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 13, 17-27 are pending and rejected
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 13, 17-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 13 and 22, amendment dated 01/28/2026, resource reservation period is transmitted using a second stage SCI of the SCI.
The original specification as filed does not recite resource reservation period. The original specification as filed uses second stage SCI of the SCI and second SCI information interchangeable (See Spec, [0423]). But there is nothing in the specification that ties second SCI information to a resource reservation period. The specification does not even mention a reservation period. The specification presents the set of time-frequency resources [0017], but does not discuss resource reservation period.
Figure 7 and 12 of the drawings provides for reservation field, but not resource reservation period. In addition, they are not tied to either a first stage SCI or second stage SCI.
The only support for resource reservation period is in the provisional amendment from 03/31/2022, which provide: “transmits the set resource reservation period in Sidelink Control information (SCI), wherein the plurality of resource reservation period candidates are configured from a first subset of values and a second subset of values, …”.
PNG
media_image1.png
115
639
media_image1.png
Greyscale
In addition, although embodiment six supports a resource amount or resource area is transmitted using a first stage SCI, but embodiment six is silent on the function of the second SCI [0423 to 0426]. Therefore, when taken as a whole, the amended claims are not supported in the original specification.
It also appears amendment filed 01/16/2025 introduced the set resource reservation period is transmitted using the first stage SCI of the SCI. Based on the analysis already presented, there is no support in the specification for the amendment from January 2025.
PNG
media_image2.png
374
662
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Dependent claims have the same features of independent claims, therefore are rejected for the same reasons.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 13 and 17-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 20200288471 A1; hereinafter “Yoon”) in view of Kwak et al. (US 20200288435 A1; hereinafter “Kwak”).
Regarding claim 13, Yoon discloses a communication apparatus, comprising:
Circuitry ([0262] and Fig. 13: The UE 100 may include a processor 110, an antenna unit 120, a transceiver 130, and a memory 140.), which, in operation, sets a resource reservation period from a plurality of resource reservation period candidates indicated by higher layer signaling per resource pool ([0085] Further, a point in time after P.sub.rsvp*j elapses from the initial transmission of TB #1 may be reserved for the initial transmission of TB #2; [0128] When SA and/or data transmission is scheduled (or granted) in a subframe t.sup.SL.sub.m in the resource pool determined as described above, SA and/or data transmission may be reserved in a subframe t.sup.SL.sub.m+Prsvp*j after P.sub.rsvp*j elapses from t.sup.SL.sub.m; [0129] P.sub.rsvp is a resource reservation interval (= resource reservation period) set by a higher layer; [0142] For example, a fixed value (e.g., P.sub.rsvp=100) may be used as P.sub.rsvp, or one selected from among a plurality of values may be used as P.sub.rsvp. In this instance, when a value (= a resource reservation period) selected from among the plurality of values (= resource reservation period candidates) is used, P.sub.rsvp may be directly indicated by higher layer signaling.); and
a transmitter ([0262] and Fig. 13: UE 100 with a transceiver 130), which, in operation, transmits information of the resource reservation period in Sidelink Control information (SCI) ([0097] a UE A is required to transmit the SCI corresponding to the control information SA to the UE (UE B) that receives the data; [0107] The first field (e.g., “Time gap between transmission and retransmission”) may indicate a gap between a subframe in which TB-unit-based data related to SA is initially transmitted and a subframe in which TB-unit-based data is retransmitted…The value may be a value in the range of 0 to 15 (= set resource reservation period). A value of 0 indicates that the retransmission of a TB does not exist, which is indicated through SA including the SCI and is transmitted. When the value is in the range of 1 to 15, this indicates that a TB, which has been indicated through SA including the SCI and has been initially transmitted, should be retransmitted after 1 to 15 subframes elapses.),
wherein information of a resource amount or a resource area is transmitted using a first stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Yoon, Fig. 12, [0225] teaches a resource pool, which is a resource amount or resource are, transmitted through SCI).
wherein information of a resource reservation period is transmitted using second stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Yong, Fig. 12, S1250, Resource Reservation Interval, see also, Table 12 teaches intervals of 100 ms or 20 ms, this is identical to Fig 7 and Fig. 12 of the current application), and
wherein a number of information bits included in the SCI differs according to a number of the plurality of resource reservation period candidates ([0146] As an example, the value of P.sub.rsvp (= resource reservation period) associated with the value of L.sub.bitmap (= a number of information bits included in the SCI) may be determined as shown in Table 7 provided below. In this instance, when the value of P.sub.rsvp is one of the values corresponding to multiples of 16 in Table 7, the value may be 16, 32, 96, or 112, wherein 16 and 32 are multiples of 16 that are close to 25 (if the reservation period is short), and 96 and 112 are multiples of 16 that are close to 100. However, the value is not limited thereto.).
Yong does not use the word “stage”. However, two stage SCI is well known at the time of invention. In the same field of endeavor, Kwak discloses wherein information of a resource amount or a resource area is transmitted using a first stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Kwak, Table 6, [0153-0158]).
wherein information of a resource reservation period is transmitted using second stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Kwak, Table 6, [0153-0158]),
It would be obvious to modify the SCI scheme of Yong with the two stage SCI of Kwak, for the obvious benefit that a two stage SCI offers. In other words, 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 apparatus of Yoon, based on the above teaching from Kwak, to derive “wherein information of the set resource reservation period is transmitted using a first stage SCI of the SCI”, because this is simply a design implementation choice that can be easily selected by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the above teaching from Kwak, and thus obtain the limitations of claim 13. The modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification in order to enable transmission of control information between two UEs supporting a V2X application.
Regarding claim 17, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 13 as set forth, and Yoon further discloses wherein the SCI is contained in Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH), and the SCI is used for scheduling of Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH) ([0052] Referring to FIGS. 4 through 6, descriptions will be provided in association with the configuration of a Scheduling Assignment (SA) pool for a control channel (PSCCH) in which SA is transmitted, and in association with the configuration of a data pool for a data channel (PSSCH) in which data associated with SA is transmitted in V2X; [0038] the control information may be referred to as sidelink control information (SCI); in this case, the control information may be transmitted through a PSCCH.).
Regarding claim 18, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 17 as set forth, and Yoon further discloses wherein the circuitry sets time resource assignment in the SCI, the time resource assignment indicates time resource of the PSSCH ([0085] Further, a point in time after P.sub.rsvp*j elapses from the initial transmission of TB #1 (corresponding to PSSCH) may be reserved for the initial transmission of TB #2 (corresponding to PSSCH). In this instance, d′=d+P.sub.rsvp*j; [0091] Sidelink Control Information (SCI) as control information (Scheduling Assignment (SA)) associated with data transmission (= PSSCH) from UE A to UE B; [0097] a UE A is required to transmit the SCI corresponding to the control information SA to the UE (UE B) that receives the data (= PSSCH); [0107] The first field (e.g., “Time gap between transmission and retransmission”) may indicate a gap between a subframe in which TB-unit-based data related to SA is initially transmitted and a subframe in which TB-unit-based data is retransmitted…When the value is in the range of 1 to 15, this indicates that a TB, which has been indicated through SA including the SCI and has been initially transmitted, should be retransmitted after 1 to 15 subframes elapses).
Regarding claim 19, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 13 as set forth, and Yoon further discloses wherein the plurality of resource reservation period candidates is dynamically changed by higher layer signaling ([0135] In operation S1110, an eNodeB may transmit, to the first UE, resource pool configuration information for V2X communication, SLSS configuration information, and the like. For example, the eNodeB may transmit the information through higher layer signaling; [0141] In operation S1160, the first UE determines a resource reservation interval (P.sub.rsvp) and a resource reservation multiple parameter (j), and may determine transmission-reservation-subframes based thereon; thus the parameters a resource reservation interval (P.sub.rsvp) and a resource reservation multiple parameter (j) may be changed dynamically by higher layer signaling.).
Regarding claim 20, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 13 as set forth, and Yoon further discloses wherein a time unit of the resource reservation period is converted to a unit of slot ([0135] the resource pool configuration information may correspond to “subframe indication of resource pool” information including a bitmap having a length of L.sub.bitmap; a subframe indicates a unit of slot).
Regarding claim 21, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 13 as set forth, and Kwak further discloses wherein an SCI contains a new data indicator that indicates further transmission or retransmission of data ([0166] In an embodiment, the second sidelink control information (= SCI) may include at least one of information on a source ID or destination ID for data on the PSSCH, hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process ID information, a new data indicator (NDI), and a redundancy version (RV).).
Regarding claim 23, Yoon and Kwak disclose the limitations of claim 13 as set forth, and Yoon further discloses wherein the circuitry determines N frequency resource reserved for N time resources, the N frequency resources being different from each other, the transmitter transmits frequency information on the N frequency resources in a same SCI, and a value of N is determined from a set of multiple values, and is indicated by a higher layer signaling ([0091] The DCI in the eNodeB resource scheduling mode (mode 3) may include content related to Sidelink Control Information (SCI) as control information (Scheduling Assignment (SA)) associated with data transmission from UE A to UE B; ([0097] a UE A is required to transmit the SCI corresponding to the control information SA to the UE (UE B) that receives the data; [0106] Subsequently, a first field (e.g., “Time gap between transmission and retransmission”) and a second field (e.g., “Frequency resource of initial and last transmission”) for indicating a resource used for a PSSCH for transmitting data among the SA contents in Table 5; [0108] Subsequently, the second field (e.g., “Frequency resource of initial and last transmission”) may indicate RBs in the frequency domain, which are used for transmission in a subframe in which the TB-unit-based data is initially transmitting and in a subframe in which the TB-unit-based data is retransmitted; [0109] information indicating the number of sub-channels (= N frequency resource reserved for N time resources) to be used for the transmission may be included in the second field (e.g., “Frequency resource of initial and last transmission”).)
Regarding claim 22, Yoon discloses a communication apparatus, comprising:
setting a resource reservation period from a plurality of resource reservation period candidates indicated by higher layer signaling per resource pool ([0085] Further, a point in time after P.sub.rsvp*j elapses from the initial transmission of TB #1 may be reserved for the initial transmission of TB #2; [0128] When SA and/or data transmission is scheduled (or granted) in a subframe t.sup.SL.sub.m in the resource pool determined as described above, SA and/or data transmission may be reserved in a subframe t.sup.SL.sub.m+Prsvp*j after P.sub.rsvp*j elapses from t.sup.SL.sub.m; [0129] P.sub.rsvp is a resource reservation interval (= resource reservation period) set by a higher layer; [0142] For example, a fixed value (e.g., P.sub.rsvp=100) may be used as P.sub.rsvp, or one selected from among a plurality of values may be used as P.sub.rsvp. In this instance, when a value (= a resource reservation period) selected from among the plurality of values (= resource reservation period candidates) is used, P.sub.rsvp may be directly indicated by higher layer signaling.); and
transmitting information of the resource reservation period in Sidelink Control information (SCI) ([0097] a UE A is required to transmit the SCI corresponding to the control information SA to the UE (UE B) that receives the data; [0107] The first field (e.g., “Time gap between transmission and retransmission”) may indicate a gap between a subframe in which TB-unit-based data related to SA is initially transmitted and a subframe in which TB-unit-based data is retransmitted…The value may be a value in the range of 0 to 15 (= set resource reservation period). A value of 0 indicates that the retransmission of a TB does not exist, which is indicated through SA including the SCI and is transmitted. When the value is in the range of 1 to 15, this indicates that a TB, which has been indicated through SA including the SCI and has been initially transmitted, should be retransmitted after 1 to 15 subframes elapses.),
wherein information of a resource amount or a resource area is transmitted using a first stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Yoon, Fig. 12, [0225] teaches a resource pool, which is a resource amount or resource are, transmitted through SCI).
wherein information of a resource reservation period is transmitted using second stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Yong, Fig. 12, S1250, Resource Reservation Interval, see also, Table 12 teaches intervals of 100 ms or 20 ms, this is identical to Fig 7 and Fig. 12 of the current application), and
wherein a number of information bits included in the SCI differs according to a number of the plurality of resource reservation period candidates ([0146] As an example, the value of P.sub.rsvp (= resource reservation period) associated with the value of L.sub.bitmap (= a number of information bits included in the SCI) may be determined as shown in Table 7 provided below. In this instance, when the value of P.sub.rsvp is one of the values corresponding to multiples of 16 in Table 7, the value may be 16, 32, 96, or 112, wherein 16 and 32 are multiples of 16 that are close to 25 (if the reservation period is short), and 96 and 112 are multiples of 16 that are close to 100. However, the value is not limited thereto.).
Yong does not use the word “stage”. However, two stage SCI is well known at the time of invention. In the same field of endeavor, Kwak discloses wherein information of a resource amount or a resource area is transmitted using a first stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Kwak, Table 6, [0153-0158]).
wherein information of a resource reservation period is transmitted using second stage of the SCI (these amendments are not supported by the original spec. This rejection is a place holder based on the original specification as filed; Kwak, Table 6, [0153-0158]),
It would be obvious to modify the SCI scheme of Yong with the two stage SCI of Kwak, for the obvious benefit that a two stage SCI offers. In other words, 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 apparatus of Yoon, based on the above teaching from Kwak, to derive “wherein information of the set resource reservation period is transmitted using a first stage SCI of the SCI”, because this is simply a design implementation choice that can be easily selected by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the above teaching from Kwak, and thus obtain the limitations of claim 13. The modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification in order to enable transmission of control information between two UEs supporting a V2X application.
Claims 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 112436927 to Chen.
For claim 24, Yoon and Kwak teach claim 13, Yoon does not teach a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is different from a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI.
However, Chen teaches a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is different from a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI (Page 5/12, Para 40: “For example, the high coding rate can be used to transmit the second stage SCI 321/421 to improve spectral efficiency. The high coding rate may be determined based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of the channel between the Tx UE 102 and the target UE. In an exemplary embodiment, the channel coding of the second stage SCI321/421 adopts polarization code (polar code).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing of the current application to modify the teachings of Yoon with the coding rates of Chen. Because the first stage has redundancy to ensure accurate transmission of allocation information, thereby having a lower coding rate, as explained in Chen, paragraph 40.)
For claim 25, Yoon and Kwak teach claim 13, Yoon does not teach a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is lower than a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI.
However, Chen teaches a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is lower than a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI. (Page 5/12, Para 40: “For example, the high coding rate can be used to transmit the second stage SCI 321/421 to improve spectral efficiency. The high coding rate may be determined based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of the channel between the Tx UE 102 and the target UE. In an exemplary embodiment, the channel coding of the second stage SCI321/421 adopts polarization code (polar code).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing of the current application to modify the teachings of Yoon with the coding rates of Chen. Because the first stage has redundancy to ensure accurate transmission of allocation information, thereby having a lower coding rate, as explained in Chen, paragraph 40.)
For claim 26, Yoon and Kwak teach claim 22, Yoon does not teach a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is different from a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI.
However, Chen teaches a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is different from a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI (Page 5/12, Para 40: “For example, the high coding rate can be used to transmit the second stage SCI 321/421 to improve spectral efficiency. The high coding rate may be determined based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of the channel between the Tx UE 102 and the target UE. In an exemplary embodiment, the channel coding of the second stage SCI321/421 adopts polarization code (polar code).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing of the current application to modify the teachings of Yoon with the coding rates of Chen. Because the first stage has redundancy to ensure accurate transmission of allocation information, thereby having a lower coding rate, as explained in Chen, paragraph 40.)
For claim 27, Yoon and Kwak teach claim 22, Yoon does not teach a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is lower than a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI.
Chen teaches a coding rate of the first stage SCI of the SCI is lower than a coding rate of the second stage SCI of the SCI. (Page 5/12, Para 40: “For example, the high coding rate can be used to transmit the second stage SCI 321/421 to improve spectral efficiency. The high coding rate may be determined based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of the channel between the Tx UE 102 and the target UE. In an exemplary embodiment, the channel coding of the second stage SCI321/421 adopts polarization code (polar code).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing of the current application to modify the teachings of Yoon with the coding rates of Chen. Because the first stage has redundancy to ensure accurate transmission of allocation information, thereby having a lower coding rate, as explained in Chen, paragraph 40.)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Please see new ground of rejection under 35 USC 112 (a), for new matter.
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 Charles C Jiang whose telephone number is (571)270-7191. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5 pm Eastern Time.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TC Group director, Deborah Reynolds can be reached at (571) 272-0734. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
Prosecution Insights