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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1, 2, 4-13, 15-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
The terminal disclaimer filed 9/16/25 is noted to be approved and double patenting rejections are withdrawn accordingly.
Amendments are noted and claim objections are withdrawn accordingly.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to independent claim(s) 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. Specifically the amendments substantially change the scope of the claimed subject matter and necessitate new grounds of rejection with new citations of prior art.
Regarding remarks on page 12-13 applicant states regarding prior art “…Seo suggests: sidelink signals may have priority in the order of PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, and PSDCH. According to the suggestion of Seo, which sidelink data should be transmitted depends on the priority order of the signal. However, in the rule of Seo, no “data” to be transmitted on the sidelink signals (e.g., PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, and PSDCH) is mentioned, let alone disclosing “a comparison result between first parameter information of first data to be transmitted on the first sidelink transmission channel and second parameter information of second data to be transmitted on the second sidelink transmission channel”.” However, referring to Seo (see at least 0281-0283, “sidelink signals may have priority in the order of PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, and PSDCH”), any signal/transmission would necessarily constitute ‘data’, as data of some form is comprised in any signal information; a given priority of a signal thus comprises a priority (parameter) of the channel’s signals (data) in relation to other channel signals (data). Further, for a given higher-priority signal to be prioritized over another, there must be some form of determination/decision between the respective priorities of signals, comprising a comparison between differing priority levels. Therefore Examiner respectfully submits the prior art previously cited reasonably teaches/suggests the previous limitation(s) of the claim(s) including “wherein the preset rule comprises: according to a comparison result between first parameter information of first data to be transmitted on the first sidelink transmission channel and second parameter information of second data to be transmitted on the second sidelink transmission channel, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource”.
Rejections for similar independent and dependent claims are revised and/or maintained accordingly.
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 of this title, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19, 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo (US 2017/0367087) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2019/0387377).
For claim 1, Seo teaches: A method for sidelink data transmission (see at least 0259-0260 and fig. 16, 20, UEs comprising processor/memory may perform sidelink transmissions), comprising:
obtaining, by a terminal device, first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is used to indicate to transmit a first sidelink transmission channel on a target transmission resource (see at least 0270-0274, 0279, eNB may configure time and frequency resources for UE transmissions including PSCCH, PSDCH, PSSCH e.g. a given first configuration for a first sidelink channel);
obtaining, by the terminal device, second configuration information, wherein the second configuration information is used to indicate to transmit a second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource (see at least 0270-0274, 0279, eNB may configure time and frequency resources for UE transmissions including PSCCH, PSDCH, PSSCH e.g. a given second configuration for a second sidelink channel; 0281, 0292, sidelink signals may overlap thus first and second sidelink channels may be on a same resource); and
transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource according to a preset rule (see at least 0281-0283, one of the sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a rule e.g. “…sidelink signals may have priority in the order of PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, and PSDCH”, and 0292 “…transmission of lower-priority D2D signals, particularly UE selection scheme-based D2D signals may be prohibited in resources overlapped with a resource pool assigned to the emergency D2D signal”);
wherein the preset rule comprises: according to a comparison result between first parameter information of first data to be transmitted on the first sidelink transmission channel and second parameter information of second data to be transmitted on the second sidelink transmission channel, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource (see at least 0281-0283, one of the sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a rule e.g. “…sidelink signals may have priority in the order of PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, and PSDCH”, and 0292 “…transmission of lower-priority D2D signals, particularly UE selection scheme-based D2D signals may be prohibited in resources overlapped with a resource pool assigned to the emergency D2D signal”, comprising priority rules for sidelink transmissions).
Seo does not explicitly teach: wherein the first parameter information and the second parameter information are carried in Sidelink Control Information (SCI). Zhang from an analogous art teaches (see at least 0394, “If the UE needs to transmit signals on two or more carriers at a given time, the signals include PSSCH, PSCCH and uplink signals, and the UE does not support simultaneous transmission on the multiple carriers, the UE prioritizes the transmission of the signals with high priority and gives up the transmission of the signals with low priority. The priority of the sidelink signal is determined by the value of the “priority” field in the PSCCH of the sidelink signal.” See at least 0164, priority field may be contained in SCI). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate Zhang to the system of Seo, so the priorities (parameters) of sidelink signals are determined based on a priority field in SCI of the signal, and the UE may perform prioritization based on the priority fields, as suggested by Zhang. The motivation would have been to enhance configuration by indicating priority levels of sidelink signals via well known SCI (Zhang 0394, 0164).
For claim 2, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the target transmission resource is a time domain resource (see at least 0270-0274, 0279, eNB may configure time and frequency resources for UE transmissions including PSCCH, PSDCH, PSSCH).
For claim 4, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the first parameter information is priority information of the first data to be transmitted, and the second parameter information is priority information of the second data to be transmitted, wherein according to the comparison result between first parameter information of first data to be transmitted on the first sidelink transmission channel and second parameter information of second data to be transmitted on the second sidelink transmission channel, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource comprises: in response to a priority of the first data to be transmitted being higher than a priority of the second data to be transmitted, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource (see at least 0281-0283, 0292, sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a priority rule, comprising sending the sidelink data with higher priority).
For claim 7, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the first parameter information is a type of the first data to be transmitted, and the second parameter information is a type of the second data to be transmitted, wherein the type of the first data to be transmitted is one of the following types: control information, data, feedback information, broadcast information, and measurement information, wherein the type of the second data to be transmitted is one of the following types: control information, data, feedback information, broadcast information, and measurement information (see at least 0281-0283, sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a rule e.g. priority order PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, PSDCH, comprising sending sidelink data e.g. synchronization, broadcast, control, shared, and discovery signaling).
For claim 9, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the preset rule further comprises: in response to a priority of a transmission type of the first sidelink transmission channel being higher than a priority of a transmission type of the second sidelink transmission channel, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource (see at least 0281-0283, 0292, sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a rule e.g. priority order PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, PSDCH, comprising sending the sidelink data with higher priority).
For claim 10, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the preset rule further comprises: transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource according to a method for determining the target transmission resource in the first configuration information and the second configuration information (see at least 0270-0274, 0279, eNB may configure time and frequency resources for UE transmissions including PSCCH, PSDCH, PSSCH e.g. given first and second configurations for first and second sidelink channels, thus UE would process the configuration accordingly to determine transmission resources for aforementioned sidelink channels including overlap in a given (target) resource).
For claim 11, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, Seo further teaches: wherein the preset rule further comprises: transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource according to a type of the first sidelink transmission channel and a type of the second sidelink transmission channel (see at least 0281-0283, 0292, sidelink transmissions may be sent according to a rule e.g. priority order PSSS, SSSS, PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, PSDCH, comprising sending the sidelink data determined to be a type with higher priority).
Claim 12 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 1 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 13 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 2 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 15 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 4 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 19 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 9 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 20 recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium substantially similar to the method of claim 1 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 5, 16 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo (US 2017/0367087) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2019/0387377) in view of Huang et al. (US 2020/0205166) (hereinafter Huang ‘166).
For claim 5, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, but not explicitly: further comprising: the first data to be transmitted being feedback information for third sidelink data, the first parameter information being parameter information of the third sidelink data, the second data to be transmitted being feedback information for fourth sidelink data, and the second parameter information being parameter information of the fourth sidelink data; wherein the parameter information of the third sidelink data is priority information, and the parameter information of the fourth sidelink data is priority information; wherein the preset rule comprises: in response to a priority of the third sidelink data being higher than a priority of the fourth sidelink data, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource. Huang ‘166 from an analogous art teaches (see at least 0434, 0436, a first PSFCH associated with a first sidelink data transmission may overlap a second PSFCH associated with a second sidelink data transmission; the first PSFCH may be prioritized based on the priorities of the first sidelink data transmission and the second sidelink data transmission). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate Huang ‘166 to the system of claim 1, so PSFCH (feedback) may be transmitted, with a first PSFCH taking priority over a second PSFCH if a priority (parameter) of a sidelink data corresponding to the first PSFCH is higher than a priority (parameter) of another sidelink data corresponding to the second PSFCH, as suggested by Huang ‘166. The motivation would have been to enhance sidelink by prioritizing feedback channels using the relative priorities of their respective sidelink data (Huang ‘166 0434).
Claim 16 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 5 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 6, 17 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo (US 2017/0367087) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2019/0387377) in view of Yu et al. (WO 2020/164056).
For claim 6, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, but not explicitly: wherein the preset rule further comprises: transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource according to a Radio Access Technology (RAT) type of the first sidelink transmission channel and a RAT type of the second sidelink transmission channel; wherein the RAT type of the first sidelink transmission channel is Long Term Evolution (LTE) or New Radio (NR); and wherein the RAT type of the second sidelink transmission channel is LTE or NR; and wherein transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel or the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource according to the RAT type of the first sidelink transmission channel and the RAT type of the second sidelink transmission channel comprises: in response to the RAT type of the first sidelink transmission channel being LTE and the RAT type of the second sidelink transmission channel is NR, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource. Yu from an analogous art teaches (see at least Abstract and 0086, in case of collision between first and second data transmissions over first and second RATs, one may be selectively dropped based on priorities of the respective RATs e.g. LTE or NR transmission may be prioritized). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate Yu to the system of claim 1, so a sidelink channel with higher priority corresponds to a given RAT type with higher priority e.g. LTE than a lower priority channel with lower priority RAT e.g. NR, as suggested by Yu. The motivation would have been to enhance sidelink by corresponding high priority RAT data with respective higher priority level (Yu Abstract, 0086).
Claim 17 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 6 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 8, 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo (US 2017/0367087) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2019/0387377) in view of Huang et al. (US 2020/0205165).
For claim 8, Seo, Zhang teaches claim 1, but not explicitly: wherein the first data to be transmitted is feedback information for first sidelink data, the first parameter information is priority information of the first sidelink data, the second data to be transmitted is second sidelink data, and the second parameter information is priority information of the second data, wherein the preset rule comprises: in response to a priority of the first sidelink data being higher than a priority of the second sidelink data, transmitting, by the terminal device, the first sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource; or, in response to the priority of the first sidelink data being lower than the priority of the second sidelink data, transmitting, by the terminal device, the second sidelink transmission channel on the target transmission resource. Huang from an analogous art teaches (see at least 0502-0507, 0517-0525, a PSFCH associated with sidelink transmission may overlap PSCCH/PSSCH, and may be prioritized over other transmissions in the time unit; see at least 0538-0540, PSFCH may be sent based on priority of the PSCCH/PSSCH being lower compared to the sidelink transmission (first sidelink data)). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate Huang to the system of claim 1, so the UE may transmit PSFCH as feedback for a sidelink transmission (first sidelink data), which is prioritized over a PSCCH/PSSCH (second sidelink data) when the sidelink transmission (first sidelink data) has higher priority than the PSCCH/PSSCH, as suggested by Huang. The motivation would have been to enhance sidelink communication by corresponding feedback for high priority data with respective higher priority level (Huang 0538-0540).
Claim 18 recites an apparatus substantially similar to the method of claim 8 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
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 SIREN WEI whose telephone number is (571)272-0687. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday 7-4. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hassan Phillips can be reached on 571-272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Siren Wei/
Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2467