DETAILED ACTION
Applicant's response filed on 11/27/2025 has been entered and made of record.
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 .
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.
Claim Status
Claims 1, 12-13, and 15-16 are amended.
No claims are cancelled nor added.
Claims 1, 3-10, 12-13, and 15-16 are currently pending for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/21/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments (see Remarks on page 1-3), filed 11/27/2025, regarding Objections to the Specification and Rejections of the Claims under 35 U.S.C. §112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the objection to the Specification and the rejections to claims 1, 3-10, 12-13, and 15-16 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, filed 11/27/2025, with respect to claim 1, 12, 13, 15, and 16 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. The amendments to the claims necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection discussed below.
This Office action is made Final.
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, 5-10, 12-13, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WANG et al. (US 2021/0337544 A1) hereinafter “Wang”.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a user device (UE) for a wireless communication system (see FIG. 16; see ¶ [0303], a terminal device/UE), the wireless communication system providing resources to be allocated for respective transmissions in the wireless communication system (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0095-96] [0111], a network communication including an access network device and terminal devices; see ¶ [0107], resource allocation), the UE comprising:
one antenna; a signal processor; and a transceiver (see FIG. 16; see ¶ [0305-06], a terminal device/UE includes a communications interface, processor and memory),
wherein the UE is configured with one bandwidth part (BWP), at least one of the one BWP comprising a certain numerology and comprising a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0111-12], a bandwidth part (BWP) is a group of contiguous frequency domain resources in a carrier. BWP is a group of contiguous resource blocks (RB) in the carrier. For each BWP, a frame structure numerology that includes a subcarrier spacing or a CP length),
wherein the at least one of the BWPs comprises a plurality of resource pools for a sidelink communication (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0098] [0112-14], for SL communication, the SL resource may be an SL BWP, may be a resource pool, or may be a resource used for sidelink communication; in addition see FIG. 5a; see ¶ [0135], the first dedicated BWP is a BWP 4, including a resource pool 2 to a resource pool 5, and the common BWP is a BWP 0, including a resource pool 3 and a resource pool 4; see ¶ [0113-14], a BWP (including a resource pool) is used for sidelink communication), the plurality of resource pools comprising at least a first resource pool and a second resource pool, the first resource pool being associated with a first criterion, the second resource pool being associated with a second criterion, and the first criterion and the second criterion being different (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0112], two BWPs, namely, a BWP 1 and a BWP 2 may be configured. Frame structure numerologies of the BWP 1 and the BWP 2 may be different; in addition: see ¶ [0137-38], perform at least one of broadcasting in the resource pool 3 or the resource pool 4 and multicast and/or unicast in the resource pool 2 and the resource pool 5 (i.e., the resource pool are associated with different criteria)), and
wherein the UE is configured to use resources from one of the plurality of resource pools within the at least one BWP of the one BWP for the sidelink communication (see FIG. 1 and 3; see ¶ [0096], a first terminal and a second terminal may communicate with each other on a sidelink (SL); see ¶ [0127], performs sidelink communication in a first BWP in a first time unit),
wherein the first criterion is that a feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system, and the second criterion is that no feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system (see FIG. 6 and 11 shows the segregation of the sidelink BWP into resources pools into unicast pools, multicast pools and broadcast pools; see ¶ [0266-68], the terminal devices performs unicasting using a unicast resource pool (i.e., a feedback is expected) and performs broadcasting in a broadcast resource pool (i.e., no feedback is expected). One of ordinary skill would understand that the segregation of the resource pools may also be dependent on whether or not a feedback is expected by the receivers).
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses wherein the plurality resource pools are defined within the at least one BWP by one of the following:
continuous over time and contiguous over frequency (Wang: see ¶ [0111], the BWP is a group of contiguous frequency domain resources; see ¶ [0157], a time-frequency resource for sidelink communication. In time domain, the resource pool may correspond to one or more time units. In frequency domain, the resource pool may correspond to a segment of continuous frequency domain resources).
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses wherein one resource pool of the plurality of resource pools is defined within at least one BWP by being discontinuous over time and contiguous over frequency, and wherein across time more than one of the resources of the one resource pool are discontinuous and are not adjacent to each other, and across frequency the resources of the one resource pool are contiguous and adjacent to each other (Claim 5 recites multiple functionalities by using “one or more of” in a selective way. Since the Examiner has shown the teaching of at least one functionality, the claim limitation(s) is/are still met which dependent upon the claim).
Regarding claim 7, Wang discloses wherein the first resource pool and the second resource pool defined within the at least one BWP partially overlap each other (Wang: see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0112], bandwidth of the BWP 1 and bandwidth of the BWP 2 overlap).
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses wherein the plurality of resource pools, which includes the first resource pool and the second resource pool, are defined across time by any one of the following:
by a first bitmap across time, the first bitmap indicating resources where the first resource pool of the plurality of resource pools is defined across time, spanning either a portion or the entire length of the at least one BWP (Wang: see ¶ [0109] [0193] [0245], using a bitmap, the first time unit that is in the period indicating a slot).
wherein the plurality of resource pools, which include the first resource pool and the second resource pool, are defined across frequency by any one of the following:
by a second bitmap, the second bitmap indicating resources across the at least one BWP (Wang: see ¶ [0245], a bitmap manner of indicating a slot in a period is used. If a frame structure numerology of an SL BWP configured and may be indicate by using a 5-bit bitmap).
Regarding claim 9, Wang discloses wherein the UE is in-coverage and is configured to perform one of the following:
receive for each zone a BWP configuration with resource pools defined within the at least one BWP (Wang: see ¶ [0113], to enable an SL transmission-related design to be compatible with a design of a Uu air interface, for an SL in NR, a BWP design may alternatively be used to configure an SL resource).
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses wherein the UE is out-of-coverage and is configured to operate using a BWP pre-configuration defining the different resources pools across time and frequency within the at least one BWP and a numerology of the at last one BWP (Wang: see ¶ [0151], a sidelink resource of the terminal device outside coverage may be a sidelink resource configured by using a preconfiguration parameter/a preconfigured BWP).
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses a base station (BS) for a wireless communication system, the BS for serving a plurality of user devices (UEs) located in a coverage area of the BS (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0095-96] [0111], a network communication including an access network device/base station and terminal devices), the BS comprising:
one antenna; a signal processor; and a transceiver (see ¶ [0104-05], access network device/base station includes an antenna/transceiver, processor and memory),
wherein the BS is to configure one of the UEs which is located within the coverage area of the BS with at least one bandwidth part (BWP) (see ¶ [0152-53], a preconfigured BWP/system common BWP for the terminal in coverage), wherein the at least one BWP comprises:
a certain numerology and a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0111-12], a bandwidth part (BWP) is a group of contiguous frequency domain resources in a carrier. BWP is a group of contiguous resource blocks (RB) in the carrier. For each BWP, a frame structure numerology that includes a subcarrier spacing or a CP length), and
a plurality of resource pools for a sidelink communication among the UEs (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0098] [0112-14], for SL communication, the SL resource may be an SL BWP, may be a resource pool, or may be a resource used for sidelink communication; in addition see FIG. 5a; see ¶ [0135], the first dedicated BWP is a BWP 4, including a resource pool 2 to a resource pool 5, and the common BWP is a BWP 0, including a resource pool 3 and a resource pool 4; see ¶ [0113-14], a BWP (including a resource pool) is used for sidelink communication), the plurality of resource pools comprising at least a first resource pool and a second resource pool, the first resource pool being associated with a first criterion, the second resource being associated with a second criterion, and the first criterion and the second criterion being different (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0112], two BWPs, namely, a BWP 1 and a BWP 2 may be configured. Frame structure numerologies of the BWP 1 and the BWP 2 may be different; in addition: see ¶ [0137-38], perform at least one of broadcasting in the resource pool 3 or the resource pool 4 and multicast and/or unicast in the resource pool 2 and the resource pool 5 (i.e., the resource pool are associated with different criteria)),
wherein the first criterion is that a feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system, and the second criterion is that no feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system (see FIG. 6 and 11 shows the segregation of the sidelink BWP into resources pools into unicast pools, multicast pools and broadcast pools; see ¶ [0266-68], the terminal devices performs unicasting using a unicast resource pool (i.e., a feedback is expected) and performs broadcasting in a broadcast resource pool (i.e., no feedback is expected). One of ordinary skill would understand that the segregation of the resource pools may also be dependent on whether or not a feedback is expected by the receivers).
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses a wireless communication system (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0095-96] [0111], a network communication including an access network device and terminal devices; see ¶ [0107], resource allocation), comprising:
a plurality of user devices (UE) (see FIG. 1 and 16; see ¶ [0303], terminal devices/UEs); and
at least one base station (BS) comprising one antenna, a signal processor and a transceiver (see ¶ [0104-05], access network device/base station includes an antenna/transceiver, processor and memory),
wherein the at least one base station (BS) is to configure at least one UE of the plurality of UEs, which is located within a coverage area of the BS, with at least one bandwidth part (BWP) (see ¶ [0152-53], a preconfigured BWP/system common BWP for the terminal in coverage),
wherein the at least one BWP comprises:
a certain numerology and a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0111-12], a bandwidth part (BWP) is a group of contiguous frequency domain resources in a carrier. BWP is a group of contiguous resource blocks (RB) in the carrier. For each BWP, a frame structure numerology that includes a subcarrier spacing or a CP length), and
a plurality of resource pools for a sidelink communication among the UEs (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0098] [0112-14], for SL communication, the SL resource may be an SL BWP, may be a resource pool, or may be a resource used for sidelink communication; in addition see FIG. 5a; see ¶ [0135], the first dedicated BWP is a BWP 4, including a resource pool 2 to a resource pool 5, and the common BWP is a BWP 0, including a resource pool 3 and a resource pool 4; see ¶ [0113-14], a BWP (including a resource pool) is used for sidelink communication), the plurality of resource pools comprising at least a first resource pool and a second resource pool, the first resource pool being associated with a first criterion, the second resource pool being associated with a second criterion, and the first criterion and the second criterion being different (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0112], two BWPs, namely, a BWP 1 and a BWP 2 may be configured. Frame structure numerologies of the BWP 1 and the BWP 2 may be different; in addition: see ¶ [0137-38], perform at least one of broadcasting in the resource pool 3 or the resource pool 4 and multicast and/or unicast in the resource pool 2 and the resource pool 5 (i.e., the resource pool are associated with different criteria)),
wherein the first criterion is that a feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system, and the second criterion is that no feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system (see FIG. 6 and 11 shows the segregation of the sidelink BWP into resources pools into unicast pools, multicast pools and broadcast pools; see ¶ [0266-68], the terminal devices performs unicasting using a unicast resource pool (i.e., a feedback is expected) and performs broadcasting in a broadcast resource pool (i.e., no feedback is expected). One of ordinary skill would understand that the segregation of the resource pools may also be dependent on whether or not a feedback is expected by the receivers).
Regarding claims 15 and 16, Wang discloses Claim 15 of a method for operating a wireless communication system, and Claim 16 of a non-transitory computer program product including a computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a computer, perform a method operating a wireless communication system (see Abstract, a non-transitory memory storage including non-transitory computer-executable instructions), the method comprising:
providing resources to be allocated for respective transmissions in the wireless communication system (see ¶ [0107], resource allocation), wherein the resource comprise one bandwidth part (BWP), at least one of the one BWP comprising a certain numerology and comprising a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0111-12], a bandwidth part (BWP) is a group of contiguous frequency domain resources in a carrier. BWP is a group of contiguous resource blocks (RB) in the carrier. For each BWP, a frame structure numerology that includes a subcarrier spacing or a CP length),
providing at least one of the one BWP, which comprise a plurality of resource pool, for a sidelink communication (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0098] [0112-14], for SL communication, the SL resource may be an SL BWP, may be a resource pool, or may be a resource used for sidelink communication; in addition see FIG. 5a; see ¶ [0135], the first dedicated BWP is a BWP 4, including a resource pool 2 to a resource pool 5, and the common BWP is a BWP 0, including a resource pool 3 and a resource pool 4; see ¶ [0113-14], a BWP (including a resource pool) is used for sidelink communication), wherein the plurality of resource pools comprising at least a first resource pool and a second resource pool, the first resource pool being associated with a first criterion, the second resource pool being associated with a second criterion, and the first criterion and the second criterion being different (see FIG. 2; see ¶ [0112], two BWPs, namely, a BWP 1 and a BWP 2 may be configured. Frame structure numerologies of the BWP 1 and the BWP 2 may be different; in addition: see ¶ [0137-38], perform at least one of broadcasting in the resource pool 3 or the resource pool 4 and multicast and/or unicast in the resource pool 2 and the resource pool 5 (i.e., the resource pool are associated with different criteria)), and
using resources from one of the plurality of resource pools within the at least one BWP of the one BWP for the sidelink communication among a plurality of user devices (UEs) of the wireless communication system (see FIG. 1; see ¶ [0111-12], the terminal device and the network device transmit and receive data in the activated BWP. An existing BWP is defined on a given carrier, that is, a resource of one BWP is located in one carrier resource; see ¶ [0095-96] [0111], a network communication including an access network device and terminal devices. A first terminal and a second terminal may communicate with each other on a sidelink (SL)),
wherein the first criterion is that a feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system, and the second criterion is that no feedback is expected for the sidelink communication in the wireless communication system (see FIG. 6 and 11 shows the segregation of the sidelink BWP into resources pools into unicast pools, multicast pools and broadcast pools; see ¶ [0266-68], the terminal devices performs unicasting using a unicast resource pool (i.e., a feedback is expected) and performs broadcasting in a broadcast resource pool (i.e., no feedback is expected). One of ordinary skill would understand that the segregation of the resource pools may also be dependent on whether or not a feedback is expected by the receivers).
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 may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Zhuang et al. (US 2020/0196285 A1) hereinafter “Zhuang”.
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses wherein a plurality of different resource pools are defined within the at least one BWP for different communication types, the communication types comprising one of a broadcast (see FIG. 1 and 4; see ¶ [0127], the terminal device performs sidelink communication in a first BWP in a first time unit which may include broadcast. see ¶ [0172], the terminal device performs sidelink communication in a second dedicated BWP in a second time unit which may include unicast and/or multicast).
Wang does not explicitly disclose different reliability and latency requirements.
However, Zhuang discloses the at least one BWP for different communication types having associated therewith different reliability and latency requirements (see ¶ [0003] [0085], a plurality of services ultra-reliable and low latency communication of a plurality of activated BWPs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide different reliability and latency requirements as taught by Zhuang, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide to improve efficiency of using the control resource set and to achieve a power saving effect for the terminal device (Zhuang: see ¶ [0008]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of ADACHI (US 2017/0231023 A1) hereinafter “Adachi”.
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses the first resource pool and the second resource pool defined within at least one BWP (see FIG. 5a; see ¶ [0135], the first dedicated BWP is a BWP 4, including a resource pool 2 to a resource pool 5, and the common BWP is a BWP 0, including a resource pool 3 and a resource pool 4; see ¶ [0113-14], a BWP (including a resource pool) is used for sidelink communication), but does not explicitly disclose the first resource pool is for in-coverage UEs and the second resource pool is for out-of-coverage UEs.
However, Adachi discloses a first resource pool is for in-coverage UEs (see ¶ [0106], the first resource is a radio resource (resource pool) used in D2D communication in “In coverage” i.e., in-coverage UEs), and a second resource pool is for out-of-coverage UEs (see ¶ [0106], the second resource is a radio resource (resource pool) used in the D2D communication in “Out of coverage” i.e., out-of-coverage UEs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide the first resource pool is for in-coverage UEs and the second resource pool is for out-of-coverage UEs as taught by Adachi, in the system of Wang, so that it would provide resource information indicating a radio resource (resource pool) available for D2D proximity service for in-coverage and out of the coverage (Adachi: see ¶ [0058]).
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 PETER CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7241. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571) 272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462