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 1,3-6, and 8-12 are pending.
Claims 2 and 7 are canceled.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/11/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 1,3-6, and 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Yi et al, US 20210212099 A1., in view of Yin et al, US 20170353819 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Yi discloses a method comprising:
receiving, by a user equipment (UE) from a network, information related to uplink configured grants (CGs) ([0246] [0268-0269] The wireless device may transmit the SL BSR via the uplink PUSCH. In response to the SL BSR, the base station may schedule one or more SL DCIs scheduling sidelink resources. The procedures of transmitting a SL SR and receiving a SL DCI in figures may be replaced by a procedure of new data,triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station and the one or more second configured grant resources are within the new SL. The base station may have activated a first configured grant resource on the first sidelink.);
based on data becoming available for transmission, triggering, by the UE, a Buffer Status Report (BSR) ([0264] [0265] A wireless device may trigger a sidelink buffer status reporting (BSR) in response to a new sidelink data arrival/available at the wireless device's MAC layer. The wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival);
Yi does not disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data.
However, Yin does disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR( [0362][0403] All triggered regular Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the remaining configured SL grant(s) valid for this SC Period can accommodate all pending data available for transmission. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. Furthermore, if there is no data remaining in the UE, the Sidelink BSR will be cancelled.),
wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data([0363-0364] A MAC PDU shall contain at most one Sidelink BSR MAC control element, even when multiple events trigger a Sidelink BSR by the time a Sidelink BSR can be transmitted in which case the Regular Sidelink BSR and the Periodic Sidelink BSR shall have precedence over the padding Sidelink BSR. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. A Padding Sidelink BSR is not allowed to cancel a triggered Regular/Periodic Sidelink BSR. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi with and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data as taught by Yin. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce power consumption. (Yin, [0398])
Regarding claim 3, Yi discloses the method wherein the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG is configured firstly after triggering the BSR([0265] The wireless device may consider the second set of resources as candidate resources, wherein the wireless device may consider the candidate resources as a configured grant resource. For example, the wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival.).
Regarding claim 5, Yi discloses the method further comprising: receiving, by the UE from the network, an uplink grant in response to the BSR; transmitting, by the UE to the network, the data on the uplink grant([0246] triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station may schedule one or more SL DCIs scheduling sidelink resources.).
Regarding claim 6, Yi discloses a user equipment (UE) comprising ([0047] user equipment (UE) and/or wireless communication device.):
at least one processor ([0212] processor.);
and at least one computer memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE to perform operations comprising ([0211] The reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities.):
receiving, from a network, information related to uplink configured grants (CGs) ([0246] [0268-0269] The wireless device may transmit the SL BSR via the uplink PUSCH. In response to the SL BSR, the base station may schedule one or more SL DCIs scheduling sidelink resources. The procedures of transmitting a SL SR and receiving a SL DCI in figures may be replaced by a procedure of new data, triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station and the one or more second configured grant resources are within the new SL. The base station may have activated a first configured grant resource on the first sidelink.);
based on data becoming available for transmission, triggering a Buffer Status Report (BSR) ([0264] [0265] A wireless device may trigger a sidelink buffer status reporting (BSR) in response to a new sidelink data arrival/available at the wireless device's MAC layer. The wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival);
Yi does not disclose and based on at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CGwithin a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data.
However, Yin does disclose and based on at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR[0362][0403] All triggered regular Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the remaining configured SL grant(s) valid for this SC Period can accommodate all pending data available for transmission. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. Furthermore, if there is no data remaining in the UE, the Sidelink BSR will be cancelled.),
wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data([0363-0364] A MAC PDU shall contain at most one Sidelink BSR MAC control element, even when multiple events trigger a Sidelink BSR by the time a Sidelink BSR can be transmitted in which case the Regular Sidelink BSR and the Periodic Sidelink BSR shall have precedence over the padding Sidelink BSR. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. A Padding Sidelink BSR is not allowed to cancel a triggered Regular/Periodic Sidelink BSR. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi with and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data as taught by Yin. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce power consumption. (Yin, [0398])
Regarding claim 8, Yi discloses the UE wherein the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG is configured firstly after triggering the BSR([0265] The wireless device may consider the second set of resources as candidate resources, wherein the wireless device may consider the candidate resources as a configured grant resource. For example, the wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival.).
Regarding claim 10, Yi discloses the UE wherein the operations further comprise: receiving an uplink grant in response to the B SR from the network; transmitting the data on the uplink grant to the network ([0246] Triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station may schedule one or more SL DCs scheduling sidelink resources.).
Regarding claim 11, Yi discloses an apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising ([0047] User equipment (UE) and/or wireless communication device.):
at least one processor ([0212] processor);
and at least one computer memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE to perform operations comprising ([0211] The reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities.):
receiving, from a network, information related to uplink configured grants (CGs) ([0246] [0268-0269] The wireless device may transmit the SL BSR via the uplink PUSCH. In response to the SL BSR, the base station may schedule one or more SL DCIs scheduling sidelink resources. The procedures of transmitting a SL SR and receiving a SL DCI in figures may be replaced by a procedure of new data, triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station and the one or more second configured grant resources are within the new SL. The base station may have activated a first configured grant resource on the first sidelink.);
based on data becoming available for transmission, triggering a Buffer Status Report (BSR) ([0264] [0265] A wireless device may trigger a sidelink buffer status reporting (BSR) in response to a new sidelink data arrival/available at the wireless device's MAC layer. The wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival);
Yi does not disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data.
However, Yin does disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR( [0362][0403] All triggered regular Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the remaining configured SL grant(s) valid for this SC Period can accommodate all pending data available for transmission. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. Furthermore, if there is no data remaining in the UE, the Sidelink BSR will be cancelled),
wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data([0363-0364] A MAC PDU shall contain at most one Sidelink BSR MAC control element, even when multiple events trigger a Sidelink BSR by the time a Sidelink BSR can be transmitted in which case the Regular Sidelink BSR and the Periodic Sidelink BSR shall have precedence over the padding Sidelink BSR. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. A Padding Sidelink BSR is not allowed to cancel a triggered Regular/Periodic Sidelink BSR. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi with and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data as taught by Yin. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce power consumption. (Yin, [0398])
Regarding claim 12, Yi discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a user equipment (UE) to perform operations comprising ([0211] The reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more nontransitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities.):
receiving, from a network, information related to configured grant (CGs) ([0246] [0268-0269] The wireless device may transmit the SL BSR via the uplink PUSCH. In response to the SL BSR, the base station may schedule one or more SL DCIs scheduling sidelink resources. The procedures of transmitting a SL SR and receiving a SL DCI in figures may be replaced by a procedure of new data, triggering a SL BSR, triggering a SL SR, receiving an UL grant, transmitting the SL BSR, and receiving a SL DCI. The base station and the one or more second configured grant resources are within the new SL. The base station may have activated a first configured grant resource on the first sidelink.);
based on data becoming available for transmission, triggering a BSR ([0264] [0265] A wireless device may trigger a sidelink buffer status reporting (BSR) in response to a new sidelink data arrival/available at the wireless device's MAC layer. The wireless device may trigger a SL BSR for a new sidelink data arrival);
Yi does not disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data.
However, Yin does disclose and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting all of the data to the network according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR( [0362][0403] All triggered regular Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the remaining configured SL grant(s) valid for this SC Period can accommodate all pending data available for transmission. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. Furthermore, if there is no data remaining in the UE, the Sidelink BSR will be cancelled.),
wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data([0363-0364] A MAC PDU shall contain at most one Sidelink BSR MAC control element, even when multiple events trigger a Sidelink BSR by the time a Sidelink BSR can be transmitted in which case the Regular Sidelink BSR and the Periodic Sidelink BSR shall have precedence over the padding Sidelink BSR. All triggered Sidelink BSRs shall be cancelled in case the MAC entity has no data available for transmission for any of the Sidelink logical channels. A Padding Sidelink BSR is not allowed to cancel a triggered Regular/Periodic Sidelink BSR. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi with and based on at least one of the data transmission dedicated uplink CG within a time duration from triggering the BSR among the uplink CGs being able to accommodate all of the data, transmitting, by the UE to the network, all of the data according to the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG with canceling the triggered BSR, wherein, based on the triggered BSR not being canceled, only the BSR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) is transmitted to the network according to a BSR dedicated uplink CG among the uplink CGs without transmitting the data as taught by Yin. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce power consumption. (Yin, [0398])
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as Yi et al, US 20210212099 A1, in view of Yin et al, US 20170353819 A1., and in further view of Shrestha et al, US 20190182896 A1.
Regarding claim 4, Yi and Yin do not disclose the method wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction.
However, Shrestha does disclose the method wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction ([0103] The UE 102 may determine that the available UL-SCH data resources meet the one or more LCP mapping restrictions. For the logical channel of the uplink data includes a subcarrier spacing index associated to the uplink grant.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi and Yin with the method wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction as taught by Shrestha. The motivation for doing so would be the disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible and configurable (Shrestha, [0036]).
Regarding claim 9, Yi and Yin do not disclose the UE wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction.
However, Shrestha does disclose the UE wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction([0103] The UE 102 may determine that the available UL-SCH data resources meet the one or more LCP mapping restrictions. For the logical channel of the uplink data includes a subcarrier spacing index associated to the uplink grant.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yi and Yin with the UE wherein the data is allowed to be transmitted by using the at least one second data transmission dedicated uplink CG based on a Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) restriction as taught by Shrestha. The motivation for doing so would be the disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible and configurable (Shrestha, [0036]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1,3-6, and 8-12 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYA TEON NELSON whose telephone number is (703)756-1942. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:30.
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/RYA TEON NELSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419