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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4-22-2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4-22-2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-2,4, 7-8, 15-16, 18-20, 22-23, 25-27 and 32-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen WO 2022/027189 A1 in view of Yang 20200092936.
As to claims 1, 15 and 22, Chen discloses a method/device/processor performed by a first user equipment (UE) [800], the method comprising:
performing candidate sidelink synchronization signal (SLSS) detection to select or reselect a synchronization reference source for a sidelink communication with a second UE, based on at least one of a time period-based condition or a trigger condition, wherein:
the first UE is configured with a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration, performs the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX active time period [When performing SL synchronization during SL DRX operation, UE can perform partial search,… detect candidate SLSS instead of full search. Additionally, UE can perform full search within a duration (e.g., 160ms SLSS transmission periodicity) with a (pre-) configured periodicity.] (see abstract);
the sidelink DRX active time period includes a time duration of a sidelink DRX on-duration period and a time duration while a sidelink DRX related timer is running [full or partial search timer, offset, etc.] (see par. 0004-0006, 0015, 0022). Chen fails to disclose stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX inactive time period; however, since Chen disclose performing SLSS detection during DRX on-duration period, it would be obvious that no detection is made DRX off-duration period, because, It would serve no purpose to specify detecting during DRX on-duration, if it do it all the time. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX off-duration period to save power. Chen also fails to disclose some details about the timers. In an analogous art, Yang discloses the sidelink DRX active time period includes a first time duration during which a DRX on-duration timer is running and a second time duration during which a sidelink DRX related timer is running, the sidelink DRX related timer including at least one of a DRX inactivity timer or a DRX retransmission timer (see par. 0076); and the sidelink DRX inactive time period includes at least one of a third time duration during which a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) round-trip time (RTT) timer is running, or a fourth time duration during which the sidelink DRX related timer is not running [the terminal device may start the DRX inactivity timer] (see par. 0013, 0079-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of compatibility with existing protocols while maximizing resources.
As to claims 2, 16 and 23, Chen discloses the method/device/processor of claim 1/15/22, wherein the first UE is configured with a sidelink discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration, and the first UE performs the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX on-duration period (see abstract). Chen fails to disclose that stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX off-duration period; however, since Chen disclose performing SLSS detection during DRX on-duration period, it would be obvious that no detection is made DRX off-duration period, because, It would serve no purpose to specify detecting during DRX on-duration, if it do it all the time. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX off-duration period to save power.
As to claim 4, 18 and 25, Chen discloses the method/device/processor of claim 1/15/22, wherein: the first UE performs the candidate SLSS detection within a specified time duration periodically; and the sidelink DRX active time period and the specified time duration for performing the candidate SLSS detection are configured by a base station (BS) or pre-configured (see par. 0005, 0015).
As to claims 7-8, 19-20 and 26-27, Chen discloses the method/device/processor of claim 1/15/22, further comprising: performing periodic candidate SLSS detection during a specified time window when a new synchronization reference source is selected or reselected [it is obvious that periodic require stopping] (see par. 0015); wherein the specified time window is started after the new synchronization reference source is selected or reselected, and a duration of the specified time window is configured by a base station (BS) or pre-configured [timing offset, etc.] (see par. 0022). Although, Chen does not explicitly disclose stopping the candidate SLSS detection, it is obvious that once selected and waiting to apply the new timing, it would be a waste of resources to continue the SLSS detection, since the selection was already made. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX off-duration period to save power.
As to claim 32, Chen discloses method of claim 1, wherein the sidelink DRX configuration includes one or more values of one or more DRX timers, a DRX cycle, and a DRX offset value, the one or more values indicated by at least one of:a number of slots, symbols, sub-milliseconds, or milliseconds [The Rx UE can get the new timing information for the consequent communication. Such signaling may indicate the timing offset between the new timing and the current timing. It can be frame/slot/symbol off set. Additionally, such signaling may indicate the time instant to use the 30 new timing. Alternatively, UE may assume the new timing will be applied after X slots or ms.] (see par. 0022).
As to claim 33, Chen discloses method of claim 1, wherein: a value of the DRX on-duration timer indicates a sidelink DRX on-duration period (see par. 0006). Chen fails to disclose the other timers. In an analogous art, Yang discloses
a value of the DRX on-duration timer indicates a sidelink DRX on-duration period (see par. 0077-0078);
a value of the DRX inactivity timer indicates how long the first UE remains active after receiving scheduling signaling of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) (see par. 0079-0080);
a value of the DRX retransmission timer indicates a maximum duration until a sidelink grant for retransmission is received (see par. 0083-0084); and
a value of the HARQ RTT timer indicates a minimum duration before a sidelink grant for HARQ retransmission is expected by the first UE (see par. 0081-0082). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of compatibility with existing protocols while maximizing resources.
Claim(s) 9, 21 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Yang, and further in view of Yeo EP 3 823 406 B1.
As to claims 9, 21 and 31, Chen discloses the method/device of claim 1/15, wherein the first UE performs the candidate SLSS detection to select or reselect the synchronization reference source for the sidelink communication with the second UE based at least in part on the trigger condition (see abstract). Chen fails to disclose at least one of the mentioned conditions. In an analogous art, Yeo discloses
a quality of service (QoS) requirement of an upcoming service for the sidelink communication with the second UE is within a first threshold range (see par. 0094);
a measured received power value of a current synchronization reference source of the first UE is lower than a second threshold during a time period; or
a range-based signal from the current synchronization reference source of the first UE is within a third threshold range during the time period. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention stops the candidate SLSS detection during a sidelink DRX off-duration period to use a quality of service (QoS) requirement of an upcoming service for the sidelink communication with the second UE is within a first threshold range for the simple purpose of maintaining the desired QoS for the communication and maintain customer satisfaction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCOS L TORRES whose telephone number is (571)272-7926. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM M-F.
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MARCOS L. TORRES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/MARCOS L TORRES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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