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 .
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-9, 11-16 and 18-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TSENG et al PG PUB 2023/0066448 in view of PARK et al PG PUB 2025/0071782.
Re Claims 1, 8 and 15, TSENG et al teaches in figure 5a, a gNB configuring a SL DRX configuration for transmitting a SCI between first and second UEs wherein figure 5a teaches the configuration indicating a SL-DRX cycle with SL-DRX On-Duration Opportunity for SL-DRX off-period and Sidelink Sensing window within the SL-DRX off- period [0151] wherein the UE (the first wireless device comprising a processor, memory and CRM) transmits a first in the SL-DRX off period (outside of an active time of SL DRX), during the sidelink Sensing window and further transmits a second SCI in the SL-DRX off-period for a second stage SCI [0152 0172 0229].
TSENG et al fails to explicitly teach “a second SCI scheduled by the first SCI”. However, PARK et al teaches a second SCI is scheduled by a first SCI [See abstract].
By combining the teachings, PARK et al teaches in figure 10, S1030, based on receiving the scheduled second SCI, the device may determine to start the DRX configuration based on a success of decoding the second SCI [0190]. One skilled fin the art would have been motivated to have scheduled the second SCI in the first SCI to verify SL data connection to improve reliability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings.
Re Claims 2, 9 and 16, TSENG et al teaches the second UE receiving the SL DRX configuration indicating the sidelink sensing window [0152] of a sensing operation for the second wireless device.
Re Claims 4-7, 11-14 and 18-20, TSENG et al teaches in figure 1, the UE (the second wireless) receiving the sidelink configuration parameters from the the gNB (a base station) such as the SL-DRX cycle, sidelink sensing window time period, SL-DRX On-Duration (the active time) [0159 0172] for monitoring the SCI wherein figure 5a teaches the sidelink sensing window in the SL-DRX off-period for transmitting the second SCI.
Re Claims 21-23, TSENG teaches in figure 5a, the SL sensing window in the SL-DRX off period for transmitting the second SCI or second stage SCI [0229] to the second UE via the PSSCH.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 4-9, 11-16 and 18-23have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-3130. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5PM ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KASSIM KHALAD can be reached at 5712703770. 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 Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANDREW LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475