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 .
Priority
The instant application claims PCT/KR2022/020558, claims foreign priority to 10-2021-0181290, filed 12/17/20210, 10-2021-0182324 filed 12/20/2021 and 10-2022-0000696, filed 01/04/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted, IDS - 10/11/2024 and 11/17/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 08/17/2026 has been entered. Claims 21, 26, 27, 31, 33-35 and 40 remain pending in the application. Claims 22-25, 28-30, 32 and 36-39 were cancelled. Claims 21, 26, 27, 31, 33-35 and 40 were amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or
in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 21, 26, 31, 33-35, and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (US-20210227604-A1) hereinafter “Huang”.
Regarding Claim 21,
Huang discloses, ‘A method comprising:
Obtaining, a first user equipment (UE) an inter-UE discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration including information related to an inter-UE DRX onduration timer, information related to an inter-UE inactivity timer, an [[SL]] inter-UE DRX cycle,
wherein at least one of a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX onduration timer is running or a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX inactivity timer is running is included in [[the]] an active time,
triggering, by the first UE, an inter-UE DRX command indication’ (A first-UE/Tx-UE performs SL with a second-UE and receiving SL-DRX-configuration (identical to inter-UE DRX-configuration), indicative DRX-pattern to the second-UE associated to monitor/sensing resource pool; transmitting one/more triggering conditions being met, indicative to the second-UE to perform monitoring/sensing for a first duration, disclosure Claim 1. A trigger conditions is met, if SL-traffic available for a link between the first device and the second device (disclosure claim 2). A trigger condition a number of resource in a resource selection window in a wake-up/active time of the DRX-pattern (disclosure claim 6). And, drx-operation, an active time/drx-cycle [0387]; the configuration of the DRX includes drx-on-duration-timer/inactivity-timer [0251-0252, 0254];);
And discloses, ‘triggering, by the first UE, a scheduling request (SR) for requesting a first resource within based on the inter-UE DRX command indication being triggered’ (the drx-cycle is configured the active time includes drx-onDurationTimer /drx-inactivitytimer, and a SR sent [0261-0263]. The DRX-configuration between the first-device and the second-device selects a first candidate-resource (disclosure claim 1). The first resource in a time m of DRX-cycle in Fig. 6 [0340].);
And discloses, ‘transmitting, by the first UE, to a based station, the SR;’ (When the DRX-cycle is configured the SR sent [0261-0262].)
‘receiving, by the first UE, from the base station, the first resource;’ (In Fig. 6 timeline for the Tx-UE and the Rx-UE. The first resource selected in a time unit m. And, the second-UE perform Tx-SL-traffic. Alternatively, the first device transmit scheduling the first resource time unit m after the time unit n (in which the first device trigger resource selection and/or before the time unit n+T4.)
And discloses, ‘[[and]] triggering, by the first UE generation of an [[SL]] inter-UE DRX Command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for stopping
at least one of the inter-UE DRX onduration timer or the inter-UE DRX inactivity timer that is running within a first inter-UE DRX cycle’ (the trigger/indication first SL-resource-pool and the MAC CE [0324-0325, 0327]; associated DRX-cycle/period and de-activated time duration [0319, 0337]; indication associated with one or more drx-cycle/period [0319].
In Fig. 6 illustrates timing diagram for the first/Tx-UE and the second/Rx-U. The timer discontinues/stop the first DRX-cycle.
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And discloses, ‘and[[,]] cancelling, by the first UE, the triggered generation of the inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE, based on the received first resource being within an active time related to a second inter-UE DRX cycle that follows the first inter-UE DRX cycle
The first device select a first candidate resource for the SL-traffic (e.g., for transmission of the SL-traffic) within a first period spanning from the time unit n+T1 to the time unit n+T4 or a second period spanning from time unit n+T5 to time unit n+T6. The first period may be in the first wake up time (e.g., “On duration 1”) and/or the second period may be in the second wake up time (e.g., “On duration 2”) [0341].
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In Fig. 7, Determination of number of candidate resources and/or number of candidate slots in time duration wherein the time duration is based on wake up i.e. active time of second device in s1215 of Fig. 12, and less than threshold [0341]. And, selection of the first candidate resource for the sidelink traffic (e.g., for transmission of the sidelink traffic) within a first period spanning from the time unit n+T1 to the time unit n+T4 or a second period spanning from time unit n+T5 to time unit n+T6 in Fig. 7 [0341].);
Regarding Claim 26,
‘The method of claim 21’ (disclosed above),
And discloses, ‘further comprising: triggering, by the first-UE a transmission of a buffer status report (BSR) medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for requesting the first resource, based on [[that]] the SR is being triggered.’ (The first/Tx-UE perform-SL between the first-UE and the second-UE, transmit based on one/more trigger conditions to selects a first candidate-resource (disclosure claim 1 to claim 2). The trigger condition if the first device transmits a buffer status report (disclosure claim 4). The DRX-configuration of the MAC [0251-0254] for a DRX-period includes SR [0161-0263]. The first device determine to trigger and/or to transmit a SL-BSR to a NW comprises SL-BSR between the first-device and the second-device and/or indicates new SL-traffic between the devices [0347]. if the buffer size of the first terminal changes to zero then the BSR is triggered and optionally the BSR is truncated, the truncated BSR not sent, the first terminal device sent to the NW [0218-0219]. )
Regarding Claim 31,
‘The method of claim 21’ (disclosed above),
And discloses, ‘wherein the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE includes information forinter-UE control information (an active time related to the first [[SL]] inter-UE DRX cycle.’ (the activation/deactivation of DRX-cycle delivered by MAC-CE [0312, 0314, 0327]. In Fig. 6 illustrates DRX-cycle includes the on-timer and off-timer within the periodicity; and monitor DRX-cycle for the SL-control channel [0340]. In Fig. 7 illustrates the DRX-cycle and monitor active time period on-timer 702 and 704; the periodicity of monitoring-time-units [0409] and when the receiver-UE is not-wake-up-mode as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.)
Regarding Claim 33,
‘The method of claim 21’ (disclosed above),
And discloses, ‘inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE is related to a [[SL]] inter-UE unicast link between the first UE and [[the]] second UE.’ (The method of the first-UE performed with the second-UE the SL-DRX and the communication between the UEs by the MAC CE, disclosure Claim 1 and Claim 15. The DRX-configuration, the SL between the UEs and the SL-DRX-deactivated [0251, 0310]; the SL-unicast communication between the UEs [0336].)
Regarding Claim 34,
Similar to Claim 21 disclosed above, ‘A first user equipment (UE) for
at least one memory storing instructions;
at least one transceiver; and
at least one processor connected to the at least one memory and the at least one transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to execute instructions to perform operations comprising:
obtaining a sidelink (SL) inter-UE discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration including information related to an inter-UE DRX onduration timer, information related to an inter-UE activity timer, n inter-UE [[SL]] DRX cycle,
wherein at least one of a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX onduration timer is running or a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX inactivity timer is running is included in [[the]] an active time,
triggering, by the first UE, an inter-UE DRX command indication;
triggering, by the first UE, a scheduling request (SR) for requesting a first resource within based on the inter-UE DRX command indication being triggered’
‘transmitting, by the first UE, to a based station, the SR;
receiving, by the first UE, from the base station, the first resource;
[[and]] triggering, by the first UE generation of an [[SL]] inter-UE DRX Command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for stopping
at least one of the inter-UE DRX onduration timer or the inter-UE DRX inactivity timer that is running within a first inter-UE DRX cycle;
and[[,]] canceling, by the first UE, the triggered generation of the inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE, based on the received first resource being within an active time related to a second inter-UE DRX cycle that follows the first inter-UE DRX cycle
Regarding Claim 35,
Similar to Claim 21 disclosed above only inclusion of control circuit, Huang discloses in Fig. 3 [0044] ‘An apparatus adapted to control a first user equipment (UE),
at least one processor’;
‘and at least one memory connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
obtaining a inter-UE discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration including information related to an inter-UE DRX onduration timer, information related to an inter-UE activity timer, n inter-UE [[SL]] DRX cycle,
wherein at least one of a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX onduration timer is running or a time when the [[SL]] inter-UE DRX inactivity timer is running is included in [[the]] an active time,
triggering, by the first UE, an inter-UE DRX command indication;
triggering, by the first UE, a scheduling request (SR) for requesting a first resource within based on the inter-UE DRX command indication being triggered’
‘transmitting, by the first UE, to a based station, the SR;
receiving, by the first UE, from the base station, the first resource;
[[and]] triggering, by the first UE generation of an [[SL]] inter-UE DRX Command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for stopping
at least one of the inter-UE DRX onduration timer or the inter-UE DRX inactivity timer that is running within a first inter-UE DRX cycle;
and[[,]] canceling, by the first UE, the triggered generation of the inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE, based on the received first resource being within an active time related to a second inter-UE DRX cycle that follows the first inter-UE DRX cycle
Regarding Claim 40,
‘The apparatus of claim 35’ (disclosed above),
Similar to Claim 26 disclosed above, ‘wherein the operations further comprise:
triggering, a transmission of a buffer status report (BSR) medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for requesting the first resource, based on [[that]] the SR [[is]] triggered.’
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
he 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:
• Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
• Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
• Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
• 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.
Claims 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. in view of Kung et al. (US-20210227465-A1) hereinafter “Kung”.
Regarding Claim 27,
‘The method of claim 26’ (disclosed above),
And discloses, ‘the first resource [[is]] being within the active time related to the second [[SL]] inter-UE DRX cycle that follows the first inter-UE DRX-cycle.’ (stop triggering resource selection [0337]. The first-UE may select a first candidate resource for the SL-traffic ( e.g. , for transmission of the SL-traffic ) within a first period spanning from the time unit n + T1 to the time unit n + T4 or a second period spanning from time unit n + T5 to time unit n + T6. The first period may be in the first wake up time ( e.g. , “On duration 1” ) and/or the second period may be in the second wake up time ( e.g. , “On duration 2” ) [0341] .)
And didn’t disclose, ‘wherein the transmission of the BSR MAC CE is canceled, based on [[that]] the first resource [[is]] being within the active time’,
Kung in the relevant art discloses, to discard the triggered-SL-BSR that includes SL-BSR MAC-CE [0354]. An allocation of the SL-resources, a SR-configuration that triggered the SL-BSR [0295] and the triggered BSR is cancelled [0354]. And, in Fig. 5 illustrates the timing diagram TX-UE and RX-UE perform the DRX-operation [0398]. Determination of the SL-transmission to the UE associated in the active time [0399].
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Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Huang and to include
with that of Kung to come up with the claim invention,
Huang motive to perform the selection/determination of the candidate resource as part of the SL-DRX-operation. And, the first-UE trigger the SL-BSR to indicate the buffer status to address the incoming/arriving-traffic [0347] and the SL-traffic requires latency requirement and latency threshold [0349] that can increase efficiency of communication between the UEs [0579].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are
not persuasive.
Arguments and Examiners response:
With respect to applicant’s arguments/remarks, examiner responses are,
Regarding the USC 112 rejections and examiner reviewed the amended claim and the applicant clarity to the specification. And, withdrawn the rejection.
Regarding the applicant argument page-5, “the amended Claims 21, 34 and 35, the first UE triggers an SR for requesting a first resource based on inter-UE DRX-command…”, and the argument in page-6, “Huang fails to disclose…” examiner respectfully disagree,
Relevant disclosure of Huang in above office action page-4 to page-19, summarized here,
Huang discloses in claim 1, a first-UE perform SL to a second-UE receive discontinuous reception i.e. DRX-configuration, select a first resource. The DRX-configuration between the first-device and the second-UE to select a first candidate-resource (disclosure claim 1).
the drx-cycle is configured the active time includes drx-onDurationTimer /drx-inactivitytimer, and a SR sent [0261-0263]. The first resource in a time m of DRX-cycle in Fig. 6 [0340]. When the DRX-cycle is configured the SR sent [0261-0262]. In Fig. 6 timeline for the Tx-UE and the Rx-UE. The first resource selected in a time unit m. And, the second-UE perform Tx-SL-traffic. Alternatively, the first-UE transmit scheduling the first resource time unit m after the time unit n (in which the first-UE trigger resource selection and/or before the time unit n+T4.
Regarding the applicant argument page-6, “(1) Regarding Huang (1) paragraph [0319, 0324, 0327]”, and “Huang is intended to maintain or extend an active or wake-up…”, and further “in contrast Huang, the claimed "inter-UE DRX Command MAC CE" described in the amended independent claims is for stopping an inter-UE DRX-on-duration timer or an inter-UE DRX inactivity timer that is running within the first inter-UE DRX cycle”. Derived that “Huang is controlling the second device to maintain a wake-up state or an active state, or to extend a duration…”, examiner respectfully disagree, in response relevant disclosures of Huang,
the first-UE perform, receive configuration-DRX, transmit based on trigger conditions, to indicate the second-UE to perform monitor/sensing for a first duration (disclosure claim 1). A trigger condition comprises SL-traffic between the two UEs and an amount of SL-traffic between the two-UEs (disclosure claim 2, claim 5). Deactivate the DRX-first-time-period that ends or starts next-DRX-time-period (disclosure claim 11, claim 12). This is to reduce the power consumption continuous sensing channels would cause the power consumption [0309]. If a trigger conditions is met if an amount of SL-traffic (remaining-traffic at the first-UE) that is between the two UEs. Perform resource selection within a resource selection window to select first candidate resource [0501-0502].
Regarding the applicant argument page-8, “In contrast, according to the amended independent claims, the first UE triggers generation of the inter-UE DRX…”, examiner respectfully disagree and the relevant discloses presented above (similar to the applicant argument page-6 and examiner response).
Regarding the applicant argument page-9, “(2) Remarkable effect Huang fails to disclose or suggest the effect that can be achieved by the features”, examiner respectfully disagree and argument not persuasive due to the fact, Huang discloses to perform resource selection based on resource selection window to select the first resource based on a one/more trigger condition disclosure claim 6. The first-UE determine to trigger and/or transmit when an amount of SL-traffic (e.g., remaining amount of SL-traffic) between the devices. The number of candidate slots (e.g., candidate slots that are both in the resource selection window and in the wake up time of the second-UE) is less than the threshold [0346]. That determines the second-UE is active to optimization allocation of resource.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure:
ETSI-TS 138 321 V16.6.0 (2021-10); 5G; NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (3GPP TS 38.321 version 16.6.0 Release 16) NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (Year: 2021).
ETSI TS 138 213 V16.7.0 (2021-10) ; 5G; NR; Physical layer procedures for control; 3GPP TS 38.213 version 16.7.0 Release 16) Year: 2021 (Year: 2021).
ETSI TS 136 321 V16.6.0; LTE; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (3GPP TS 36.321 version 16.6.0 Release 16); Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (Year: 2021).
3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113, R2-2100236, Electronic, 25th Jan-5th Feb,2021, Sidelink-DRX Timer Maintenance and Active Time Definition (Year: 2021).
3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113 bis electronic, R2-2102980; April 12 – April 20, 2021Discussion on SL DRX configuration for unicast, ZTE Corporation, Sanechips (Year: 2021).
3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113, R2-2100237 Electronic, 25th Jan - 5th Feb, 2021, CATT, Sidelink DRX Configuration Procedure for Sidelink Unicast (Year: 2021).
3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #113, R2-2100236, Electronic, 25th Jan-5th Feb,2021, Sidelink-DRX Timer Maintenance and Active Time Definition (Year: 2021)
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A
shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS
from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO
MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed
until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened
statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension
fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory
action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX
MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Syed Ahmed whose telephone number is (703)-756-5308. The examiner can normally be reached from Monday-Friday 9am-6pm. The examiner can also be reached on alternate If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached on (571) 272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service
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/S.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights