DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority as a 371 of PCT/EP2022/011425 filed 10/3/2022 and to Provisional Application 63/257249 filed 10/19/2021 is acknowledged.
Preliminary Amendment filed 2/26/2024 is acknowledged.
Amendments to the Specification are acknowledged and approved.
Claims 1-15 and 18-20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 remain pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/26/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-8, 10, 13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US20230309016A1), hereafter Li.
Regarding claims 1 and 16,
Li discloses user equipment (UE) device (Fig. 8B, UE 814; Fig. 10-11) comprising a memory (memory 1012/1112) storing computer readable instructions (paragraph 10, 106, 108); and processing circuitry (Fig. 10, processor 1004/1104) configured to execute the computer readable instructions to cause the UE device to perform a method (Fig. 8B-C) comprising obtaining sidelink (SL) groupcast configuration information associated with a desired UE group (paragraphs 28, 52, 68; configuration via PC5-groupcast), the SL groupcast configuration information including a SL discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle (Fig. 8B, step 2B; paragraph receive cast type/groupcast and SL DRX configuration(s)) including a SL DRX ON duration setting (Fig. 4; paragraph 49-52, 73-90) and at least one setting rule (i.e. trigger) regarding the SL DRX cycle for the desired UE group (paragraph 69; activate/switch SL DRX configuration based on a trigger/satisfying condition/criteria) including a plurality of UE devices including the UE device (paragraph 28, 52, 68; Fig. 8B; UEs 814 and group/cluster lead 812).
Li further shows determining whether a congestion level of the desired UE group for a current SL DRX cycle period exceeds a desired congestion threshold level (paragraph 69, 78, 82, 87; sidelink loading/congestion level), determining SL DRX reconfiguration settings based on results of the determining whether the congestion level exceeds the desired congestion threshold level and the setting rule (Fig. 8B, steps 5A-7; paragraphs 69, 69, 78, 82, 87; reconfigure via PC5-G based on sidelink loading/congestion level trigger) and performing SL DRX communication based on the determined SL DRX reconfiguration settings (Fig. 8B, step 8).
Regarding claims 2 and 17,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to determine the SL DRX reconfiguration settings by increasing a current SL DRX ON duration setting to a new SL DRX ON duration setting for the current SL DRX cycle in response to the congestion level exceeding the desired congestion threshold level; or (alternative language noted) determining the SL DRX ON duration setting for a next SL DRX cycle based on the setting rule regarding the SL DRX cycle for the desired UE group (paragraph 73-75, 88-90; increase/extend SL DRX active phase via PC5 MAC CE for certain loading conditions/sidelink load/congestion/interference).
Regarding claims 3 and 18,
Li discloses the setting rule regarding the SL DRX cycle indicates at least one of (alternative language noted): setting the SL DRX ON duration setting for the next SL DRX cycle to an initial SL DRX ON duration setting (Fig. 8B, step 3; paragraph 59, 67-82; setting SL DRX with preferred/first/index 1 configuration) and maintaining the increased SL DRX ON duration setting for a desired number of next SL DRX cycles.
Regarding claims 4 and 19,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to transmit the determined SL DRX reconfiguration settings to the plurality of UE devices of the desired UE group in a layer 1 (L1) sidelink control information (SCI) or (alternative language noted) in a higher layer signaling message to the desired UE group (paragraph 58, 69-82, 87-90; higher layer/RRC/MAC CE).
Regarding claims 5 and 20,
Li discloses the SL DRX ON duration includes a plurality of transmission time windows of equal lengths (Fig. 4, 402/404; paragraph 49, 180) and the UE device is further caused to transmit the determined SL DRX reconfiguration settings to the plurality of UE devices of the desired UE group at a desired point in time, the desired point in time being at least one of (alternative language noted): an end of a current transmission time window, a beginning of a next transmission time window, an end of a current SL DRX ON duration and before a beginning of a new SL DRX ON duration, and a beginning of a next SL DRX ON duration (paragraph 49, 73-75, 78-81; M number of possible SL DRX ON reconfiguration starting points within a time window based on timer/offset values).
Regarding claim 6,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to determine whether the congestion level of the desired UE group for the current SL DRX cycle period exceeds the desired congestion threshold level by monitoring reception-related congestion information associated with the plurality of UE devices of the desired UE group; and determining whether the reception-related congestion information exceeds a desired reception-related congestion threshold level (paragraphs 50-52, 69, 78, 82, 87; monitoring DCI/SCI and groupcast signaling for trigger/criteria including sidelink loading/congestion level).
Regarding claim 7,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to determine whether the reception-related congestion information exceeds the desired reception-related congestion threshold level by determining whether the reception-related congestion information indicates a number of the UE devices of the desired UE group transmitting simultaneously in a same slot of the current SL DRX ON duration exceeds a desired number of simultaneous SL transmissions in the same slot (Fig. 9B, paragraph 96; sidelink/UE assistance info indicates UE does not support simultaneous communication on Uu and PC5 interface); or (alternative language noted) determining whether the reception-related congestion information indicates a desired number of unsuccessful SL receptions has been observed by the UE device during the current SL DRX ON duration (paragraph 75, 76, 81, 94-99; reconfiguration based on PC5-G failure).
Regarding claim 8,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to determine whether the congestion level of the desired UE group for the current SL DRX cycle period exceeds the desired congestion threshold level by: monitoring transmission-related congestion information associated with the plurality of UE devices of the desired UE group; and determining whether the transmission-related congestion information exceeds a desired transmission-related congestion threshold level (paragraphs 50-52, 69, 78, 82, 87; monitoring DCI/SCI and groupcast signaling for trigger/criteria including sidelink loading/congestion level).
Regarding claim 10,
Li discloses the UE device is a coordinating device of the desired UE group (Fig. 8B, Group/Cluster Lead 812) and each UE device of the desired UE group is associated with a dedicated SL resource (Fig. 8B; paragraph 80; group common or dedicated control logic channel; SCCH/SDCCH), the UE device further caused to, monitor SL transmission announcements from at least one transmitting UE device of the desired UE group transmitted over the dedicated SL resource associated with the at least one transmitting UE device (paragraph 50; monitor for SCI for each time slot) and determine the congestion level of the desired UE group exceeds the desired congestion threshold level based on a number of received SL announcements exceeding a desired number of received SL announcements (paragraph 69, 78, 82, 87; sidelink loading/congestion level based on SCI monitoring).
Regarding claim 13,
Li discloses the UE device is a coordinating device of the desired UE group (Fig. 8B, Group/Cluster Lead 812), the UE device is further caused to, receive SL coordination requests from at least one transmitting UE device of the desired UE group and determine the congestion level of the desired UE group exceeds the desired congestion threshold level based on the received SL coordination requests (Fig. 8B, step 5B; PC5-G with request for reconfiguration; paragraph 69, 78, 82, 87; sidelink loading/congestion level trigger).
Regarding claim 15,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to perform SL DRX communication based on the determined SL DRX reconfiguration settings by receiving assistance information from a coordinating UE device of the desired UE group (paragraph 76-82; UE assistance information sidelink) including at least one of a scheduling assignment, a resource pool assignment, and a transmission time window assignment (i.e. preferred SL DRX configuration; see also paragraph 104, 182; “scheduling UE”) and transmitting the SL DRX communication during a remaining portion of the SL DRX ON duration setting of the current SL DRX cycle based on the assistance information (Fig. 8B, steps 6-8).
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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Park et al. (US20230115633A1), hereafter Park.
Regarding claim 9,
Li discloses HARQ consideration (paragraph 97; HARQ feedback for SL groupcast type) but does not expressly disclose determining whether the transmission-related congestion information exceeds the desired transmission-related congestion threshold level by determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates a number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) failures during the current SL DRX ON duration exceeds a desired number of consecutive HARQ failures has been observed by the UE device or (alternative language noted) determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates consecutive HARQ discontinuous transmissions (DTXs) received from the UE devices of the desired UE group during a failed HARQ process exceeds a desired number of UE devices.
Park discloses analogous art (Title: Method and Device for Saving Power for Sidelink Communication in NR V2X) including to determine whether the transmission-related congestion information exceeds the desired transmission-related congestion threshold level (paragraphs 158, 171-172; sidelink congestion level based on predetermined threshold/service priority/QoS) by determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates a number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) failures during the current SL DRX ON duration exceeds a desired number of consecutive HARQ failures has been observed by the UE device or (alternative language noted) determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates consecutive HARQ discontinuous transmissions (DTXs) received from the UE devices of the desired UE group during a failed HARQ process exceeds a desired number of UE devices (Fig. 12-17 showing HARQ process; paragraph 211-216; maximum threshold of sidelink HARQ failures).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Li by determining whether the transmission-related congestion information exceeds the desired transmission-related congestion threshold level by determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates a number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) failures during the current SL DRX ON duration exceeds a desired number of consecutive HARQ failures has been observed by the UE device or determining whether the transmission-related congestion information indicates consecutive HARQ discontinuous transmissions (DTXs) received from the UE devices of the desired UE group during a failed HARQ process exceeds a desired number of UE devices, as shown by Park, thereby enabling efficient power savings for sidelink communication in NR V2X.
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Li et al. (US20230032608A1), hereafter Li2.
Regarding claims 11 and 12,
Li discloses the UE device is a coordinating device of the desired UE group (Fig. 8B, Group/Cluster Lead 812), the desired UE group is associated with a common set of SL resources (Fig. 8B; paragraph 80; group common or dedicated control logic channel; SCCH/SDCCH), the desired UE group including a plurality of sub-groups, each sub-group of the plurality of sub-groups associated with a SL resource of the common set of SL resources (paragraph 50-53, 86, 103; different groups of UEs/UEs associated with different services), the UE device is further caused to monitor SL announcements from at least one transmitting UE device of each sub-group of the plurality of sub-groups, the SL announcements transmitted over the SL resource associated with each sub-group, respectively (paragraph 50; monitor for SCI for each time slot) and shows reconfiguration triggered by sidelink loading/congestion level (paragraph 69, 78, 82, 87) but fails to expressly disclose estimating the congestion level for each group/sub-group based on a received power level of the monitored SL announcements for the SL resource associated with each group/sub-group and determining the congestion level of the desired UE group exceeds the desired congestion threshold level based on the estimated congestion levels of the plurality of sub-groups of the desired UE group.
Li2 discloses analogous art (Title: Managing Co-Channle Operations for Multiple Radio Access Technologies) including sidelink reconfiguration for groupcast (paragraphs 108-109) and estimating the congestion level for each group/sub-group based on a received power level of the monitored SL announcements for the SL resource associated with each group/sub-group and determining the congestion level of the desired UE group exceeds the desired congestion threshold level based on the estimated congestion levels of the plurality of sub-groups of the desired UE group (paragraph 89; estimation of congestion based on SL-RSRP measurements).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Li by estimating the congestion level for each group/sub-group based on a received power level of the monitored SL announcements for the SL resource associated with each group/sub-group and determining the congestion level of the desired UE group exceeds the desired congestion threshold level based on the estimated congestion levels of the plurality of sub-groups of the desired UE group, as shown by Li2, thereby adaptively adjusting shared resources for groupcast transmissions.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Li et al. (US20220086803A1), hereafter Li3.
Regarding claim 14,
Li discloses the UE device is further caused to perform SL DRX communication based on the determined SL DRX reconfiguration settings (Fig. 8B, steps 5A-8; paragraphs 69, 69, 78, 82, 87; reconfigure via PC5-G based on sidelink loading/congestion level trigger) but fails to expressly show transmitting the SL DRX communication with a randomized timing during a remaining portion of the SL DRX ON duration setting of the current SL DRX cycle.
Li3 discloses analogous art (Title: Handling Inter-Device Coordination for Sidelink Communication) including sidelink DRX for groupcast (Pg. 8, paragraphs 176-180) transmitting the SL DRX communication with a randomized timing during a remaining portion of the SL DRX ON duration setting of the current SL DRX cycle (Pg. 13, paragraphs 322-358; randomly selecting time and frequency resources for transmission based on remaining PDB of sidelink).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Li by transmitting the SL DRX communication with a randomized timing during a remaining portion of the SL DRX ON duration setting of the current SL DRX cycle, as shown by Li3, thereby ensuring minimum time gap between selected sidelink resources in a power efficient manner.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477