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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/05/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filled on 01/05/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 8, 15, 19,26, 27, 29, 31, 32, and 36 are amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant arguments filed on 01/05/2026 have been fully considered and but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection(s)
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.
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) 1-9,13-15,18-21,26-34,36-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hui to (WO2022147228 A1) in view of Li to (US 20220086803 A1)
Regarding claims 1,15,27,29,31,32 Hui teaches a first user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: first UE, receive, from a second UE, coordination information indicating a non-preferred sidelink resource;([ 0250] discloses The second wireless device may be a coordinating wireless device of the first wireless device. The first wireless device may send, to the second wireless device, a request message of the inter-UE coordination. The second wireless device may perform, based on the request message, a second resource selection procedure for selecting a second set of resources for the one or more sidelink transmissions of the first wireless device. The second set of resources may comprise preferred resources and/or non-preferred resources of the desired receiver) and transmit a communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource ;([ 0250] discloses The second wireless device may perform, based on the request message, a second resource selection procedure for selecting a second set of resources for the one or more sidelink transmissions of the first wireless device. The second set of resources may comprise preferred resources and/or non-preferred resources of the desired receiver)
Hui does not explicitly teach wherein the condition is a priority threshold that is configured per resource pool
However, Yi teaches wherein the condition is a priority threshold that is configured per resource pool([0470] discloses The parameter sl-PreemptionEnable, configured for a sidelink resource pool, could provide the priority threshold not only used for preempting device to perform preempting but could also be used for determining whether to perform sidelink resource (re-)selection procedure with or without above exclusion or prevention or preclusion)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Hui include wherein the condition is a priority threshold that is configured per resource pool., as suggested by Li. This modification would benefit the system to reduce network congestion.
Regarding claims 2,18,28 Hui teaches The first UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit, to the second UE, an indication that the first UE is to transmit the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource([0283] discloses the first wireless device may select a second set of resources. The second set of resource may be a set of non-preferred resources of the desired receiver of the one or more sidelink transmissions)
Regarding claim 3, Hui teaches wherein the indication is one of an initial transmission or a retransmission of a transport block reserving a resource including the non-preferred sidelink resource([0240] discloses the one or more reservation periods may be configured/associated with a resource pool of the second resources. In an example, the wireless device may determine the second resources within a selection window which might be reserved by a transmission transmitted via the first resources based on the one or more reservation periods)
Regarding claims 4, Hui teaches wherein the indication is a transmission of a transport block associated with a periodic reservation that includes the non-preferred sidelink resource( [0221] discloses The first SCI may indicate a first T/F resource indication for the initial transmission of the first TB, the first retransmission of the first TB and the second retransmission of the first TB. The first SCI may further indicate a reservation period of resource reservation for a second TB. A second SCI may associate with the first retransmission of the first TB. The second SCI may indicate a second T/F resource indication for the first retransmission of the first TB and the second retransmission of the first TB. The second SCI may further indicate the reservation period of resource reservation for the second TB)
Regarding claim 5, Hui teaches wherein the indication is transmitted via coordination messaging([0250] discloses The second wireless device may be a coordinating wireless device of the first wireless device. The first wireless device may send, to the second wireless device, a request message of the inter-UE coordination. The second wireless device may perform, based on the request message, a second resource selection procedure for selecting a second set of resources for the one or more sidelink transmissions of the first wireless device. The second set of resources may comprise preferred resources and/or non-preferred resources of the desired receiver)
Regarding claims 6,19 Hui teaches configured to cause the first UE to: receive the communication based at least in part on the priority associated with the packet of the communication and a priority associated with the non-preferred sidelink resource. ([0222] discloses The configuration information may comprise a field of sl-UE- SelectedConfigRP. A parameter sl-ThresPSSCH-RSRP-List in the field may indicate a list of 64 thresholds. In an example, a wireless device may receive first sidelink control information (SCI) indicating a first priority. The wireless device may have second SCI to be transmitted. The second SCI may indicate a second priority. The wireless device may select a threshold from the list based on the first priority in the first SCI and the second priority in the second SCI)
Regarding claims 7,20 Hui teaches wherein the indication includes a field indicating that the second UE is to receive the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource(([0262] discloses The field may comprise a bit map for indicating the second set of resources. In an example, the second set of resources may comprise preferred resource(s) and/or non-preferred resource(s) of a desired receiver of the one or more second sidelink transmissions. In an example, the second message may indicate the one or more second sidelink RPs and/or the CBR values of the one or more second sidelink RPs. The second message may comprise a field indicating one or more sidelink RP IDs of the one or more second sidelink RPs and/or the CBR values of the one or more second sidelink RPs).
Regarding claims 8,33,21,37 Hui teaches wherein the satisfaction of the condition associated with the communication is based at least in part on a priority threshold associated with the priority of the packet of the communication ([0222] discloses The configuration information may comprise a field of sl-UE- SelectedConfigRP. A parameter sl-ThresPSSCH-RSRP-List in the field may indicate a list of 64 thresholds. In an example, a wireless device may receive first sidelink control information (SCI) indicating a first priority. The wireless device may have second SCI to be transmitted. The second SCI may indicate a second priority. The wireless device may select a threshold from the list based on the first priority in the first SCI and the second priority in the second SCI. Referring to second exclusion in FIG.26, the wireless device may exclude resources from candidate resource set based on the threshold)
Regarding claims 9,34 Hui teaches wherein the condition associated with the communication is based at least in part on whether a packet delay budget of the communication is below a threshold. ([0226] discloses the wireless device may determine the parameter T2 subject to T2min ≤ T2 ≤ PDB, where the PDB (packet delay budget) may be the maximum allowable delay (e.g., a delay budget) for successfully transmitting the new data via the one or more sidelink transmissions. The wireless device may determine the parameter T2min to a corresponding value for a priority of the one or more sidelink transmissions (e.g., based on a parameter SL-SelectionWindowConfig indicating a mapping between a sidelink priority sl- Priority and the end of the selection window sl-SelectionWindow).
Regarding claim 30 Hui teaches wherein the condition is configured by at least one of the first UE or the second UE(see fig.29).
Regarding claims 13, 26,36 Hui teaches wherein the non-preferred sidelink resource is based at least in part on a half duplex constraint at the second UE([0238] discloses The wireless device may not monitor a second subset of the slots than the first subset of the slots due to half duplex. The wireless device may perform the following actions based on PSCCH decoded and RSRP measured in the first subset of the slots).
Regarding claims 14, Hui teaches wherein the non-preferred sidelink resource is based at least in part on a power saving configuration at the second UE([0253] Implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure may reduce power consumption of a coordinating wireless device for performing inter-UE coordination).
Claim(s) 22,25,35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hui to (WO 2022147228 A1) in view of Li further in view of Babaei to (US20220094484)
Regarding claims 22,35 Hui does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit a negative acknowledgment to a transmitter of a skipped communication associated with the non-preferred sidelink resource
However, Babaei teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit a negative acknowledgment to a transmitter of a skipped communication associated with the non-preferred sidelink resource([0264] discloses the one or more HARQ feedbacks may be associated with one or more SPS configurations and at least one of the one or more HARQ feedbacks may be a negative acknowledgement associated with a skipped SPS PDSCH (e.g., if the base station does not transmit a downlink transmission/TB at a corresponding SPS occasion/resource/grant))
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Hui include wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit a negative acknowledgment to a transmitter of a skipped communication associated with the non-preferred sidelink resource, as suggested by Babaei. This modification would benefit to reduce network resource waste.
Regarding claim 25, Hui and Li does explicitly teach teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: skip reception of one or more communications other than the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource during the active state
However, Babaei teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: skip reception of one or more communications other than the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource during the active state(Babaei [0264] discloses the one or more HARQ feedbacks may be associated with one or more SPS configurations and at least one of the one or more HARQ feedbacks may be a negative acknowledgement associated with a skipped SPS PDSCH (e.g., if the base station does not transmit a downlink transmission/TB at a corresponding SPS occasion/resource/grant)).
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Hui and Li include wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: skip reception of one or more communications other than the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource during the active state, as suggested by Babaei. This modification would benefit to reduce network resource waste.
Claim(s) 23,24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hui to (US20220330267) in view of Li further in view of Farag to (US20220030575)
Regarding claim 23, Hui does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: remain in an active state for reception of the communication on the non- preferred sidelink resource
However, Farag teaches remain in an active state for reception of the communication on the non- preferred sidelink resource([0164] discloses receive information from adjacent UEs to assist in performing resource selection on the sidelink, e.g., a UE is provided RSAI from adjacent UEs. For example, RSAI can be inter-UE coordination information. The configuration can be by RRC signaling and/or MAC CE signaling and/or L1 control signaling. The configuration can trigger, activate or deactivate the reception and usage of information from adjacent UEs to assist in performing resource selection)
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Hui include remain in an active state for reception of the communication on the non- preferred sidelink resource, as suggested by Farag. This modification would benefit to reduce network resource waste.
Regarding claim 24, Hui and Li does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: deactivate sensing during the active state for reception of the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource
However, Farag teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: deactivate sensing during the active state for reception of the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource (Farag, [0164] discloses receive information from adjacent UEs to assist in performing resource selection on the sidelink, e.g., a UE is provided RSAI from adjacent UEs. For example, RSAI can be inter-UE coordination information. The configuration can be by RRC signaling and/or MAC CE signaling and/or L1 control signaling. The configuration can trigger, activate or deactivate the reception and usage of information from adjacent UEs to assist in performing resource selection).
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Hui include wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: deactivate sensing during the active state for reception of the communication on the non-preferred sidelink resource, as suggested by Farag. This modification would benefit to reduce network resource waste.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZEWDU A BEYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
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/ZEWDU A BEYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461