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 . Claims 1, 11, 21-23, and 28-30 are currently pending.
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.
The factual inquiries 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(s) 1, 11, 21-23, and 28-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al. (US 20210337573 A1) in view of Lu et al. (US 20210212050 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zhao et al. disclose an operation method of a first terminal in a communication system, the operation method comprising: generating sidelink control information (SCI) (paragraphs [0043]; transmit device can transmit PSCCH according to resource pool for the PSSCH), the SCI including time resource allocation information indicating n time resource regions for transmission of data; transmitting the SCI to a second terminal (paragraphs [0043]; the transmit device can transmit SCI on corresponding time frequency resource in the resource pool for the PSSCH according to indication information in the SCI carried by the PSCCH) (paragraph [0082]; time frequency unit according to an aggregation level) (paragraph [0114]; the time frequency unit includes a time slot or a subframe); and transmitting the data to the second terminal on a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) using the n time resource regions indicated by the time resource allocation information, wherein n is an aggregation level and is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 (paragraph [0043]; The terminal device at the transmitting end respectively transmits the PSCCH and PSSCH in corresponding resource pools, and the terminal device at the receiving end first blindly detects the PSCCH in the resource pool for the PSCCH, and then detects the PSSCH corresponding to the SCI on the corresponding time frequency resource in the resource pool for the PSSCH according to indication information in the SCI carried by the PSCCH) (paragraph [0114]; the time frequency unit includes a time slot or a subframe). However, Zhao et al. may not explicitly suggest wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner. Lu et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest wherein n is an aggregation level and is a natural number equal to or greater than 1; wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner (paragraphs [0045] [0048]; a plurality of resource aggregation levels, each with an index indicating sidelink resource comprising a number of time slots. A starting position in the time domain of the sidelink resource unit (time slot) can be configured by a higher layer signaling) (paragraph [0047]; the configuration of a sidelink resource unit for sidelink communication can be determined according to the resource aggregation level and a starting position of the sidelink resource unit. The configuration of a sidelink resource unit comprises a number and a position of first resource units (time slots) in the time domain in a sidelink resource unit in a sidelink resource set, which is a sidelink resource pool). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Zhao et al.’s method/system wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner as suggested by Lu et al. The motivation would have been to achieve effective utilization of resources, improve resource allocation flexibility, reduce signaling overhead, and processing complexity (paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 11, Zhao et al. disclose an operation method of a second terminal in a communication system, the operation method comprising: receiving sidelink control information (SCI) from a first terminal (paragraphs [0043]; transmit device can transmit PSCCH according to resource pool for the PSSCH), the SCI including time resource allocation information indicating n time resource regions for reception of data (paragraphs [0043]; the transmit device can transmit SCI on corresponding time frequency resource in the resource pool for the PSSCH according to indication information in the SCI carried by the PSCCH) (paragraph [0082]; time frequency unit according to an aggregation level) (paragraph [0114]; the time frequency unit includes a time slot or a subframe); and receiving the data from the first terminal on at least one physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) using the n time resource regions indicated by the time resource allocation information, , wherein n is an aggregation level and is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 (paragraph [0043]; The terminal device at the transmitting end respectively transmits the PSCCH and PSSCH in corresponding resource pools, and the terminal device at the receiving end first blindly detects the PSCCH in the resource pool for the PSCCH, and then detects the PSSCH corresponding to the SCI on the corresponding time frequency resource in the resource pool for the PSSCH according to indication information in the SCI carried by the PSCCH) (paragraph [0114]; the time frequency unit includes a time slot or a subframe). However, Zhao et al. may not explicitly suggest wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner. Lu et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest wherein n is an aggregation level and is a natural number equal to or greater than 1; wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner (paragraphs [0045] [0048]; a plurality of resource aggregation levels, each with an index indicating sidelink resource comprising a number of time slots. A starting position in the time domain of the sidelink resource unit (time slot) can be configured by a higher layer signaling) (paragraph [0047]; the configuration of a sidelink resource unit for sidelink communication can be determined according to the resource aggregation level and a starting position of the sidelink resource unit. The configuration of a sidelink resource unit comprises a number and a position of first resource units (time slots) in the time domain in a sidelink resource unit in a sidelink resource set, which is a sidelink resource pool). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Zhao et al.’s method/system wherein n is signaled from a base station through a higher layer signaling; and wherein n is configured in a resource pool-specific manner as suggested by Lu et al. The motivation would have been to achieve effective utilization of resources, improve resource allocation flexibility, reduce signaling overhead, and processing complexity (paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 21, Zhao et al. further suggest wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 3 (paragraph [0047]; the configuration of a sidelink resource unit comprises a number and a position of first resource units (e.g., time slots) in the time domain in a sidelink resource unit in a sidelink resource set, which is of one of the following: a sidelink resource pool, a carrier, and a BWP for sidelink communication. When an aggregation level P has an index of 1 and a C value of 2, a sidelink resource unit, i.e., a TTI (transmission time interval) resource comprises 2 time slots for a sidelink transmission).
Regarding claim 22, Zhao et al. further suggest wherein the time resource allocation information includes information on a time resource of each of the n resource regions (paragraph [0047]; the 2 time slots can be used as scheduled resources for physical sidelink shared channel/physical sidelink control channel (PSSCH/PSCCH). The 2 time slots each comprises at least one symbol for sidelink communications).
Regarding claim 23, Zhao et al. further suggest wherein the time resource is configured on a slot basis (paragraph [0114]; the time frequency unit includes a time slot or a subframe).
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 11 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOANG-CHUONG Q VU whose telephone number is (571)270-3945. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:30-5:30 PM EST.).
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HOANG-CHUONG Q. VU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2476
/HOANG-CHUONG Q VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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