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 Remarks
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 04/14/2026.
Claims 19-20, 23, 30, 41, 47, 49--52 are pending and are examined in this office action.
Claims 19, 41, 51 has been amended.
No claim has been added and previously claims 1-18, 21-22, 24-29, 31-40, 42-46, 48 had been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 04/14/2026, with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection. The Examiner found features modified to claims, ie. claim 19 as “19. (Currently Amended) A sidelink communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a first user equipment (UE), sidelink communication configuration information from a second UE; and
sending, by the first UE, sidelink communication configuration response information to the second UE;
wherein after receiving the sidelink communication configuration information from the second UE, the method further comprises: in response to the sidelink communication configuration information received from a second UE indicating that a bi-directional sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) is to be established between the first UE and the second UE, sending, by the first UE, sidelink communication assistance information to a first base station corresponding to the first UE,
wherein the sidelink communication assistance information is determined based on the sidelink communication configuration information sent by the second UE and comprises a quality of service flow identifier (QFI), a list of available logic channel identifiers (LCIDs), a QFI associated communication range, and either an RLC acknowledged mode (AM), or an RLC unacknowledged mode (UM); and
receiving, by the first UE, sidelink communication configuration information from the first base station, wherein the sidelink communication configuration information received from the first base station comprises a LCID selected by the first base station from the list of available LCIDs;
wherein the first UE is in coverage of the first base station corresponding to the first UE and the second UE is in coverage of a second base station corresponding to the second UE.”
that have changed the scope of the invention as a whole, Therefore, Applicant’s remarks regarding rejection under 35 U.S.C 103 for the claims are moot. Applicant's remarks are considered as forward looking statement for the newly reconstructed claims.
In view of the applicant’s amendment to the claims, the examiner has clarified and remapped the rejection to the argued claim limitations in details, using the prior art of record in the current prosecution of the claims as well a new prior art. See of KANG4532 et al. (US 20200404532 A1).
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 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.
Claims 19-20, 23, 30, 41, 47, 49-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PAN et al. (US 20200205209 A1; hereinafter as “PAN”, which has us-provisional-application US 62784631 filed on December 24, 2018) in view of KANG et al. (US 20200404532 , A1; hereinafter as “KANG4532”, which has foreign priority date October 8, 2018).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to PAN unless otherwise mentioned.
Regarding claim 19, PAN teaches, a sidelink communication method (fig. 14: Fig. 15B: Method ; where UE1 is in sidelink communication with UE2: “One-to-One Sidelink Communication Link Establishment (Illustrated in FIG. 14) ”: [0216]; UE2) comprising:
comprising:
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receiving, by a first user equipment (UE) (==UE2 in Fig. 14 ) , sidelink communication configuration information from a second UE (==UE1 in Fig. 14) (see fig. 14 aforesaid UE2 receives PC5 Signaling ie. DIRECT COMMUNICATION REQUEST from UE1;: [0223]-[0225]; also see fig. 17 element 1705 , “FIG. 17 is a flow chart 1700 according to one embodiment from the perspective of a second UE performing a one-to-one sidelink communication with a first UE, wherein the first UE is served by a first network node. In step 1705, the second UE receives a second sidelink configuration from the first UE, wherein the second sidelink configuration is used to configure the one-to-one sidelink communication., ”: [0251] ) and
sending, by the first UE (==UE2 in fig. 14 ), sidelink communication configuration response information to the second UE (==UE1 ) (see fig. 17: element 1710, UE2 sends sidelink configuration response from UE2 to UE1; “In step 1710, the second UE performs a sidelink transmission and/or a sidelink reception on the one-to-one sidelink communication based on the second sidelink configuration.”: [0251]; also see UE1 is in sidelink communication configuration to UE2: “ After exchanging the Direct Communication Request message and the Direct Communication Accept message, UE-1 and the UE-2 could perform an IP address configuration procedure for determining 5-tuple (e.g. source IP addresses, destination IP addresses, source port number, destination port number and protocol ID) for the one-to-one sidelink communication. It may also be possible that IP address configuration procedure is done with the Direct Communication Request message and the Direct Communication Accept message (i.e. both procedures are combined into one).”: [0226]);
sending, by the first UE , sidelink communication assistance information to a first base station corresponding to the first UE (“As illustrated in FIG. 15A, after finishing the one-to-one sidelink communication link establishment, UE-1 (==first UE in claim ) could transmit a RRC message (e.g. UEAssistanceInformation) to the base station (==first base station in claim )to request assignment of transmission resources for the one-to-one sidelink communication.”: [228]);
receiving, by the first UE, sidelink communication configuration information from the first base station (see fig. 15A: UE1 receives RRC Message, ie. RRCConnectionReconfiguration from gNB: “ base station could then transmit a reconfiguration message (e.g. RRCConnectionReconfiguration, a RRC message) to UE-1 in response to reception of the RRC message.”: [0235]).
PAN does not expressively disclose:
wherein after receiving the sidelink communication configuration information from the second UE, the method further comprises: in response to the sidelink communication configuration information received from a second UE indicating that a bi-directional sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) is to be established between the first UE and the second UE,
wherein the sidelink communication assistance information is determined based on the sidelink communication configuration information sent by the second UE and comprises a quality of service flow identifier (QFI), a list of available logic channel identifiers (LCIDs), a QFI associated communication range, and either an RLC acknowledged mode (AM), or an RLC unacknowledged mode (UM); and
, wherein the sidelink communication configuration information received from the first base station comprises a LCID selected by the first base station from the list of available LCIDs;
wherein the first UE is in coverage of the first base station corresponding to the first UE and the second UE is in coverage of a second base station corresponding to the second UE.
KANG4532, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
wherein after receiving the sidelink communication configuration information from the second UE, the method further comprises: in response to the sidelink communication configuration information received from a second UE indicating that a bi-directional sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) is to be established between the first UE and the second UE (see fig. 15 where terminal 120 and terminal 130 exchanging information indicating bi-directional sidelink traffic : “ the terminals 120 and 130 serve as transmission terminals and in a case where the terminals 120 and 130 serve as reception terminals. In these cases, one terminal among the terminals 120 and 130 may obtain SLRB connection configuration information corresponding to the bi-directional sidelink traffic and may share the obtained SLRB connection configuration information with the opposite terminal.”: [0228]; terminal 120 and terminal 130 exchange bi-directional sidelink traffic after establishing connection : [0230]),
wherein the sidelink communication assistance information is determined based on the sidelink communication configuration information sent by the second UE and comprises a quality of service flow identifier (QFI), a list of available logic channel identifiers (LCIDs), a QFI associated communication range, and either an RLC acknowledged mode (AM), or an RLC unacknowledged mode (UM) ( UE assistance information includes, inter alia, “a session identifier (==service flow identifier), transmission type information (==a list of available logic channel Identifiers ) , and service QoS information (data rate, reliability, latency, communication range (==communication range), priority, etc.) which are obtained in unicast session establishment. The base station may determine RLC AM mode or RLC UM mode, based on the session identifier, transmission type information, and service QoS information. For example, if it is determined that the session identifier, transmission type information, and service QoS information require terminal-to-terminal unicast transmission based on RLC AM the base station may configure RLC AM mode.”: [0114]; Base Station determin/delects RLC AM mode or RLC UM mode as an RLC transmission Mode; BS selects RLC AM Mode, also includes , LogicalChannelCOnfiguration LCIDs; : [0119]-[0124; Flow ID : session ID: [0190]] aforesaid UE assistance information includes , a sidelink unicast RLC transmission mode for the terminals 120 and 130. The base station may select one of RLC AM mode (acknowledge mode) or RLC UM mode (unacknowledged mode) as an RLC transmission mode. ): : [0149]); and
receiving, by the first UE (==Fig. 7B: terminal 120), sidelink communication configuration information from the first base station, wherein the sidelink communication configuration information received from the first base station comprises a LCID selected by the first base station from the list of available LCIDs (aforesaid UE 120 receives from base station for sidelink communication to communicate with UE 130, Aforesaid sidelink commucnation information includes, inter alia, “ base station may transmit, to the terminal, an RRC configuration message including the RLC transmission mode and RLC configuration information for unicast sidelink, which are determined in the operation indicated by the number (2).”: “”: A session identifier or transmission type information (==unicast, broadcast or groupcast ) indicates a terminal-to-terminal unicast transmission. [0101]-[0104]; ]; Base Station determin/delects RLC AM mode or RLC UM mode as an RLC transmission Mode; BS selects RLC AM Mode, also includes , LogicalChannelCOnfiguration LCIDs; : [0119]-[0124; Flow ID : session ID: [0190]]);
wherein the first UE is in coverage of the first base station corresponding to the first UE and the second UE is in coverage of a second base station corresponding to the second UE (see fig. 5, 5-4 where terminal 120 in coverage of Base Station 110 and terminal 150/130 in coverage of Base Station 150 : “ (5-4) The terminal 120 located in the coverage of the base station 110 and a terminal 160 located in the coverage of a base station 150 may perform unicast type direct communication. According to an embodiment, the base stations 110 and 150 may manage and exchange sidelink resource information and configuration information of an RLC layer transmission mode, the pieces of information being used to perform a unicast type direct communication by the terminals 120 and 160, and may transfer the pieces of information to the corresponding terminal located in the coverage of each of the base stations 110 and 150.”: [0072]; “ The terminal 120 may obtain, from the base station 110, sidelink resource information and configuration information of an RLC layer transmission mode, which are used for performing a unicast type direct communication. The terminal 160 may obtain, from the base station 150, sidelink resource information and configuration information of an RLC layer transmission mode, which are used for performing a unicast type direct communication.”: [0082]-[0083]).
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 teaching of PAN to include the above recited limitations as taught by KANG4532 . The suggestion/motivation would be to provide reliability and low-latency requirements in vehicle communication (KANG4532: [0011]).
Regarding claim 20, PAN in view of KANG4532 teaches claim 19 as shown above. Furthermore, PAN teaches, wherein the sidelink communication configuration information comprises sidelink radio bearer( SLRB), configuration information; wherein the SLRB configuration information comprises at least one of: signalling bearer configuration information or data bearer configuration information (See fig. Fig 15a and 15C (LCH, RB ID in STCH configuration) RRC response message from gNB included STCH configuration (Channel == Bearer, Traffic Channel === User/V2X application Data Bearer: [0242-0243])).
Regarding claim 23, PAN in view of KANG4532 teaches claim 20 as shown above. Furthermore, KANG4532 teaches, wherein the data bearer configuration information comprises at least one of: a uni-directional SLRB indication or a bi-directional SLRB indication; a radio link control (RLC) mode indication; a uni-directional unacknowledged mode (uni-UM); a bi-directional UM (bi-UM); a uni-directional AM (uni-AM); or a bi-directional AM (bi-AM) ( SLRB Identity , SL-AM-RLC Um SL-UM-RLC : [0119]-[0124]).
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 teaching of PAN to include the above recited limitations as taught by KANG4532 . The suggestion/motivation would be to provide reliability and low-latency requirements in vehicle communication (KANG4532: [0011]).
Regarding claim 30, PAN in view of KANG4532 teaches claim 19 as shown above. Furthermore, KANG4532 teaches, wherein the sidelink communication assistance information further comprises at least one of:
a list of an idle logic channel identifier, SLRB configuration information received from the second UE, a uni-directional SLRB indication or a bi-directional SLRB indication, a signalling bearer indication, a data bearer indication, or a signalling transmission indication ( “ the base station receives UE assistance information messages including RLC transmission mode assistance information or unicast session information of the terminals 120 and 130 and the messages include a base station identifier, the base station may determine that RLC information configuration for unicast transmission with a terminal located in the coverage of an adjacent base station is required. If the UE assistance information messages do not include a base station identifier, the base station may determine that RLC information configuration for unicast transmission with a terminal located in the coverage of the same base station is required. If the messages include an out-of-coverage indicator, the base station may determine that a unicast session with a terminal which is not located in a base station coverage has been configured. The base station may determine a sidelink unicast RLC transmission mode for the terminals 120 and 130. The base station may select one of RLC AM mode (acknowledge mode) or RLC UM mode (unacknowledged mode) as an RLC transmission mode. The base station may configure sidelink RLC configuration information according to a selected RLC transmission mode. Sidelink RLC configuration information of the case of selecting RLC AM mode or sidelink RLC configuration information of the case of selecting RLC UM mode has been already described above in section (7-2). The base station may transmit the sidelink RLC configuration information for each RLC transmission mode to the terminal 120. The base station may provide sidelink resources for data packet transmission and sidelink resources for ARQ feedback transmission. (3) The terminal 120 may receive sidelink RLC configuration information from the base station and transfer the obtained information to the terminal 130. (4) The terminal 130 may obtain sidelink RLC configuration information from the terminal 120. The sidelink RLC configuration information exchanged between the two terminals in the operations indicated by the numbers (3) and (4) is sidelink RLC configuration information of the operation indicated by the number (2), and is configuration information to be applied if an RLC transmission mode is RLC AM or RLC UM. The information exchanged in the operations indicated by the numbers (3) and (4) may include allocation information relating to sidelink resources for data packet transmission and sidelink resources for ARQ feedback transmission.”: [0149]; [0169]).
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 teaching of PAN to include the above recited limitations as taught by KANG4532 . The suggestion/motivation would be to provide reliability and low-latency requirements in vehicle communication (KANG4532: [0011]).
Regarding claim 41, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 19.
Regarding claim 47, PAN in view of KANG4532 teaches claim 19 as shown above. Furthermore, PAN teaches, the method of claim 19, further comprising:
Receiving, by the first UE a signalling message from the second UE by using a protocol default PC5 signalling radio bearer (SRB) (see fig. 15B: PC5-RRC signaling on SCCH to UE2:: [0242]-[0248] ; “In the second RRC message, the content could include at least one of the following: Identity of a sidelink logical channel used for PC5 control signalling, e.g. SCCH (Sidelink Control Channel); Priority of the sidelink logical channel; and/or Identity of a logical channel group (LCG) for the sidelink logical channel. ”: [0211])-[0214];
wherein the protocol default PC5 SRB comprises at least one of: a logic channel identifier, a logic channel priority, a type of signaling associated with a bearer, a packet data converge protocol (PDCP) sequence number size, a radio link control (RLC) sequence number size, an RLC reassembly timer, or a logic channel group identifier ; wherein the signaling associated with the bearer is PC5-S signalling or PC5-RRC signaling (see fig. 15B: PC5-RRC signaling on SCCH to UE2:: [0242]-[0248] ; “In the second RRC message, the content could include at least one of the following: Identity of a sidelink logical channel used for PC5 control signalling, e.g. SCCH (Sidelink Control Channel); Priority of the sidelink logical channel; and/or Identity of a logical channel group (LCG) for the sidelink logical channel. ”: [0211])-[0214]; “UE-1 could transmit a PC5-RRC message on a sidelink logical channel used for control signalling (e.g. SCCH) to UE-2. The content of the PC5-RRC message could be created based on the content of the reconfiguration message. The content of the PC5-RRC message could be applied by UE-2 for transmitting user traffic of the V2X application over the one-to-one sidelink communication between UE-1 and UE-2. ”: [0242]; “In step 1605, the first UE receives a dedicated signalling from a first network node, wherein the dedicated signalling includes a first sidelink configuration for the one-to-one sidelink communication. In step 1610, the first UE transmits a second sidelink configuration to the second UE, wherein the second sidelink configuration is generated based on the first sidelink configuration and used for the second UE to configure the one-to-one sidelink communication. ”: [0249]-[0250]; “In one embodiment, the initiating UE could receive a second PC5 signalling from the target UE, wherein the second PC5 signalling is used to complete establishment of the one-to-one sidelink communication. The second PC5 signalling could include accepted PC5 5QI, QoS parameter(s) or QoS profile(s) of a PC5 QoS flow for the V2X application or the V2X service. The second PC5 signalling could be a Direct Communication Accept message. ”: [0320]-[0321]).
Regarding claim 49, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 20.
Regarding claim 50, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 23.
Regarding claim 51, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 30.
Regarding claim 52, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 47.
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 M MOSTAZIR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4785. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm PST.
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/M Mostazir Rahman/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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