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 .
Priorities and Examiner Remarks
This application is a National Stage entry of PCT/CN2020/089073 (International Filing Date: 05/07/2020).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1-2, 5-10, 12-14, 17, 19, 21-22, 24, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20210243836 A1, hereinafter Wu), in view of KHORYAEV et al. (US 20180206260 A1, hereinafter KHORYAEV).
Regarding claim 1, Wu teaches a monitoring method in sidelink communication, perfomed by a sidelink communication device, the monitoring method comprising (in general, see fig. 9 and corresponding paragraphs 120-124, along with fig. 2-3 and their respective paragraphs):
for a sidelink communication resource pool of the sidelink communication device, determining a first time unit in the sidelink communication resource pool (Wu, see at least para. 121 along with para. 80-81 and/or 85-86 in view of para. 76, for (i) DRX example, “…the DRX cycle 305 may include an on-duration period 310. During the on-duration period 310, the UE 115 may monitor carriers for transmissions from other UEs 115. The on-duration period 310 may be determined using base units 205 and may have possible sizes that include one or more base units 205…”; whereas for (ii) DTX example, “…FIGS. 3C and 3D describe DTX configurations 300C and 300D that have the same parameters as DRX configurations 300A and 300B…”, note that examiner interprets an “on-duration period” as a “first time unit”, also note that when one UE is in a DTX on-duration period transmitting, another UE may mirror its DRX on-duration period for receiving);
performing a signal monitoring operation in the first time unit (Wu, see at least para. 121-122 along with para. 93, “…At step 904, the DTX configuration and the DRX configuration are transmitted over a sidelink to other UEs 115. For example, the first UE 115 transmits the DTX configuration over the sidelink control signaling to one or more other UEs 115. Similarly, the first UE 115 transmits the DRX configuration over the sidelink control signaling to one or more other UEs 115 …”; note that “...The sidelink control signaling may be transmitted during the on-duration period 310...”);
and
selecting a transmission resource for the sidelink communication based on a monitoring result of the signal monitoring operation (Wu, see at least para. 123-124 along with para. 94, “...Because the first UE 115 transmits the DTX configuration to other UE(s) 115, the other UE(s) 115 may also configure their respective DRX configurations to have the on-duration period 310 in the DRX cycle during which the other UE(s) 115 may receive information...”, note that for a non-limiting example, “...the UE 115 may select the DTX or DRX configuration with the preconfigured parameters by selecting a corresponding index. ... The UE 115 that receives the index may then use the index to select the parameters for the DTX or DRX configuration in its look-up table...”),
wherein selecting the transmission resource for the sidelink communication based on the monitoring result of the signal monitoring operation comprises: selecting the transmission resource for the sidelink communication from a resource selecting window based on the monitoring result of the signal monitoring operation (Wu, see at least para. 121 along with para. 86, “...For example, UE 115 determines a DTX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DTX cycle 325 from the base configuration 200 and one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration period parameter. The UE 115 also determines a DRX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DRX cycle from the one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration parameter...”, note that “...The on-duration period 310 is determined using on-duration parameter=3 and base unit 205. Thus, the on-duration period 310 is three base units 205...”, also note that examiner interprets “base units 205 of cycle base unit 210” as “resource selecting window”),
wherein the resource selecting window is in the first time unit (Wu, see at least para. 86, for a non-limiting example using fig. 3D, “…The on-duration period 310 is determined using on-duration parameter=3 and base unit 205. Thus, the on-duration period 310 is three base units 205...”);
wherein the first time unit in the sidelink communication resource pool is determined based on configuration information (Wu, see at least para. 75-76, “...FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a base configuration 200, according to some aspects of the disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2, base configuration may include one or more base units 205 and cycle base unit 210. ... Each base unit 205 may be measured using a time measurement, such as milliseconds (ms)...”),
and
the configuration information is configured by a base station through a downlink signaling (Wu, see at least para. 75-76, “...the UE 115 may receive the base configuration from BS 105...”),
wherein the configuration information comprises a time domain base unit indicator of the first time unit in one period (Wu, see at least para. 86 in view of fig. 80, “...The on-duration period 310 is determined using on-duration parameter=3 and base unit 205. Thus, the on-duration period 310 is three base units 205...”),
and
time domain base unit indicator of the first time unit in one period is configured to indicate each time unit occupied by the first time unit in one period (Wu, see at least para. 86 in view of fig. 80, “...The on-duration period 310 is determined using on-duration parameter=3 and base unit 205. Thus, the on-duration period 310 is three base units 205...”).
Wu does not teach a time domain bitmap [and the time domain bitmap is configured to indicate each time unit].
KHORYAEV teaches a time domain bitmap [and the time domain bitmap is configured to indicate each time unit] (KHORYAEV, see at least para. 41 and fig. 3, “...A single block 340 in FIG. 3 spans a single subframe in time (i.e. 1 ms) and PRBnum resource block widths in frequency. A time domain bitmap 360, corresponding to the 8-bit value (1,1,0,1,0,1,0,0) in FIG. 3 indicates on the time axis, which subset of uplink subframes are used for PSCCH transmission. It will be appreciated that the time domain bitmap is not limited to the example bitmap of FIG. 3, but is configurable to take on any one of a number of different values and is not limited to an 8-bit value...”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate KHORYAEV into the method of Wu for efficiently allocating available wireless network resources.
Regarding claim 2, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches the first time unit is periodic; wherein in one period, the first time unit is one time unit or a plurality of continuous time units. (Wu, see at least fig. 3D in view of fig. 3C, e.g. On-Duration periods 310 in DTX Cycles 305)
Regarding claim 5, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches the configuration information further comprises at least one of the following:
a period of the first time unit (Wu, see at least para. 121, for one example, but not limited to, “…The UE 115 also determines a DRX configuration that has the on-duration period 310…”, note that there are other periods in one or more of fig. 3A-D could also be applied);
a time domain start position of the first time unit in one period;
a time domain end position of the first time unit in one period; and
a time domain length of the first time unit in one period.
Regarding claim 6, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches
the configuration information comprises a plurality of candidate configuration values, each of the plurality of candidate configuration values corresponding to one group of configuration parameters (Wu, see at least para. 121, “… For example, UE 115 determines a DTX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DTX cycle 325 from the base configuration 200 and one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration period parameter. The UE 115 also determines a DRX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DRX cycle from the one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration parameter…”);
and
determining the first time unit in the sidelink communication resource pool based on the configuration information comprises: selecting a first configuration value from the plurality of candidate configuration values, and determining the first time unit in the sidelink communication resource pool based on the configuration parameters corresponding to the first configuration value (Wu, see at least para. 121 in view of para. 80-81, e.g. “…For example, suppose base unit 205 is 10 ms, DRX cycle 305 is 640 ms and the on-duration parameter is {1, 2, 3 . . . 64}. Then the on-duration period 310 may be 10 ms, 20 ms, . . . 640 ms. Because of the various possible on-duration parameters, the on-duration period 310 may be different for different DRX cycles 305…”)
Regarding claim 7, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches selecting the first configuration value from the plurality of candidate configuration values comprises: selecting the first configuration value from the plurality of candidate configuration values according to a resource reservation period of to-be-sent or to-be-received sidelink communication information. (Wu, see at least para. 121, “… For example, UE 115 determines a DTX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DTX cycle 325 from the base configuration 200 and one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration period parameter. The UE 115 also determines a DRX configuration that has the on-duration period 310 and the DRX cycle from the one or more of a cycle parameter, an offset parameter, and an on-duration parameter…”)
Regarding claim 8, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches a period of the first time unit is the same as or in an integral multiple relationship with the resource reservation period. (Wu, see at least para. 121 in view of para. 80-81, e.g. “…For example, suppose base unit 205 is 10 ms, DRX cycle 305 is 640 ms and the on-duration parameter is {1, 2, 3 . . . 64}. Then the on-duration period 310 may be 10 ms, 20 ms, . . . 640 ms. Because of the various possible on-duration parameters, the on-duration period 310 may be different for different DRX cycles 305…”, note that, for one example, but not limited to, DRX cycle 305 is 640 ms and on-duration period 310 may also be 640 ms)
Regarding claim 9, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches claim 6.
Wu further teaches selecting the first configuration value from the plurality of candidate configuration values comprises: selecting the first configuration value from the plurality of candidate configuration values (Wu, see at least para. 89, “…In some aspects, the DRX configuration 300A or 300B and the DTX configuration 300C or 300D may be transmitted over a sidelink using the signal control information (SCI) or the MAC control element (MAC-CE). For example, the sidelink control signaling may include one or more parameters,…”, in other words, SCI can carry configuration parameters).
Wu does not teach [candidate configuration values according to] a priority of to-be-sent or to-be-received sidelink communication information.
KHORYAEV teaches [candidate configuration values according to] a priority of to-be-sent or to-be-received sidelink communication information (KHORYAEV, in general, see fig. 7 and corresponding paragraphs 53-64, in particular, see at least para. 55, “…the first UE 720 then sends an SCI Format 0 (or SCI Format X) including a per-packet priority and/or transmission priority value to the second UE via a signal 722. Transmission data is sent from the first UE 720 directly to the second UE 730 on PSSCH according to the SCI format 0 (or SCI Format X) information via a D2D communication 724…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate KHORYAEV into the method of Wu for efficiently allocating available wireless network resources.
Regarding claim 10, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches claim 9.
Wu does not teach the configuration information further comprises a mapping relationship between the plurality of candidate configuration values and the priority.
KHORYAEV teaches the configuration information further comprises a mapping relationship between the plurality of candidate configuration values and the priority. (KHORYAEV, see at least para. 57 along with para. 69 of fig. 4, “…A single user equipment (UE) may transmit packets of different priorities on PC5. Support of eight priority levels for mapping of application level priorities may be sufficient…”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate KHORYAEV into the method of Wu for efficiently allocating available wireless network resources.
Regarding claim 12, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches sending time domain position indicating information to other sidelink communication devices, wherein the time domain position indicating information is used to indicate a time domain position of the first time unit. (Wu, see at least para. 121-122 in view of para. 80-81, e.g. “…At step 904, the DTX configuration and the DRX configuration are transmitted over a sidelink to other UEs 115…”)
Regarding claim 13, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches
sending sidelink control information (SCI) to the other sidelink communication devices, the SCI comprising the time domain position indicating information (Wu, see at least para. 121-122 in view of para. 80-81, e.g. “…the first UE 115 transmits the DRX configuration over the sidelink control signaling to one or more other UEs 115 The sidelink control signaling may include the DTX configuration and the DRX configuration in the SCI…”); or,
sending a sidelink radio resource control (RRC) message to the other sidelink communication devices, the sidelink RRC message comprising the time domain position indicating information.
Regarding claim 14, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches the time domain position indicating information is used by the other sidelink communication devices to determine at least one of
a time unit at which a signal monitoring operation is performed (Wu, see at least para. 80-81, e.g. “…the DRX cycle 305 may include an on-duration period 310. During the on-duration period 310, the UE 115 may monitor carriers for transmissions from other UEs 115…”; note that examiner interprets “at least one of” as “one or more of the following”)
and
a time unit at which an energy-saving state enters in an own sidelink communication resource pool.
Regarding claim 17, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches
a signal monitoring window in which the signal monitoring operation is performed is before the resource selecting window (Wu, see at least para. 122-124 along with claim 1 rejection, for example, step 904 is before step 906-908, note that on-duration period is periodical, hence one on-duration period is before or after another one),
and a number of time units of an interval between the signal monitoring window and the resource selecting window is not less than M, M is a positive integer; wherein the M is a fixed value, or the M is preconfigured or configured by the base station through the downlink signaling (Wu, see at least fig. 3C as an example along with para. 75, plurality of DTX Cycles with respective on-duration period 310 comprising base unit 205 that is either fixed or preconfigured, note that the UE 115 may receive the base configuration from BS 105).
Regarding claim 19, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches a number of time units comprised in the resource selecting window is not less than L, and the L is a positive integer; wherein the L is a fixed value, or the L is preconfigured or configured by the base station through the downlink signaling. (Wu, see at least para. 85-86 along with para. 75, for one example using fig. 3C, but not limited to, “…the DTX configuration 300C includes a DTX cycle 325, on-duration period 310, and offset 315. The DTX cycle 325 is determined using the cycle parameter=½, thus the DTX cycle 325 is half of the cycle base unit 210. Offset 315 is determined using the offset parameter=1, thus the offset 315 is one base unit 205 from the beginning of the DTX cycle 325. The on-duration period 310 is determined using the on-duration parameter=1, thus the on-duration period 310 is one base unit 205…”, note that fig. 3D can also apply, and that the UE 115 may receive the base configuration from BS 105).
Regarding claim 21, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches performing the signal monitoring operation from a time unit before the first time unit in case that time when resource selection is triggered is outside the first time unit. (Wu, see at least para. 122-124 along with claim 1 rejection, for example, step 904 is before step 906-908, note that on-duration period is periodical, hence one on-duration period is before or after another one)
Regarding claim 22, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches the signal monitoring operation comprises a monitoring operation for at least one of a signal and a channel for the sidelink communication. (Wu, see at least para. 80, “…In some aspects, the DRX cycle 305 may include an on-duration period 310. During the on-duration period 310, the UE 115 may monitor carriers for transmissions from other UEs 115…”)
Regarding claim 24, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 1 except this claim is in apparatus claim format.
To be more specific, Wu in view of KHORYAEV also teaches a same or similar apparatus with processor and memory (Wu, see at least fig. 4), which are well known in the art and commonly used for providing and enabling robust and reliable data communication hardware and software.
Regarding claim 26, Wu in view of KHORYAEV teaches reserving the selected transmission resource; and informing the selected transmission resource that is reserved to other sidelink communication devices. (Wu, see at least para. 122 in view of para. 74, “…Resource allocation for UEs 115 communicating over a sidelink may be autonomous. This is because the BS 105 in network 100 may not be involved in scheduling resources for sidelink communications. Instead, UEs 115 may allocate resources for transmission over a sidelink and may allocate resources that listen to the transmissions from other UEs 115…”, note that “…In this way, the other UEs 115 may determine the on-duration periods 310 when the first UE 115 is transmitting information to other UEs 115 and receiving information from other UEs 115…”)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/09/2026 have been fully considered. Regarding independent claims 1 and 24, since applicant's amendment necessitated new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action, previous Office action's rejections are moot. Accordingly, corresponding dependent claims have also been rejected in this Office action.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEE F LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7577. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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/YEE F LAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465