DEATILED 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 .
Response to Amendment
The examiner has taken notice that claims 1-13 and 15-16 and 19 have been amended. Claims 17 and 18 have been canceled. Claims 1-16 and 19 are now pending in the present application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see response, filed 11/24/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3 and 13 under 35 U.S.C 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Fouad, Wu and Talarico.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fouad et al. (US 2023/0300801) in view of Wu et al. (US 2022/0346118) in further view of Lee et al. (US 2023/0354270).
Regarding claim 1, Fouad teaches a method comprising: determining that two or more sidelink slots of a first radio access technology overlaps sidelink subframe of a second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0271]-[0272] describes multiple NR sidelink slots overlapping a single LTE sidelink subframe);
detecting whether the second radio access technology is using the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0064]-[0066]; [0099]-[0207] describes detection of whether the LTE is using a sidelink subframe);
determining by an outcome of at least one evaluated condition whether to transmit in the one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots or refrain to transmit in the two or more overlapping sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0207]-[0209] describes if energy detected refrain (step 11117), if not detected transmit );
Fouad doesn’t teach and performing sidelink transmission with a same transmit power in all the sidelink slots that overlap the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology when it is determined to transmit in the one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots, wherein the method further comprises: indicating in a sidelink control information that data transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots, wherein the sidelink control information identifies which sidelink slots of the two or more sidelink slots are part of the group of sidelink slots wherein the two or more sidelink slots support slot aggregation, and wherein the two or more sidelink slots that support slot aggregation is configured for single slot transmission based on at least one condition for using only a single slot in the group of sidelink slots, wherein the at least one condition for using only a single slot in an aggregate group of sidelink slots comprises: a latency threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology, and a receive power threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology.
However, Lee teaches and performing sidelink transmission with a same transmit power in all the sidelink slots that overlap the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0012]; [0214] describes the determination of slot-subframe overlaps between different radio access technologies and teaches “the SL transmission may always be performed using the same transmit power in consecutive N.sub.slot” since that multiple slots overlap the second RAT subframe, this power control principle necessarily applies to all those overlapping slots)
However, Wu teaches when it is determined to transmit in the one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots, wherein the method further comprises: indicating in a sidelink control information that data transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0231]; [0234]; [0295] describes that the grouping information is carried within the sidelink control information on a per-slot basis),
Wu teaches wherein the sidelink control information identifies which sidelink slots of the two or more sidelink slots are part of the group of sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0200]; [0234] describes that the SCI identifies which specific slots belongs to the aggregation group by indicating the position of each aggregation slot relative to the first or previous slot),
Wu teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots support slot aggregation (Paragraphs [0196]; [0292]-[0293] describes two or more slots are aggregated for a single PSSCH transmission),
Wu teaches and wherein the two or more sidelink slots that support slot aggregation is configured for single slot transmission based on at least one condition for using only a single slot in the group of sidelink slots, wherein the at least one condition for using only a single slot in an aggregate group of sidelink slots comprises: a latency threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology, and a receive power threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0325]; [0345] describes a priority threshold governing selection between single-slot and slot-aggregation transmission. When the PSSCH priority value exceeds the threshold (lower priority), single-slot transmission is used rather than aggregation).
Fouad, Wu and Lee are considered analogous to the claimed invention, as they are in the same filed of wireless communication and multi-radio access technology (RAT) coexistence, specifically addressing interference mitigation and resource coordination between LTE sidelink and NR sidelink systems operating in shared spectrum.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Hwang and Wu to incorporate the teachings of Lee regarding consistent power control across consecutive transmission slots to improve performance of the communication system (Lee, Paragraph [0026]).
Regarding claim 3, Fouad teaches an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine that two or more sidelink slots of a first radio access technology overlap a sidelink subframe of a second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0323]; Paragraphs [0271]-[0272] describes multiple NR sidelink slots overlapping a single LTE sidelink subframe);
detect whether the second radio access technology is using the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0064]-[0066]; [0099]-[0207] describes detection of whether the LTE is using a sidelink subframe);
determine by an outcome of at least one evaluated condition whether to transmit in one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots or refrain to transmit in the two or more overlapping sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0207]-[0209] describes if energy detected refrain (step 11117), if not detected transmit);
Fouad doesn’t teach and perform sidelink transmission with a same transmit power in all the sidelink slots that overlap the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology
However, Lee teaches and perform sidelink transmission with a same transmit power in all the sidelink slots that overlap the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0012]; [0214] describes the determination of slot-subframe overlaps between different radio access technologies and teaches “the SL transmission may always be performed using the same transmit power in consecutive N.sub.slot” since that multiple slots overlap the second RAT subframe, this power control principle necessarily applies to all those overlapping slots)
Fouad doesn’t teach when it is determined to transmit in the one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots, wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: indicate in a sidelink control information that data transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots,
However, Wu teaches when it is determined to transmit in the one or more of the two or more overlapping sidelink slots, wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: indicate in a sidelink control information that data transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0231]; [0234]; [0295] describes that the grouping information is carried within the sidelink control information on a per-slot basis),
Wu teaches wherein the sidelink control information identifies which sidelink slots of the two or more sidelink slots are part of the group of sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0200]; [0234] describes that the SCI identifies which specific slots belongs to the aggregation group by indicating the position of each aggregation slot relative to the first or previous slot),
Wu teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots support slot aggregation (Paragraphs [0196]; [0292]-[0293] describes two or more slots are aggregated for a single PSSCH transmission),
Wu teaches and wherein the two or more sidelink slots that support slot aggregation is configured for single slot transmission based on at least one condition for using only a single slot in the group of sidelink slots, wherein the at least one condition for using only a single slot in an aggregate group of sidelink slots comprises: a latency threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology, and a receive power threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0325]; [0345] describes a priority threshold governing selection between single-slot and slot-aggregation transmission. When the PSSCH priority value exceeds the threshold (lower priority), single-slot transmission is used rather than aggregation).
Regarding claim 4, Fouad in view of Wu and, Lee, Fouad teaches wherein in response to the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology being detected to not be in use, the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: perform the transmission on at least one slot of the one or more sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0064]-0067]; [0221]; [0256] describes the apparatus performs sensing to determine resource availability and performs transmissions on specific slots within the available resources).
Regarding claim 5, Fouad in view of Wu and, Lee, Fouad teaches wherein in response to the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology being detected to be in use, the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: perform the transmission in all of the at least two or more sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0066]-[0067]; [0277] describes where NR transmits on slot 1, receives ACK by slot 4, then uses all remaining slots within the LTE subframe window constitutes transmission on all slots of the aggregated group).
Regarding claim 7, Fouad in view of Wu and, Lee, Fouad teaches wherein the determination that two or more sidelink slots of the first radio access technology overlaps the subframes sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology is based on an overlap in time of a resource pool of the first radio access technology and a resource pool of the second radio access technology, and sensing results on resources of the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0139]-[0142] describes combining “resources falling in coexistence band” (pool overlap) with “considering sensing results” in the same resource determination procedure).
Claim(s) 2 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Talarico et al. (US 2025/0220687).
Regarding claim 2, Talarico teaches a method, comprising: receiving, from a user equipment of a first radio access technology, a transmission on a resource selected from an aggregated group comprising two or more sidelink slots of the first radio access technology overlapping a sidelink subframe of a second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0096]-[0099] describes a receiving device in this system necessarily receives transmissions spanning an aggregated group of NR slots coinciding with an LTE subframe. The reception of a multi-consecutive slot transmission that occupies the same time as the LTE subframe);
Talarico doesn’t teach receiving, from the user equipment of the first radio access technology, sidelink control information indicating that the transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots, wherein the sidelink control information identifies which sidelink slots are part of the aggregated group; and determining, based on the sidelink control information, a slot of the aggregated group for which a physical sidelink feedback channel should be transmitted, wherein the two or more sidelink slots support slot aggregation, and wherein the two or more sidelink slots that support slot aggregation is configured for single slot transmission based on at least one condition for using only a single slot in the group of sidelink slots, wherein the at least one condition for using only a single slot in an aggregate group of sidelink slots comprises: a latency threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology.
Wu teaches receiving, from the user equipment of the first radio access technology, sidelink control information indicating that the transmission is part of a group of sidelink slots (Paragraphs [0200]; [0234] describes that the SCI identifies which specific slots belongs to the aggregation group by indicating the position of each aggregation slot relative to the first or previous slot),
Wu teaches wherein the sidelink control information identifies which sidelink slots are part of the aggregated group (Paragraphs [0200]; [0234] describes that the SCI identifies which specific slots belongs to the aggregation group by indicating the position of each aggregation slot relative to the first or previous slot);
In analogous art Wu teaches and determining, based on the sidelink control information, a slot of the aggregated group for which a physical sidelink feedback channel should be transmitted (Paragraphs [0354]-[0356]; [0362] describes that the receiving UE determines the PSFCH slot by identifying the last slot of the aggregated group and a determination made using the group composition information carried in SCI),
Wu teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots support slot aggregation (Paragraphs [0196]; [0292]-[0293] describes two or more slots are aggregated for a single PSSCH transmission),
Wu teaches and wherein the two or more sidelink slots that support slot aggregation is configured for single slot transmission based on at least one condition for using only a single slot in the group of sidelink slots, wherein the at least one condition for using only a single slot in an aggregate group of sidelink slots comprises: a latency threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of using single slot transmission, a priority threshold of detected transmission in the second radio access technology (Paragraphs [0325]; [0345] describes a priority threshold governing selection between single-slot and slot-aggregation transmission. When the PSSCH priority value exceeds the threshold (lower priority), single-slot transmission is used rather than aggregation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Talarico to incorporate the teachings of Wu sidelink slots support slot aggregation to improve the reception Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) on the RX UE side so as to enlarge the coverage (Wu, Paragraph [0218]).
Regarding claim 14, Fouad in view of Wu and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein the physical sidelink feedback channel is transmitted in a first slot or a last slot of the aggregated group (Paragraph [0032] describes PSFCH in the first slot of the two-slot aggregated group).
Regarding claim 15, Fouad in view of Wu and Talarico, Fouad teaches wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: derive, based on the sidelink control information (Paragraph [0083]; [0107] describes SCI- based derivation od reserved resource information by receiving/sensing UEs),
Talarico teaches a single physical sidelink feedback channel feedback for reserved sidelink slots in the aggregated group, or derive, based on the sidelink control information, a plurality of distinct physical sidelink feedback channel feedback resources for the reserved sidelink slots in the aggregated group (Paragraphs [0048]-[0050] describes reserved resources within the selection window, identified by periodicity and duration in SCI).
Regarding claim 16, Fouad in view of Wu and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots in the aggregated group comprises a first set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a first sub-carrier spacing, and wherein the two or more sidelink slots in the aggregated group comprises a second set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a second sub-carrier spacing (Paragraphs [0096]-[0099] describes two different SCS values each producing a different and defined set of overlapping slots within the coexistence framework).
Claim 13 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2 respectively.
Claim(s) 6-12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fouad in view of Wu and in further view of Lee and Talarico.
Regarding claim 6, Fouad in view of Wu and Lee don’t teach wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprises a first set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a first sub-carrier spacing, and wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprises a second set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a second sub-carrier spacing.
In analogous art, Talarico teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprises a first set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a first sub-carrier spacing, and wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprises a second set of sidelink slots when the transmission is performed with a second sub-carrier spacing (Paragraphs [0096]-[0099] describes two different SCS values each producing a different and defined set of overlapping slots within the coexistence framework).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fouad in view of Wu and Lee to incorporate the teachings of Talarico transmission is performed with a first and second sub-carrier spacing to improve the co-existence between NR V2X and LTE V2X (Talarico, Paragraph [0036]).
Regarding claim 8, Fouad in view of Wu, Lee and Talarico, Fouad teaches wherein the determination that two or more sidelink slots of the first radio access technology overlaps the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology is based on a resource pool configuration of the first radio access technology (Paragraphs [0145]-[0147] describes RRC configured resource pool determines which NR slots overlap with LTE, the pool configuration is the basis for the overlap determination),
Talarico teaches wherein the resource pool configuration comprises support of slot aggregation of the first radio access technology, wherein the support of slot aggregation of the first radio access technology comprising granularity (Paragraphs [0046]; [0047]; [0099] describes the multi-consecutive slot transmission structure configured within the NR resource pool, and 2 slot and 4-slot aggregation granularity based on SCS, combined with the exclusion of PSFCH slots from aggregation),
Talarico teaches and specific sidelink slots that can be aggregated, and wherein the slot aggregation comprises transmission in two or more consecutive sidelink slots that overlaps the sidelink subframe of the second radio access technology (Paragraph [0099] describes slot aggregation involving consecutive slots (two slots aggregated together) that overlap with the second RAT (LTE) subframes.).
Regarding claim 9, Fouad in view of Wu, Lee and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprise two new radio sidelink slots with a 30 kHz sub-carrier spacing that overlap a single long term evolution sidelink subframe (Paragraphs [0032]; [0099] describes 2 for 30 KHZ occupying the same time as the LTE V2X sub-frame),
Fouad teaches and wherein a new radio sidelink slot boundary is aligned in time with a long term evolution sidelink subframe boundary (Paragraphs [0057]; [0193] describes subframe boundary alignment between LTE and NR sidelinks as a system).
Regarding claim 10, Fouad in view of Wu, Lee and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein the sidelink control information indicates that the transmission is part of a group of slots and identifies which slots are part of the group of slots, and further indicates that transmission is only in a first slot of the group of slots (Paragraphs [0048]-[0052]; [0098]-[0099] describes SCI identifying which slots are part of the group).
Regarding claim 11, Fouad in view of Wu, Lee and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein a physical sidelink feedback channel resource is selected by counting from a last new radio sidelink slot of the group of slots, and the physical sidelink feedback channel includes an automatic gain control (Paragraphs [0032]; [0046]; [0095] describes PSFCH placement in slot 1 within a two-slot group is equivalent to counting backward one slot from the last slot (slot 2)).
Regarding claim 12, Fouad in view of Wu, Lee and Talarico, Talarico teaches wherein the two or more sidelink slots comprises a plurality of slot formats, wherein the plurality of slot formats comprise variations of a combination of an automatic gain control symbol (Paragraph [0099] describes the first symbol can be either AGC or PSCCH/PSSCH),
Talarico teaches a physical sidelink shared channel transmission occasion (Paragraphs [0099] describes PSSCH as one of the building block components of the slot format framework ),
Fouad teaches a guard symbol ([0191] describes “guard period” as the last symbol of the NR SL slot format),
Talarico teaches and an associated physical sidelink feedback channel occasion (Paragraph [0032]; [0046] describes PSFCH as a configured slot component with defined periodicity establishes PSFCH occasion as a discrete slot format element).
Claim 19 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 12 respectively.
Conclusion
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/Chandrahas B Patel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/M.W.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464