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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09/24/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 09/24/2026 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments and Examiner’s response are provided below.
Applicant argues that Li’s SL DRX active time information does not include “SL DRX cycle”. Consequently, Li does not disclose or suggest selecting the SL DRX cycle based on the logical channel with the highest priority, as recited in amended claim 1.
Examiner’s response: Cai in paragraph [0244] teaches that the SL DRX active time is determined based on DRX-related parameters, including a DRX cycle and a duration of an SL DRX on-duration timer. Li in paragraph [0174] further teaches that the SL DRX active time information corresponds to a destination with a logical channel having the highest priority, while Li in paragraph [0176] teaches that such SL DRX active time information includes a time period of an SL DRX on-duration timer. Moreover, Li in paragraph [0062] teaches that the SL DRX active time includes an on-duration of an SL DRX cycle, and in paragraph [0061] teaches that the SL DRX cycle specifies an on-duration.
Thus, Cai expressly identifies both the DRX cycle and the on-duration timer as parameters used to determine the SL DRX active time, while Li teaches associating SL DRX active time information with the highest priority logical channel and further establishes the relationship between the SL DRX active time, the SL DRX on-duration, and the corresponding SL DRX cycle. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Cai and Li teach or suggest selecting the SL-DRX on duration timer and the associated SL DRX cycle based on the logical channel having the highest priority as claimed.
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.
Claims 1, 9-10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Cai et al. (US 20230371005 A1) in view of LI et al. (US 20240008000 A1).
Regarding claim 1,
Cai discloses “A method comprising: obtaining, by a first device, information related to a
resource pool” (See [0155] The terminal 100 selects the sidelink resource from one or more
sidelink resources usually included in a resource pool. [0156] when the terminal 100 is in the
network coverage area, the resource pool is a resource broadcast by the network device in
system information. When the terminal 100 is outside the network coverage area, the
resource pool is a resource preconfigured for the terminal 100); “selecting, by the first
device, a destination having a logical channel with a highest priority from among logical
channels in which sidelink (SL) data is available” (See [0351] The destination may be
a destination selected by the first terminal for an SL grant according to an LCP process,
specifically, a destination of which at least one of a logical channel (logical channel, LCH) and
a MAC CE has a highest priority in all logical channels and MAC CEs that meet a condition.
The condition includes that SL data in the destination is transmittable); “determining, by the
first device, resources in the resource pool within a time interval” (See [0224] the one or
more sidelink resources may be obtained by the first terminal from a resource pool through
sensing/ listening. [0253] the first terminal determines the s candidate resources from
sidelink resources as the candidate resource set based on a resource selection window of
the first terminal); “and selecting, by the first device, a resource for SL transmission to a
second device related to the destination from the resources” (See [0353] if the target
destination is identified by a layer-2 ID of the second terminal, the first terminal may
determine that a sidelink resource needs to be selected to send the data to the second
terminal. Then, the first terminal selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on
the SL DRX-active time of the second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-
active time as the first sidelink resource), “wherein the resource is selected, based on a
packet delay budget (PDB)” (See [0176] It may be understood that [n+T1, n+T2] is a resource selection window of the terminal. [0177] If a minimum value of T2 is less than a
remaining (remaining) packet delay budget (PDB) (in units of slots), a value of T2 depends on
implementation of the terminal. If T2 min≤T2≤P is met, P represents the remaining PDB.
Otherwise, T2 is equal to the remaining PDB. The remaining PDB is provided by the MAC
entity for the PHY layer. Note: The resource selection is based on the PDB), “within a SL
discontinuous reception (DRX) active time of the second device” (See [0320] The medium
access control entity selects, from the one or more sidelink resources, the first sidelink
resource located in the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal.
[0353] Then, the first terminal selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on the
SL DRX-active time of the second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-active
time as the first sidelink resource), “wherein the SL DRX active time includes a time while a
SL DRX on-duration timer is running” (See [0221] the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal is determined by running duration of the drx-onDurationTimer-SL), “the SL DRX on-duration timer representing a duration at a beginning of a SL DRX cycle” (See [0210] The drx-onDudrationTimer-SL is used to indicate duration at the beginning of a sidelink DRX cycle, that is, the “on duration” of the DRX cycle).
Cai discloses that the SL DRX active time is determined based on parameters including a DRX cycle and an SL DRX on-duration timer in paragraph [0244], but does not explicitly disclose that the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority.
However, LI discloses “and wherein the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority” (See [0174] the
information related on an SL DRX active time includes SL DRX active time information
corresponding to a destination where a logical channel or MAC CE having a highest priority or having a priority higher than a specific value. [0176] the SL DRX active time information is at least one of the following: a time period of an SL DRX on-duration timer. [0062] an active time of SL DRX refers to a total time monitoring SCI by a terminal equipment, including an on-duration of an SL DRX cycle. [0061] SL DRX cycle specifies an on-duration and possible inactivity times (opportunities for DRX) thereafter).
Thus, Cai identifies the SL DRX cycle and on-duration timer as parameters for determining SL DRX active time, while Li teaches associating such active time information with the highest priority logical channel and further establishes the relationship between the SL DRX active time, the SL DRX on-duration, and the corresponding SL DRX cycle. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Cai and Li teach or suggest the selection of both parameters based on the highest priority logical channel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Cai with the teachings of Li to select the SL DRX on-duration timer and the associated SL DRX cycle based on the highest priority logical channel, in order to satisfy the latency and QoS requirements of priority sidelink traffic while efficiently managing power consumption.
Regarding claim 9,
Cai in view of LI discloses “The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the first device to the second device through a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), first sidelink control information (SCI) for scheduling of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) and second SCI, based on the resource; and transmitting, by the first device to the second device through the PSSCH, the second SCI and a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) which is generated based on at least one logical channel belonging to the destination, based on the resource” (See Cai [0211] The SCI includes first-level SCI and second-level SCI. The first-level SCI may be carried on the PSCCH, and the second-level SCI may be carried on the PSSCH. Transmission of the PSSCH may be a new transmission. [0212] the PSCCH or the SCI is used to schedule the new transmission. Alternatively, transmission of the PSSCH may be a new transmission or a retransmission, and the PSCCH or SCI is used to schedule the new transmission or the retransmission. [0231] the data sent by the first terminal to the second terminal may be one or more of a PSCCH, a PSSCH, SCI, or a MAC PDU that is sent by the first terminal to the second terminal on the sidelink. The SCI includes first-level SCI and second-level SCI. The PSCCH is used to indicate a time-frequency domain resource location for PSSCH transmission and a priority of data carried on a PSSCH. The PSSCH is used to carry the data. [0373] a destination of which at least one of a logical channel (logical channel, LCH) and a MAC CE has a highest priority in all logical channels and MAC CEs that meet the condition is selected from destinations with SL DRX-active time that at least one of the initial transmission SL grant and the retransmission SL grant is in. If no destination meets the condition, no MAC PDU is generated).
Regarding claim 10,
Cai discloses “A first device comprising at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and
at least one memory connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that,
based on being executed, cause the first device to perform operations comprising” (See
Fig. 21, [0109] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram depicting a structure of a communication apparatus): “obtaining information related to a resource pool” (See [0155] The terminal
100 selects the sidelink resource from one or more sidelink resources usually included in a
resource pool. [0156] when the terminal 100 is in the network coverage area, the resource
pool is a resource broadcast by the network device in system information. When the
terminal 100 is outside the network coverage area, the resource pool is a resource
preconfigured for the terminal 100), “selecting a destination having a logical channel with
a highest priority from among logical channels in which sidelink (SL) data is available” (See
[0351] The destination may be a destination selected by the first terminal for an SL grant
according to an LCP process, specifically, a destination of which at least one of a logical
channel (logical channel, LCH) and a MAC CE has a highest priority in all logical channels and
MAC CEs that meet a condition. The condition includes that SL data in the destination is
transmittable); “determining resources in the resource pool within a time interval” (See
[0224] the one or more sidelink resources may be obtained by the first terminal from a
resource pool through sensing/ listening. [0253] the first terminal determines the s
candidate resources from sidelink resources as the candidate resource set based on a
resource selection window of the first terminal); “and selecting a resource for SL
transmission to a second device related to the destination from the resources” (See [0353]
if the target destination is identified by a layer-2 ID of the second terminal, the first terminal
may determine that a sidelink resource needs to be selected to send the data to the second
terminal. Then, the first terminal selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on
the SL DRX-active time of the second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-
active time as the first sidelink resource), “wherein the resource is selected, based on a
packet delay budget (PDB)” (See [0176] It may be understood that [n+T1, n+T2] is a
resource selection window of the terminal. [0177] If a minimum value of T2 is less than a remaining (remaining) packet delay budget (PDB) (in units of slots), a value of T2 depends on
implementation of the terminal. If T2 min≤T2≤P is met, P represents the remaining PDB.
Otherwise, T2 is equal to the remaining PDB. The remaining PDB is provided by the MAC
entity for the PHY layer. Note: The resource selection is based on the PDB), “within a SL
discontinuous reception (DRX) active time of the second device” (See [0320] The medium
access control entity selects, from the one or more sidelink resources, the first sidelink
resource located in the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal.
[0353] Then, the first terminal selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on the
SL DRX-active time of the second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-active
time as the first sidelink resource), “wherein the SL DRX active time includes a time while a
SL DRX on-duration timer is running” (See [0221] the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal is determined by running duration of the drx-onDurationTimer-SL), “the SL DRX on-duration timer representing a duration at a beginning of a SL DRX cycle” (See [0210] The drx-onDudrationTimer-SL is used to indicate duration at the beginning of a sidelink DRX cycle, that is, the “on duration” of the DRX cycle).
Cai discloses that the SL DRX active time is determined based on parameters including a DRX cycle and an SL DRX on-duration timer in paragraph [0244], but does not explicitly disclose that the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority.
However, LI discloses “and wherein the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority” (See [0174] the
information related on an SL DRX active time includes SL DRX active time information
corresponding to a destination where a logical channel or MAC CE having a highest priority or having a priority higher than a specific value. [0176] the SL DRX active time information is at least one of the following: a time period of an SL DRX on-duration timer. [0062] an active time of SL DRX refers to a total time monitoring SCI by a terminal equipment, including an on-duration of an SL DRX cycle. [0061] SL DRX cycle specifies an on-duration and possible inactivity times (opportunities for DRX) thereafter).
Thus, Cai identifies the SL DRX cycle and on-duration timer as parameters for determining SL DRX active time, while Li teaches associating such active time information with the highest priority logical channel and further establishes the relationship between the SL DRX active time, the SL DRX on-duration, and the corresponding SL DRX cycle. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Cai and Li teach or suggest the selection of both parameters based on the highest priority logical channel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Cai with the teachings of Li to select the SL DRX on-duration timer and the associated SL DRX cycle based on the highest priority logical channel, in order to satisfy the latency and QoS requirements of priority sidelink traffic while efficiently managing power consumption.
Regarding claim 15,
Cai discloses “A processing device comprising: at least one processor; and at least one
memory connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on
being executed, cause a first device to perform operations comprising” (See Fig. 22, [0075]
the communication apparatus may be a first terminal, or a chip applied to the first terminal):
“obtaining information related to a resource pool” (See [0155] The terminal 100 selects the
sidelink resource from one or more sidelink resources usually included in a resource pool.
[0156] when the terminal 100 is in the network coverage area, the resource pool is a
resource broadcast by the network device in system information. When the terminal 100 is
outside the network coverage area, the resource pool is a resource preconfigured for the
terminal 100); “selecting a destination having a logical channel with a highest priority from among logical channels in which sidelink (SL) data is available” (See [0351] The
destination may be a destination selected by the first terminal for an SL grant according to
an LCP process, specifically, a destination of which at least one of a logical channel (logical
channel, LCH) and a MAC CE has a highest priority in all logical channels and MAC CEs that
meet a condition. The condition includes that SL data in the destination is transmittable);
“determining resources in the resource pool within a time interval” (See [0224] the one or
more sidelink resources may be obtained by the first terminal from a resource pool through
sensing/ listening. [0253] the first terminal determines the s candidate resources from
sidelink resources as the candidate resource set based on a resource selection window of
the first terminal); “and selecting a resource for SL transmission to a second device related
to the destination from the resources” (See [0353] if the target destination is identified by a
layer-2 ID of the second terminal, the first terminal may determine that a sidelink resource
needs to be selected to send the data to the second terminal. Then, the first terminal
selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on the SL DRX-active time of the
second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-active time as the first sidelink
resource), “wherein the resource is selected, based on a packet delay budget (PDB)” (See
[0176] It may be understood that [n+T1, n+T2] is a resource selection window of the
terminal. [0177] If a minimum value of T2 is less than a remaining (remaining) packet delay
budget (PDB) (in units of slots), a value of T2 depends on implementation of the terminal. If
T2 min≤T2≤P is met, P represents the remaining PDB. Otherwise, T2 is equal to the
remaining PDB. The remaining PDB is provided by the MAC entity for the PHY layer. Note:
The resource selection is based on the PDB), “within a SL discontinuous reception (DRX)
active time of the second device” (See [0320] The medium access control entity selects,
from the one or more sidelink resources, the first sidelink resource located in the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal. [0353] Then, the first terminal
selects, from the one or more sidelink resources based on the SL DRX-active time of the
second terminal, the sidelink resource located in the SL DRX-active time as the first sidelink
resource), “wherein the SL DRX active time includes a time while a SL DRX on-duration timer is running” (See [0221] the sidelink discontinuous reception-active time of the second terminal is determined by running duration of the drx-onDurationTimer-SL), “the SL DRX on-duration timer representing a duration at a beginning of a SL DRX cycle” (See [0210] The drx-onDudrationTimer-SL is used to indicate duration at the beginning of a sidelink DRX cycle, that is, the “on duration” of the DRX cycle).
Cai discloses that the SL DRX active time is determined based on parameters including a DRX cycle and an SL DRX on-duration timer in paragraph [0244], but does not explicitly disclose that the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority.
However, LI discloses “and wherein the SL DRX on-duration timer and the SL DRX cycle are selected based on the logical channel with the highest priority” (See [0174] the
information related on an SL DRX active time includes SL DRX active time information
corresponding to a destination where a logical channel or MAC CE having a highest priority or having a priority higher than a specific value. [0176] the SL DRX active time information is at least one of the following: a time period of an SL DRX on-duration timer. [0062] an active time of SL DRX refers to a total time monitoring SCI by a terminal equipment, including an on-duration of an SL DRX cycle. [0061] SL DRX cycle specifies an on-duration and possible inactivity times (opportunities for DRX) thereafter).
Thus, Cai identifies the SL DRX cycle and on-duration timer as parameters for determining SL DRX active time, while Li teaches associating such active time information with the highest priority logical channel and further establishes the relationship between the SL DRX active time, the SL DRX on-duration, and the corresponding SL DRX cycle. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Cai and Li teach or suggest the selection of both parameters based on the highest priority logical channel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Cai with the teachings of Li to select the SL DRX on-duration timer and the associated SL DRX cycle based on the highest priority logical channel, in order to satisfy the latency and QoS requirements of priority sidelink traffic while efficiently managing power consumption.
Claims 5, 14 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al.
(US 20230371005 A1) in view of LI et al. (US 20240008000 A1) and further in view of TSENG
et al. (US 20220346180 A1).
Regarding claims 5, 14 and 24,
Cai in view of LI discloses claim 5 of “The method of claim 1”, claim 14 of “The first device
of claim 10”, and claim 24 of “The processing device of claim 15”, but does not explicitly
disclose that based on the first device performing broadcast communications, the SL DRX
active time includes a time while the SL DRX on-duration timer is running or will be running.
However, TSENG discloses “wherein, based on the first device performing broadcast
communication, the SL DRX active time includes the time while the SL DRX on-duration timer is running or a time while the SL DRX on-duration timer will be running” (See [0071] For a UE, all the Layer-2 Destinations of the same sidelink service types (e.g., SL-unicast, SL-
groupcast, SL-broadcast service) may be associated with the same SL-DRX configuration and
the same SL-DRX operation (e.g., the same SL-DRX Active Time/SL-DRX off-period and the same running SL-DRX timers. Therefore, all the Layer-2 Destinations of the UE may be associated with the same SL-DRX configuration and the same SL-DRX operation (e.g., the same SL-DRX Active Time/SL-DRX off-period and the same running SL-DRX timers. [0077]
the SL-DRX mechanism and the UE would update the values of SL-DRX-related Timers after the running active SL-DRX timer(s) (e.g., the SL-drx-onDurationTimer which is counting while the triggering event happens) expires. For example, the associated SL-DRX Timers may be re-configured based on the updated SL-DRX configuration on the next Active Time (or SL-DRX On period/On-duration) in an SL-DRX cycle). Note: The broadcast communication is associated with an SL-DRX active time including a period during which SL-DRX on-duration timer is running.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Cai and LI,
with the teachings of TSENG, and the motivation to do so would have been to ensure
reliable reception of broadcast communications during SL-DRX active time while conserving
power.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US
20230371005 A1) in view of LI et al. (US 20240008000 A1) and further in view of Lohr
et al. (US 20240188103 A1).
Regarding claim 6,
Cai in view of LI discloses “The method of claim 1”, but does not explicitly disclose the
first device not being allowed to select the resource outside the DRX active time of the
second device.
However, Lohr discloses “wherein the first device is not allowed to select the resource
outside the SL DRX active time of the second device” (See [0249] a UE first defines the
selection window where it looks for candidate resources to transmit a TB. According to
one implementation of the embodiment, a UE excludes all candidate SL resources, e.g.,
within the selection window, which are not part of the active time of the DRX
configuration(s) associated with the logical channels' destination included in a TB).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Cai and
LI, with the teachings of Lohr, and the motivation to do so would have been to ensure
that SL resources are selected within the active time (Lohr [0249]), in order to align resource
selection with the DRX operation and reduce power consumption.
Conclusion
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/SALMA AYAD/Examiner, Art Unit 2462 /YEMANE MESFIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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