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
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, Zuomin (2022/0201750), hereinafter Wu, in view of Karaki et al. (2022/0330338), hereinafter Karaki and Wang, Junwei (WO 2021/081700 A1), hereinafter Wang.
Re. Claims 1 and 19, Wu teaches a channel access method for an unlicensed spectrum, comprising: executing, by a terminal, a first event, wherein the first event is that the terminal receives a channel access parameter configured by a network side device for an unlicensed spectrum (¶0190 - the acquisition module 1010 is configured to: perform a first type of channel access according to a channel access parameter corresponding to a channel access priority P; and acquire the COT after the first type of channel access is successful), and performing, by the terminal, channel access for the unlicensed spectrum based on the first event (¶0063 - a first type of channel access is performed according to a channel access parameter corresponding to a channel access priority P).
However, Wu does not explicitly teach wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises an energy detection (ED) threshold.
Yet, Karaki expressly teaches wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises an energy detection (ED) threshold (¶0004 - The two or more channel access parameters may include for instance two or more of: (i) a type of the LBT procedure, if any, that the wireless device must successfully complete before performing the uplink transmission in the radio resource allocation; (ii) one or more priorities to be used for the LBT procedure; (iii) whether or not the wireless device is to extend or puncture the start of the uplink transmission in the radio resource allocation; or (iv) an energy detection threshold to be used for the LBT procedure).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Karaki to the teaching of Wu. The motivation for such would be in order to improve transmission efficiency via a known listen-before-talk procedure which checks for an energy signal on the transmission channel before performing transmission, as Karaki teaches (Karaki, ¶0004). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Yet, the combination of Wu and Karaki does not expressly teach wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises at least one of: sending, by the terminal, a sidelink (SL) signal and/or a Uu signal in a case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds.
However, Wang explicitly teaches sending, by the terminal, a sidelink (SL) signal and/or a Uu signal in a case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds (Pg. 19, Line 30 - the data on the sidelink of the unlicensed spectrum is unicast and is transmitted in both directions… Pg. 16, Line 13 - the first terminal device can perform uplink control when receiving the instruction information…).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Wang to the teaching of Wu and Karaki. The motivation for such would be to further improve upon the LBT procedure, as Wu provides that the parameter is received and a subsequent connection is performed, Karaki provides that the parameter is an energy detection signal and Wang teaches that the transmission is a sidelink or Uu signal in the unlicensed spectrum (Wang, Pg. 19, Line 30). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claims 10 and 20, Wu teaches a channel access method for an unlicensed spectrum, comprising: initiating, by a network side device, channel access for an unlicensed spectrum to enable a terminal to obtain a channel occupancy status of the network side device (¶0190 - the acquisition module 1010 is configured to: perform a first type of channel access according to a channel access parameter corresponding to a channel access priority P; and acquire the COT after the first type of channel access is successful) and performing, by the terminal, channel access for the unlicensed spectrum based on the first event (¶0063 - a first type of channel access is performed according to a channel access parameter corresponding to a channel access priority P).
However, Wu does not explicitly teach configuring, by the network side device, a channel access parameter of the unlicensed spectrum for a terminal wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises at least one of: an energy detection (ED) threshold.
Yet, Karaki expressly teaches configuring, by the network side device, a channel access parameter of the unlicensed spectrum for a terminal wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises at least one of: an energy detection (ED) threshold (¶0004 - The two or more channel access parameters may include for instance two or more of: (i) a type of the LBT procedure, if any, that the wireless device must successfully complete before performing the uplink transmission in the radio resource allocation; (ii) one or more priorities to be used for the LBT procedure; (iii) whether or not the wireless device is to extend or puncture the start of the uplink transmission in the radio resource allocation; or (iv) an energy detection threshold to be used for the LBT procedure).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Karaki to the teaching of Wu. The motivation for such would be in order to improve transmission efficiency via a known listen-before-talk procedure which checks for an energy signal on the transmission channel before performing transmission, as Karaki teaches (Karaki, ¶0004). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Yet, the combination of Wu and Karaki does not expressly teach wherein the channel access parameter for the unlicensed spectrum comprises at least one of: sending, by the terminal, a sidelink (SL) signal and/or a Uu signal in a case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds.
However, Wang explicitly teaches sending, by the terminal, a sidelink (SL) signal and/or a Uu signal in a case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds (Pg. 19, Line 30 - the data on the sidelink of the unlicensed spectrum is unicast and is transmitted in both directions… Pg. 16, Line 13 - the first terminal device can perform uplink control when receiving the instruction information…).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Wang to the teaching of Wu and Karaki. The motivation for such would be to further improve upon the LBT procedure, as Wu provides that the parameter is received and a subsequent connection is performed, Karaki provides that the parameter is an energy detection signal and Wang teaches that the transmission is a sidelink or Uu signal in the unlicensed spectrum (Wang, Pg. 19, Line 30). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 2, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach claim 1.
Additionally, Wu further teaches a first channel access parameter or a second channel access parameter, wherein the first channel access parameter is a parameter required by the terminal for performing channel access in load-based equipment (LBE) mode (¶0036 - a mode by which a communication device obtains channel occupancy time may be a channel access mode of Load-based equipment (LBE), that is, the communication device may perform LBT on an unlicensed spectrum after a service arrives, and start sending of signals after the LBT is successful); and the second channel access parameter is a parameter required by the terminal for performing channel access in frame-based equipment (FBE) mode (¶0036-0037 - it may be a channel access mode of Frame-based equipment (FBE), that is, the communication device periodically performs the LBT on an unlicensed spectrum).
Re. Claims 3, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 2.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the first channel access parameter comprises at least one of following: clear channel assess (CCA) duration, contention window length (¶0033 - a channel access mode of a communication device is multi-slot channel detection based on random backoff of a fixed contention window size. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”), channel occupancy length, OR the ED threshold; and/or the second channel access parameter comprises at least one: a frame start position, a frame offset, a frame period length, the CCA duration, the channel occupancy length, an idle period length, the or ED threshold.
Re. Claim 4, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach claim 1.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum is performed based on the first event in any one of the following modes: LBE mode and FBE mode (¶0036 - a mode by which a communication device obtains channel occupancy time may be a channel access mode of Load-based equipment (LBE)).
Re. Claim 6, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 1.
Yet, Wu does not expressly teach wherein the sending, by the terminal, the SL signal and/or Uu signal comprises at least one of following: sending, by the terminal, only the SL signal or sending, by the terminal, the SL signal and/or Uu signal in a time division multiplexing (TDM) mode.
However, Wang explicitly teaches wherein the sending, by the terminal, the SL signal and/or Uu signal comprises at least one of following: sending, by the terminal, only the SL signal (Pg. 19, Line 30 - the data on the sidelink of the unlicensed spectrum is unicast and is transmitted in both directions… Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of both “Or” and “And/Or”); or sending, by the terminal, the SL signal and/or Uu signal in a time division multiplexing (TDM) mode.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Wang to the teaching of Wu. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency via specifically using sidelink as Wang provides a sendable information using an SL signal (Wang, Pg. 19 Line 30). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 7, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 1.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein in the case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds, the method further comprises: obtaining, by the terminal, channel occupancy time (COT) (¶0006 - wherein the first time domain resource and the second time domain resource are time domain resources in Channel Occupancy Time (COT) acquired by the terminal); and sharing, by the terminal, the COT with the network side device or another terminal (¶0007 - there is provided an apparatus for transmitting data on an unlicensed spectrum, which includes: an acquisition module configured to acquire Channel Occupancy Time (COT). Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”); and/or in the case that the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum succeeds, the method further comprises at least one of following: sending, by the terminal, first control information to the network side device in a case that the terminal performs the access successfully via a plurality of carriers or a plurality of listen before talk (LBT) sub-bands; or sending, by the terminal, second control information to another terminal in the case that the terminal performs the access successfully via a plurality of carriers or a plurality of LBT sub-bands, wherein each of the first control information and the second control information is used to indicate at least one of following: a quantity of carriers shared with the network side device, a number of a carrier shared with the network side device, a quantity of LBT sub-bands shared to the network side device, or a number of an LBT sub-band shared with the network side device and the second control information is used to indicate at least one of: a quantity of carriers shared with the network side device, a number of a carrier shared with the network side device, a quantity of LBT sub-bands shared with the network side device, a number of an LBT sub-band shared with the network side device, a quantity of component carriers shared with another terminal, a number of a component carrier shared with another terminal, a quantity of LBT sub-bands shared with another terminal, or a number of an LBT sub-band shared with another terminal.
Re. Claim 8, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 7.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein sendable information and/or a sharing mode is configured by the network side device (¶0080 - The parameter indication information is configured by the network device for the terminal), wherein the sendable information comprises at least one: the SL signal, the Uu signal, the first control information (¶0091 - the first information includes at least one of: indication information of COT sharing. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”), OR the second control information; and the sharing mode comprises at least one: a mode in which sharing the COT is not allowed, a mode in which the COT is shared with the network side device, OR a mode in which the COT is shared with the another terminal (¶0081 - the parameter indication information is an RRC parameter configured by the network device for COT sharing of the terminal. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”); and/or processes of sending different information in sendable information correspond to different ED thresholds, and different sharing modes correspond to different ED thresholds, wherein the sendable information comprises at least one of following: the SL signal, the Uu signal, the first control information, or the second control information; and the sharing modes comprise at least one: a mode in which sharing the COT is not allowed, a mode in which the COT is shared with the network side device, or a mode in which the COT is shared with the another terminal.
Re. Claim 9, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 1.
Additionally, Wu further teaches sending, by the terminal, first indication information to the network side device, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate an ED threshold and/or a sharing mode currently used by the terminal (¶0080 - The parameter indication information is configured by the network device for the terminal. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”)); and the sharing mode comprises at least one: a mode in which sharing the COT is not allowed, a mode in which the COT is shared with the network side device, OR a mode in which the COT is shared with another terminal (¶0081 - the parameter indication information is an RRC parameter configured by the network device for COT sharing of the terminal. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”).
Re. Claim 11, Kuang, Wu and Wang teach Claim 16.
Additionally, Wu further teaches at least one of following: sharing, by the network side device, first COT with the terminal after successfully initiating the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the first COT is used by the terminal for sending an SL signal (¶0085 - another transmission, which is uplink transmission or sidelink transmission of the terminal, is also included between the target uplink transmission and the target downlink transmission. ¶0087 - the terminal acquires the COT and sends the target uplink transmission to the network device through the first time domain resource in the COT, so that the network device may perform the target downlink transmission using the second time domain resource in the COT, so that the network device may have a higher probability of accessing the unlicensed spectrum. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”); OR sharing, by the network side device, second COT with the terminal after successfully initiating the channel access for the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the second COT is used by the terminal for sending an SL signal and a Uu signal.
Re. Claim 13, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 10.
Additionally, Wu further teaches receiving, by the network side device, first control information sent by the terminal, wherein the first control information is sent by the terminal to the network side device after successful access of a plurality of carriers or a plurality of LBT sub-bands (¶0039 - The network device performs LBT (which, for example, may be single slot channel detection) on an unlicensed spectrum in gap time. If the LBT is successful, channel occupancy time in a next fixed frame period may be used for transmission of signals… In other words, channel resources that may be used by the communication device for sending services occur periodically); and the first control information is used to indicate at least one of following: a quantity of carriers shared with the network side device, a number of a carrier shared with the network side device, a quantity of LBT sub-bands shared to the network side device (¶0038 - Cat-4 LBT may mean that a channel detection mode of the communication device is multi-slot channel detection based on random backoff adjusted according to a contention window size. Specifically, Cat-4 LBT may include different channel access priorities according to priorities of transmission services. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”), OR a number of an LBT sub-band shared with the network side device.
Re. Claim 14, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 11.
Additionally, Wu further teaches configuring, by the network side device, sendable information and/or a sharing mode for the terminal, wherein the sharing mode comprises at least one: a mode in which sharing COT is not allowed, a mode in which the first COT is shared with the terminal (¶0081 - the parameter indication information is an RRC parameter configured by the network device for COT sharing of the terminal. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”), OR a mode in which the second COT is shared with the terminal.
Yet, the Wu does not expressly teach wherein the sendable information comprises at least one of following: the SL signal OR the Uu signal.
However, Wang explicitly teaches wherein the sendable information comprises at least one of following: the SL signal (Pg. 19, Line 30 - the data on the sidelink of the unlicensed spectrum is unicast and is transmitted in both directions… Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”) OR the Uu signal.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Wang to the teaching of Wu. The motivation for such would be in order to improve transmission efficiency via the use of a Sidelink signal as Wang provides a sendable information using an SL signal (Wang, Pg. 19 Line 30). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 15, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 11.
Additionally, Wu further teaches configuring, by the network side device, that processes of sending different information in sendable information correspond to different ED thresholds, and that different sharing modes correspond to different ED thresholds (¶0011-0012 - channel sensing on the unlicensed carrier corresponding to the first direction according to at least one of: a service priority corresponding to the first direction, a transmission power corresponding to the first direction, an energy detection threshold corresponding to the first direction. Also see ¶0021-0022, which describes a second channel), and the sharing mode comprises at least one of following: a mode in which sharing COT is not allowed, a mode in which the first COT is shared with the terminal (¶0081 - the parameter indication information is an RRC parameter configured by the network device for COT sharing of the terminal. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”), OR a mode in which the second COT is shared with the terminal.
Yet, Wu does not expressly teach wherein sending, by the network side device, second indication information to the terminal, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate an ED threshold and/or a sharing mode used by the terminal in an information sending process; the sendable information comprises at least one of following: the SL signal or the Uu signal.
However, Wang explicitly teaches wherein sending, by the network side device, second indication information to the terminal, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate an ED threshold and/or a sharing mode used by the terminal in an information sending process; the sendable information comprises at least one of following: the SL signal or the Uu signal (Pg. 19 Line 30 - the data on the sidelink of the unlicensed spectrum is unicast and is transmitted in both directions… Pg. 16, Line 13 - the first terminal device can perform uplink control when receiving the instruction information… Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Wang to the teaching of Wu. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency via the use of Sidelink signals as Wang provides a sharing mode using an SL signal or Uu signal (Wang, Pg. 19 Line 30). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 16, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 10.
Yet, Wu further teaches a first channel access parameter or a second channel access parameter, wherein the first channel access parameter is a parameter required by the terminal for performing channel access in load-based equipment (LBE) mode (¶0036 - a mode by which a communication device obtains channel occupancy time may be a channel access mode of Load-based equipment (LBE), that is, the communication device may perform LBT on an unlicensed spectrum after a service arrives, and start sending of signals after the LBT is successful); and the second channel access parameter is a parameter required by the terminal for performing channel access in frame-based equipment (FBE) mode (¶0036-0037 - it may be a channel access mode of Frame-based equipment (FBE), that is, the communication device periodically performs the LBT on an unlicensed spectrum).
Re. Claim 17, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 16.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the first channel access parameter comprises at least one of following: clear channel assess (CCA) duration, contention window length (¶0033 - a channel access mode of a communication device is multi-slot channel detection based on random backoff of a fixed contention window size. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”), channel occupancy length, or energy detection (ED) threshold; and/or the second channel access parameter comprises at least one of following: frame start position, frame offset, frame period length, CCA duration, channel occupancy length, idle period length, or ED threshold.
Claims 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Karaki, Wang and Niu et al. (CN 110535548 B), hereinafter Niu.
Re Claim 5, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claims 2 and 16.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the channel access parameter comprises the first channel access parameter (¶0036 - a mode by which a communication device obtains channel occupancy time may be a channel access mode of Load-based equipment (LBE), that is, the communication device may perform LBT on an unlicensed spectrum after a service arrives, and start sending of signals after the LBT is successful. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”) and/or the second channel access parameter.
Yet, the combination of Wu, Karaki, and Wang does not expressly teach the receiving the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum based on a working state of the terminal, wherein the working state comprises an on-line working state and an off-line working state.
However, Niu explicitly teaches the receiving the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum based on a working state of the terminal (Pg. 5, Line 40 - If the terminal uses the spectrum resource of the unlicensed spectrum, the terminal in the active state already has the dedicated resource allocated by the base station, that is, the terminal has contended for the spectrum resource in the unlicensed spectrum through a contention mechanism. When the terminal is in an idle state or an inactive state, the terminal needs to perform cell selection, select a suitable cell to camp on, receive system information and paging information in the camped cell, and even initiate an access process), wherein the working state comprises an on-line working state and an off-line working state (Pg. 5, Line 39 - In addition to the idle state and the inactive state, the terminal has one state, i.e., active state (Active)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Niu to the teaching of Wu, Karaki, and Wang. The motivation for such would be in order to improve transmission efficiency by considering the working state of the terminal as Niu provides receiving a channel access parameter configured by the network device based on a working state of the terminal (Niu, Pg. 5 Line 40). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re Claim 18, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 16.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the channel access parameter comprises the first channel access parameter (¶0036 - a mode by which a communication device obtains channel occupancy time may be a channel access mode of Load-based equipment (LBE), that is, the communication device may perform LBT on an unlicensed spectrum after a service arrives, and start sending of signals after the LBT is successful. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “And/Or”) and/or the second channel access parameter.
Yet, the combination of Wu, Karaki, and Wang does not expressly teach the receiving the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum based on a working state of the terminal, wherein the working state comprises an on-line working state and an off-line working state.
However, Niu explicitly teaches the receiving the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the channel access parameter configured by the network side device for the unlicensed spectrum based on a working state of the terminal (Pg. 5, Line 40 - If the terminal uses the spectrum resource of the unlicensed spectrum, the terminal in the active state already has the dedicated resource allocated by the base station, that is, the terminal has contended for the spectrum resource in the unlicensed spectrum through a contention mechanism. When the terminal is in an idle state or an inactive state, the terminal needs to perform cell selection, select a suitable cell to camp on, receive system information and paging information in the camped cell, and even initiate an access process), wherein the working state comprises an on-line working state and an off-line working state (Pg. 5, Line 39 - In addition to the idle state and the inactive state, the terminal has one state, i.e., active state (Active)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Niu to the teaching of Wu, Karaki, and Wang. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency via considering the working state of the terminal as Niu provides receiving a channel access parameter configured by the network device based on a working state of the terminal (Niu, Pg. 5 Line 40). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Karaki, Wang and Zhou et al (2021/0297869), hereinafter Zhou.
Re. Claim 12, Wu, Karaki, and Wang teach Claim 11.
Additionally, Wu further teaches wherein the sharing modes comprise: a mode in which the first COT is shared with the terminal, and a mode in which the second COT is shared with the terminal (¶0087 - the terminal acquires the COT and sends the target uplink transmission to the network device through the first time domain resource in the COT, so that the network device may perform the target downlink transmission using the second time domain resource in the COT).
Yet, the combination of Wu, Karaki, and Wang does not expressly teach wherein different sharing modes correspond to different ED thresholds.
However, Zhou expressly teaches wherein different sharing modes correspond to different ED thresholds (¶0004 - a node uses the Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) mechanism to determine whether a current channel is available, according to a result of Energy detection).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Zhou to the teaching of Wu, Karaki, and Wang. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency via improved data storage and use, as Zhou provides a means by which different sharing modes correspond to different ED thresholds (Zhou ¶0004). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are considered moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Applicant’s argument focuses on the newly removed alternate embodiments found in independent claims 1, 10, and 19, as the claims have been amended to remove limitations previously rejected by the Examiner in favor of the embodiments the examiner overlooked. As such, Examiner interprets that this is a material change to the claim language which permits Examiner to maintain a final rejection while also reconsidering and subsequently changing the grounds of rejection. Upon reconsideration, Examiner finds that with the amendment provided, the previously introduced reference Kuang et al. (2022/033818) is no longer as applicable to the rejection and as such, reference Wu, Zuomin (2022/0201750) has been made to be the primary reference while the limitation that Applicant has amended to highlight is now rejected using newly introduced reference Karaki et al. (2022/0330338). As such, Examiner has provided an amended rejection to the claimed language and maintains his rejection on the independent claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, as well as all claims depending therein.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lin et al. (WO 202102603 A1) – Fig 1. & Pg. 5 Line 19 – Pg. 7 Line 14.
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 NOAH JAMES SUGDEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7406. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 9:00-6:00 ET, Fri 9:00-1:00 ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Khaled Kassim can be reached at (571) 270-3770. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/N.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475
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