DETAILED ACTION
Claims status
In response to the application filed on 12/18/2025, claims 1-4, 6-10, 12, 15-17 and 19-20 are currently pending for the examination. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6, and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by ZHANG et al. (US 2023/0012983 A1 as PCT filed on Apr. 9, 2020, and the publication is being used as a translated version of the PCT application).
Regarding claim 1; Zhang teaches a method of a first user equipment (UE) (See Fig. 6 and its steps performed by the Second Terminal or First UE), comprising:
receiving, from a second UE, a first signaling triggering transmission of inter-user equipment (UE) coordination information (See Fig. 6: at steps 601 and 602, receiving the first sidelink and second sidelink information (SCI) using PSCCH and PSSCH from the First Terminal (i.e., second UE). ¶ [0100 and 0101]. Note: the combination of the first and second SCI is being analyzed as first signaling);
determining a type of resource based on in the first signaling (See Fig. 6: 603: the second terminal equipment (i.e., the first UE) determines sidelink resource information according to the triggering information and the indication information; ¶ [0103] and ¶ [0104]); and
transmitting, to the second UE, a second signaling including the inter-UE coordination information including information on the type of resource (See Fig. 6: @ step 604: the first terminal equipment receives the sidelink resource information reported by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0105]) and information on a set of resources of the type;
wherein the type of the resource comprises a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource (See Figs. 2 and 6: the sidelink resource information (also referred to as coordination information in this text) includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment and/or a sidelink resource set not preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0069]); and
wherein the inter-UE coordination information is used to select at least one resource for sidelink communications (See Figs. 2 and 6: UE A transmits a resource set SA that UE A prefers to use to UE B, and UE B determines based on sensing that a resource set that UE B prefers to use is SB, then UE B may select resources within an intersection of SB and SA for transmission when selecting resources. ¶ [0071]).
Regarding claim 2; Zhang teaches the method wherein the first signaling includes information indicating the type and information indicating a resource region (See Fig. 2: the sidelink resource information (also referred to as coordination information in this text) includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment and/or a sidelink resource set not preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0069]).
Regarding claim 3; Zhang teaches the method wherein the inter-UE coordination information is generated based on the information indicating a resource region (See Fig. 6: UE A transmits coordination information to UE B, the coordination information including a resource set that UE A prefers to use, or a resource set that UE A does not prefer to use, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of this disclosure. See ¶ [0069-0071]).
Regarding claim 6; Zhang teaches the method wherein the first signaling includes information on a resource size required by the second UE, and wherein a size of the set of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information corresponds to the resource size indicated by the first signaling (Zhang and See Fig. 5: the first indication information includes at least one of the following or a combination thereof: resource selection window information, resource set size information, or resource frequency domain size information. ¶ [0088]).
Regarding claim 15; Zhang teaches a first user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the first UE (See Fig. 6 and its steps performed by the Second Terminal or First UE) comprising: a processor; and a memory storing one or more instructions executable by the processor, wherein the one or more instructions are executed to perform:
receiving, from a second UE, a first signaling triggering transmission of inter-user equipment (UE) coordination information (See Fig. 6: at steps 601 and 602, receiving the first sidelink and second sidelink information (SCI) using PSCCH and PSSCH from the First Terminal (i.e., second UE). ¶ [0100 and 0101]. Note: the combination of the first and second SCI is being analyzed as first signaling);
determining a type of resource based on in the first signaling (See Fig. 6: 603: the second terminal equipment (i.e., the first UE) determines sidelink resource information according to the triggering information and the indication information; ¶ [0103] and ¶ [0104]); and
transmitting, to the second UE, a second signaling including the inter-UE coordination information including information on the type of resource (See Fig. 6: @ step 604: the first terminal equipment receives the sidelink resource information reported by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0105]) and information on a set of resources of the type;
wherein the type of the resource comprises a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource (See Figs. 2 and 6: the sidelink resource information (also referred to as coordination information in this text) includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment and/or a sidelink resource set not preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0069]); and
wherein the inter-UE coordination information is used to select at least one resource for sidelink communications (See Figs. 2 and 6: UE A transmits a resource set SA that UE A prefers to use to UE B, and UE B determines based on sensing that a resource set that UE B prefers to use is SB, then UE B may select resources within an intersection of SB and SA for transmission when selecting resources. ¶ [0071]).
Regarding claim 16; Zhang teaches the first UE wherein the first signaling includes information indicating the type and information indicating a resource region (See Fig. 2: the sidelink resource information (also referred to as coordination information in this text) includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment and/or a sidelink resource set not preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment. ¶ [0069]).
Regarding claim 17; Zhang teaches the first UE wherein when the first signaling includes resource information, the determined type is a non-preferred resource, and all resources belonging to a resource region indicated by the resource information are the non-preferred resource, the inter-UE coordination information indicates a preferred resource (See Fig. 6: UE A transmits coordination information to UE B, the coordination information including a resource set that UE A prefers to use, or a resource set that UE A does not prefer to use, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of this disclosure. See ¶ [0069-0071]).
Regarding claim 19; Zhang teaches the first UE wherein the first signaling includes information on a resource size required by the second UE, and wherein a size of the set of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information corresponds to the resource size indicated by the first signaling (Zhang and See Fig. 5: the first indication information includes at least one of the following or a combination thereof: resource selection window information, resource set size information, or resource frequency domain size information. ¶ [0088]).
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 4, 8—10, 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG et al. (US 2023/0012983 A1 as PCT filed on Apr. 9, 2020, and the publication is used as a translated version of the PCT application) in view of YE et al. (US 2022/0322360 A1 as PCT filed on Oct 15, 2020).
Regarding claim 8; Zhang teaches a method of a second user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, (See Fig. 6 and its steps performed by the First Terminal or Second UE) the method comprising:
transmitting, to a first UE, a first signaling triggering transmission of inter-user equipment (UE) coordination information (See Fig. 6: at steps 601 and 602, receiving at the Second Terminal (i.e., first UE) the first sidelink and second sidelink information (SCI) using PSCCH and PSSCH from the First Terminal (i.e., second UE). ¶ [0100 and 0101]. Note: the combination of the first and second SCI is being analyzed as first signaling); and
receiving, from the first UE, a second signaling including the inter-UE coordination information (See Fig. 6: at step 604: the first terminal equipment (i.e., Second UE) receives the sidelink resource information (i.e., signaling#2) reported by the second terminal equipment (i.e., from the First UE). ¶ [0105]);
identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information (See Fig. 6: 603: the second terminal equipment determines sidelink resource information according to the triggering information and the indication information; ¶ [0603]); and
determining a sidelink resource based on the type of resource; (See Figs. 2-6: the sidelink resource information includes a sidelink resource set preferred (i.e., type of resource) to be used by the second terminal equipment ¶ [0137]);
wherein the type of the resource comprises a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource (See Figs. 2 and 6: the sidelink resource information includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment and/or a sidelink resource set not preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment.t. ¶ [0162]).
Even though, Zhang teaches transmitting the first signaling and receiving the second signaling including the inter-UE coordination information and identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information, Zhang doesn’t explicitly discuss identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information based on an information element included in the signaling.
YE further teaches the method of identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information based on an information element included in the signaling (See Fig. 10: At steps 1002 and 1004, the UE to receive a set of preferred resources via an inter-UE coordination message and to identify a set of resources within a resource selection window at 1004. ¶ [0137]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide that identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information based on an information element included in the signaling e as taught by YE to have incorporated in the system of Zhang, so that it would provide that when the set of resources are indicated as non-preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), exclude at least a portion of the set of resources from the determined resources available for sidelink communication to generate a candidate resource set. As another example, in some embodiments, the UE may be configured to determine resources available for sidelink communication and, when the set of resources are indicated as preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), determine an interaction set of resources based on a comparison of the resources available for sidelink communication and the set of resources. YE: ¶ [0006].
Regarding claim 9; Zhang in view of YE discloses the method wherein when the first signaling includes resource information, the type of the resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information is identified as the non-preferred resource (YE: See Fig. 8 and step 802, a UE. such as UE 106, may receive, from a coordinating UE. a set of non-preferred resources via an inter-UE coordination message. At this point, the UE may not have selected sidelink resources, thus the UE may apply the set of-non-preferred resources as part of a resource selection procedure. ¶ [0130]).
Regarding claim 10; Zhang teaches the method wherein when the first signaling does not include resource information (Zhang: the second terminal equipment does not transmit the sidelink resource information if the first transport block is correctly received. ¶ [0122]).
Even though, Zhang teaches not transmitting the sidelink resource information if the sidelink resource block is received correctly, Zhang doesn’t explicitly provide the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource.
However, YE discloses the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource (YE: The inter-UE coordination message may include an indication of a set of resources and an indication of whether the set of resources are preferred resources or non-preferred resources. See Abstract and ¶ [0135]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide that the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource as taught by YE to have incorporated in the system of Zhang, so that it would provide that when the set of resources are indicated as non-preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), exclude at least a portion of the set of resources from the determined resources available for sidelink communication to generate a candidate resource set. As another example, in some embodiments, the UE may be configured to determine resources available for sidelink communication and, when the set of resources are indicated as preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), determine an interaction set of resources based on a comparison of the resources available for sidelink communication and the set of resources. YE: ¶ [0006].
Regarding claim 12; Zhang teaches the method wherein the first signaling includes information on a resource size required by the second UE, and a size of the resource indicated by the inter- UE coordination information corresponds to the resource size indicated by the first signaling (Zhang and See Fig. 5: the first indication information includes at least one of the following or a combination thereof: resource selection window information, resource set size information, or resource frequency domain size information. ¶ [0088]).
Regarding claims 4 and 17; Zhang teaches the method wherein when the first signaling does not include resource information (Zhang: the second terminal equipment does not transmit the sidelink resource information if the first transport block is correctly received. ¶ [0122]).
Even though, Zhang teaches not transmitting the sidelink resource information if the sidelink resource block is received correctly, Zhang doesn’t explicitly provide the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource.
However, YE discloses the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource (YE: The inter-UE coordination message may include an indication of a set of resources and an indication of whether the set of resources are preferred resources or non-preferred resources. See Abstract and ¶ [0135]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide that the determined type is a preferred resource, and the inter-UE coordination information indicates the preferred resource as taught by YE to have incorporated in the system of Zhang, so that it would provide that when the set of resources are indicated as non-preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), exclude at least a portion of the set of resources from the determined resources available for sidelink communication to generate a candidate resource set. As another example, in some embodiments, the UE may be configured to determine resources available for sidelink communication and, when the set of resources are indicated as preferred (e.g., via the inter-UE coordination message), determine an interaction set of resources based on a comparison of the resources available for sidelink communication and the set of resources. YE: ¶ [0006].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon the rejected base claims but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
In response to the amendment as filed on 12/18/2025, Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended claims have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Arguments:
Applicant argued that the cited prior arts “transmitting or receiving inter-user equipment (UE) coordination information”.
Examiner’s responses:
Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Specifically, Zhang discloses a method performed by a second UE (see Fig. 6, steps performed by the First Terminal or Second UE), comprising:
Transmitting, to a first UE, a first signaling triggering transmission of inter-UE coordination information
Zhang discloses, at Fig. 6 (steps 601 and 602), receiving at the Second Terminal (i.e., first UE) first sidelink control information (SCI) and second SCI via PSCCH and PSSCH from the First Terminal (i.e., second UE) (¶¶ [0100]–[0101]).
The combination of the first SCI and second SCI constitutes signaling exchanged between UEs over a sidelink. Such sidelink communication between two UEs reasonably corresponds to inter-UE coordination information, as it conveys resource-related coordination data between peer devices.
Receiving, from the first UE, a second signaling including the inter-UE coordination information
Zhang further discloses at Fig. 6, step 604, that the first terminal equipment (i.e., Second UE) receives sidelink resource information reported by the second terminal equipment (i.e., First UE) (¶ [0105]).
This reported sidelink resource information constitutes inter-UE coordination information, as it conveys resource usage preferences and/or resource-related coordination data between UEs.
Identifying a type of resource indicated by the inter-UE coordination information
At step 603 of Fig. 6, Zhang discloses that the second terminal equipment determines sidelink resource information according to triggering information and indication information (see ¶ [0103]).
Additionally, Zhang discloses that the sidelink resource information includes a sidelink resource set preferred to be used by the second terminal equipment (¶ [0137]).
Determining a sidelink resource based on the type of resource
As shown in Figs. 2–6 and described at ¶ [0137] and ¶ [0162], the sidelink resource information may include a preferred resource set and/or a non-preferred resource set. Thus, the type of resource comprises a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource, and the UE determines the sidelink resource based on that type.
Accordingly, Zhang teaches transmitting and receiving inter-UE coordination information and distinguishing between preferred and non-preferred resources for sidelink communication.
Regarding Identification Based on an Information Element:
While Zhang does not explicitly disclose that the type of resource is identified based on a specific information element included in the signaling, this limitation is taught by Ye et al. (US 2022/0322360 A1).
Ye discloses, at Fig. 10 (steps 1002 and 1004), that a UE receives a set of preferred resources via an inter-UE coordination message and identifies a set of resources within a resource selection window (¶ [0137]). The coordination message includes information elements that indicate whether resources are preferred or non-preferred.
Furthermore, Ye explains (¶ [0006]) that:
When resources are indicated as non-preferred via the inter-UE coordination message, the UE excludes at least a portion of those resources from the candidate resource set; and
When resources are indicated as preferred, the UE determines an interaction set based on a comparison between available resources and the indicated preferred resources.
Thus, Ye expressly teaches identifying a type of resource (preferred or non-preferred) based on information included in an inter-UE coordination message and determining resource selection accordingly.
Motivation to Combine:
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Ye’s explicit teaching of identifying preferred/non-preferred resources based on information elements into Zhang’s sidelink coordination framework. Both references address inter-UE sidelink resource coordination and resource selection optimization. The combination merely applies a known technique (explicit identification of resource type via signaling information elements) to improve the predictability and efficiency of resource selection in Zhang’s system.
Therefore, the combination of Zhang and Ye teaches or suggests all the claimed limitations, including transmitting and receiving inter-UE coordination information and identifying a type of resource indicated by such information based on an information element included in the signaling. Accordingly, Applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
In view of the above reasoning, the combined teaching of Zhang and YE successfully teaches every limitation of the claimed elements. Therefore, the combined teaching also renders the rest of the dependent claims. Thus, Examiner believes that all the rejections shall be sustained.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAI AUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-3507. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, Alt Fridays, 7:30 AM- 5:00 PM (EST).
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/SAI AUNG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416