DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/27/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
3. Claims 1-4, 7-11, 26, 39, 42-50 are pending wherein claims 1, 26, 39, and 50 are in independent form.
4. Claims 1, 26, 39, and 50 have been amended.
5. Claims 5-6, 12-25, 27-38, 40-41, 51-58 have been canceled.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant's arguments filed on 02/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons are set forth below.
7. On page 9 of the remarks, applicant argues, “In a previous response, Applicant submitted that the MAC CE disclosed in the cited paragraphs of Li is for activating/deactivating a particular sidelink DRX configuration. There is no disclosure in the cited paragraphs of Li that a MAC CE is used for controlling DRX status, where controlling the DRX status comprises by terminating a current active period before a current running timer is expired, switching from a long active cycle to a short active cycle when a current active cycle is a long active cycle, or switching from a short active cycle to a long active cycle when a current active cycle is a short active cycle, as claimed.”
In response, examiner respectfully disagrees because:
Li discloses sending SL DRX command MAC CE to end the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104). Therefore, by transmitting the MAC CE, the current active period in SL DRX On duration is terminated before the current on duration timer is expired (On duration timer defined in Par 0075, Par 0078-0079).The MAC CE terminating/turning off the current active state in SL DRX duration does not change the DRX configuration of the RX UE.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 112
8. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The4ollowingg is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
9. Claims 1-4, 7-11, 26, 39, 42-50 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites switching from long active cycle to short active cycle or short active cycle to long active cycle without changing the DRX configuration of the second terminal device. Claim as well as the specification does not define that both the short active cycle and the long active are included in the same DRX configuration. Without including both the short active cycle and the long active cycle in the same DRX configuration, switching the active cycles (long active cycle to short active cycle or short active cycle to long active cycle) will cause a change of DRX configuration. As the specification does not define that both the short active cycle and the long active are included in the same DRX configuration, claim 1 fails to comply with the written description requirement.
Claims 2-4, 7-11 depend upon claim 1 and thereby, are rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 26 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 39 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claims 42-49 depend upon claim 39 and thereby, are rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 39.
Claim 50 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
10. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
11. Claims 1-4, 7-11, 26, 39, 42-50 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites long active cycle and short active cycle but does not clearly define whether the active cycle indicates a DRX cycle length or a DRX on duration/active period within a DRX cycle. Specification also does not provide any further definition/clarification of long active cycle and short active cycle. Examiner assumes long active cycle as the long DRX cycle length and short active cycle as the short DRX cycle length. Therefore, long DRX cycle length (i.e., long active cycle) is associated with a DRX configuration having a long cycle length and short DRX cycle length (i.e., short active cycle) is associated with a DRX configuration having a short cycle length. Switching long DRX cycle to short DRX cycle will definitely cause a change of DRX configuration from long cycle length to short cycle length. Similarly, switching short DRX cycle to long DRX cycle will definitely cause a change of DRX configuration from short cycle length to long cycle length. Therefore, it is not clear how the DRX cycle length can be changed (short cycle to long cycle or long cycle to short cycle) without changing the corresponding DRX configuration.
Claims 2-4, 7-11 depend upon claim 1 and thereby, are rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 26 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 39 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Claims 42-49 depend upon claim 39 and thereby, are rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 39.
Claim 50 recites limitation similar to claim 1 above and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Examiner’s Comment
As the claim limitations correspond to switching active cycle without changing DRX configuration are not clear, examiner cannot address those limitations in view of the cited prior arts.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
12. 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)(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.
13. Claims 1-4, 7-9, 26, 39, 42-43, 46, and 49-50 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al (US 20230309016, hereinafter referred to as Li).
Re claim 1, Li teaches a method implemented by a first terminal device (UE1/Tx UE) (Fig. 8A-C, 9A-C), the method comprising:
(i) transmitting, over a sidelink, to a second terminal device (UE2/Rx UE), a first message for controlling discontinuous reception (DRX) status of the second terminal device (ending the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration, Par 0090, Par 0103-0104; RRC reconfiguration to reconfigure/change/switch SL DRX, step 10, Fig. 8A, step 10A, Fig. 9A) (Fig. 8A-C, Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0078-0079, Par 0082, Par 0084, Par 0092, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101); wherein
(ii) the first message (ending the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration, reconfiguring/changing/switching SL DRX) comprises a Media Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE (Par 0028, Par 0069, Par 0087-0090, Par 0103-0104, Par 0122-0123); and
(iii) controlling DRX status comprises any one or more of the following: terminating current active period before current running timer is expired (ending DRX on duration within on duration timer) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104, On duration timer defined in Par 0075, Par 0078-0079);
switching from a long active cycle to a short active cycle in case that current active cycle is a long active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear), or switching from a short active cycle to a long active cycle in case that current active cycle is a short active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear); and
(iv) wherein controlling the DRX status does not change the DRX configuration
of the second terminal device (The MAC CE terminating/turning off the current active state in SL DRX duration does not change the DRX configuration of the RX UE) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104).
Claim 50 recites a first terminal device performing the step recited in claim 1 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1. Li further teaches that the first terminal device comprises a transmitting component (Transceiver) (Fig. 10-11).
Re claim 2, Li teaches that the transmitting is in response to receiving a second message, from a control node (SL DRX reconfiguration/update received from the network), for controlling DRX status related to at least one of the first terminal device and both the first terminal device and the second terminal device (SL DRX between Tx UE and Rx UE) (Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101).
Re claim 3, Li teaches that the transmitting is initiated by the first terminal device (Tx UE transmits RRC reconfiguration to reconfigure/update SL DRX) (Fig. 8A-C, Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0078-0079, Par 0082, Par 0084, Par 0092, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101).
Re claim 4, Li teaches that the controlling DRX status related to the second terminal device involves changing DRX active period of the second terminal device (increasing/decreasing DRX cycle length, adjusting sidelink DRX configurations) (Par 0075, Par 0078-0079, Par 0081-0083, Par 0094-0096, Par 0099, Par 0103).
Re claim 7, Li teaches that the second message comprises a Media Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE (Par 0093, Par 0103, Par 0122-0123).
Re claims 8, 42, Li teaches that the DRX status related to the first terminal device comprises any one or more of the following: DRX status related to the first terminal device per at least one Uu DRX configuration (aligning SL DRX with Uu DRX), and DRX status related to the first terminal device and the second terminal device per at least one sidelink DRX configuration (updating/reconfiguring SL DRX) (Fig. 8A-C, Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0078-0079, Par 0082, Par 0084, Par 0092, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101-0102).
Re claims 9, 43, Li teaches that the second message comprises at least one indicator (reconfiguring SL DRX) indicating any one or more of the following that the controlling DRX status related to the first terminal device is applied to: a Uu connection between the first terminal device and the control node (aligning SL DRX with Uu DRX), at least one sidelink connection involving the first terminal device (updating/reconfiguring SL DRX between Tx UE and Rx UE), at least one Uu DRX configuration for the first terminal device (aligning SL DRX with Uu DRX), or at least one sidelink DRX configuration for the first terminal device (updating/reconfiguring SL DRX between Tx UE and Rx UE) (Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101-0102).
Re claim 26, Li teaches a method implemented by a second terminal device (Rx UE, UE 2) (Fig. 8A-C, 9A-C), the method comprising:
(i) receiving, over a sidelink, from a first terminal device (UE1/Tx UE), a first message for controlling discontinuous reception (DRX) status of the second terminal device (ending the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration, Par 0090, Par 0103-0104, RRC reconfiguration to reconfigure SL DRX, step 10, Fig. 8A, step 10A, Fig. 9A) (Fig. 8A-C, Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0078-0079, Par 0082, Par 0084, Par 0090, Par 0092, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101, Par 0103-0104); wherein
(ii) the first message (ending the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration, reconfiguring/changing/switching SL DRX) comprises a Media Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE (Par 0028, Par 0069, Par 0087-0090, Par 0103-0104, Par 0122-0123); and
(iii) controlling DRX status comprises any one or more of the following:
terminating current active period before current running timer is expired (ending DRX on duration within on duration timer) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104, On duration timer defined in Par 0075, Par 0078-0079);
switching from a long active cycle to a short active cycle in case that current active cycle is a long active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear), or switching from a short active cycle to a long active cycle in case that current active cycle is a short active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear); and
(iv) wherein controlling the DRX status does not change the DRX configuration
of the second terminal device (The MAC CE terminating/turning off the current active state in SL DRX duration does not change the DRX configuration of the RX UE) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104).
Re claim 39, Li teaches a method implemented by a control node (Base station/Network) (Fig. 9A-C), the method comprising:
(i) transmitting, to a first terminal device (UE1/Tx UE), a second message for controlling discontinuous reception (DRX) status of at least one of the first terminal device and both the first terminal device and the second terminal device (ending the RX UE’s active state in SL DRX On duration, Par 0090, Par 0103-0104, RRC reconfiguration to reconfigure SL DRX, step 7, 9A, Fig. 9A) (Fig. 9A-C, Par 0060, Par 0078-0079, Par 0082, Par 0084, Par 0092, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101); wherein:
(ii) the second message comprises a Media Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE (Par 0090, Par 0093, Par 0103-0104, Par 0122-0123), and
(iii) controlling DRX status comprises any one or more of the following:
terminating current active period before current running timer is expired (ending DRX on duration within on duration timer) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104, On duration timer defined in Par 0075, Par 0078-0079);
switching from a long active cycle to a short active cycle in case that current active cycle is a long active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear), or switching from a short active cycle to a long active cycle in case that current active cycle is a short active cycle (this limitation is not addressed as the limitation is unclear); and
(iv) wherein controlling the DRX status does not change the DRX configuration of the first terminal device or second terminal device (The MAC CE terminating/turning off the current active state in SL DRX duration does not change the DRX configuration of the RX UE) (Par 0090, Par 0103-0104).
Re claim 46, Li teaches to receive, from the first terminal device, an acknowledgement for notifying the second terminal device of at least part of the second message (RRC Reconfiguration complete) (Fig. 9A-C, Par 0095-0096, Par 0099, Par 0101).
Re claim 49, Li teaches to being notified by the first terminal device of capability of the first terminal device to support the second message (SidelinkUEInformationNR) (Fig. 9A-C, Par 0094, Par 0097, Par 0101).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
14. 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.
15. Claims 10-11, 44-45, and 47-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Liang et al (US 20230199905, hereinafter referred to as Liang).
Re claims 10, 44, Li does not explicitly disclose that the at least one indicator is carried in any one or more of the following: subheader of the second message, payload of the second message, bits in a bitmap field of the second message or logical channel identity of the second message.
Liang teaches that the at least one indicator is carried in any one or more of the following: subheader of the second message (MAC subheader), payload of the second message, bits in a bitmap field of the second message (bits used to indicate LCID) or logical channel identity of the second message (DRX command MAC CE includes LCID) (Fig. 18-22, Par 0111-0123, Par 0139-0153, Par 0182-0192).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Li by including the step that the at least one indicator is carried in any one or more of the following: subheader of the second message, payload of the second message, bits in a bitmap field of the second message or logical channel identity of the second message, as taught by Liang for the purpose of efficiently controlling sidelink DRX operation, as taught by Liang (Par 0003-0005).
Re claims 11, 45, Li does not explicitly disclose that the second message is allocated one of at least one specific logical channel identity, each of the at least one specific logical channel identity indicating any one or more of the following: format of the second message, purpose of the second message, or action of the controlling DRX status.
Liang teaches that the second message is allocated one of at least one specific logical channel identity (LCID, eLCID), each of the at least one specific logical channel identity indicating any one or more of the following: format of the second message, purpose of the second message , or action of the controlling DRX status (controlling Uu or SL DRX) (DRX command MAC CE includes LCID) (Fig. 18-22, Par 0111-0123, Par 0139-0153, Par 0166-0176, Par 0182-0192).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Li by including the step that the second message is allocated one of at least one specific logical channel identity, each of the at least one specific logical channel identity indicating any one or more of the following: format of the second message, purpose of the second message, or action of the controlling DRX status, as taught by Liang for the purpose of efficiently controlling sidelink DRX operation, as taught by Liang (Par 0003-0005).
Re claim 47, Li does not explicitly disclose that the at least one indicator is carried in a reserved field or an existing field in the subheader.
Liang teaches that the at least one indicator is carried in a reserved field or an existing field in the subheader (R bits, LCID bits) (Fig. 18-22, Par 0111-0123, Par 0139-0153, Par 0166-0176, Par 0182-0192).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Li by including the step that the at least one indicator is carried in a reserved field or an existing field in the subheader, as taught by Liang for the purpose of efficiently controlling sidelink DRX operation, as taught by Liang (Par 0003-0005).
Re claim 48, Li does not explicitly disclose that each bit in the bitmap indicates any of the following: the Uu connection between the first terminal device and the control node, one of the at least one sidelink connection involving the first terminal device, one of the at least one Uu DRX configuration for the first terminal device, or one of the at least one sidelink DRX configuration for the first terminal device.
Liang teaches that each bit in the bitmap indicates any of the following: the Uu connection between the first terminal device and the control node (controlling Uu DRX), one of the at least one sidelink connection involving the first terminal device (controlling SL DRX), one of the at least one Uu DRX configuration for the first terminal device (controlling Uu DRX), or one of the at least one sidelink DRX configuration for the first terminal device (controlling SL DRX) (Fig. 18-22, Par 0111-0123, Par 0139-0153, Par 0166-0176, Par 0182-0192).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Li by including the step that the at least one indicator is carried in a reserved field or an existing field in the subheader, as taught by Liang for the purpose of efficiently controlling sidelink DRX operation, as taught by Liang (Par 0003-0005).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B Yao can be reached at 5712723182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARUN CHOWDHURY/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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