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 .
This office action is responsive to the RCE and amendment filed 5/4/26.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 9-10, 12, and 14-16 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 9-10, 12, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claims 1 and 12 and taking claim 1 as an example, the limitation “wherein, if the SCI includes information indicating reserved SL PRS resources of the second UE, the reserved SL PRS resources are excluded from the candidate SL PRS resources based on the information” is indefinite since it is not clear what happens if the SCI does not include “information indicating reserved SL PRS resources of the second UE.” If the SCI does not include “information indicating reserved SL PRS resources of the second UE,” then if appears that the wherein clause limitations may be ignored in determining the scope of the claim. In other words, if the SCI does not include “information indicating reserved SL PRS resources of the second UE,” then all that is required for infringing this claim would be the limitations preceding the wherein clause, thereby making the claim broader. The examiner suggests removing the conditional “if” in the wherein clause such that it reads “wherein, the SCI includes information indicating reserved SL PRS resources of the second UE, the reserved SL PRS resources are excluded from the candidate SL PRS resources based on the information” to resolve this issue.
The dependent claims fall with their respective independent claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WON TAE C. KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1812. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/WON TAE C KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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