[0005]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remarks, Applicant contends Freda does not disclose a dual configuration architecture where the timer is configured separate from the Uu DRX configuration.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
The combination of Freda in view of Lin discloses the claim limitation. Freda discloses separate configuration signaling for Uu discontinuous reception mode and sidelink DRX mode (Para.[0004] The WTRU may receive a first DRX configuration associated with Uu and receive a second DRX configuration associated with sidelink DRX and Para.[0018] The base station 114a and/or the base station 114b may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals on one or more carrier frequencies). Lin in relied upon to show the sidelink DRX contains a RTT timer (Para.[0060] An SL DRX configuration may include the information…an HARQ RTT timer for SL Tx). Therefore the combination of Freda in view of Lin reads on the limitation as claimed.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471