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 the Request for continued examination correspondence filed on 01/02/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending and rejected.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/02/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS/Applicant's arguments, filed 01/02/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of claim amendments warranting further search and inquiry.
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.
Claims 1 & 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #109-e R2-2002264 (hereinafter “WG2”) in view of Wu et al (US20210059004) (hereinafter "Wu"), in view of in further view of 3GPP TSG-CT Meeting #88e CP-201197 (hereinafter “TSG-CT”).
Regarding claim 1 (and method claim 16), WG2 teaches a first user equipment (Fig 16.x.1-1 pg. 12, UE with processors and memory) further comprising:
at least one memory (Fig 16.x.1-1 pg. 12, UE with processors and memory); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (Fig 16.x.1-1 pg. 12, UE with processors and memory) and configured to cause the first UE to:
receive, over a first radio interface, PC5 discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration parameters for communication over a second radio interface (pg. 9 & pg. 16 Section 7.1 & Section 16.x.4.1 respectively; pg. 12 Section 16.x.1; discloses that the RRC sublayer operates over the Uu interface between the UE and the NG-RAN and provides control signaling service; further stating that NR sidelink communication can be configured and controlled by NG-RAN via dedicated signaling or system information, indicating that the UE receives sidelink configuration from the network over the Uu interface, corresponding to the claimed first radio interface comprising a Uu interface; further discloses that the NG-RAN architecture supports the PC5 interface, and that sidelink transmission and reception occur over the PC5 interface between UEs; communication between UEs occur over the PC5 interface as well (second radio interface as PC5)); wherein the first radio interface comprises a Uu interface and the second radio interface comprises a PC5 interface (pg. 9 & pg. 16 Section 7.1 & Section 16.x.4.1 respectively; pg. 12 Section 16.x.1; discloses that the RRC sublayer operates over the Uu interface between the UE and the NG-RAN and provides control signaling service; further stating that NR sidelink communication can be configured and controlled by NG-RAN via dedicated signaling or system information, indicating that the UE receives sidelink configuration from the network over the Uu interface, corresponding to the claimed first radio interface comprising a Uu interface; further discloses that the NG-RAN architecture supports the PC5 interface, and that sidelink transmission and reception occur over the PC5 interface between UEs; communication between UEs occur over the PC5 interface as well (second radio interface as PC5));
But WG2 fails to teach—
and receive quality of service (QoS) requirements for transmission over the second radio interface;
determine PC5 DRX communication parameters the PC5 DRX configuration parameters and based on the QoS requirements; and
transmit or receive communications over the second radio interface based on the PC5 DRX communication parameters.
However, Wu and teaches—
and receive quality of service (QoS) requirements for transmission over the second radio interface; ([0104]-[0106], [0140], [0149], [0155]-[0158], Fig 1 & 8, Receives traffic information (which encompasses QoS profile & QoS identifier—for transmission in a radio interface and possible multiple radio interfaces as shown in Fig 1; QoS requirements[Wingdings font/0xE0] UE 115-a (the group leader) receives QoS requirements from UE 115-b via either an RRC message contains a QoS profile (priority, delay budget), or a MAC CE message containing a QoS indicator that maps to a QoS profile));
transmit or receive communications over the second radio interface based on the PC5 DRX communication parameters. ([0121], [0123]-[0124], [0127], [0155]-[0158], UE 115-e transmits DRX configurations & UE 115-d receives and implements DRX configurations for scheduling reception and aligning transmissions; transmits/receives the discontinuous reception configuration containing communication parameters—in a radio interface and possible multiple radio interfaces as shown in Fig 1).
determine PC5 DRX communication parameters based on the PC5 DRX configuration parameters and the QoS requirements ([0005]-[0006], [0025], [0036], [0105]-[0106], [0108], [0110], [0123]-[0124], discloses that a UE determines a DRX configuration, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communications; the DRX configuration is communicated via PC5 signaling, such as a PC5 RRC message, and UEs implement and update their DRX operation based on the received configuration; further discloses that the DRX configuration is determined based on traffic information including QoS profiles, priorities, and delay budgets, and that scheduling and DRX operation are adapted accordingly; teachings determining DRX communication parameters based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
However, TSG-CT remedies the gap left by WG2 and Wu in regards to second radio PC5 interface PC5 related parameters originated from the network (pg. 1 Reason for change: discloses that the PCF includes PC5 QoS parameters and PC5 policy information used by NG-RAN, which are transferred via the Namf_Communication_N1N2MesssageTransfer message as an N2 PC5 policy container; demonstrating that PC5 configuration parameters originate from the network and are provisioned to the access network and UE for PC5 communication, consistent with UE receiving PC5-related configuration via the network interface (Uu)).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Claims 2-11, 13-14, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WG2 in view of Wu, in further view of TSG-CT, in further view of Sun et al (US20220377662) (hereinafter "Sun").
Regarding claim 2 (and method claim 17), WG2 teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to receive the PC5 DRX configuration parameters from a policy control function (pg. 9 & pg. 16 Section 7.1 & Section 16.x.4.1 respectively; pg. 12 Section 16.x.1; discloses that the RRC sublayer operates over the Uu interface between the UE and the NG-RAN and provides control signaling service; further stating that NR sidelink communication can be configured and controlled by NG-RAN via dedicated signaling or system information, indicating that the UE receives sidelink configuration from the network over the Uu interface, corresponding to the claimed first radio interface comprising a Uu interface; further discloses that the NG-RAN architecture supports the PC5 interface, and that sidelink transmission and reception occur over the PC5 interface between UEs; communication between UEs occur over the PC5 interface as well (second radio interface as PC5)).
But WG2, Wu, and TSG-CT fails to teach from a policy control function.
However, Sun teaches from a policy control function (Fig 1 126, [0031], [0035]-[0050], numerous disclosure of session and connection management, NAS signaling, and component roles, DRX configuration passed via control signaling which is part of the control plane signaling between the UE and node, PCF involved in the signaling or generation of DRX parameters, PCF communications within core network which communicates with a RAN via N3 which in turn communicates DRX configuration parameters with an UE – specifically policy enforcement like PCF).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 3 (and method claim 18), WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an offset to the PC5 DRX configuration parameters to meet the QoS requirements.
However, Wu teaches the apparatus wherein the processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an offset to the PC5 DRX configuration parameters to meet the QoS requirements (Fig 1, 115, 205, 210, Fig 8, 810, [0155]-[0158], [0037]-[0055], [0058]-[0082], indication of DRX configurations can be adjusted in response to control messages or service requirements which suggests DRX parameters, including offsets, can be dynamically modified to align with network conditions and traffic needs; discussion of using time offsets and latency tolerance to ensure QoS compliance—showing that offsets are used in scheduling mechanisms, which could extend to DRX configuration adjustments; DRX configurations in 3GPP standards allow flexibility with start offsets, cycle lengths and inactivity timers for which networks can modify these based on traffic demand, latency requirements, or QoS flow characteristics—given discussion on timing synchronization QoS driven scheduling, it is a logical extension that the system could determine a DRX offset based on QoS constraints ).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 4 (and method claim 19), WG2 fails to teach the first UE, wherein at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an offset based on a mapping of an offset parameter to the QoS requirements included within the PC5 DRX configuration parameters.
However, Wu teaches the first UE, wherein at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an offset based on a mapping of an offset parameter to the QoS requirements included within the PC5 DRX configuration parameters (Fig 1, 115, 205, 210, Fig 8, 810, [0102], [0107]-[0108], [0155]-[0158], [0037], [0056]]-[0055], [0058]-[0082], indication of DRX configurations can be adjusted in response to control messages or service requirements which suggests DRX parameters, including offsets, can be dynamically modified to align with network conditions and traffic needs; discussion of using time offsets and latency tolerance to ensure QoS compliance—showing that offsets are used in scheduling mechanisms, which could extend to DRX configuration adjustments; DRX configurations in 3GPP standards allow flexibility with start offsets, cycle lengths and inactivity timers for which networks can modify these based on traffic demand, latency requirements, or QoS flow characteristics—given discussion on timing synchronization QoS driven scheduling, it is a logical extension that the system could determine a DRX offset based on QoS constraints ).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 5 (and method claim 20), WG2 fails to teach the first UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to receive the QoS requirements from a second UE.
However, Wu teaches the first UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to receive the QoS requirements from a second UE. (Fig 1, 115, 205, 210, Fig 8, 805, [0140], [0149], [0155]-[0158], [0082], device-to-device communication link is established and reception of information over sidelink communication channel between vehicles or UEs , Receives traffic information (which encompasses QoS profile & QoS identifier—for transmission in a radio interface and possible multiple radio interfaces as shown in Fig 1, receives from UE).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 6, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an active time and an inactive time.
However, Wu teaches the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to determine an active time and an inactive time (Fig 1, 2, 4, 8 [[0079], [0091], [0108], DRX configuration determined by the processor where DRX cycle consists of ON duration and DRX period when the UE may power down radio components, processor determines between the two modes during the specific DRX reception parameters, DRX inactivity timer).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 7, WG2 fails to teach the first UE, wherein the inactive time comprises a time in which the first UE is in a sleep state and does not transmit sidelink communication messages over the second radio interface and does not listen for sidelink communication messages over the second radio interface.
However, Wu teaches the first UE, wherein the inactive time comprises a time in which the first UE is in a sleep state and does not transmit sidelink communication messages over the second radio interface and does not listen for sidelink communication messages over the second radio interface.((Fig 1, 2, 4, 8 [[0079], [0091], [0108] period of inactivity may increase the likelihood that a UE or a group of UEs fail to receive a sidelink group communication—UEs not transmitting over a multitude of radio interfaces as seen in the figures but not during period of inactivity nor not listening for sidelink communication due to the inactivity timers).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 8, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to receive a default PC5 DRX configuration.
However, Wu teaches the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to receive a default PC5 DRX configuration (Fig 1 & 2, [108]-[0109] receiver Receives traffic information, DRX configuration containing parameters which can also be a default DRX reception communication mode, this can be a DRX cycle or “one-shot” configuration, operating till end of the DRX cycle and then revert back to default configuration mode).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 9, WG2 fails to teach the first UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to use default PC5 DRX configuration parameters to fallback to a default PC5 DRX communication.
However, Wu teaches the first UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to use default PC5 DRX configuration parameters to fallback to a default PC5 DRX communication.(Fig 1 & 2, [108]-[0109] receiver Receives traffic information, DRX configuration containing parameters which can also be a default DRX reception communication mode, this can be a DRX cycle or “one-shot” configuration, operating till end of the DRX cycle and then revert back to default configuration mode).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 10, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of configuration per vehicle to everything (V2E) service type.
However, Wu teaches the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of configuration per vehicle to everything (V2E) service type.((Fig 1 & 2, [0082], [0096], [0101], [0105], [108]-[0109], [0011], [0032], [0057], disclosure describes how multiple DRX configurations can be used in parallel (overlay manner) to meet the QoS requirements of different services, refers to a terminal devices receiving multiple DRX configurations possibly indicating per-terminal (per-vehicle) differentiation, the different services part is more clearly addressed, suggesting DRX configurations are associated with different service types – V2X, , determine DRX configuration in a V2X and list of same V2X services, DRX configuration containing parameters which can also be a default DRX reception communication mode,).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 11, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of PC5 DRX configuration parameters per QoS requirement.
However, Wu teaches the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of PC5 DRX configuration parameters per QoS requirement. (Fig 1 , 2, 3 325, 330, [0096], [0101], [0105], [108]-[0109], [011], [0032], [0042], [0057], several references to different DRX parameters (e.g. DRX cycles, timers, offsets) being configured to meet different QoS requirements, explicit statements that DRX configurations differ in parameters like DRX cycles, on-duration timers, and that they correspond to different services with different QoS needs, reverting back to standard DRX mode or inactivity timer based monitoring which keeps DRX configuration and traffic information including QoS requirements are consolidated and determined, DRX configuration containing parameters which can also be a default DRX reception communication mode).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 13, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to transmit communications and receive communications over the second radio interface a second UE via a PC5 interface.
However, Wu teaches teach the first UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first UE to transmit communications and receive communications over the second radio interface a second UE via a PC5 interface. (Fig 1, 2, [0114], [0123], receiver receives communications over a radio interface and can receive, and receiver can receive broadcast/groupcast type DRX configuration messages via PC5 interface over a different radio interface).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Regarding claim 14, WG2 fails to teach the first UE wherein transmissions over the first radio interface comprise communication with a mobile core network via a Uu interface.
However Wu teaches the first UE wherein transmissions over the first radio interface comprise communication with a mobile core network via a Uu interface (Fig 1, 2, [0054], [0098], transmission over a radio interface –the communication with a mobile core network (base station containing access to core network) over a Uu interface).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WG2 in view of Wu, TSG-CT, in further view of Sun, in further view with respect to claim 8 & 1 of Zhang (US20240214940) (hereinafter "Zhang").
Regarding claim 12, WG2, Wu, TSG-CT , and Sun, fails to teach the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of PC5 DRX configuration parameters per groupcast, broadcast, or unicast transmission over the second radio interface.
However, Zhang teaches the first UE wherein the default PC5 DRX configuration comprises a mapping of PC5 DRX configuration parameters per groupcast, broadcast, or unicast transmission over the second radio interface ([0042], [0062], [0073], discloses transmission types –groupcast, broadcast, unicast—in sidelink DRX, discloses DRX configuration parameters per transmission type—common DRX mode is configured so that all slots are able to be detected by power saving UE and is applicable to all transmission types, DRX mode also includes specific DRX mode for specific services, which is configured with short DRX cycle, and in each specific DRX configuration, DRX parameters associated with the QoS of short PDB are (pre)configured—these passages suggest that different DRX configurations (common or specific) can apply depending on the transmission type or service requirements, which aligns with the idea of “mapping” of DRX parameters per transmission type; default configuration context—common DRX mode (default DRX mode) application to all transmission types supports the claim that a default DRX configuration exists and is structured to support carious transmission types with differentiated settings).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Wu et al (US20210059004) (hereinafter "Wu") in further view of WG2, in further view of TSG-CT.
Regarding claim 15, Sun teaches an apparatus for performing a policy and control function (Fig 1 126, [0031], [0035]-[0036], apparatus with a PCF, unified data management USM 127), the apparatus comprising:
at least one memory ([0020], memory); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory ([0020], [0069], Fig 1 , UE 101, 410 processor, memory) and configured to cause the apparatus to:
receive, over a first radio interface, a policy association request for a corresponding user equipment (Fig 1 126, [0030]-[0050], [0035]-[0036], extensive discussion of signaling between the UE and the AMF over the N1 interface including NAS signaling which can be implicitly supported via the description of signaling flows);
obtain a subscription profile for the first UE, wherein the subscription profile comprises a default PC5 discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration for a second radio interface (Fig. 2 , [0031], [0036], [0093], describes the UDM storing subscription data, including policy data, which may be used by the PCF, a default DRX configuration is loosely implied in the subscription profile for a second radio interface).);
transmit the configuration information to the first UE via non-access stratum (NAS) control plane (CP) signaling over the first radio interface ([0031], [0036], NAS control signaling over N1 (between UE and AMF) is described in detail, transmitting control/configuration information via NAS is disclosed).
but Sun fails to teach but Wu teaches—
determine configuration information for communications over the second radio interface for the first UE.
determine configuration information for communications over the second radio interface for the first UE (Fig 1, 115, 205, 210, Fig 8, 810, [0155]-[0158], [0037] processor determines DRX configuration over a multiple radio interfaces).
Sun and Wu are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of facilitating configuration of UEs visa multiple RF interfaces and specific parameters as well as discontinuous reception operations within wireless communication systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Sun’s reception of DRX configuration for multiple frequencies along with UE communication with multiple RF interfaces to yield a apparatus that communicates with DRX configuration parameters over multiple radio interfaces to achieve an efficient power management.
Sun provides a description of dual discontinuous reception in multiple frequency ranges which facilitate configuration of UE. Furthermore, Wu provides a general description of discontinuous reception operations for wireless communications systems with the presence of multiple radio interfaces and multiple UEs. Combining Sun and Wu would yield a apparatus that communicates with DRX configuration parameters over multiple radio interfaces to achieve an efficient power management. The motivation for this combination specifically the communication system involving multiple radio interfaces requires efficient power management techniques to balance performance and energy consumption.
However, Wu fails to teach but WG2 teaches wherein the first radio interface comprises a Uu interface and the second radio interface comprises a PC5 interface (pg. 9 & pg. 16 Section 7.1 & Section 16.x.4.1 respectively; pg. 12 Section 16.x.1; discloses that the RRC sublayer operates over the Uu interface between the UE and the NG-RAN and provides control signaling service; further stating that NR sidelink communication can be configured and controlled by NG-RAN via dedicated signaling or system information, indicating that the UE receives sidelink configuration from the network over the Uu interface, corresponding to the claimed first radio interface comprising a Uu interface; further discloses that the NG-RAN architecture supports the PC5 interface, and that sidelink transmission and reception occur over the PC5 interface between UEs; communication between UEs occur over the PC5 interface as well (second radio interface as PC5)).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
However, TSG-CT remedies the gap left by WG2 in regards to second radio PC5 interface PC5 related parameters originated from the network (pg. 1 Reason for change: discloses that the PCF includes PC5 QoS parameters and PC5 policy information used by NG-RAN, which are transferred via the Namf_Communication_N1N2MesssageTransfer message as an N2 PC5 policy container; demonstrating that PC5 configuration parameters originate from the network and are provisioned to the access network and UE for PC5 communication, consistent with UE receiving PC5-related configuration via the network interface (Uu)).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WG2 and Wu because WG2 discloses the NR architecture in which a UE communicate with a network over a Uu interface and performs sidelink communication over a PC5 interface, and further teaches that the network provides sidelink configuration to the UE via RRC signaling or system information over the Uu interface, while Wu discloses determining DRX communication parameters, including DRX cycles and awake periods, for sidelink communication based on DRX configuration parameters and QoS requirements (e.g. QoS profile, priority, and delay budget). Further, TSG-CT discloses that the PCF provides QoS parameters in a PC5 policy container for use by NG-RAN in PC5 communication. Accordingly, these references teach that a UE may receive network-provided configuration related to PC5 communication over the Uu interface for communication over the PC5 interface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the network based sidelink configuration mechanisms of WG2 to the DRX configuration and QoS-based determination of Wu in order to enable centralized configuration, improve resource management, and ensure consistent sidelink operation across UEs, yielding predictable results of configuring and determining PC5 DRX communication parameters based on network-provided configuration and QoS requirements.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li et al (US20220256318A1) discloses communication apparatus and method of v2x services and communication system
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/MICHAEL WILLIAM ABBATINE JR./Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/JENEE HOLLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469