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 .
Claims 1-7, and 9-11 are pending.
Claim 8 is canceled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/5/2026 has been entered.
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 1,4-5, and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Wang et al US 20240064860 A1., in view of Kang et al, US 20220322063 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a method of relaying, by a first user equipment (UE), sidelink communication between a base station (BS) and a second UE in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving assistance information for determining a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration from the second UE([0104] FIG. 10 1006 with Rx UE 10048 transmitting, to the Tx UE 1004A, assistance information. The assistance information may be DRX configuration assistance information. The DRX configuration assistance information may comprise one or more existing sidelink connect mode DRX configurations for one or more other UE.);
receiving Uu link DRX configuration information and sidelink DRX configuration information from the BS([0106] FIG. 10 In operation 1010, the BS 1002 transmits sidelink DRX configuration information and modified air interface DRX configuration information to the Tx UE 1004A. The air interface may be a Uu in various aspects.);
and transmitting the sidelink DRX configuration information to the second UE([0109] FIG.10 In operation 1012, the Tx UE 1004A transmits the sidelink DRX configuration information to the Rx UE 10048.).
Wang does not disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE;
However, Kang does disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE([0179] [0209] When the UE is an SL relay UE or an SL remote UE, the UE may transmit assistance information to the BS, in order to receive configuration information (at least one of an SL relay discovery message transmission resource configuration. The BS may configure a mode 1 (i.e., a mode in which the BS schedules a transmission resource) or a mode 2 (i.e., a mode in which the UE directly selects a transmission resource) as an SL transmission resource allocation mode for a relay UE. );
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE as taught by Kang. The motivation for doing so would be to reduction in power consumption of a terminal.(Kang, [0013])
Regarding claim 4, Wang does disclose the method of wherein the Uu link DRX configuration information includes DRX configuration information for the first UE ([0106] the BS 1002 transmits sidelink DRX configuration information and modified air interface DRX configuration information to the Tx UE 1004A. The air interface maybe a Uu in various aspects.),
and the sidelink DRX configuration information includes DRX configuration information for the second UE ([0109] FIG.10 In operation 1012, the Tx UE 1004A transmits the sidelink DRX configuration information to the Rx UE 1004B.).
Regarding claim 5, Wang does disclose the method wherein the sidelink DRX configuration information further includes DRX configuration information for the first UE ([0086] 830, the first UE receives, from the second user equipment the sidelink interface, sidelink DRX configuration information.).
Regarding claim 9, Wang does disclose a first user equipment (UE) for relaying sidelink communication between a second UE and a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system([0102] 1000 between a base station (BS) 1002, a transmitter (Tx) user equipment (UE) 1004A, anda receiver (Rx) user equipment (UE) 1004B), the first UE comprising:
at least one processor([0044] FIG.2 the processor 240);
and at least one computer memory operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions causing, when executed, the at least one processor to perform operations([0152] Processing system 1502 includes one or more processors 1520 coupled to a computer readable medium/memory 1530via a bus 1506. In certain aspects, computer-readable medium/memory 1530is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code) that when executed by the one or more processors 1520),
wherein the operations comprise: receiving assistance information for determining a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration from the second UE([0104] FIG. 10 1006 with Rx UE 10048 transmitting, to the Tx UE 1004A, assistance information. The assistance information may be DRX configuration assistance information. The DRX configuration assistance information may comprise one or more existing sidelink connect mode DRX configurations for one or more other UE.);
receiving Uu link DRX configuration information and sidelink DRX configuration information from the BS([0106] FIG. 10 In operation 1010, the BS 1002 transmits sidelink DRX configuration information and modified air interface DRX configuration information to the Tx UE 1004A. The air interface may be a Uu in various aspects.);
and transmitting the sidelink DRX configuration information to the second UE([0109] FIG.10 In operation 1012, the Tx UE 1004A transmits the sidelink DRX configuration information to the Rx UE 10048.).
Wang does not disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE;
However, Kang does disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE([0179] [0209] When the UE is an SL relay UE or an SL remote UE, the UE may transmit assistance information to the BS, in order to receive configuration information (at least one of an SL relay discovery message transmission resource configuration. The BS may configure a mode 1 (i.e., a mode in which the BS schedules a transmission resource) or a mode 2 (i.e., a mode in which the UE directly selects a transmission resource) as an SL transmission resource allocation mode for a relay UE. );
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE as taught by Kang. The motivation for doing so would be to reduction in power consumption of a terminal.(Kang, [0013])
Regarding claim 10, Wang does disclose a processor for performing operations for a first user equipment (UE) relaying sidelink communication between a second UE and a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system([0102] 1000 between a base station (BS) 1002, a transmitter (Tx) user equipment (UE) 1004A, and a receiver (Rx) user equipment(UE) 1004B)), the operations comprising:
receiving assistance information for determining a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration from the second UE([0104] FIG. 10 1006 with Rx UE 10048 transmitting, to the Tx UE
1004A, assistance information. The assistance information may be DRX configuration assistance
information. The DRX configuration assistance information may comprise one or more existing sidelink connect mode DRX configurations for one or more other UE.);
receiving Uu link DRX configuration information and sidelink DRX configuration information from the BS([0106] FIG. 10 In operation 1010, the BS 1002 transmits sidelink DRX configuration information and modified air interface DRX configuration information to the Tx UE 1004A. The air interface may be a Uu in various aspects.);
and transmitting the sidelink DRX configuration information to the second UE([0109] FIG.10 In operation 1012, the Tx UE 1004A transmits the sidelink DRX configuration information to the Rx UE 10048.).
Wang does not disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE;
However, Kang does disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE([0179] [0209] When the UE is an SL relay UE or an SL remote UE, the UE may transmit assistance information to the BS, in order to receive configuration information (at least one of an SL relay discovery message transmission resource configuration. The BS may configure a mode 1 (i.e., a mode in which the BS schedules a transmission resource) or a mode 2 (i.e., a mode in which the UE directly selects a transmission resource) as an SL transmission resource allocation mode for a relay UE. );
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE as taught by Kang. The motivation for doing so would be to reduction in power consumption of a terminal.(Kang, [0013])
Regarding claim 11, Wang does disclose a non-volatile computer readable storage medium storing at least one computer program including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for a first user equipment (UE) relaying sidelink communication between a second UE and a base station (BS), the operations comprising([0152] [0164] Processing system 1502 includes one or more processors 1520 coupled to a computer-readable medium/memory 1530 via a bus 1506. In certain aspects, computer-readable Page 9 medium/memory 1530is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code) that when executed by the one or more processors 1520. The computer-readable medium/memory 1630 also stores code for sidelink communication 1634. Further, the computer-readable medium/memory1530 stores sidelink DRX configuration information 1635 as well as DRX configuration assistance information 1636.):
receiving assistance information for determining a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration from the second UE([0104] FIG. 10 1006 with Rx UE 10048 transmitting, to the Tx UE 1004A, assistance information. The assistance information may be DRX configuration assistance information. The DRX configuration assistance information may comprise one or more existing sidelink connect mode DRX configurations for one or more other UE.);
receiving Uu link DRX configuration information and sidelink DRX configuration information from the BS([0106] FIG. 10 In operation 1010, the BS 1002 transmits sidelink DRX configuration information and modified air interface DRX configuration information to the Tx UE 1004A. The air interface maybe a Uu in various aspects.);
and transmitting the sidelink DRX configuration information to the second UE([0109] FIG.10 In operation 1012, the Tx UE 1004A transmits the sidelink DRX configuration information to the Rx UE 10048.).
Wang does not disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE;
However, Kang does disclose transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on regardless of a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and based on the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE([0179] [0209] When the UE is an SL relay UE or an SL remote UE, the UE may transmit assistance information to the BS, in order to receive configuration information (at least one of an SL relay discovery message transmission resource configuration. The BS may configure a mode 1 (i.e., a mode in which the BS schedules a transmission resource) or a mode 2 (i.e., a mode in which the UE directly selects a transmission resource) as an SL transmission resource allocation mode for a relay UE. );
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with transmitting the assistance information to the BS (a) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a first mode, or (b) based on a resource allocation mode of the first UE being a second mode and the first UE operating as a sidelink relay UE as taught by Kang. The motivation for doing so would be to reduction in power consumption of a terminal.(Kang, [0013])
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Wang et al US
20240064860 A1., in view of Kang et al, US 20220322063 A1, and in further view of Damnjanovic et al,
US 20230247717 A1.
Regarding claim 2, Wang does disclose wherein, based on reception of the assistance information for determining the sidelink DRX configuration from a reception UE by the specific UE transmits the assistance information received from the reception UE to the BS ([0105] FIG. 10 In block 1008, The Tx UE 704A transmits assistance information to the BS 1002. The assistance information includes the DRXconfiguration assistance information.),
and wherein, based on reception of the assistance information for determining the sidelink DRX configuration from the reception UE by, the specific UE configures the sidelink DRX configuration information of the reception UE ([0104] FIG. 10 1006 with Rx UE 1004B transmitting, to the Tx UE 1004A, assistance information. The assistance information may be DRX configuration assistance information. The DRX configuration assistance information may comprise one or more existing sidelink connect mode DRX configurations for one or more other UE.).
Wang and Kang do not disclose the method whereinthe resource allocation mode includes a first mode and a second mode, a specific UE performing sidelinkcommunication as a transmission UE operating in the first mode. The specific UE as a transmission UE that operates in thesecond mode and does not operate as a sidelinkrelay UE,
However, Damnjanovic does disclose the method of wherein the resource allocation mode includes a first mode and a second mode ([0089] first mode, Mode 1, the network entity304(e.g., a gNB) mayallocate resources to sidelink devices. A second mode, Mode 2, the UEs 302a-302e may autonomouslyselect sidelink resources.),
a specific UE performing sidelink communication as a transmission UE operating in the first mode ([0089] In a first mode, Mode 1, the network entity 304 (e.g., a gNB) may allocate resources to sidelink devices (e.g., the UEs 302a-302¢),
the specific UE as a transmission UE that operates in the second mode and does not operate as the sidelink relay UE ([0090] A second mode, Mode 2, the UEs 302a-302e may autonomously select sidelink resources.),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Kang with the method wherein the resource allocation mode includes a first mode and a second mode, a specific UE performing sidelink communication as a transmission UE operating in the first mode. The specific UE as a transmission UE that operates in the second mode and does not operate as a sidelink relay UE as taught by Damnjanovic. The motivation for doing so would be to improve the transmission reliability to one or more UEs. (Damnjanovic, [0054])
Regarding claim 3, Wang does disclose the method ofwherein the first UE causes the BS to determine the sidelink DRX information ([0105] FIG. 10 In block 1008, The Tx UE704A transmits assistance information to the BS 1002. The assistance information includes the DRXconfiguration assistance information.)
Wang and Kang do not disclose first UE even based on the first UE operating in the second mode.
However, Damnjanovic does disclose first UE even based on the first UE operating in the second mode ([0090] A second mode, Mode 2, the UEs 302a-302e may autonomously select sidelink resources.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Kang with first UE even based on the first UE operating in the second mode as taught by Damnjanovic. The motivation for doing so would be to improve the transmission reliability to one or more UEs. (Damnjanovic, [0054])
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Wang et al US 20240064860 A1., in view of Kang et al, US 20220322063 A1, in view of Kaidong et al, US 20230053975 A1.
Regarding claim 6, Wang and Kang do not disclose the method of wherein the assistance information for determining the sidelink DRX configuration is received in a process of receiving a request message for radio resource control (RRC) connection with the BS from the second UE by being included in the request message.
However, Kaidong does disclose the method of wherein the assistance information for Page 13 determining the sidelink DRX configuration is received in a process of receiving a request message for radio resource control (RRC) connection with the BS from the second UE by being included in the request message ([0101] [0103] 720, the transmitter UE may transmit the assistance information to the second base station. The assistance information may be provided via an RRC message. In some aspects, the RRC message may include an entirety of the DRX configuration. The RRC message may include one or more DRX parameters relating to aligning a radio access DRX configuration and a sidelink DRX configuration.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Kang with the method wherein the assistance information for determining the sidelink DRX configuration is received in a process of receiving a request message for radio resource control (RRC) connection with the BS from the second UE by being included in the request message as taught by Kaidong. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce overhead associated with the assistance information. (Kaidong, [0107])
Claims 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Wang et al US 20240064860 A1., in view of Kang et al, US 20220322063 A1, and in further view of Xu et al, US 20130286928 A1.
Regarding claim 7, Wang and Kang do not disclose the method further comprising receiving, by the second UE, a sidelink relay path switching message from a fourth UE, wherein the sidelink relay path switching message includes sidelink DRX configuration information of the fourth UE and sidelink DRX configuration information of the second UE.
However, Xu does disclose the method further comprising receiving, by the second UE, a sidelink relay path switching message from a fourth UE ([0022] The configuration for the access link of the UE relay may match the configuration of the backhaul link of the UE relay.),
wherein the sidelink relay path switching message includes sidelink DRX configuration information of the fourth UE and sidelink DRX configuration information of the second UE ([0022] Matching the DRX/DTX mode to a DRX/DTX mode for plurality of connected UEs, wherein the DRX/DTX mode for each of the connected UEs is different. The DRX/DTX mode may comprise a configuration for an access link of the UE relay and a configuration for a backhaul link of the UE relay.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Kang with the method further comprising receiving, by the second UE, a sidelink relay path switching message from a fourth UE, wherein the sidelink relay path switching message includes sidelink DRX configuration information of the fourth UE and sidelink DRX configuration information of the second UE as taught by Xu. The motivation for doing so would be to ensure energy efficient operation of LPNs involved in such dense network deployment. (Xu ,[0008])
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 and 9-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYA TEON NELSON whose telephone number is (703)756-1942. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:30.
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/RYA TEON NELSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419