DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/13/26 has been entered.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/13/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Claim amendment have been made only to all independent claims have been amended.
For claim 1, Applicant argues that “Freda at least fails to disclose, teach or suggest ‘transmitting a first indication to a second WCD or receiving a first indication from a second WCD, wherein the first indication indicates a first time period during which the first WCD is to monitor for receipt of a transmission of relay data either to be relayed via sidelink from the first WCD to the second WCD or received via sidelink relay from the second WCD’ and ‘wherein the first WCD refrains from monitoring for receipt of the transmission during a second time period before the first time period begins, … the first time period and the second time period are not concerned with transmission of just any arbitrary signals, … .’” (last para of p8 to 1st para of p9) because T310 and T3xx in Freda does not specify a first time period and a second time period to monitor transmission (2nd para of p9 to 1st para of p11).
In response, Examiner respectfully disagrees:
Freda clearly teaches that both T310 and T3xx are used for Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) (“[0076] … a timer (T310) associated with Reference Signal (RS) based Radio Link Monitoring-Radio Link Failure (RLM-RLF)”, “[0818] … the initiation of T3XX may be performed at any time during RLM …” and ) that can be extended to sidelink transmissions ([0207] NR V2X may support unicast links between two WTRUs, in which one or more sidelink radio bearer may be established. In order to maintain some reliability link for signaling between the WTRUs in the unicast link, some form of radio link monitoring procedure (Radio Link Monitoring (RLM)/Radio Link Failure (RLF)) may be required and can be extended to sidelink.” and [0075]-[0082], such as “[0081] under condition that receipt of SCI associated with data transmission from said second WTRU is resumed, stopping said inactivity timer T3XX and resuming said timer T310 associated with RS-based RLM-RLF” and [0863]-[0893] and “[0130] The base station 114a may be part of the RAN 104/113, which may also include other base stations and/or network elements (not shown), such as a base station controller (BSC), a radio network controller (RNC), relay nodes, etc. The base station 114a and/or the base station 114b may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals on one or more carrier frequencies, which may be referred to as a cell (not shown). …”). In a time slot, the inactivity timer T3XX specifies a time period that a channel is inactive (no monitoring or no transmission) and a time period that a channel is active (monitoring or transmission), as shown in FIG. 4 of Freda.
Therefore, Applicant’s arguments regarding claim 1 are not persuasive.
Applicant’s other arguments are re not persuasive because they all are based on the arguments to claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-5, 7, 9, 17-19, 29, 32, 66, 70. are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Freda (US 20220150730 A1).
For claim 1, Freda discloses a method at a first wireless communication device, WCD (FIG. 1-3, UE/WTRU), the method comprising:
transmitting a first indication to a second WCD or receiving a first indication from a second WCD (FIG. 3 shows WTU-1 and WTU-2, exchanging messages), wherein the first indication indicates a first time period during which the first WCD is expected to monitor for receipt of a transmission (FIGs. 1-8 and the associated text, such as FIG. 4 shows a first time period with T3XX Stopped/Not running, and a second time period with T3XX running in view of [0200]-[0212], e.g. “[0206] FIG. 3 represents two WTRUs engaged in a one-to-one communication and which negotiate PC5 QoS parameters during the link establishment procedure. A first WTRU 301 sends a Direct Communication Request message to a second WTRU 302 in order to trigger mutual authentication. The message includes requested PC5 QoS parameters. … [0207] NR V2X may support unicast links between two WTRUs, in which one or more sidelink radio bearer may be established. In order to maintain some reliability link for signaling between the WTRUs in the unicast link, some form of radio link monitoring procedure (Radio Link Monitoring (RLM)/Radio Link Failure (RLF)) may be required and can be extended to sidelink.” and [0075]-[0082], such as “[0081] under condition that receipt of SCI associated with data transmission from said second WTRU is resumed, stopping said inactivity timer T3XX and resuming said timer T310 associated with RS-based RLM-RLF” and [0863]-[0893]) of relay data either to be relayed via sidelink from the first WCD to the second WCD or received via sidelink relay from the second WCD (“[0130] The base station 114a may be part of the RAN 104/113, which may also include other base stations and/or network elements (not shown), such as a base station controller (BSC), a radio network controller (RNC), relay nodes, etc. The base station 114a and/or the base station 114b may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals on one or more carrier frequencies, which may be referred to as a cell (not shown). …” or “[1298] … The third WTRU may further act as a relay or an intermediate node, should the SL connection reestablishment fail between the WTRUs on the ends of the Sidelink on which RLF was detected.”); and
monitoring for receipt of a transmission during the first time period (FIGs. 1-4 and the associated text, such as “[0215] … A WTRU may transmit RS in any or a combination of the following sidelink channels: … [0217] a. RLM RS Embedded in Sidelink Control Information (SCI): for example, a WTRU may transmit reference signals embedded in an SCI transmission. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with one or more SCI formats for transmission of SCI with RS, … [0218] b. RLM RS in dedicated PSCCH resources: for example, a WTRU may transmit references signals within the set of symbols reserved or associated with SCI transmissions and may perform such transmission in a standalone manner. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with, dedicated resources in PSCCH on which it is expected to transmit RS”),
wherein the first WCD refrains from monitoring for receipt of the transmission during a second time period (FIGs. 1-4 and the associated text, such as FIG. 4, in view of “[0077] starting an inactivity timer (T3XX)”) before the first time period begins), and wherein the transmitting or receiving of the first indication is performed after a link has been established between the first WCD and the second WCD for relaying of information to or from a network via one or more sidelink transmissions between the first WCD and the second WCD (FIGs. 4-8 and the associated text, such as [0388]-[0412], e.g. “[0403] A WTRU which receives such indication from the peer WTRU may stop or pause RS-based RLM/RLF and start performing a different RLM/RLF mechanism based on the type of indication received. For example, such WTRU may perform any of the following: [0404] Stop monitoring of RLM-RS associated with data transmissions by the peer WTRU [0405] Clear all timers (e.g. T310-like) and counters (e.g. N310-like) associated with RLM-based RLF [0406] Start any procedures associated with the alternative RLM/RLF procedure” and “[1298] … The third WTRU may further act as a relay or an intermediate node, should the SL connection reestablishment fail between the WTRUs on the ends of the Sidelink on which RLF was detected.”).
Independent claim 32 is rejected because it is a claim of the method for peer wireless communication device corresponding to the first wireless communication device that performs the method of claim 1 and has the same subject matter.
Independent claim 66 is rejected because it is a claim of a generic wireless communication device that performs the method of claim 1 and has the same subject matter.
Independent claim 70 is rejected because it is a claim of a generic wireless communication device that performs the method of claim 32 and has the same subject matter.
As to claim 2, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: wherein a receiver of the first WCD is inactive during at least a portion of the second time period (FIG. 4 shows an inactive period before becoming active for Data Transmission for a link between two WTRU as sown in FIG. 2).
As to claim 3, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: wherein a receiver of the first WCD is inactive from the transmission or receipt of the first indication until the first time period begins (FIG. 4 shows an inactive period before becoming active for Data Transmission for a link between two WTRU as shown in FIG. 2).
As to claim 4, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: comprising:
receiving a second indication from the network, wherein the second indication indicates the first time period (FIG.3 show second indication 304 with response message including different time periods, including the first time period, as shown in FIG. 4); and transmitting the first indication to the second WCD (FIG.3 show transmitting the first indication 303).
As to claim 5, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: comprising:
transmitting a message to the network (FIG. 1C or 1D shows WTRUs 116 exchange message with the network RAN); restarting a timer that indicates a beginning of the first time period and transmitting the first indication to the second WCD (“[0309] … A WTRU may start/restart such timer upon transmission of an RS.” In view of FIG. 4 and the parent claim).
As to claim 7, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: receiving a third indication from the second WCD or the network (FIG. 3 shows WTRU-1 sends a response 304 to WTRU-2; or FIG. 1C or 1D shows UEs 102 exchange message with network RAN), wherein the third indication indicates transmission of a message by the second WCD to the network (FIG. 1 shows UEs 102 exchange message with network RAN); and restarting a timer indicating a beginning of an on-period of the second WCD (FIG. 4 “[0310] … A WTRU may start/restart such timer upon transmission of an RS.” in view of the link shown in FIG. 4 and the parent claim).
As to claim 9, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: transmitting a fourth indication to the second WCD or receiving a fourth indication from the second WCD (FIG. 3, the indication transmitted to or received from WTRU-1 to WTRU-2), wherein the fourth indication indicates a third time period during which the second WCD is expected to monitor for receipt of a transmission(“[0215] … A WTRU may transmit RS in any or a combination of the following sidelink channels: … [0217] a. RLM RS Embedded in Sidelink Control Information (SCI): for example, a WTRU may transmit reference signals embedded in an SCI transmission. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with one or more SCI formats for transmission of SCI with RS, … [0218] b. RLM RS in dedicated PSCCH resources: for example, a WTRU may transmit references signals within the set of symbols reserved or associated with SCI transmissions and may perform such transmission in a standalone manner. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with, dedicated resources in PSCCH on which it is expected to transmit RS”; note that messages 303 and 304 between WTRU-1 to WTRU-2 at different times are considered fifth indication).
As to claim 17, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: wherein the first WCD employs a periodic registration timer for communication with a network node of the network, wherein the first time period is coordinated with the periodic registration timer (FIG. 4 shows several periodic registration timers, such as T310 and T3xx, each of the periodic registration timers is coordinated with a time period, during which UE/WCD communicate with a network node as shown in FIG. 1D).
As to claim 18, Freda discloses claim 17, Freda further discloses: wherein the first time period begins when the periodic registration timer expires (FIG. 4 shows the time period T310 Running begin when the periodic registration T310 expired).
As to claim 19, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: wherein the first WCD employs a discontinuous reception, DRX, cycle for communication with a network node (403) of the network, wherein the first time period is coordinated with the DRX cycle (“[1256] d. the WTRU may determine such timer based on an inactivity timer associated with the WTRU itself or its peer WTRU. For example, the timer may be determined by a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle of the WTRU itself, or a sidelink DRX cycle.”).
As to claim 29, Freda discloses claim 1, Freda further discloses: further comprising:
transmitting a fifth indication to the second WCD or receiving a fifth indication from the second WCD (FIG. 3, the indication transmitted to or received from WTRU-1 to WTRU-2), wherein the fifth indication indicates a fifth time period during which the first WCD is to monitor for receipt of a transmission (“[0215] … A WTRU may transmit RS in any or a combination of the following sidelink channels: … [0217] a. RLM RS Embedded in Sidelink Control Information (SCI): for example, a WTRU may transmit reference signals embedded in an SCI transmission. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with one or more SCI formats for transmission of SCI with RS, … [0218] b. RLM RS in dedicated PSCCH resources: for example, a WTRU may transmit references signals within the set of symbols reserved or associated with SCI transmissions and may perform such transmission in a standalone manner. Specifically, a WTRU may be configured with, dedicated resources in PSCCH on which it is expected to transmit RS”; note that messages 303 and 304 between WTRU-1 to WTRU-2 at different times are considered fifth indication);
transmitting the message to the second WCD (Messages are transmitted to the second WCD during the running periods shown in FIG. 4); and
monitoring for receipt of a transmission during the fifth time period after transmitting the message to the second WCD (Messages are transmitted to the second WCD during the running periods shown in FIG. 4).
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.
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freda (US 20220150730 A1).
As to claim 30, Freda discloses claim 1, but is silent on wherein the first time period begins at least: one minute; or one hour; or one day; or one week; or one month; or one year after the transmission or receipt of the first indication. However, minute, hour, day, week month and year are time units used for expressing a period time and Examiner takes an official notice on this statement (note that the official notice is now considered as acknowledged prior art because Applicant did not challenge it).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIANYE WU whose telephone number is (571)270-1665. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8am-6pm.
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/JIANYE WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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