DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-21 are presented for examination.
Claims 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, and 17 are amended.
Claim 21 is new.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10/10/2025 has been entered.
Specification
The amendments to the title was received on 09/29/2025. The title is acceptable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lenovo, NPL Publication No. R1-1912323 “Discussion on resource allocation for NR sidelink Mode 1”, in view of Zhou et al., (hereinafter Zhou), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0029719.
As per claim 1, Lenovo discloses a communication processing method [fig. 2, page 2, section 2.1, page 7, a communication processing method (Sidelink transmission/communication method)], wherein the method comprises:
generating, by a first terminal device, first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generating, by a first terminal device, first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device [fig. 2, 3, pages 2-3, section 2.1, pages 5-6, section 2.6, wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device (UE#1 and UE#2 for sidelink transmission; TX-UE could request SL-HARQ ACK/NACK feedback from RX UE(s))], wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (ACK) [pages 2-3, section 2.1, page 4, section 2.3, wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (feedback information is ACK; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)]; and
sending, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information to a network device [table 1, pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, sending, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information to a network device (transmit ACK to the base station)].
Lenovo does not explicitly disclose no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the method described in Lenovo by including no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s method with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 2, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the sending, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information to a network device comprises:
sending, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource [pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, page 4, section 2.3, sending, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource (UE report SL HARQ-ACK in the PUCCH resource; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)].
As per claim 3, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, Lenovo does not explicitly disclose wherein that the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises any one or several of the following: a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, 0317, a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB; refraining from buffering received data for the information/data )].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the method described in Lenovo by including a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s method with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 4, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by a first terminal device, first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises:
generating, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generating, by the first terminal device, the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein
the first preset condition comprises any one or more of the following:
the first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists [pages 2-3, section 2.1, first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists (timing and resource for PUCCH)].
As per claim 5, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first resource comprises any one or more of:
a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink; a mode 1 resource of the sidelink; a type 1 configured grant resource of the sidelink; or a type 2 configured grant resource of the sidelink [pages 1-3, section 1-section 2.1, page 8, section 3, a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink (dynamic grant provides resources for one or multiple sidelink transmissions of a single TB; configured grant (type-1, type-2) provides a set of resources)].
As per claim 6, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, Lenovo does not explicitly disclose comprising: the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PHY layer of the first terminal device.
However, Zhou teaches the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PHY layer of the first terminal device [fig. 2A, 2B, paragraphs 0076, 0247, 0256, 0260, 0264, first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device (a medium access control (MAC) layer of the wireless device may receive one or more HARQ information from lower layers (e.g., a PHY layer) of the wireless device)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the method described in Lenovo by including wherein the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s method with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 7, Lenovo discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, by the first terminal device, seventh instruction information from the network device, wherein the seventh instruction information instructs the first terminal device to generate or send the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and/or the first preset condition is met [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, receiving, by the first terminal device, seventh instruction information from the network device, wherein the seventh instruction information instructs the first terminal device to generate or send the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and/or the first preset condition is met (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource; timing and resource for PUCCH used for conveying SL HARQ feedback to the gNB are based on the indication(s))].
As per claim 8, Lenovo discloses an apparatus, which is a first terminal device or included in the first terminal device, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more processors configured to execute computer instructions stored in a memory coupled to the one or more processors, to prompt the first terminal device to perform the steps of
generating first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generating first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device [fig. 2, 3, pages 2-3, section 2.1, pages 5-6, section 2.6, wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device (UE#1 and UE#2 for sidelink transmission; TX-UE could request SL-HARQ ACK/NACK feedback from RX UE(s))], wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (ACK) [pages 2-3, section 2.1, page 4, section 2.3, wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (feedback information is ACK; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)]; and
sending the first acknowledgement information to a network device [table 1, pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, sending the first acknowledgement information to a network device (transmit ACK to the base station)].
Lenovo does not explicitly disclose no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Lenovo by including no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s apparatus with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 9, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sending the first acknowledgement information to a network device comprises:
sending the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource [pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, page 4, section 2.3, sending the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource (UE report SL HARQ-ACK in the PUCCH resource; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)].
As per claim 10, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, Lenovo does not explicitly disclose wherein that the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises any one or several of the following: a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, 0317, a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB; refraining from buffering received data for the information/data )].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Lenovo by including a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s apparatus with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 11, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the generating first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises:
generating the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generating the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein
the first preset condition comprises any one or more of the following:
the first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists [pages 2-3, section 2.1, first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists (timing and resource for PUCCH)].
As per claim 12, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first resource comprises any one or more of:
a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink; a mode 1 resource of the sidelink; a type 1 configured grant resource of the sidelink; or a type 2 configured grant resource of the sidelink [pages 1-3, section 1-section 2.1, page 8, section 3, a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink (dynamic grant provides resources for one or multiple sidelink transmissions of a single TB; configured grant (type-1, type-2) provides a set of resources)].
As per claim 13, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, Lenovo does not explicitly disclose wherein the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PH-Y layer of the first terminal device.
However, Zhou teaches the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PHY layer of the first terminal device [fig. 2A, 2B, paragraphs 0076, 0247, 0256, 0260, 0264, first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device (a medium access control (MAC) layer of the wireless device may receive one or more HARQ information from lower layers (e.g., a PHY layer) of the wireless device)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Lenovo by including wherein the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s apparatus with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 14, Lenovo discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving seventh instruction information from the network device, wherein the seventh instruction information instructs the first terminal device to generate or send the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and/or the first preset condition is met [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, receiving seventh instruction information from the network device, wherein the seventh instruction information instructs the first terminal device to generate or send the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and/or the first preset condition is met (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource; timing and resource for PUCCH used for conveying SL HARQ feedback to the gNB are based on the indication(s))].
As per claim 15, Lenovo discloses a non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored computer programs, the computer programs being executable by one or more processors, and when executed, causes the one or more processors to:
generate first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generate first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device [fig. 2, 3, pages 2-3, section 2.1, pages 5-6, section 2.6, wherein the sidelink is a wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device (UE#1 and UE#2 for sidelink transmission; TX-UE could request SL-HARQ ACK/NACK feedback from RX UE(s))], wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (ACK) [pages 2-3, section 2.1, page 4, section 2.3, wherein the first acknowledgement information is an acknowledgement (feedback information is ACK; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)]; and
send the first acknowledgement information to a network device [table 1, pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, send the first acknowledgement information to a network device (transmit ACK to the base station)].
Lenovo does not explicitly disclose no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the medium described in Lenovo by including no data is obtained in a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s medium with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 16, Lenovo discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the send the first acknowledgement information to a network device comprises:
send the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource [pages 2-3, section 2.1-section 2.2, page 4, section 2.3, send the first acknowledgement information to a network device by using a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource (UE report SL HARQ-ACK in the PUCCH resource; transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)].
As per claim 17, Lenovo discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 15 Lenovo does not explicitly disclose wherein that the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises any one or several of the following: a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process.
However, Zhou teaches a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, 0317, a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty, wherein the first resource is associated with the fifth HARQ process (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB; refraining from buffering received data for the information/data )].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the medium described in Lenovo by including a HARQ buffer corresponding to a fifth hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process is empty as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s medium with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 18, Lenovo discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the generating first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on a sidelink by using a first resource comprises:
generating the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met [table 1, pages 4-5, section 2.3, page 8, generating the first acknowledgement information when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on the sidelink by using the first resource and a first preset condition is met (if there is no SL data to be transmitted, TX UE could ignore or skip the grant and transmit ACK in the PUCCH resource)], wherein
the first preset condition comprises any one or more of the following:
the first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists [pages 2-3, section 2.1, first PUCCH resource corresponding to the first resource exists (timing and resource for PUCCH)].
As per claim 19, Lenovo discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the first resource comprises any one or more of:
a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink; a mode 1 resource of the sidelink; a type 1 configured grant resource of the sidelink; or a type 2 configured grant resource of the sidelink [pages 1-3, section 1-section 2.1, page 8, section 3, a resource of the sidelink; a configured grant resource of the sidelink; a dynamic grant resource of the sidelink (dynamic grant provides resources for one or multiple sidelink transmissions of a single TB; configured grant (type-1, type-2) provides a set of resources)].
As per claim 20, Lenovo discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 15, Lenovo does not explicitly disclose wherein the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PHY layer of the first terminal device.
However, Zhou teaches the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device; or the first acknowledgement information is generated by a MAC layer of the first terminal device, and is sent by the MAC layer of the first terminal device to a PHY layer of the first terminal device [fig. 2A, 2B, paragraphs 0076, 0247, 0256, 0260, 0264, first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer of the first terminal device (a medium access control (MAC) layer of the wireless device may receive one or more HARQ information from lower layers (e.g., a PHY layer) of the wireless device)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the medium described in Lenovo by including wherein the first acknowledgement information is generated by a physical (PHY) layer of the first terminal device according to an instruction of a media access control (MAC) layer as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s medium with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
As per claim 20, Lenovo discloses the communication processing method of claim 1, comprising:
receiving, a plurality of side link transmission resources for communicating with a second terminal device [page 1, section 1, page 2, section 2.1, receiving, a plurality of side link transmission resources for communicating with a second terminal device (resources for one or multiple sidelink transmissions)];
generating and transmitting a first acknowledge (ACK) to a network device to indicate a successful transmission on one of the side link transmission resources [page 2, section 2.1, page 3, section 2.2, generating and transmitting a first acknowledge (ACK) to a network device to indicate a successful transmission on one of the side link transmission resources (received the UL feedback, if the feedback information is ACK, gNB may schedule a new SL transmission)];
Lenovo does not explicitly disclose subsequently determining to not transmit on at least one of the side link transmission resources; the step of generating, by the first terminal device, a second ACK when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on one of sidelink transmission resources by using the first resource, the sidelink transmission resource is the wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device for one of the plurality of side link transmission resources; and sending, by the first terminal device, the second ACK to the network device.
However, Zhou teaches subsequently determining to not transmit on at least one of the side link transmission resources [fig. 23, 27, 28, 36, paragraphs 0257, 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, subsequently determining to not transmit on at least one of the side link transmission resources (wireless device may not transmit (e.g., may refrain from transmitting) the second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during the fifth time interval T5); send/transmit the second HARQ-ACK information (e.g., at or during a fifth time interval T5), for example, based on dropping the processing of the first TB)]; the step of generating, by the first terminal device, a second ACK when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on one of sidelink transmission resources by using the first resource, the sidelink transmission resource is the wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device for one of the plurality of side link transmission resources [paragraphs 0269, 0270, 0272, 0273, 0274, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, generating, by the first terminal device, a second ACK when the first terminal device does not perform transmission on one of sidelink transmission resources by using the first resource, the sidelink transmission resource is the wireless direct communication link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device for one of the plurality of side link transmission resources (wireless device may drop processing of a low-priority TB, for example, in at least some types of communications (e.g., communications by wireless devices compatible); wireless device may trigger HARQ retransmissions (e.g., within a bundle))]; and sending, by the first terminal device, the second ACK to the network device [paragraphs 0269, 0270, 0273, 0277, 0280, 0287-0289, 0312, sending, by the first terminal device, the second ACK to the network device (the wireless device may send/transmit an uplink signal comprising second HARQ-ACK information for the second TB (e.g., at or during a time period T5))].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the medium described in Lenovo by including terminal device does not perform transmission as taught by Zhou because it would provide the Lenovo’s medium with the enhanced capability of reducing signaling overhead/retransmissions [Zhou, paragraph 0004, 0301].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bang et al., U.S. Publication No. 2021/0160011 discloses a fifth operation, if the HARQ-ACK is smaller than 2 bits, the UE may puncture the HARQ-ACK and map the same to the RE reserved in the first operation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Prosecution Insights