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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1. 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.
2. Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 13, 16-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (WO 2020/033086) in view of Tsai (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0174655).
As per claim 1 and 16:
Zhang teaches an apparatus (see Figure 1A, paragraph [0069], WRTU 102a) comprising:
a transmitter (see Figure 1F, transceiver 120) that transmits, from a transmitter user equipment to a receiver user equipment (see paragraphs [0128]-[0130], the transceiver 120 is configured to transmit and receive signals to or from other WTRUs via the transmit/receive element 122), information indicating a plurality of reference signals (see paragraph [0162], the UE will acquire configuration of resource pools on the sidelink. Note: Said sidelink resource pools like PSSCH resource pools are associated with sidelink reference signals link SL CSI-RS which are placed in those pools, please see paragraph [0262]), wherein the information further indicates a plurality of beams (see paragraph [0163], the higher layer signaling may provide a range of spatial directions or a selected subset of beams of other UEs to perform BF training), or a combination thereof (Note: limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art) transmitting first layer control signaling indicating target user information, resource configuration of a reference signal for receiver decoding (see paragraph [0278], the UE can directly find the PSCCH, PSSCH and PSFCH time-frequency resource when it successfully decodes the SL SS/PBCH MIB. For instance, the time resource (slot) mapping table 12)
or transmitting using a default reference signal configuration, and a time slot offset and time frequency resource for beam measurement feedback reporting for a set of user equipment devices as part of initial beam acquisition (see paragraph [0159], the NR-PSBCH for sidelink may have more content which make the structure of NR-PSBCH take more RBs in frequency and more symbols in time. If the NR-PSBCH is not transmitted by such a UE, then those out of coverage UEs can use a default configuration of essential system information needed to receive V2X sidelink channels and signals. The synchronization signal burst and NR-PSBCH will be transmitted in beamforming manner swept across all different beams);
wherein transmitting the information indicating the plurality of reference signals comprises determining to transmit (see paragraph [0161], beamforming before discovery for NR V2X will be similar to beam forming at initial access, where in each of the synchronization and acquisition cases, after the UE detects the best TX beam or NR-PSSB (physical sidelink SS block), it already found the best TX beam of source node):
the plurality of reference signals as part of the initial beam acquisition together with a higher layer discovery request message (limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art); the plurality of reference signals prior to higher layer signaling (see paragraphs [0161], [0167], discloses detecting sidelink SS block prior to receiving higher layer signaling or MAC-CE signaling); or a combination thereof (limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
and wherein the receiver user equipment determines the target user information (since paragraph [0161] discloses the UE detects the best NR-SSB on a beam and paragraph [0162] discloses use of information to complete beam link paring, it implies that the transmitter is informed of the best TX beam in order to carry out beam link pairing), and generates and transmits:
a beam measurement feedback using a beam correspondence (since paragraph [0161] discloses the UE detects the best NR-SSB on a beam and paragraph [0162] discloses use of information to complete beam link paring, it implies that the transmitter is informed of the best TX beam in order to carry out beam link pairing); or a reference signal indicating the plurality of beams (since paragraph [0161] discloses the UE detects the best NR-SSB on a beam and paragraph [0162] discloses use of information to complete beam link paring, it implies that the transmitter is informed of the best TX beam in order to carry out beam link pairing), or the combination thereof in the time slot offset if not supporting beam correspondence (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art of record).
Zhang does not clearly disclose information indicating plurality of panels.
Tsai teaches information indicating plurality of panels (see paragraphs [0158]-[0159], PSSCH and PSCCH configuration for multi-panels).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the use of multiple panels for sidelink communication (as disclosed in Tsai) into Zhang as a way of enabling the V2X system to combine and dynamically switch the best panel (or transceiver) in order to support the requirements of demanding V2X communication (please see paragraph [0129] of Tsai).
As per claim 2:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor that configures a separate scheduling request resource for requesting sidelink resources from a network device for transmission of a standalone channel state information reference signal (Zhang, see paragraph [0262], the gNB can instruct the UE to send SL RS for SL beam training without using SL SS/PBCH. The SL CSI-RS can be configured periodically or periodically for the monitoring UE(s). The SL CSI-RS resource (configured by the gNB) may be periodic (i.e., configured at the slot level)).
As per claim 3:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a receiver that receives downlink control information indicating a sidelink resource for the transmission of the plurality of reference signals (Zhang, see paragraph [0262], the UE is provided by the gNB SL CSI-RS resource which is periodic. The resource of SL CSI-RS can be placed in PSSCH resource pools. The monitoring UE can respond to the channel state quality to the syncref UE via PSCCH).
As per claim 5:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1
Zhang does not teach wherein the transmitter transmits configuration information for a dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table to the receiver user equipment via radio resource control signaling.
Tsai teaches wherein the transmitter transmits configuration information for a dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table to the receiver user equipment via radio resource control signaling (see paragraph [0162], the maximum number of N TCI states within the single slot, with partially overlapped time slot resource allocation. The SL higher layer (PC5-RRC) configuration parameters for multiple PSSCH based multi-panel SL intra-band transmission and reception).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the use of multiple panels for sidelink communication (as disclosed in Tsai) into Zhang as a way of enabling the V2X system to combine and dynamically switch the best panel (or transceiver) in order to support the requirements of demanding V2X communication (please see paragraph [0129] of Tsai).
As per claim 13:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver user equipment performs new sidelink beam candidate identification and reports a best available beam from a beam candidate list to the transmitter user equipment (Zhang, paragraph [0162] discloses use of information to complete beam link paring, it implies that the transmitter is informed of the best TX beam in order to carry out beam link pairing).
Claim 17 is rejected in the same scope as claim 2.
Claim 18 is rejected in the same scope as claim 3.
Claim 20 is rejected in the same scope as claim 5.
3. Claims 4 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Hwang (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0146928).
As per claim 4:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
further comprising a processor that configures a dedicated feedback resource for each channel state information reference signal resource with a corresponding slot off for feedback reception, wherein feedback carried by the dedicated feedback resource comprises a first layer reference signal received power feedback measurement for a corresponding channel state information reference signal resource from the receiver user equipment.
Hwang teaches further comprising a processor that configures a dedicated feedback resource for each channel state information reference signal resource with a corresponding slot off for feedback reception, wherein feedback carried by the dedicated feedback resource comprises a first layer reference signal received power feedback measurement for a corresponding channel state information reference signal resource from the receiver user equipment (see paragraph [0186], the first device may receive first SCI from a second device via PSCCH. Determine a physical sidelink feedback (PSFCH) resource, based on a subchannel and a slot related to the PSSCH. Measure the RSRP based on the reference signal received through the PSSCH related to the PSFCH resource).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the modification of the transmit power of PSFCH (as disclosed in Hwang) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of supporting UE with power saving capability (please see paragraph [0154] of Hwang).
Claim 19 is rejected in the same scope as claim 4.
4. Claims 6, 7, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of He (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0336253).
As per claim 6:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 5 with the exception of:
further comprising a processor that indicates a transmission configuration indicator state or cast type in first sidelink control information, wherein the first sidelink control information indicates a receive spatial filter, a receive beam, or a combination thereof to be used for second sidelink control information and physical sidelink shared channel reception.
He teaches further comprising a processor that indicates a transmission configuration indicator state or cast type in first sidelink control information, wherein the first sidelink control information indicates a receive spatial filter, a receive beam, or a combination thereof to be used for second sidelink control information and physical sidelink shared channel reception (see paragraph [0238], discloses a TCI and a unicast type associated with SCI format. The SCI indicates multiple transmit/receive beams. PSCCH that provides second stage TCI format and associated with PSSCH not of a unicast type).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the beam indication via SCI format (as disclosed in He) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to determine TCI state value and the associated antenna port QCL for the reception of the PSCCH (please see paragraph [0242] of He).
As per claim 7:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 5 with the exception of:
further comprising a processor that selects the dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table from at least one configured transmission configuration indicator state table using a cast type indicator.
He teaches further comprising a processor that selects the dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table from at least one configured transmission configuration indicator state table using a cast type indicator (see paragraphs [0219]-[0220], first stage SCI format enables the receiver UE to determine the TCI state associated with the PSCCH/PSSCH unicast type (e.g., broadcast/groupcast)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the beam indication via SCI format (as disclosed in He) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to determine TCI state value and the associated antenna port QCL for the reception of the PSCCH (please see paragraph [0242] of He).
As per claim 9:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the transmitter:
transmits, via beam sweeping transmission, first sidelink control information in all direction informing user equipments about resource occupancy;
transmits, via groupcast transmission, second sidelink control information and a physical sidelink shared channel transmission in a subset of beams, wherein the subset of beam is identified based on reception of a dedicated hybrid automatic repeat request report or based on a previous transport block transmission to the same destination identifier;
transmits, via broadcast transmission, the first sidelink control information, the second sidelink control information, and the physical sidelink control channel transmission in all configured potential transmit beams;
and transmits, via unicast transmission, the second sidelink control information and the physical sidelink control channel transmission in one beam.
He teaches wherein the transmitter:
transmits, via beam sweeping transmission, first sidelink control information in all direction informing user equipments about resource occupancy (paragraphs [0219]-[0220], transmitting SCI in all beam directions about the available resource(s));
transmits, via groupcast transmission, second sidelink control information and a physical sidelink shared channel transmission in a subset of beams, wherein the subset of beam is identified based on reception of a dedicated hybrid automatic repeat request report or based on a previous transport block transmission to the same destination identifier (see paragraph [0238], discloses a TCI and a unicast type associated with SCI format. The SCI indicates multiple transmit/receive beams. PSCCH that provides second stage TCI format and associated with PSSCH not of a unicast type);
transmits, via broadcast transmission, the first sidelink control information, the second sidelink control information, and the physical sidelink control channel transmission in all configured potential transmit beams (see paragraphs [0219]-[0220], first stage SCI format enables the receiver UE to determine the TCI state associated with the PSCCH/PSSCH unicast type (e.g., broadcast/groupcast));
and transmits, via unicast transmission, the second sidelink control information and the physical sidelink control channel transmission in one beam (see paragraphs [0219]-[0220], second stage SCI format enables the receiver UE to determine the TCI state associated with the PSCCH/PSSCH unicast type (e.g., broadcast/groupcast)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the beam indication via SCI format (as disclosed in He) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to determine TCI state value and the associated antenna port QCL for the reception of the PSCCH (please see paragraph [0242] of He).
As per claim 10:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
further comprising a processor that allocates multiple physical sidelink feedback channel resources corresponding to different beams on which a physical sidelink channel is transmitted.
He teaches further comprising a processor that allocates multiple physical sidelink feedback channel resources corresponding to different beams on which a physical sidelink channel is transmitted (see paragraph [0261], UE transmits PSFCH using multiple beams. When the UE transmits using multiple beams, a resource for each beam for the PSFCH transmission can be associated with the corresponding beam for a PSCCH/PSSCH reception).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the beam indication via SCI format (as disclosed in He) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to determine TCI state value and the associated antenna port QCL for the reception of the PSCCH (please see paragraph [0242] of He).
5. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Wang (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0360603).
As per claim 8:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the transmitter transmits configuration information for a dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table to the receiver user equipment via a medium access control control element or a destination identifier.
Wang teaches wherein the transmitter transmits configuration information for a dedicated transmission configuration indicator state table to the receiver user equipment via a medium access control control element or a destination identifier (see paragraph [0097], the UE is configured with TCI state for each TRP in a MAC-CE over a Uu interface or a sidelink interface).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the configured TCI state for each TRP (as disclosed in Wang) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to determine the relationship between the resource for sidelink control and the TCI state (please see paragraph [0097] of Wang).
6. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Hwang (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0199681).
As per claim 11:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
further comprising a processor that allocates a single resource for a physical sidelink feedback channel that aggregates hybrid automatic repeat request feedback from all beams transmitting a physical sidelink channel.
Hwang teaches further comprising a processor that allocates a single resource for a physical sidelink feedback channel that aggregates hybrid automatic repeat request feedback from all beams transmitting a physical sidelink channel (see paragraph [0205], discloses combining HARQ-ACK repetition technique of repeatedly transmitting HARQ-ACK through the PSFCH configured for each UE with transmit beamforming).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the aggregation of HARQ-ACK transmission through the PSFCH (as disclosed in Hwang) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of determining the transmit beam of the terminal participating (please see paragraph [0205] of Hwang).
7. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Luo (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0413393).
As per claim 12:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the receiver user equipment performs sidelink beam failure detection based on a configured event trigger and reports a sidelink beam failure event to a network device or to the transmitter user equipment.
Luo teaches wherein the receiver user equipment performs sidelink beam failure detection based on a configured event trigger and reports a sidelink beam failure event to a network device or to the transmitter user equipment (see paragraph [0090], the UE may detect an event for directional beam used for communication with the base station. The event may be the detected beam failure event. The detected event involves the beam quality less than a given threshold. The UE then transmits a beam failure recovery request to the base station and then switches to a second configuration for the sidelink channel).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the beam detection and beam recovery procedure (as disclosed in Luo) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the UE to switch to a channel offering better sidelink communication (please see paragraph [0090] of Luo).
8. Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Shin (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0399917).
As per claim 14:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the transmitter transmits the plurality of reference signals with repetition, wherein the plurality of reference signals is transmitted with the same spatial domain transmission filter.
Shin teaches wherein the transmitter transmits the plurality of reference signals with repetition, wherein the plurality of reference signals is transmitted with the same spatial domain transmission filter (see paragraph [0202], multiple SL CSI-RS resources are configured for beam tracking of a transmitting UE, and the respective SL CSI-RS resources are transmitted through the same beam).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the repeated transmission of SL CSI-RS resources (as disclosed in Shin) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enabling the receiving UE a beam direction and a beam width/the number of beams (please see paragraph [0202] of Shin).
9. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Tsai and further in view of Bao (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0377906).
As per claim 15:
Zhang in view of Tsai teaches the apparatus of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the default reference signal configuration comprises a fixed port, a code division multiplexing type, a density within a resource block, a density within a sub-channel, a fixed number of frequency resources, a fixed number of time symbols, a fixed periodicity, or some combination thereof, and the default reference signal configuration is configured per resource pool or per sidelink bandwidth part.
Bao teaches wherein the default reference signal configuration comprises a fixed port, a code division multiplexing type, a density within a resource block, a density within a sub-channel, a fixed number of frequency resources, a fixed number of time symbols, a fixed periodicity, or some combination thereof, and the default reference signal configuration is configured per resource pool or per sidelink bandwidth part (see paragraph [0135], the server or TRP may periodically assign a default UE-UE PRS configuration (e.g., SL-PRS to a candidate anchor UE. The TRP may reserve certain resources (e.g., a resource pool of certain SL-PRS resources for mode 2 SL).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the assignment of default resources to the UE (as disclosed in Bao) into both Zhang and Tsai as a way of enable the UE to as a way of determining the location of UEs (please see paragraph [0124] of Bao).
Conclusion
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/PRINCE A MENSAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
PRINCE AKWASI. MENSAH
Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/Michael Thier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2474