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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 15-16, 19-20, 22-23, and 27, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2020/0120596 A1), in view of Bao et al. (US 2022/0174780 A1), and further in view of You et al. (WO 2020/0186467 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 15 and 16, Yu discloses:
a method for controlling a timer (par.[0045 – 0046] describe a plurality of timers in a DRX configuration), performed by a terminal (fig.2 depicts a UE element 30. The office notes that the UE is configured with DRX configuration, and that the UE manages the DRX), and comprising:
determining that a timer of a first discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration among a plurality of DRX configurations in the terminal (par.[0039 – 0040] describes reception of a plurality (e.g. N) DRX configurations from the network, fig.4) is to be started (par.[0022] teaches that on a particular carrier that data is received on a PDCCH. This would cause the inactivity timer of the DRX configuration to start or restart, par.[0110]. Additionally, the onDuration timer is started at the beginning of a DRX cycle, par.[0109], additionally the RTT or retransmission timer may be started or restarted based on the decoding of downlink data); and
determining an operation on the timer of the first DRX configuration (par.[0171] which recites, in part, “When successfully demodulating first transmitted data belonging to the terminal device, the terminal device starts or restarts an inactivity timer of another DRX configuration. In one embodiment, the terminal device may start or restart an inactivity timer corresponding to any one of the M DRX configurations”) according to a running state of a timer of a second DRX configuration among the plurality of DRX configurations (par.[0171] which recites, in part, “In a running period of an inactivity timer of any of the M DRX configurations, the terminal device detects the physical downlink control channel on a carrier corresponding to the DRX configuration.”. That is, one or more second DRX configuration timers are running).
While the disclosure of Yu teaches a plurality of DRX configurations, it may not disclose the wherein the plurality of DRX configurations are DRX configurations for a Sidelink (SL).
However, providing a DRX configuration for a sidelink was known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant application.
For example, the disclosure of Bao teaches:
disclose the wherein the plurality of DRX configurations are DRX configurations for a Sidelink (SL) (par.[0044] which describes a DRX configuration for a sidelink, wherein the UE is configured to perform Sidelink Communications with a plurality of sidelink UE(s) in direct sidelink communications, see fig.1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosure of Yu for multiple DRX configuration with the disclosure of Bao for a sidelink DRX configuration. The motivation/suggestion would have been to provide power savings and synchronicity between the UEs participating in the sidelink.
While the disclosure of Yu and Bao teaches wherein the determining an operation on the timer of the first DRX configuration according to a running state of a timer of a second DRX configuration among the plurality of DRX configurations, but does not disclose:
determining that the timer of the second DRX configuration among the plurality of DRX configurations is not running; and
starting the timer of the first DRX configuration according to the first DRX configuration.
In an analogous art, the disclosure of You teaches:
determining that the timer of the second DRX configuration among the plurality of DRX configurations is not running (pg.6 lines 10-15 describes the UE being configured with multiple DRX cycles. Pg.8 lines 10-20 describes the second configured DRX timer expires); and
starting the timer of the first DRX configuration according to the first DRX configuration (pg.8 lines 10-20 describes the second DRX timer expiring and starting the first DRX timer associated with the first DRX configurations).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the teachings of Yu and Bao with the disclosure of You. The motivation/suggestion would have been to provide a mechanism for ensuring the UE is able to receive data in a duration of an active time while reducing the reception delay of data.
Regarding claims 2, 19, and 27, Yu discloses: wherein the determining an operation on the timer of the first DRX configuration according to a running state of a timer of a second DRX configuration among the plurality of DRX configurations comprises:
determine that the timer of the second DRX configuration is running; and
determine the operation on the timer of the first DRX configuration according to a running time range of the timer of the second DRX configuration (par.[0171] which recites, in part, “When successfully demodulating first transmitted data belonging to the terminal device, the terminal device starts or restarts an inactivity timer of another DRX configuration. In one embodiment, the terminal device may start or restart an inactivity timer corresponding to any one of the M DRX configurations”).
Regarding claims 3 and 20, You discloses:
determining to start the timer of the first DRX configuration according to the running time range of the timer of the second DRX configuration (pg.8 lines 10-20 describes the second DRX timer expiring and starting the first DRX timer associated with the first DRX configurations); or
determining to continue running the timer of the second DRX configuration according to the running time range of the timer of the second DRX configuration.
Regarding claims 5 and 22, Yu discloses:
Determining that a timeout time point of the running timer of the second DRX configuration later than a timeout time point of the first DRX configuration; and
Determine to continue running the time of the second DRX configuration (fig.5 wherein the third DRX configuration (i.e. second timer) is longer than the first other (i.e. first and second) configuration timers, and the UE will run the third timer for entire duration of the first and second timers).
Regarding claims 6 and 23, Yu discloses:
wherein the timer of the first DRX configuration and the timer of the second DRX configuration are the same type of timers (par.[0012] describes M DRX configurations. Par.[0015 - 0016] describes the timers in the configurations such as an OnDuration Timer, Inactivity Timer, etc.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 18, 21, and 26 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Applicant's arguments filed 12/03/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant generally alleges that the combination of Yu et al. (US 2020/0120596 A1), in view of Bao et al. (US 2022/0174780 A1), and further in view of You et al. (WO 2020/0186467 A1), do not disclose each and every feature of the claim, while not stating explicitly which features are not taught by the disclosure(s). The office is unpersuaded by the applicants assertion, as the disclosure(s) in combination do, in fact, teach each and every limitation of the claims.
With regard to Yu, the disclosure is directed to performing power savings at a UE wherein the UE utilizes multiple DRX configurations in order to transition the UE for a control channel and data reception monitoring period, known as the OnDuration which comprises a plurality of different timers, and a low power duration wherein the UE is configured not to monitor a control channel, discussed in par.[0003] of Yu. Additionally, as discussed above with regard to the prior art rejection, the UE is configured with a plurality (i.e. N >= 1 number) of DRX configurations, by a network device, as shown in fig.4. The different DRX configurations being associated with different HARQ processes or carriers, as discussed in par.[0009]. The UE may be configured to receive data and/or control information on the different carriers at different times, thus, the need for different monitoring pattern (i.e. DRX configurations) on each of the carriers in an overly manner, par.[0011]. In par.[0171 - 0172] a DRX configuration describes starting/restarting the DRX of a first DRX configuration based on the reception of control information/data in another of the DRX configurations, see “Then in running periods of the maximum on duration timer and the minimum DRX cycle, the terminal device monitors, by using a corresponding carrier in a running period of a DRX-inactivity timer of any DRX configuration, whether there is data on the physical downlink control channel (interpreted as the second DRX configuration). Once the terminal device detects the physical downlink control channel and successfully demodulates the first transmitted data belonging to the terminal device, the terminal device starts or restarts a DRX-inactivity timer of another DRX configuration (interpreted as the first DRX configuration).”. As can be seen when the UE receives control information/data of a carrier associated with a second/another DRX configuration, the UE may start and/or restart the DRX configuration timer of another (e.g. a first DRX) configuration. The reception of data/control information on a carrier/channel could be seen as the ending of a first DRX period on that carrier/channel.
Additionally, the disclosure of Bao teaches DRX configurations used for Sidelink information. For example, the fig.1 of Bao teaches a first user equipment in Sidelink communications with a plurality of second user equipments over Sidelinks. Additionally, the par.[0004] describes the DRX as utilized for Sidelink as known in the art.
Lastly, the disclosure of You, teaches detecting that a first DRX configuration has finished and then starting another DRX of another configuration, as discussed with regard You/Shi, the UE is configured with a plurality of DRX cycles, see “As another example, the network device may configure multiple DRX cycles for the terminal device, and the first DRX cycle may be any one of the multiple DRX cycles.”. The DRX cycles are utilized to ensure timey data acquisition and power savings, which is known in the art. Additionally, the UE may run a DRX cycle, stop the running DRX cycle, and start a second DRX cycle as discussed above in the rejection of the claims.
The Applicant also alleges that one of ordinary skill in the art would not be motivated to combine the references, which is unpersuasive. The office notes that the MPEP 706.02 states that rational to combine prior art references does not need to be explicit, as the rationale may be implicit, such as being in the same underlying field, which the three above references are. As the references are each directed to DRX and power savings in the UE, the applicants assertion that there would be not a motivation to combine is moot. With the foregoing arguments, the office finds that the prior art teaches each and every limitation of the claims, and the claims stand rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Applicant’s arguments, see 112 Rejection, filed 12/02/2025, with respect to claims 3-5, 18, and 20-22 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112 Rejection of the above has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Wang et al. (US 12,477,621 B2) “Sidelink Communication Method and Communication Apparatus” fig.3 and the associated disclosure.
Adachi et al. (US 2020/0037136 A1) “Radio Terminal and Control Method” par.[0005 – 0006]
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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JAMAAL HENSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2411
/JAMAAL HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411