DETAILED ACTION
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 03/02/2026 for response of the office action mailed on 11/28/2025. Interdependent claims 1, 31 and 61 are amended. Claims 7, 13, 15, 17-18, 21-23, 26-32 and 34-60 were cancelled previously. Claim 2 is cancelled currently. A new claim 86 is added currently. Therefore, claims 1, 3-6, 8-12, 14, 16, 19-20, 24-25, 33, 61 and 86 are pending and addressed below.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 61 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Luo et. al. (2022/0408514), Luo hereinafter. Luo teaches all of the limitations of the specified claim with the following reasoning that follows.
Re. Claim 61, Luo teaches a method (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0019) implemented at a network node (Fig.1, 118/104), comprising: transmitting a configuring message indicating a sidelink transmission configuration for at least one service type or Quality of Service, QoS, requirement, to a first terminal device and/or one or multiple second terminal devices (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0019 - The UE 102 may receive the DRX configuration assistant information from a wireless access network node such as the WANN 104 (210). The DRX configuration assistant information may include, for example, recommended sidelink DRX configuration information (recommended sidelink DRX configuration scheme based on the user equipment state information and/or the quality of service requirement, see, ¶0027),……… and sidelink DRX configuration information of other UEs. The sidelink DRX configuration information of the other UEs may include, for example, a traffic type in the sidelink communication and corresponding DRX configuration parameters. The traffic type may be represented by a destination identifier, a destination identifier index, a destination UE identifier, or a destination UE identifier index. The destination identifier and destination identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic without differentiating the transmit UEs. The destination UE identifier and the destination UE identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic transmitted from a specific UE. Examples of various types of traffic may include safe driving information, road traffic information, entertaining information, Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of ”at least” and “and/or” in the limitation), wherein sidelink Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured for the first terminal device and the one or multiple second terminal devices (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0019 - DRX configuration assistant information may include, for example, recommended sidelink DRX configuration information, sidelink transmit resource pool information, sidelink receive resource pool information, and sidelink DRX configuration information of other UEs. The sidelink DRX configuration information of the other UEs may include, for example, a traffic type in the sidelink communication and corresponding DRX configuration parameters. The traffic type may be represented by a destination identifier, a destination identifier index, a destination UE identifier, or a destination UE identifier index. The destination identifier and destination identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic without differentiating the transmit UEs. The destination UE identifier and the destination UE identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic transmitted from a specific UE. Examples of various types of traffic may include safe driving information, road traffic information, entertaining information), wherein the sidelink transmission configuration is determined from a set of possible sidelink transmission configurations comprising a first sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine at least one transmission resource (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0021 - After receiving the DRX configuration assistant information from the WANN 104 (210), the UE 102 may determine the DRX configuration scheme for the sidelink communication between the UE 102 and the UE 124 based on the DRX configuration assistant information (220). The DRX configuration scheme may include at least one set of DRX configuration parameters. A set of DRX configuration parameters may include, for example, a sidelink DRX cycle, a time duration, an on duration time pattern, a first non-active timer, and a second non-active timer. The on duration time pattern may include a slot bitmap indicating the sidelink DRX on duration. Fig. 1-2 & ¶0046 - slot bitmap to indicate on duration time pattern in the DRX configuration parameters. Fig. 1-2 & ¶0047 - A slot bitmap may indicate which slots or symbols are sidelink reception resources in the sidelink resource pool. … the sidelink DRX cycle is configured, which may be an integral multiple of the cycle of the sidelink reception resource pool, i.e. the length of the slot bitmap… the cycle of the sidelink reception resource pool may be an integral multiple of the sidelink DRX cycle. Accordingly, the reception on duration may be configured as the number of slots within the sidelink resource pool after the beginning of a DRX cycle. Fig. 1-2 & ¶0048 - a slot bitmap may indicate which slots are configured to be reception on or reception off within the range of the indicated transmission resources. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “and/or” in the limitation) and/or at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices and a second sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
In 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 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 factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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, 3-6, 8, 24 and 86 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN et al. (2023/0007727), FAN hereinafter, in view of FREDA et al. (2023/0063472), FREDA hereinafter.
Re. Claim 1, FAN teaches a method (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012/¶0155/¶0157/¶0170) implemented at a first terminal device (Fig.2/Fig.4, Terminal device A), comprising: determining a sidelink transmission configuration for at least one service type or Quality of Service, QoS, requirement, wherein sidelink Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured for the first terminal device and one or multiple second terminal devices (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0013 - the receiving device performing a DRX operation may determine, based on the QoS requirement of the sidelink service, the DRX configuration information used for the sidelink. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0034 - The second terminal device receives first configuration information of first discontinuous reception DRX that is sent by a first terminal device, where the first DRX is used to control the first terminal device to receive data on a sidelink; and the second terminal device sends data on the sidelink to the first terminal device based on the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0155 - S210: A terminal device A (namely, an example of a first terminal device) determines first configuration information of first DRX. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0157 - the terminal device A may determine the first configuration information based on a quality of service (QoS) requirement of a service. Alternatively, the terminal device A may determine, based on auxiliary information that is sent by a terminal device B (an example of a second terminal device) to the terminal device A, the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0170 - the terminal device A may specifically determine, based on a service type and/or a second mapping relationship, the first configuration information from the one or more pieces of configuration information A. For example, the service type may be the service mode. See Tables 1 & 2.); determining, based on the determined sidelink transmission configuration, at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion for transmission of data associated with the at least one service type or the QoS requirement (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service.Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Also, see ¶0266/¶0284. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one” and “and/or” in the limitation); wherein the sidelink transmission configuration is determined from a set of possible sidelink transmission configurations comprising a first sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices and a second sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices (Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0265 - S410: The terminal device A determines first configuration information of first DRX. Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0266 - The first DRX is used by the terminal device A to receive SCI and/or data on a plurality of sidelinks. In other words, when the terminal device A establishes the sidelink to the plurality of terminal devices, the terminal device maintains a DRX configuration, to be specific, the configuration information of the first DRX, and determines DRX activation time <interpreted as transmission time occasion > based on the configuration information of the first DRX, to receive the SCI and/or the data on the plurality of sidelinks. Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0284 - the terminal device A determines all pieces of configuration information for performing a first DRX operation by the terminal device A, that is, the first configuration information. The terminal device A performs the first DRX operation based on the first configuration information, monitors, in the activation time < interpreted as transmission time occasion > of the first DRX, the SCI and/or the data on the sidelink that are/is sent by the terminal device B and the terminal device C. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “and/or” in the limitation.).
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Yet, FAN does not expressly teach transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement to the one or multiple second terminal devices over the sidelink according to the determined at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion.
However, in the analogous art, FREDA explicitly discloses transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement to the one or multiple second terminal devices over the sidelink according to the determined at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion. (Fig. 1-4 & ¶0005 - a method for determining discontinuous reception (DRX) operation in a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) having multiple DRX configurations includes one or more of selecting one of the multiple DRX configurations associated with a type of received transmission and/or intended recipient, selecting one of the multiple DRX configurations associated with a quality of service (QoS) of an ongoing service, selecting one of the multiple DRX configurations associated with a priority of recently received data, selecting one of the multiple DRX configurations provided by another WTRU, and selecting one of the multiple DRX configurations based on a static configuration associated with sidelink. Fig. 1-4 & ¶0008 - a method performed by a first WTRU to determining a transmission opportunity to reach a peer WTRU which is in a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation, includes one or more of determining a transmission time based on availability of the peer WTRU, the availability dependent on at least one of a time related to a last transmission to the peer WTRU and a quality of service (QoS) for a transmission to the peer WTRU, determining a transmission time based on the peer WTRU active period, determining different offsets for a transport block retransmission associated with a transmission opportunity, and transmitting an activity signal on a sidelink communication to indicate an intention to transmit from the WTRU to the peer WTRU. )
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system to include FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in power savings in sidelink (PC5 interface) communication by determining DRX operation based on a combination of transmission activity and reception activity of a peer wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) in the 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system. (¶0002-¶0010, FREDA)
Re. Claim 3, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches wherein determining at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion further comprises: responsive to the determined sidelink transmission configuration being the first sidelink transmission configuration, determining the at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices, when a first sidelink transmission configuration is determined for the service type or QoS requirement (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service.Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Based on the aforesaid disclosures by FAN, it is evident that determination of DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information without consideration of DRX state of the participating peer devices (i.e., terminal A & terminal B) in sidelink communication as shown in Fig.2/Fig.4. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “one of” and “or” in the limitation); or responsive to the determined sidelink transmission configuration being the first sidelink transmission configuration, determining the at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices, when a second sidelink transmission configuration is determined for the service type or QoS requirement.
Re. Claim 4, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches wherein the DRX state comprises active state (Fig. 2-7 & ¶0035 - the first configuration information includes one or more of the following information elements: a first DRX cycle, a start offset of the first DRX, a slot offset of the first DRX, information about a first timer, or information about a second timer, where the information about the first timer is used to configure DRX activation duration (i.e., active state) in each first DRX cycle, and the information about the second timer is used to configure DRX activation duration (i.e., active state) after the first terminal device receives control information for scheduling newly transmitted data. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “or” in the limitation) or idle state.
Re. Claim 5, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches transmitting an indication to the one or multiple second terminal devices or a network node, wherein the indication at least indicates the determined at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0185 – S220: The terminal device A sends first configuration information to the terminal device B. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one” and “or” in the limitation).
Re. Claim 6, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
FAN further teaches wherein the indication indicates at least one of: one or multiple resources in frequency; one or multiple resources in time; one or multiple transmission time occasions for initial transmissions and/or one or multiple transmission time occasions for one or multiple retransmissions (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0185 – S220: The terminal device A sends first configuration information to the terminal device B. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one of” and “or” in the limitation); at least one Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, process identity, ID, for the at least one transmission time occasion; at least one Redundancy version, RV, value for the at least one transmission occasion; at least one New data indicator, NDI, of the HARQ process assigned for the at least one transmission time occasion; or at least one of the service type, Logical channel ID, Logical channel group, LCG, or priority index for the data to be transmitted during the at least one transmission time occasion.
Re. Claim 8, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
FAN further teaches wherein the indication is transmitted via at least one of dedicated sidelink transmission (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0185 – S220: The terminal device A sends first configuration information to the terminal device B. As shown in the figure 2/4, the sidelink communication between terminal A and terminal B is interpreted to be communicated in the dedicated sidelink transmission in step 220. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one of” and “or” in the limitation), groupcast sidelink transmission or broadcast sidelink transmission.
Re. Claim 24, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches wherein determining the sidelink transmission configuration for the at least one service type or QoS requirement further comprises: determining the first sidelink transmission configuration for a delay sensitive service type or a service associated with a critical latency requirement (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0013 - the receiving device performing a DRX operation may determine, based on the QoS requirement of the sidelink service, the DRX configuration information used for the sidelink. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0155 - S210: A terminal device A (namely, an example of a first terminal device) determines first configuration information of first DRX. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0157 - the terminal device A may determine the first configuration information based on a quality of service (QoS) requirement of a service. Alternatively, the terminal device A may determine, based on auxiliary information that is sent by a terminal device B (an example of a second terminal device) to the terminal device A, the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig.4 & ¶0158: ¶0159 - The QoS requirement of the service in this application may include but is not limited to one or more of the following: a 5G quality of service identifier (5QI), a 5G quality of service identifier (PQI) of a PC5 interface, a logical channel priority for service, or another QoS parameter reflecting a priority, reliability, a delay, a data rate, or the like of service data. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0170 - the terminal device A may specifically determine, based on a service type and/or a second mapping relationship, the first configuration information from the one or more pieces of configuration information A. For example, the service type may be the service mode. Also, see Table 1-2. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0254 - if the current configuration information of the first DRX cannot meet a latency requirement of the new service, the terminal device A reconfigures the first DRX, and notifies the terminal device B of the reconfiguration information of the first DRX. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “and/or” and “or” in the limitation); and/or determining the second sidelink transmission configuration for a delay insensitive service type or a service associated with a non-critical latency requirement.
Re. Claim 86, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches transmitting a DRX configuration for the first terminal device to the one or multiple second terminal devices or a network node (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0185 – S220: The terminal device A sends first configuration information to the terminal device. Also, see steps 410/420 from Fig. 4); and receiving at least one DRX configuration for the one or multiple second terminal devices from the one or multiple second terminal devices or a network node (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0188 - S230: The terminal device B determines second configuration information of the first DRX. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0199 - S240: The terminal device B sends the second configuration information to the terminal device A. Also, see steps 433/420 from Fig. 4).
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Claims 9-10, 12 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA, further in view XU et. al. (2019/0174411 as submitted in IDS), XU hereinafter.
Re. Claim 9, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach wherein transmitting the indication to the one or multiple second terminal devices or the network node further comprises: transmitting the indication in a first transmission time occasion according to the DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices.
However, in the analogous art, XU explicitly discloses wherein transmitting the indication to the one or multiple second terminal devices or the network node further comprises: transmitting the indication in a first transmission time occasion according to the DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices. (Fig. 1-16 & ¶0043 - determining unit 101 may determine an active time for the relay network node and/or the remote network node to detect the PSCCH and a sleep time for the relay network node and/or the remote network node not to detect the PSCCH.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include XU’s invention of a system and a method for perform relay transmission between a network node and one or more other network nodes based on a configuration of SL-DRX (sidelink- discontinuous reception) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in reducing energy consumption of the network node performing relay communication by using discontinuous reception (DRX) on the sidelink in the. wireless communication system (¶0002-¶0011, XU)
Re. Claim 10, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach wherein transmitting the indication to the one or multiple second terminal devices or the network node further comprises: transmitting the indication prior to transmitting (204) the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement.
However, in the analogous art, XU explicitly discloses wherein transmitting the indication to the one or multiple second terminal devices or the network node further comprises: transmitting the indication prior to transmitting (204) the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement. (Fig. 1-16 & ¶0076 - when the transmission requests on the sidelink and the general link occur simultaneously, the determining unit 101 may set, according to priority levels of the general link and the sidelink, a transmission order of the general link and the sidelink, and update the SL-DRX configuration of the relay network node or the remote network node according to the transmission order. Fig. 1-16 & ¶0077 - a relay network node first receives data on one link with a higher priority level regardless of the state of the other link. In an embodiment, the priority levels of transmission and reception on the general link are both higher than those of transmission or reception on the sidelink. When there are data transmission requests on both the sidelink and the general downlink, the relay network node first receives information from the general link. Then, the determining unit 101 can update the SL-DRX configuration of the relay network node and schedule the remote network node to transmit data to the relay network node later. Fig. 1-16 & ¶0078 - A similar process may be performed for a situation where a conflict occurs at a remote network node, and at this time, the determining unit updates the SL-DRX configuration of the remote network node and schedules the relay network node to transmit data to the remote network node later.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include XU’s invention of a system and a method for perform relay transmission between a network node and one or more other network nodes based on a configuration of SL-DRX (sidelink- discontinuous reception) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in reducing energy consumption of the network node performing relay communication by using discontinuous reception (DRX) on the sidelink in the. wireless communication system (¶0002-¶0011, XU)
Re. Claim 12, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach wherein transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement to the one or multiple second terminal devices over the sidelink further comprises: transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement after a time period of transmitting the indication.
However, in the analogous art, XU explicitly discloses wherein transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement to the one or multiple second terminal devices over the sidelink further comprises: transmitting the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement after a time period of transmitting the indication. (Fig. 1-16 & ¶0076 - when the transmission requests on the sidelink and the general link occur simultaneously, the determining unit 101 may set, according to priority levels of the general link and the sidelink, a transmission order of the general link and the sidelink, and update the SL-DRX configuration of the relay network node or the remote network node according to the transmission order. Fig. 1-16 & ¶0077 - a relay network node first receives data on one link with a higher priority level regardless of the state of the other link. In an embodiment, the priority levels of transmission and reception on the general link are both higher than those of transmission or reception on the sidelink. When there are data transmission requests on both the sidelink and the general downlink, the relay network node first receives information from the general link. Then, the determining unit 101 can update the SL-DRX configuration of the relay network node and schedule the remote network node to transmit data to the relay network node later. Fig. 1-16 & ¶0078 - A similar process may be performed for a situation where a conflict occurs at a remote network node, and at this time, the determining unit updates the SL-DRX configuration of the remote network node and schedules the relay network node to transmit data to the remote network node later.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include XU’s invention of a system and a method for perform relay transmission between a network node and one or more other network nodes based on a configuration of SL-DRX (sidelink- discontinuous reception) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in reducing energy consumption of the network node performing relay communication by using discontinuous reception (DRX) on the sidelink in the. wireless communication system (¶0002-¶0011, XU)
Re. Claim 19, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches wherein the determined sidelink transmission configuration is the second sidelink transmission configuration (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0038 - the second configuration information is determined by the second terminal device based on information related to the second terminal device, and the related information includes one or more of a channel busy ratio (CBR), a speed, and a QoS requirement of a service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0045 - after the second configuration information is sent to the first terminal device; or after an acknowledgment feedback that the second configuration information is received and that is sent by the first terminal device is received.), and wherein determining at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service.Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one” and “or” in the limitation)
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach determining the at least one transmission resource during the at least one transmission time occasion when the one or multiple second terminal devices are in active state according to the DRX configuration for the one or multiple second terminal devices.
However, in the analogous art, XU explicitly discloses determining the at least one transmission resource during the at least one transmission time occasion when the one or multiple second terminal devices are in active state according to the DRX configuration for the one or multiple second terminal devices. (Fig. 1-16 & ¶0043 - determining unit 101 may determine an active time for the relay network node and/or the remote network node to detect the PSCCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include XU’s invention of a system and a method for perform relay transmission between a network node and one or more other network nodes based on a configuration of SL-DRX (sidelink- discontinuous reception) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in reducing energy consumption of the network node performing relay communication by using discontinuous reception (DRX) on the sidelink in the. wireless communication system (¶0002-¶0011, XU)
Re. Claim 20, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
FAN further teaches wherein the determined sidelink transmission configuration is the second sidelink transmission configuration (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0038 - the second configuration information is determined by the second terminal device based on information related to the second terminal device, and the related information includes one or more of a channel busy ratio (CBR), a speed, and a QoS requirement of a service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0045 - after the second configuration information is sent to the first terminal device; or after an acknowledgment feedback that the second configuration information is received and that is sent by the first terminal device is received), and determining at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion further comprises: when the data and/or indication is to be transmitted via dedicated sidelink transmission (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066- the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0185 – S220: The terminal device A sends first configuration information to the terminal device B. As shown in the figure 2/4, the sidelink communication between terminal A and terminal B is interpreted to be communicated in the dedicated sidelink transmission in step 220. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one of” and “or” in the limitation).
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach determining the at least one transmission time occasion based on the DRX state of the second terminal device,
However, in the analogous art, XU explicitly discloses determining the at least one transmission time occasion based on the DRX state of the second terminal device, (Fig. 1-16 & ¶0043 - determining unit 101 may determine an active time for the relay network node and/or the remote network node to detect the PSCCH and a sleep time for the relay network node and/or the remote network node not to detect the PSCCH),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include XU’s invention of a system and a method for perform relay transmission between a network node and one or more other network nodes based on a configuration of SL-DRX (sidelink- discontinuous reception) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in reducing energy consumption of the network node performing relay communication by using discontinuous reception (DRX) on the sidelink in the. wireless communication system (¶0002-¶0011, XU)
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA, further in view LOEHR et. al. (2019/0124015), LOEHR hereinafter.
Re. Claim 11, FAN and FREDA teach claim 5.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach wherein the indication is transmitted to the one or multiple second terminal devices together with at least part of the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement.
However, in the analogous art, LOEHR explicitly discloses wherein the indication is transmitted to the one or multiple second terminal devices together with at least part of the data associated with the service type or the QoS requirement. (Fig. 1-11 & ¶0048 - necessary quality of service parameters are transmitted together with the vehicular data to lower layers responsible for the transmission of the vehicular data. The quality of service parameters are then used in the UE autonomous resource allocation performed by the vehicular UE so as to obtain suitable transmission parameters to be used for the transmission of the vehicular data while at the same time trying to enforce the quality of service requirements. Fig. 1-11 & ¶0050 - The quality of service indication can be forwarded together with vehicular data to the corresponding transmission layer of the vehicular UE, which then performs the resource allocation is indicated by the quality of service indication. Fig. 1-11 & ¶0052 - An application layer of the transmitting device generates the vehicular data and forwards the vehicular data together with a priority indication and one or more quality of service parameters to a transmission layer responsible for transmission of the vehicular data via the sidelink interface).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include LOEHR’s invention of a system and a method for supporting of quality of service (QoS) for V2X transmission in a wireless communication system, because it provides an efficient mechanism in improving QoS (quality of service) support for transmitting vehicular data via the sidelink interface in the wireless communication system. (¶0001, LOEHR)
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA, further in view Park et. al. (2023/0180343), Park hereinafter.
Re. Claim 14, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach receiving a reply message from the one or multiple second terminal devices or a network node, wherein the reply message at least indicates whether the one or multiple second terminal devices will switch to active state from idle state to receive the data.
However, in the analogous art, Park explicitly discloses receiving a reply message from the one or multiple second terminal devices or a network node, wherein the reply message at least indicates whether the one or multiple second terminal devices will switch to active state from idle state to receive the data. (Fig. 11 & ¶0152 - In step S1110, a sidelink traffic may occur in the UE 1 performing sidelink DRX operation in PC5 Idle mode. For example, the sidelink traffic may be sidelink traffic related to legitimate sidelink communication to be performed between the UE 1 and the UE 2. For example, after the sidelink traffic, sidelink data requiring unicast sidelink transmission may continue to occur. Fig. 11 & ¶0153 - In step S1120, the UE 1 may establish a PC5 unicast link and a PC5 RRC connection with the UE 2 in order to continuously transmit unicast sidelink data to the UE 2. Fig. 11 & ¶0154 - In step S1130, the UE 1 includes sidelink-related information in a SidelinkUEInformation message and transmits it to a base station. Fig. 11 & ¶0155 - In step S1140, the base station may transmit PC5 active mode specific sidelink DRX configuration information to the UE 1 based on sidelink information of the UE 1 included in the SidelinkUEInformation message received from the UE 1….. the base station may transmit the PC5 active mode specific sidelink DRX configuration information through a dedicated RRC message or SIB. Fig. 11 & ¶0156 - the UE 1 may perform sidelink DRX operation in PC5 active mode using PC5 active mode specific sidelink DRX configuration information set by the base station .. In step S1150, the UE 1 may transmit the PC5 active mode specific sidelink DRX configuration information received from the base station to the UE 2 in the SidelinkDRXReconfiguration message.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include Park’s invention of a system and a method for operating Sidelink DRX per power saving mode in NR (New-Radio) V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communication system, because it provides an effective mechanism for a user equipment (UE) in performing SL (Sidelink) communication efficiently in the NR V2X communication system. (¶0002-¶0009, Park)
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA, further in view Miao et. al. (2023/0337140), Miao hereinafter.
Re. Claim 16, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach wherein the first terminal device and the one or multiple second terminal devices have a same DRX configuration.
However, in the analogous art, Miao explicitly discloses wherein the first terminal device and the one or multiple second terminal devices have a same DRX configuration. (Fig. 1-13 & ¶0056 - the second terminal device 130 can obtain 215 a second sidelink DRX configuration for the second terminal device 130 to perform sidelink communications with other terminal devices in the communication network 100. In some embodiments, the second sidelink DRX configuration for the second terminal device 130 may be the same as the first sidelink DRX configuration for the first terminal device 120. In other words, one sidelink DRX configuration can be applied to both the first terminal device 120 and the second terminal device 130.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include Miao’s invention of a system and a method for sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) in a wireless communication system, because it provides an effective mechanism for a plurality of user equipment (UE) for communicating with each other efficiently via sidelink communications based on legacy DRX schemes in LTE/NR Uu interface as operating in the wireless communication system. (¶0048, Miao)
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA, further in view Luo.
Re. Claim 25, FAN and FREDA teach claim 1.
Yet, FAN and FREDA do not expressly teach receiving a configuring message indicating the sidelink transmission configuration for the at least one service type or QoS requirement from a network node.
However, in the analogous art, Luo explicitly discloses receiving a configuring message indicating the sidelink transmission configuration for the at least one service type or QoS requirement from a network node. (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0019 - The UE 102 may receive the DRX configuration assistant information from a wireless access network node such as the WANN 104 (210). The DRX configuration assistant information may include, for example, recommended sidelink DRX configuration information (recommended sidelink DRX configuration scheme based on the user equipment state information and/or the quality of service requirement, see, ¶0027),……… and sidelink DRX configuration information of other UEs. The sidelink DRX configuration information of the other UEs may include, for example, a traffic type in the sidelink communication and corresponding DRX configuration parameters. The traffic type may be represented by a destination identifier, a destination identifier index, a destination UE identifier, or a destination UE identifier index. The destination identifier and destination identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic without differentiating the transmit UEs. The destination UE identifier and the destination UE identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic transmitted from a specific UE. Examples of various types of traffic may include safe driving information, road traffic information, entertaining information.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system and FREDA’s invention of a system and a method for performing discontinuous reception (DRX) operation on sidelink communication in a 5G/NR (New Radio) communication system to include Luo’s invention of a system and a method for sidelink communication such as V2X communication between user equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication network, because it provides an effective mechanism for reducing power consumption of the sidelink communication while meeting the time delay requirements between user equipments (UEs) in the wireless communication network (¶0002-¶0016, Luo)
Claim 33 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view Luo.
Re. Claim 33, FAN teaches a method (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012/¶0155/¶0157/¶0170) implemented at a second terminal device (Fig.2/Fig.4, Terminal device B/C), comprising: wherein at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion used for the transmission of the data was determined by the first terminal device based on a sidelink transmission configuration (Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0012 - The first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0066 - the processing unit is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service.Fig.2/Fig. 4 & ¶0184 - the terminal device A and/or the terminal device B determine/determines DRX activation time of the terminal device A based on the first configuration information. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one” and “and/or” in the limitation), and wherein sidelink Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured for the first terminal device and the second terminal device (It is evident from Fig.2 & Fig.4, DRX configuration information as exchanged between terminal A & B, are configured both terminals A & B as disclosed in ¶0012/¶0066 /¶0184), wherein the sidelink transmission configuration is determined from a set of possible sidelink transmission configurations comprising a first sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices and a second sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices (Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0265 - S410: The terminal device A determines first configuration information of first DRX. Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0266 - The first DRX is used by the terminal device A to receive SCI and/or data on a plurality of sidelinks. In other words, when the terminal device A establishes the sidelink to the plurality of terminal devices, the terminal device maintains a DRX configuration, to be specific, the configuration information of the first DRX, and determines DRX activation time based on the configuration information of the first DRX, to receive the SCI and/or the data on the plurality of sidelinks. Fig.2/Fig. 4-6 & ¶0284 - the terminal device A determines all pieces of configuration information for performing a first DRX operation by the terminal device A, that is, the first configuration information. The terminal device A performs the first DRX operation based on the first configuration information, monitors, in the activation time of the first DRX, the SCI and/or the data on the sidelink that are/is sent by the terminal device B and the terminal device C. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “and/or” in the limitation).
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Yet, FAN does not expressly teach receiving data associated with at least one service type or Quality of Service, QoS, requirement from a first terminal device over a sidelink,
However, in the analogous art Luo explicitly discloses teach receiving data associated with at least one service type or Quality of Service, QoS, requirement from a first terminal device over a sidelink (Fig. 1-2 & ¶0028 – The UE 102 may receive the DRX configuration assistant information from another UE such as the UE 124 (210). The DRX configuration assistant information may include, for example, recommended sidelink DRX configuration information, semi-persistent schedule (SPS) assistant information, sidelink transmit resource pool information, sidelink receive resource pool information, power saving requirement, quality of service information. Fig. 1-2 & ¶0036 - UEs in communication, such as the UE 102 and the UE 124, may establish a sidelink RRC connection. The transmit UE such as the UE 124 may transmit the SPS assistant information to the receive UE such as the UE 102 based on the transmit resource pool and traffic arrival cycle of the UE 124. In some implementation, the transmit UE may merely transmit the SPS assistant information related to the receive UE. As such, the receive UE may determine the sidelink DRX configuration parameters based on the received SPS assistant information. For example, the receive UE may derive the arrival timing of the data packet from the SPS assistant information. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “at least one” and “and/or” in the limitation.),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine FAN’s invention of a system and a method for reducing power consumption of a terminal device in a wireless communication system to include Luo’s invention of a system and a method for sidelink communication such as V2X communication between user equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication network, because it provides an effective mechanism for reducing power consumption of the sidelink communication while meeting the time delay requirements between user equipments (UEs) in the wireless communication network (¶0002-¶0016, Luo)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 03/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding remarks in page 9 for independent claim 61, applicant argues that Luo fails to teach amended claim 61, by emphasizing following statement, for example, “Importantly, in claim 61, sidelink DRX is already configured for the first terminal device and the one or multiple second terminal devices. In this context, the network node transmits a configuration message indicating a sidelink transmission configuration for at least one service type or QoS. Thus, on its face, the language of claim 61 distinguishes the ''sidelink transmission configuration'' from the DRX configurations of the first terminal device and the DRX configuration of the one or more multiple second terminal devices.
Luo teaches that the User Equipment (UE) (102) may receive the DRX configuration assistant information from a wireless access node, where the sidelink DRX configuration assistant information includes a recommended sidelink DRX configuration based on UE state information and/or QoS requirement. Thus, Luo teaches that the network node transmits a recommended sidelink DRX configuration to the UE. That is not what is required by claim 61. Rather, claim 61 requires: (1) a first terminal device and one or multiple second terminal devices that are configured with sidelink DRX (i.e., already have DRX configurations) and (2) transmission, from the network node to the first terminal device, of a message that indicates a sidelink transmission configuration (which is not equivalent to a DRX configuration or a recommended DRX configuration) for at least one service type or QoS requirement. As such, Luo fails to disclose the aforementioned features of claim 61 and, therefore, claim 61 is allowable over Luo.”. See page 9 of the remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. First all, the claim as recited in the independent claim 61 contains alternative options, for example, “configuring message indicating a sidelink transmission configuration for at least one service type or Quality of Service, QoS, requirement, to a first terminal device and/or one or multiple second terminal devices”. The disclosure of Luo, because of the presence of alternative options (i.e., “at least” and “and/or” as recited in the claim), focusses on service type as indicated in DRX configuration assistant information (i.e., sidelink transmission configuration).
For example, Luo discloses that DRX configuration assistant information is transmitted by a wireless access network node such as the WANN 104 (Fig.1) to a UE 102 (Fig.1). The DRX configuration assistant information, contains, various configuration information, for example, recommended sidelink DRX configuration information, sidelink transmit resource pool information, sidelink receive resource pool information, and sidelink DRX configuration information of other UEs. The sidelink DRX configuration information of other UEs, on the other hand, contains, for example, a traffic type (e.g., safe driving information, road traffic information, entertaining information, which are identified destination identifier, a destination identifier index, a destination UE identifier, or a destination UE identifier index as disclosed in ¶0019) in the sidelink communication and corresponding DRX configuration parameters. The traffic type may be represented by a destination identifier, a destination identifier index, a destination UE identifier, or a destination UE identifier index. The destination identifier and destination identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic without differentiating the transmit UEs. The destination UE identifier and the destination UE identifier index may refer to a type of sidelink traffic transmitted from a specific UE. Examples of various types of traffic may include safe driving information, road traffic information, entertaining information, and the like. See ¶0019 along with step 210 in Fig. 2, quite contrary to applicant’s remarks at least at page 9 of the remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
At the outset of rebuttal for claim 1 as mentioned at pages 9-14, examiner notes that despite the lengthy arguments presented by the Applicant, the arguments in reference to the failing of teaching by the combination of Fan and Freda, turns on a few focused features as outlined by the applicant, for example:
(a) determining a sidelink transmission configuration for at least one service type or
Quality of Service, QoS, requirement, wherein sidelink Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured for the first terminal device and one or multiple second terminal devices,
(b) determining, based on the determined sidelink transmission configuration, at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion for transmission of data associated with the at least one service type or the QoS requirement,
(c) wherein the sidelink transmission configuration is determined from a set of possible sidelink transmission configurations comprising a first sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices and a second sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices. See page 12 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Now, in reference to element (a), the applicant further argues, for example, “However, these teachings of Fan relate to determining the DRX configuration for terminal device A. As discussed above, the recited ''sidelink transmission configuration'' is not a DRX configuration. Rather, as recited in claim 1, the ''sidelink transmission configuration'' is distinct from the DRX configuration of the first terminal device. As such, the first configuration information of the first DRX of the first terminal device as taught by Fan cannot be read as the recited sidelink transmission configuration of claim 1, which is distinct from the DRX configuration”. See page 13 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. For example, Fan discloses that the first terminal device determines (See S210 <Fig.2 > & S410 <Fig. 4>) the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service… the receiving device performing a DRX operation may determine, based on the QoS requirement of the sidelink service, the DRX configuration information used for the sidelink. See ¶0012-¶0013. Fan further discloses that the second terminal device receives first configuration information of first discontinuous reception DRX that is sent by a first terminal device, where the first DRX is used to control the first terminal device to receive data on a sidelink; and the second terminal device sends data on the sidelink to the first terminal device based on the first configuration information. See ¶0034. In other words, the determination of a sidelink transmission configuration by the first terminal device, from a plurality of DRX configuration information, which is used for sidelink services as shown in Fig. 2/Fig. 4, is based on QoS requirement of a sidelink service <see, ¶0267 - terminal device A may determines, based on a quality of service (QoS) requirement of a service on the plurality of sidelinks > between terminal devices (e.g., Fig. 2/Fig. 4), in order to control sidelink data (between transmitting/receiving by terminals A/B/C as shown in Fig.2/Fig.4). Moreover, the QoS requirement of a sidelink service on the plurality of sidelinks < Fig.2/Fig.4>, is determined by the terminal device A, is based on the priority of services for sidelink data as outlined in Table 1/Table 2, explicitly disclosed in ¶0169-¶0171, quite contrary to applicant’s assertions at least at pages 11-13 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
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Now, in reference to element (b), the applicant further argues, for example, “ Regarding element (b) of claim 1, the Patent Office relied on Fan's teaching of ''the first terminal device determines the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service'' as stated in paragraph 0012 of Fan. This is further elaborated on in regard to step S210 of Figure 2 of Fan and paragraphs 00162-00164 of Fan where Fan teaches that the first configuration information for DRX for the first terminal device is determined from (i.e. selected from) one or more ''pieces'' of configuration information. In other words, the first terminal device is configured with different options for the DRX configuration and the first terminal device selects which option to use for the DRX configuration based on a QoS requirement of the sidelink service. Nevertheless, Fan only teaches a way for the first terminal device to determine a DRX configuration to be used by the first terminal device for sidelink reception. As discussed above, the DRX configuration is distinct from the recited ''sidelink transmission configuration." Fan fails to a sidelink transmission configuration at all let alone teach determining, based on the determined sidelink transmission configuration, at least one transmission resource and/or at least one transmission time occasion for transmission of data associated with the at least one service type or the QoS requirement. Therefore, contrary to the position taken by the Patent Office, Fan fails to disclose element (b) of claim 1.”. See pages 13-14 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. For example, Fan discloses that the first terminal device determines (See S210 <Fig.2 > & S410 <Fig. 4>) the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service… the receiving device performing a DRX operation may determine, based on the QoS requirement of the sidelink service, the DRX configuration information used for the sidelink. See ¶0012-¶0013. Fan further discloses that the processing unit (See, 1510 in Fig. 8, & 1620 in Fig. 9) is configured to determine the first configuration information from one or more pieces of DRX configuration information used for sidelink based on a QoS requirement of a sidelink service. See ¶0066. Fan further discloses that the terminal device A determines first configuration information of first DRX in step 410 of Fig. 4. The first DRX is used by the terminal device A to receive SCI and/or data on a plurality of sidelinks. In other words, when the terminal device A establishes the sidelink to the plurality of terminal devices, the terminal device maintains a DRX configuration, to be specific, the configuration information of the first DRX, and determines DRX activation time <interpreted as transmission time occasion> based on the configuration information of the first DRX, to receive the SCI and/or the data on the plurality of sidelinks….. the terminal device A determines all pieces of configuration information for performing a first DRX operation by the terminal device A, that is, the first configuration information. The terminal device A performs the first DRX operation based on the first configuration information, monitors, in the activation time <interpreted as transmission time occasion> of the first DRX, the SCI and/or the data on the sidelink that are/is sent by the terminal device B and the terminal device C. See ¶0265-¶0266/¶0284, quite a contrast to applicant’s assertions at least at pages 13-14 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Now, in reference to element (c), the applicant further argues, for example, “Regarding element (c) of claim 1, this element of claim 1 is from prior claim 2. In order to reject claim 2, the Patent Office again referred to Fan's teachings related to the first terminal device determining configuration information for DRX (i.e., determining a DRX configuration) for the first terminal device. However, as discussed above, the DRX configuration is distinct from the recited sidelink transmission configuration. As such, determining the DRX configuration as taught by Fan cannot be read as determining a sidelink transmission configuration as either the recited first sidelink transmission configuration or the recited second sidelink transmission configuration as recited in claim 1 as amended to incorporate the subject matter from claim 2.”. See page 14 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. First all, the newly amended claimed limitation < in reference to element (c)> for the independent claim 1, does have alternative options <i.e., “and/or” as recited in the claim>, for example, “wherein the sidelink transmission configuration is determined from a set of possible sidelink transmission configurations comprising a first sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion without consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices and a second sidelink transmission configuration in which the first terminal device is to determine the at least one transmission resource and/or the at least one transmission time occasion with consideration of a DRX state of the one or multiple second terminal devices”. In the instant office action, in reference to element (c), examiner mapped (see §103 rejection) only the last alternate claimed limitation as taught by Fan. For example, Fan discloses that the terminal device A determines first configuration information of first DRX in step 410 of Fig. 4. The first DRX is used by the terminal device A to receive SCI and/or data on a plurality of sidelinks. In other words, when the terminal device A establishes the sidelink to the plurality of terminal devices, the terminal device maintains a DRX configuration, to be specific, the configuration information of the first DRX, and determines DRX activation time <interpreted as transmission time occasion> based on the configuration information of the first DRX, to receive the SCI and/or the data on the plurality of sidelinks….. the terminal device A determines all pieces of configuration information for performing a first DRX operation by the terminal device A, that is, the first configuration information. The terminal device A performs the first DRX operation based on the first configuration information, monitors, in the activation time <interpreted as transmission time occasion> of the first DRX, the SCI and/or the data on the sidelink that are/is sent by the terminal device B and the terminal device C. See ¶0265-¶0266/¶0284, astonishingly, quite a contrast to applicant’s assertions at least at page 14 of remarks as submitted on 03/02/2026.
There are NO specific arguments for any other references, hence, moot.
Similar, arguments are applicable to independent claim 33.
For these reasons, it is maintained that independent claim 61 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Luo.
For similar reasons, it is maintained that independent claim 1 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of FREDA.
For similar reasons, it is maintained that independent claim 33 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAN, in view of Luo.
As all other dependent claims depend either directly or indirectly from the independent claim 1, similar rationale also applies to all respective dependent claims.
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.
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/MOHAMMED S CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467
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