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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 8/10/2026 has been entered.
Claims 18-37 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) 18-23 and 29-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0107246) in view of Cheng et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0328840).
Regarding claims 18 and 29, Kang discloses a user equipment (UE) a method (figure 1 element 120/130), comprising:
a memory (figure 3 storage 320; paragraph 103); and
a processor (figure 3 controller 330; paragraph 99) coupled with the memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration (figure 10A and 10B step 1011; paragraphs 53, 169, 171, 172, 265: user terminal receives sidelink DRX configuration from base station),
wherein the sidelink DRX configuration indicates a quality of service (QoS) class, an identifier of the QoS class, and an attribute of the QoS class (paragraphs 49, 56, 248, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 265: the transmission/reception terminal determines configuration of at least one or combination of a SL QoS parameter set, a SL PQI corresponding to the SL DRX configuration. SL PC5 QoS identifier (PQI) is both QoS class (QoS by definition is a class) and QoS Class identifier. SL QoS parameter set is attribute of QoS); and
performs sidelink communication based on the sidelink DRX configuration (paragraphs 169, 249, 250).
Kang does not teach wherein the sidelink DRX configuration comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE.
However, in the same field of sidelink DRX configuration, Cheng discloses wherein the sidelink DRX configuration comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE (paragraph 142 in view of figure 3 and paragraphs 152-155: in some examples, the sidelink DRX configuration may provide a mechanism to align sidelink DRX active durations among the UEs 115 communicating with each other [0142]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement in Kang the sidelink DRX configuration comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE.
The motivation would have been for power/battery saving.
Regarding claims 19 and 30, all limitations of claims 18 and 29 are disclosed above. Kang further teaches the sidelink DRX configuration comprises an ON- duration (paragraphs 47, 54, 248, 256, 257).
Regarding claims 20 and 31, all limitations of claims 18 and 29 are disclosed above. Kang further teaches wherein the sidelink DRX configuration comprises a periodicity (paragraphs 152 and 248; table 3).
Regarding claims 21 and 32, all limitations of claims 18 and 29 are disclosed above. Kang further teaches the processor is further configured to cause the UE to receive information that indicates an offset for an ON-duration or an ON-duration timer (paragraphs 152, Table 3, paragraphs 256-259).
Regarding claims 22 and 33, all limitations of claims 18 and 29 are disclosed above. Kang further teaches the processor is further configured to cause the UE to receive the information via radio resource control (RRC) signaling (paragraphs 75, 134, 152).
Regarding claims 23 and 34, all limitations of claims 18 and 29 are disclosed above. Kang further teaches the QoS class comprises a QoS class identifier for sidelink communication (paragraphs 49, 56, 248, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 265: PQI).
Claim(s) 24-28 and 35-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0156854), hereinafter Cheng 1, in view of Cheng et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0328840), herein Cheng 2, in view of Kang et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0107246).
Regarding claims 24 and 35, Cheng 1 discloses a user equipment (UE) a method comprising:
a memory (figure 21 element 2112); and
a processor (figure 21 element 2104) coupled with the memory and configured to cause the UE to:
determine a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration (figure 14: Decide SL DRX config or figure 15 RRCReconfiguration; paragraphs 92, 93, and 96: relay node decides sidelink DRX configuration based on remote UE’s DRX parameter preferences) ;
transmit the sidelink DRX configuration (figures 14 and 15: RRCReconfigurationSidelink; paragraphs 92, 93, and 96: relay node transmits sidelink DRX configuration to remote UE); and
receive feedback as part of a reconfiguration complete message that indicates acceptance of the sidelink DRX configuration (figures 14 and 15: RRCReconfigurationSidelinkComplete; paragraphs 94 and 96: remote UE applies specific/dedicated DRX configuration to all its links and transmits feedback/acceptance via RRCReconfigurationSidelinkComplete message).
Cheng 1 further teaches remote UE’s DRX configuration preferences including parameters of DRX cycle, on-duration timer/offset, inactivity timer in paragraph 92.
Cheng 1 does not explicitly disclose at least one parameter in the DRX configuration; wherein the at least one parameter comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE.
However, in the same field of DRX configuration, Cheng 2 teaches
at least one parameter in the DRX configuration; wherein the at least one parameter comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE (figure 3 and paragraphs 153-155 in view of paragraph 142: paragraph 153 discloses UE transmits at least one parameter of sidelink DRX information including active duration of sidelink DRX cycle, an offset period prior to active duration, DRX inactivity timer, etc., which is similar to a disclosure of one parameter transmitted in the specification’s paragraphs 93 and 95. Paragraph 155 discloses base station transmits a sidelink DRX configuration to the UE. Paragraph 142 teaches sidelink DRX configuration with mechanism to align sidelink DRX active durations among the UEs 115 communicating with each other. Paragraph 112: A DRX configuration may define one or more DRX parameters, for example an active duration of a DRX cycle, an inactive duration of a DRX cycle, a DRX cycle, a periodicity of a DRX cycle, an offset period associated with an active duration of a DRX cycle, a DRX inactivity timer, a DRX activity timer, a DRX retransmission timer, etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement in Cheng 1 at least one parameter in the DRX configuration; wherein the at least one parameter comprises an ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE.
The motivation would have been for power/battery saving.
Cheng 1 and Cheng 2 do not teach the sidelink DRX configuration indicates a quality of service (QoS) class, an identifier of the QoS class, and an attribute of the QoS class.
However, in the same field of sidelink DRX, Kang discloses sidelink DRX configuration indicates a quality of service (QoS) class, an identifier of the QoS class, and an attribute of the QoS class (paragraphs 49, 56, 248, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 265: the transmission/reception terminal determines configuration of at least one or combination of a SL QoS parameter set, a SL PQI corresponding to the SL DRX configuration. SL PC5 QoS identifier (PQI) is both QoS class (QoS by definition is a class) and QoS Class identifier. SL QoS parameter set is attribute of QoS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement in Cheng 1 and 2 the sidelink DRX configuration indicates a quality of service (QoS) class, an identifier of the QoS class, and an attribute of the QoS class.
The motivation would have been for saving additional signaling (paragraph 265).
Regarding claims 25 and 36, all limitations of claims 24 and 35 are disclosed above. Cheng 1 and Kang do not teach but Cheng 2 discloses the at least one parameter comprises one or more of an offset for an ON-duration, an ON-duration timer, or a periodicity (paragraph 112).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement in Cheng 1 and Kang the at least one parameter comprises one or more of an offset for an ON-duration, an ON-duration timer, or a periodicity.
The motivation would have been for DRX operation.
Regarding claims 26 and 37, all limitations of claims 24 and 35 are disclosed above. Cheng 1 further teaches the processor is further configured to cause the UE to identify a change to the at least one parameter from a prior sidelink DRX configuration, wherein the at least one parameter for the sidelink DRX configuration is determined based on the change to the at least one parameter from the prior sidelink DRX configuration (figure 14: Reconfiguration message in view of DRX parameter preference message, paragraphs 92 and 93: DRX pattern).
Regarding claims 27, all limitations of claims 24 are disclosed above. Cheng 1 further teaches the at least one parameter for the sidelink DRX configuration is transmitted via radio resource control (RRC) signaling (figure 14 RRC Reconfiguration message; paragraphs 92 and 93).
Regarding claims 28, all limitations of claims 24 are disclosed above. Cheng 1 further teaches the at least one parameter for the sidelink DRX configuration is determined based on information received from a network device (figure 15 RRCReconfiguration from gNB; paragraph 96).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In pages 7-8 of Remark, regarding independent claims, the Applicant argues that Cheng ‘840 does not teach ON-duration start time configured to align a sidelink DRX active period of the UE and a sidelink DRX active period of a peer UE. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Cheng ‘840’s paragraph 142 recites “in some examples, the sidelink DRX configuration may provide a mechanism to align sidelink DRX active durations among the UEs 115 communicating with each other.” Thus, Cheng ‘840 is determined to teach the claim limitation.
Conclusion
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/TITO Q PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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