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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 3/13/26. Claims 1-7, 9-10, 12-18, and 20 are currently pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al. (US 2022/0225342) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2022/0256470), further in view of Lee et al. (US 2022/0141846), and further in view of Hwang et al. (US 2022/0216975)
Regarding claim 1, Zhao teaches a method of determining priority of a simultaneous sidelink (SL) transmission (SL) and uplink (UL) transmission (UL SL) of a user equipment (UE) within a 5G New Radio (NR) network (see “As illustrated in FIG. 7, UE 1 may transmit an UL resource request or UL feedback information to the network through an UL channel (on an UL carrier), transmit a SL resource request and SL feedback information to the network through an UL channel (on an UL carrier), and transmit SL data to UE 2 through a SL (on a SL carrier). However, if at a certain moment, UE 1 needs to transmit at least two of the above data at the same time while there is only one set of radio frequency (RF) hardware…”[par 55] and “For example, in implementation 1, the conflict may occur between a SL and another SL, a SL and an UL SL, or an UL SL and another UL SL” [par 68]), the method comprising:
determining a priority value (priority) associated with the UL transmission (first/second SL information) to be sent by the UE (see “The terminal device determines the channel transmission state according to a priority associated with the first SL information and a priority associated with the second SL information” [par 70] and “…the first SL information and/or the second SL information includes but is not limited to at least one of: an UL SL SR, an UL SL BSR, UL SL HARQ-ACK, a SL SR, a SL BSR, SL HARQ-ACK, SL SCI, and SL data” [par 72]);
determining a priority value in an SL control information (SCI) (SL SCI) associated with the SL transmission (see “Priority information of the first SCI is priority information carried in the SCI or priority information corresponding to SL data scheduled by the SCI” [par 75]);
determining a second priority value in a second SCI associated with a second SL transmission (see “Similarly, the priority associated with the second SL information may be understood as a priority of SL data corresponding to the second SL information” [par 74] and “For SL SCI, a priority of SL data associated with the SL SCI is a priority of SL data carried on a SL channel scheduled by the SL SCI” [par 75] which suggests that the second SL information has a priority which may be carried in a corresponding SCI which reads on the claimed “second priority value in a second SCI”);
comparing the priority value of the UL transmission to a lower value between the priority value (priority class) of the SL transmission and the second priority value of the second SL transmission (see “Optionally, in implementation 1, the terminal device determines to transmit the first channel preferentially or ensure a transmission power of the first channel preferentially, if the priority associated with the first SL information is higher than or equal to the priority associated with the second SL information, or optionally, the terminal device determines to transmit the second channel preferentially or ensure a transmission power of the second channel preferentially, if the priority associated with the first SL information is lower than the priority associated with the second SL information” [par 71] and “Priority information of the first SCI is priority information carried in the SCI or priority information corresponding to SL data scheduled by the SCI, and for example, corresponds to a priority class ( or referred to as a priority value) of 4. Priority information of the first SL data is priority information corresponds to the data, and for example, corresponds to a priority class of 5. Then, a priority of the first SCI is higher than a priority of the first SL data (the lower the priority class, the higher the priority)” [par 75] which suggests the priority values of the first and second SL information are compared); and
prioritizing transmissions based on the comparison of the priority values, (see [par 71] above where first SL information is transmitted preferentially over second SL information and vice versa),
wherein the UL transmission is prioritized under the following condition:
the UL transmission includes at least one of a SL hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) (UL SL HARQ-ACK) or a SL schedule request (SR) (UL SL SR) (see paragraph 72 first SL information may be SL HARQ-ACK or SL SR), and the priority value of the UL transmission that corresponds to the SL HARQ or the SL SR is lower than the priority value in the SCI associated with the SL transmissions (see paragraphs 68 -76 which discloses an UL transmission may be prioritized over an SL transmission).
Zhao does not explicitly teach that the UL transmission comprises information for multiple SL hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQs), wherein a smallest priority value associated with the multiple SL HARQs included in the UL transmission is used as the priority value associated with the UL transmission. In an analogous prior art reference, Zhang teaches an UL transmission (sidelink transmission) comprises information for multiple SL hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQs) (multiple sidelink HARQ-ACK bits), wherein a smallest priority value (highest priority) associated with the multiple SL HARQs included in the UL transmission is used as the priority value associated with the UL transmission (see “In some embodiments, the sidelink information includes one or more bits of sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback, and the priority of the sidelink transmission is a highest priority in priorities of the one or more bits” [par 137] and “This situation may occur, for example, multiple sidelink HARQ-ACK bits for multiple PSSCHs may be multiplexed on the same second uplink physical channel and transmitted, hence, the sidelink information carried by the second uplink physical channel may contain multiple sidelink HARQ-ACK bits” [par 140]. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Zhao to allow the UL transmission to comprise information for multiple SL hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQs), wherein a smallest priority value associated with the multiple SL HARQs included in the UL transmission is used as the priority value associated with the UL transmission, as taught by Zhang, in order to determine priority of the uplink transmission when it comprises multiple SL HARQs.
The combination of Zhao and Zhang does not explicitly teach wherein the UL transmission is prioritized when the UL transmission is a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a physical uplink control channel (PUSCH) transmission scheduled by random access response (RAR) UL grant. In an analogous prior art reference, Lee teaches a UL transmission is prioritized when the UL transmission is a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a physical uplink control channel (PUSCH) transmission scheduled by random access response (RAR) UL grant (see “it is proposed whether a UE prioritizes or drops SL transmission over UL transmission based on a pre-configured threshold. Here, the UL transmission may be performed based on a PUCCH resource or a PUSCH resource pre-configured to the UE” [par 117] and “Additionally, for example, a UE may always prioritize PRACH and PUSCH scheduled by the RAR UL grant” [par 121]. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zhao and Zhang to additionally allow the UL transmission to be prioritized when the UL transmission is a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a physical uplink control channel (PUSCH) transmission scheduled by random access response (RAR) UL grant, as taught by Lee, in order to prioritize UL transmission when a resource is pre-configured to the UE.
The combination of Zhao, Zhang, and Lee does not explicitly teach wherein the UL transmission is prioritized when the UL transmission is for PUSCH or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) with ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) with the priority value associated with the UL transmission equal to 1. In an analogous prior art reference, Hwang teaches a UL transmission is prioritized when the UL transmission is for PUSCH or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) with ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) with the priority value associated with the UL transmission equal to 1 (see “For example, if the corresponding UE performs a URLLC-related operation or if a priority index 1 is set for at least one PUCCH or PUSCH, a priority index value of the PUCCH including the SL HARQ-ACK may be set to 1 for the UE” [par 227]. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zhao, Zhang, and Lee to additionally allow the UL transmission to be prioritized when the UL transmission is for PUSCH or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) with ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) with the priority value associated with the UL transmission equal to 1, as taught by Hwang, in order to prioritize URLLC-related UL transmissions when required.
Regarding claim 2, Zhao teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
based on comparing the priority values, determining that the at least one SL HARQ or SL SR is a higher priority than the SL transmission (see “…if the priority associated with the first SL information is higher than or equal to the priority associated with the second SL information…[par 71]); and
in response to determining the at least one SL HARQ or SL SR is a higher priority than the SL transmission, prioritizing the UL transmission over the SL transmission (see “…the terminal device determines to transmit the first channel preferentially or ensure a transmission power of the first channel preferentially…” [par 71]).
Regarding claim 3, Zhao teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining that the UL transmission is physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) (see ““The UL SL SR is carried on a PUCCH…The UL SL HARQ-ACK is carried on a PUCCH or a PUSCH…[par 73]);
based on comparing the priority values, determining that the at least one SL HARQ or SL SR is a lower priority than the SL transmission (see “…, if the priority associated with the first SL information is lower than the priority associated with the second SL information…” [par 71]; and
in response to determining the at least one SL HARQ or SL SR is a lower priority than the SL transmission, prioritizing the SL transmission over the UL transmission (see “…the terminal device determines to transmit the second channel preferentially or ensure a transmission power of the second channel preferentially…”[par 71]).
Regarding claim 4, Zhao teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining that the UL transmission is PUSCH, includes either the SL HARQ or the SL SR, and does not include other uplink data (see “The UL SL HARQ-ACK is carried on a PUCCH or a PUSCH” [par 73];
based on comparing the priority values, determining that the SL HARQ or the SL SR is a lower priority than the SL transmission (see “…, if the priority associated with the first SL information is lower than the priority associated with the second SL information…” [par 71]; and
in response to determining the SL HARQ or the SL SR is a lower priority than the SL transmission, prioritizing the SL transmission over the UL transmission (see “…the terminal device determines to transmit the second channel preferentially or ensure a transmission power of the second channel preferentially…”[par 71]).
Claim(s) 5-7, 9-10, and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshioka et al. (US 2023/0040257) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2022/0256470).
Regarding claim 5, Yoshioka teaches an apparatus of a user equipment (UE) (terminal), comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
identify a radio interface (Uu) uplink (UL) control information (UCI) transmission to be sent by the UE (another UL transmission) and a sidelink (SL) hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) report (SL-HARQ-ACK) to be sent by the UE in an UL transmission (see “At step S501, the terminal 20 detects that UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK overlaps with another UL transmission” [par 101] and “Hereinafter, "another UL transmission" may be one of a Uu-UCI (for example, a PUCCH or a PUSCH), a PUSCH (for example, with no Uu-UCI)), a PRACH, or an SRS” [par 91]);
determine a priority value of the Uu UCI transmission (see “The priority order of UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK and another UL transmission in the NR may be determined” [par 91]);
based at least partially on the determined priority value, determine a type of transmission associated with the Uu UCI transmission (see “Determination of priorities as described above, allows the priorities to be flexibly configured depending on traffic types of UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK and another UL transmission or depending on a configured parameter” [par 118]); and
based on the determined type of transmission (URLLC or eMBB) associated with the UL transmission, prioritize transmissions of the UE (see “For example, the priority of UL transmissions may be configured such that a PRACH and a URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency) PUSCH/PUCCH are "high" and an SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) and an eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband) PUSCH/PUCCH is "low"” [par 103] which suggests URLLC and eMBB UL transmissions have different priorities),
wherein in response to determining that the type of transmission is an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UCI transmission (see “Furthermore, "UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK with a priority lower than priority X and higher than priority Y (that is, a value indicating the priority is greater than X and less than Y)" and "a SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) and a low priority (for example, eMBB) PUSCH/Uu-UCI" may have the same priority” [par 107] which suggests eMBB Uu-UCI transmissions may have a priority which is determined by the terminal), the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a priority value in an SL control information (SCI) associated with the SL HARQ report (see “The priority of SL transmission to which an SL-HARQ-ACK corresponds may be a priority indicated in the corresponding SCI or a priority indicated in MAC-PDU (Medium Access Control-Protocol Data Unit)” [par 114]); and
determine a priority between the Uu UL UCI transmission and the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report (see “At step S701, the terminal 20 determines whether the priority of UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK is different from the priority of another UL transmission” [par 141]);
a memory configured to store the Uu UCI and the SL HARQ report (see Fig. 20, item 1002, “MEMORY”).
Yoshioka does not explicitly teach the UL transmission comprises at least one additional SL HARQ report in a same UL transmission; determine a priority value associated with each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report in an SCI corresponding to each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report; compare the priority value associated with the SL HARQ report or the priority value associated with the at least one additional SL HARQ report to a priority threshold, wherein the SCI corresponding to the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report that has the lowest priority value is used when comparing to the priority threshold; determine a priority between the Uu UL UCI transmission and the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report and the at least one additional SL HARQ report based on the comparison of the lowest priority value of the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report to the priority threshold. In an analogous prior art reference, Zhang teaches:
an UL transmission comprises at least one additional SL HARQ report in a same UL transmission (see “In some embodiments, the sidelink information includes one or more bits of sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback, and the priority of the sidelink transmission is a highest priority in priorities of the one or more bits” [par 137]);
determine a priority value associated with each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report in an SCI corresponding to each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report (see “The PSSCH is scheduled by the PSCCH (SCI), and the priority of PSSCH is indicated by a field "priority" in the SCI” [par 139]);
compare the priority value associated with the SL HARQ report or the priority value associated with the at least one additional SL HARQ report to a priority threshold (first/second priority threshold), wherein the SCI corresponding to the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report that has the lowest priority value is used when comparing to the priority threshold (see “As one implementation, when the priority of the sidelink information is greater than the first priority threshold, it is deemed that the sidelink information has precedence over the Uu information” [par 167] and “As one implementation, when the priority of the sidelink information is greater than the first priority threshold and the priority of the Uu information is less than or equal to the second priority threshold, it is deemed that the sidelink information has precedence over the Uu information” [par 168]);
determine a priority between the Uu UL UCI transmission and the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report and the at least one additional SL HARQ report based on the comparison of the lowest priority value (highest priority) of the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report to the priority threshold (see “In some embodiments, the sidelink information includes one or more bits of sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback, and the priority of the sidelink transmission is a highest priority in priorities of the one or more bits” [par 137] and “As one implementation, when the priority of the sidelink information is greater than the first priority threshold, it is deemed that the sidelink information has precedence over the Uu information” [par 167] which in combination suggests that the priority between Uu information and sidelink information, which may be a highest priority (i.e. lowest priority value) of the one or more HARQ feedback bits, is determined based on the comparison of the sidelink information to the first priorirty threshold). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Yoshioka to allow the UL transmission to comprise at least one additional SL HARQ report in a same UL transmission; determine a priority value associated with each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report in an SCI corresponding to each of the at least one additional SL HARQ report; compare the priority value associated with the SL HARQ report or the priority value associated with the at least one additional SL HARQ report to a priority threshold, wherein the SCI corresponding to the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report that has the lowest priority value is used when comparing to the priority threshold; determine a priority between the Uu UL UCI transmission and the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report and the at least one additional SL HARQ report based on the comparison of the lowest priority value of the SL HARQ report and each of the at least one additional HARQ report to the priority threshold, as taught by Zhang, in order to determine priority of the uplink transmission when it comprises multiple SL HARQs and preferentially
allocate power to an uplink physical channel at least carrying the sidelink information when the sidelink transmission has precedence over an uplink transmission.
Regarding claim 6, Yoshioka and Zhang in combination teaches the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine that the type of transmission is an ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) UCI transmission (see “As illustrated in FIG. 15, transmission with the next highest priority to "UL transmission of an SL-HARQ ACK with priority higher than priority X" may be "a PRACH and a high-priority (for example, URLLC) PUSCH/Uu-UCI" [Yoshioka; par 105]); and
based on determining that the type of transmission is the URLLC UCI transmission:
transmit the Uu UCI transmission; and
drop the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report and the at least one additional SL HARQ report (see “At step S702, the terminal 20 drops transmission with a lower priority and performs transmission with a higher priority, and the flow ends” [Yoshioka; par 142] and “In some embodiments, the sidelink information includes one or more bits of sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback, and the priority of the sidelink transmission is a highest priority in priorities of the one or more bits” [Zhang; 137] which suggests that a Uu_UCI transmission, or “another UL transmission”, may be transmitted and a SL-HARQ-ACK report and at least one additional SL HARQ report is dropped when the priority of the Uu-UCI transmission is higher).
Regarding claim 7, Yoshioka and Zhang in combination teaches the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the URLLC UCI transmission comprises one of a URLLC downlink HARQ-ACK, a channel state information (CSI) report, or a scheduling request (SR) (see “URLLC PUCCH” which according to 3GPP carries uplink control information for HARQ and scheduling requests).
Regarding claim 9, Yoshioka and Zhang in combination teaches the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
based on comparing the priority value associated with the SL HARQ report to the priority threshold, determine that the priority value is lower than the priority threshold (see “As one implementation, when the priority of the sidelink information is greater than the first priority threshold…” [Zhang; par 167] and “In the embodiments of this disclosure, "a priority is higher than a certain threshold" is equivalent to "a value of a priority is less than a certain value threshold" [Zhang; par 134]); and
based on determining that the priority value is lower than the priority threshold:
transmit the UL transmission comprising the SL HARQ report and the at least one additional SL HARQ report (see “As one implementation, when the priority of the sidelink information is greater than the first priority threshold, it is deemed that the sidelink information has precedence over the Uu information” [Zhang; par 167]); and
drop the eMBB UCI transmission (in the relied upon combination of Yoshioka and Zhang, the SL-HARQ-ACK in Yoshioka is transmitted and the “another UL transmission”, or eMBB UCI transmission, is dropped if the priority of the SL-HARQ is higher, wherein the priority of the SL-HARQ-ACK is determined based on one or more priority thresholds and the SL-HARQ-ACK comprises one or more bits of sidelink HARQ feedback as taught by Zhang).
Regarding claim 10, Yoshioka and Zhang in combination teaches the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
based on comparing the priority value associated with the SL HARQ report to the priority threshold, determine that the priority value is higher than the priority threshold (see “…otherwise, it is deemed that the sidelink information has no precedence over the Uu information” [par 167] which suggests that the priority of the sidelink information is less than the first priority threshold and “Likewise, "a priority is lower than or equal to a certain threshold" is equivalent to "a value of a priority is greater than or equal to a certain value threshold" [Zhang; par 134]); and
based on determining that the priority value is higher than the priority threshold :
transmit the eMBB UCI transmission (see “…otherwise, it is deemed that the sidelink information has no precedence over the Uu information” [Zhang; par 167] which suggests the Uu information is preferentially transmitted); and
drop the SL HARQ report (in the relied upon combination of Yoshioka and Zhang, the “another UL transmission”, or eMBB UCI transmission, is transmitted in Yoshioka and the SL-HARQ-ACK is dropped if the priority of the another UL transmission is higher, wherein the priority of the SL-HARQ-ACK is determined based on one or more priority thresholds and the SL-HARQ-ACK comprises one or more bits of sidelink HARQ feedback as taught by Zhang).
Claim 12 recites subject matter similar to claim 5 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim 13 recites subject matter similar to claim 6 and is therefore rejected on the same basis.
Claim(s) 14-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshioka et al. (US 2023/0040257) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2022/0256470), as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Wu et al. (US 2021/0029723).
Regarding claim 14, in the combination of Yoshioka and Zhang, Yoshioka teaches determine that the type of transmission is an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UL data transmission (see paragraphs 103 and 105 of Yoshioka “another UL transmission may be eMBB), but does not explicitly teach based on determining that the type of transmission is the eMBB UL data transmission: compare the priority value of the additional UL data transmission to a UL priority threshold; and prioritize transmissions of the UE based on the comparison of the priority value of the additional UL data transmission to the UL priority threshold. In an analogous prior art reference, Wu teaches based on determining that the type of transmission is the eMBB UL data transmission: compare the priority value of the UL data transmission to a UL priority threshold (see Wu “In yet another example, priority determining component 252 can determine to prioritize uplink traffic if the priority level of the uplink traffic achieves the uplink priority threshold” [par 97 of Wu]; and prioritize transmissions of the UE based on the comparison of the priority value of the UL data transmission to the UL priority threshold (in the relied upon combination of Yoshioka, Zhang, and Wu, the “another UL transmission”, or eMBB UL data transmission of Yoshioka, may be prioritized for transmission based on an uplink priority threshold as taught by Wu). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Yoshioka and Zhang to allow based on determining that the type of transmission is the eMBB UL data transmission: compare the priority value of the additional UL data transmission to a UL priority threshold; and prioritize transmissions of the UE based on the comparison of the priority value of the additional UL data transmission to the UL priority threshold, as taught by Wu, in order for the UE to prioritize sidelink and/or uplink communications based on additional or different considerations, such as a priority level threshold defined for uplink traffic so that certain types of traffic can be prioritized over other types of traffic.
Regarding claim 15, Wu and Zhang (SL HARQ reports [par 137]) in combination teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
determine that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is lower than the UL priority threshold (see “In yet another example, priority determining component 252 can determine to prioritize uplink traffic if the priority level of the uplink traffic achieves the uplink priority threshold” [par 97] and “In this regard, for example, in referring to determining whether the priority achieves a threshold, priority determining component 252 can determine whether the priority is less than (or equal to) a threshold” [par 98] which suggests that uplink traffic may be prioritized if the priority is less than a uplink priority threshold); and
based on determining that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is lower than the UL priority threshold:
transmit the additional UL data transmission; and
drop or delay the SL HARQ reports (if uplink traffic is prioritized, then sidelink traffic is dropped).
Regarding claim 16, Wu and Zhang (SL HARQ reports [par 137]) in combination teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
determine that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is higher than the UL priority threshold (see “In yet another example, priority determining component 252 can determine to prioritize uplink traffic if the priority level of the uplink traffic achieves the uplink priority threshold” and “In this regard, for example, in referring to determining whether the priority achieves a threshold, priority determining component 252 can determine whether the priority is greater than (or equal to) a threshold” [par 98] which suggests that the priority level of the uplink traffic may be determined to be higher than the uplink priority threshold); and
based on determining that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is higher than the UL priority threshold:
determine a priority value associated with the SL HARQ report in an SL control information (SCI) corresponding to the SL HARQ reports to thereby;
compare the priority value of the SL HARQ reports to an SL priority threshold (see “determining component 252 can determine to prioritize sidelink traffic if the priority level of the sidelink traffic
achieves the sidelink priority threshold” [par 97]; and
prioritize transmissions based on the comparison of the priority value of the SL HARQ reports to the SL priority threshold (sidelink traffic may be prioritized based on comparison of the sidelink traffic priority level and the sidelink priority threshold).
Regarding claim 17, Wu and Zhang (SL HARQ reports [par 137]) in combination teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
determine that the priority value of the SL HARQ reports is lower than the SL priority threshold (see paragraphs 97-98 which suggests that priority level of sidelink traffic may be lower than a sidelink priority threshold); and
based on determining that the priority value of the SL HARQ reports is lower than the SL priority threshold:
transmit the SL HARQ reports; and
drop or delay the additional UL data transmission (sidelink traffic may be prioritized based on comparison of the sidelink traffic priority level and the sidelink priority threshold and uplink traffic may be dropped).
Regarding claim 18, Wu and Zhang (SL HARQ reports [par 137]) in combination teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
determine that the priority value of the SL HARQ reports is higher than the SL priority threshold (see paragraphs 97-98 which suggests that priority level of sidelink traffic may be greater than a sidelink priority threshold); and
based on determining that the priority value of the SL HARQ reports is higher than the SL priority threshold:
transmit the additional UL data transmission; and
drop or delay the SL HARQ report (uplink traffic may be prioritized based on comparison of the sidelink traffic priority level and the sidelink priority threshold and sidelink traffic may be dropped).
Regarding claim 20, Yoshioka and Zhang (SL HARQ reports [par 137]) in combination teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
determine that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is lower than the priority value of the SL HARQ reports; and
based on determining that the priority value of the additional UL data transmission is lower than the priority value of the SL HARQ report:
transmit the additional UL data transmission; and
drop or delay the SL HARQ report (see “At step S701, the terminal 20 determines whether
the priority of UL transmission of an SL-HARQ-ACK is different from the priority of another UL transmission” [par 141] and “At step S702, the terminal 20 drops transmission with a lower priority and performs transmission with a higher priority, and the flow ends” [par 142] which suggests that transmission of the SL-HARQ-ACK is dropped if the priority is lower than the priority of the another UL transmission).
to determine priority between an UL transmission and multiple SL HARQ report transmissions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7, 9-10, 12-18, and 20 have 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.
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/NAM T HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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