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 .
Response to Amendment
The examiner has taken notice that claims 1-5, 9, 12, 13, 22-27 and 29-30 have been amended. Claims 1-30 are now pending in the present application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see response, filed 12/17/2025 with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 22, 29 and 30 under 35 U.S.C 102(a)(1) 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 Luong.
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) 1-8, 10-12, 15-20, 22, 23, 25, 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0219268; hereinafter Li) in view of Luong et al. (US 20210392506; hereinafter Luong).
Regarding claim 1, Li in view of Luong , Li teaches a wireless communication device for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: sense, using a beam sweeping operation during a channel check period (Paragraphs [0099]; [0109]; [0206]; [0256]; [0145]-[0147] describes beam sweeping operations where a UE sweeps its beam to different receivers each time (e.g., beam sweeping for area coverage)),
Li doesn’t teach a shared wireless communication channel shared between devices associated with a low priority system and devices associated with a high priority system;
However, in analogous art Luong teaches a shared wireless communication channel shared between devices associated with a low priority system and devices associated with a high priority system (Paragraphs [0072]-[0075]; [0084]; [0101]-[0103]; [0125] describes a shared spectrum (wireless communication channel) where high priority (HP) network devices and low priority (LP) network devices both operate. The “same block of spectrum” is shared channel, and it is “shared” between HP and LP systems);
Li teaches and perform a wireless communication action based at least in part on whether a high priority wireless communication signal is detected during the beam sweeping operation (Paragraphs [0430] describes different wireless communication actions (pre-emption transmission VS. transmission drop) based on priority detection results, directly anticipating the conditional action based on high priority signal detection. Paragraph [0438] describes the specific wireless communication action (resource selection and transmission) performed based on priority considerations).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li to incorporate the teachings of Luong to provide sensing of a shared wireless communication channel between low-priority and high-priority systems and to perform communication actions based on detection of high-priority transmissions such modification would improve spectrum utilization efficiency, reduce interference between coexisting networks, and enable reliable channel access control (Luong, Paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 2, Li in view of Luong , Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that a high priority wireless communication signal has not been detected, and wherein the one or more processors, when performing the wireless communication action, are configured to communicate on the wireless communication channel (Paragraphs [0138]; [0433]; [0436]; [0440]; [0480] describes determine if high priority signals are detected or not. If not detected, proceed with wireless communication action (transmission), if detected, take alternative action (back-off, drop etc. )).
Regarding claim 3, Li in view of Luong , Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to sense, using an additional beam sweeping operation (Paragraphs [0187]; [0145]; [0273] describes additional beam sweeping operations concurrently with wireless communication actions, enabling continuous channel sensing and area coverage while maintaining primary communication functions),
Luong teaches the shared wireless communication channel while performing the wireless communication action (Paragraphs [0101]-[0103]; [0125]; [0128] describes that LP WTRUs continue to sense the channel while performing wireless communication actions such as re-acquiring the channel, accessing the channel or switching channel access methods).
Regarding claim 4, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect a high priority wireless communication signal based at least in part on the additional beam sweeping operation (Paragraphs [0240]; [0256]; [0424]; [0431] the additional beam sweeping operation serves as a mechanism to continuously monitor the channel for high priority signals while performing other communication actions, enabling the system to detect and respond to priority communications that may require immediate attention or resource reallocation);
Luong teaches and remove access to the wireless communication channel by the wireless communication device based at least in part on detecting the high priority wireless communication signal (Paragraphs [0103]; [0112]; [0127] describes that LP WTRUs detect pre-emption indications (high priority wireless communication signals) from HP devices, and upon detection, abort transmissions abandon the channel (remove access to the shared wireless communication), with the removal action being triggered by the detection of the HP signal).
Regarding claim 5, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the channel check period corresponds to a sensing interval associated with the low priority system that includes the wireless communication device (Paragraphs [0401]; [0420]; [0432] describes “the window-adjustment” parameter shows that sensing window durations (channel check periods) are specially adjusted based on “priority” among other QoS factors, meaning low priority systems would have correspondingly adjusted sensing intervals)).
Regarding claim 6, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to refrain from transmitting a wireless communication signal during the sensing interval (Paragraph [0428]; [0432] describes LBT (Listen-Before-Talk) protocols where the UE must sense/listen before transmitting, explicitly requiring the device to refrain from the transmission during the sensing/listening period to avoid interference with the sensing process).
Regarding claim 7, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the sensing interval comprises a periodic sensing interval (Paragraph [0421] describes “periodic sensing window” operations where the sensing interval is configured specifically for periodic transmissions).
Regarding claim 8, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the sensing interval comprises a pseudo periodic sensing interval (Paragraphs [0248]; [0421]; [0426]; [0464] describes sensing intervals adjust based on priority, latency, and reliability requirements, creating pseudo-periodic behavior that maintains general periodicity).
Regarding claim 10, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the beam sweeping operation comprises a contiguous beam sweeping operation (Paragraph [0145]; [0147]; [0187] describes where the beam systematically covers different spatial directions or receivers in a continuous, uninterrupted manner rather than random or discontinuous sweeping patterns).
Regarding claim 11, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the beam sweeping operation comprises a distributed beam sweeping operation (Paragraphs [0148]; [0154] describes “distributed” allocation with “noncontiguous” resources, showing distributed beam sweeping operations across separated frequency locations).
Regarding claim 12, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to sense the wireless communication channel for a sensing time that is greater than or equal to a minimum sensing time (Paragraphs [0419]-[0420] describes that sensing window sizes have minimum requirements that vary based on transmission patterns, with periodic transmissions requiring larger (longer) sensing windows, establishing minimum sensing time thresholds).
Regarding claim 15, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the wireless communication device comprises a base station (Paragraph [0044] describes base stations as wireless communication devices that interface with WTRUs and facilitate wireless communication).
Regarding claim 16, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from a base station, a channel sensing configuration that indicates the beam sweeping operation (Paragraphs [0397]-[0398] describes base stations signaling configuration information that would include beam sweeping parameters for sensing operations on the shared channel).
Regarding claim 17, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the channel sensing configuration comprises one or more channel sensing parameters (Paragraphs [0420]; [0424]; describes channel sensing configurations contain multiple specific parameters).
Regarding claim 18, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the one or more channel sensing parameters comprises at least one of: a silencing interval configuration, or a minimum channel sensing time (Paragraphs [0420] describes minimum sensing time through the “window-size” parameter, which represents the minimum duration required for adequate channel sensing based on transmission requirements).
Regarding claim 19, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the channel sensing configuration is carried in a system information block (Paragraphs [0123]; [0175] describes configuration “via SI” (system information) which is carried in system information blocks).
Regarding claim 20, Li in view of Luong, Li teaches wherein the channel sensing configuration indicates one or more sensing occasions, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to (Paragraph [0440] describes “pre-emption monitoring occasions” and “scheduling monitoring occasions” that are “configured via RRC,” showing that the system configures specific occasions for monitoring channel activity):
transmit a sensing report associated with the sensing occasions to the base station, wherein the sensing report indicates a detection status associated with each of a plurality of beams (Paragraphs [0401]-[0402]; [0404] describes “SL_CSI feedback” (sidelink CSI reporting) being transmitted back to the network, representing sensing reports transmitted to base stations based on configured sensing occasions)).
Claims 22, 29 and 30 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1 respectively.
Claim 23 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5 respectively.
Claim 25 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 12 respectively.
Claim(s) 9, 13, 14, 21, 24, 26 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Luong in further view of Deenoo et al. (US 20200052803; hereinafter Deenoo).
Regarding claim 9, Li in view of Luong don’t teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect a high priority wireless communication signal associated with a beam and the wireless communication channel; and add the beam and the wireless communication channel to a non-occupancy list based at least in part on detecting the high priority wireless communication signal.
However, in analogous art Deenoo teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect a high priority wireless communication signal associated with a beam and the wireless communication channel; and add the beam and the wireless communication channel to a non-occupancy list based at least in part on detecting the high priority wireless communication signal (Paragraphs [0174]; [0208]; [0216]; [0289]; [0278] describes high priority signals through preamble decoding and beam and channel association mechanism, and dynamic management of channel access through temporary prohibition lists based on detected interference).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Li and Luong’s method of
high priority communications need immediate channel access by incorporating the
teaching of Deenoo dynamic non-occupancy lists to improve dynamic resource
selection (Deenoo, Paragraph [0009]).
Regarding claim 13, Li in view of Luong and Deenoo, Deenoo teaches wherein the minimum sensing time is distributed over time, and wherein the one or more processors, when sensing the wireless communication channel for the sensing time, are configured to: sense, during the channel check period, the wireless communication channel for a first portion of the sensing time; and sense, during an additional channel check period, the wireless communication channel for a second portion of the sensing time, wherein the additional channel check period is separated in time from the channel check period (Paragraphs [0194]; [0196]; [0207]; [0217] describes configurable time windows for distributed measurements, symbols-based distributed sensing configurations and discontinuous transmission requirements that necessitate time).
Regarding claim 14, Li in view of Luong and Deenoo, Deenoo teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:determine that a high priority wireless communication is not detected, and transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a channel sensing configuration that indicates an additional beam sweeping operation to be performed by the UE based at least in part on determining that the high priority wireless communication was not detected (Paragraphs [0190]; [0194]; [0222]; [0290] describes high priority signals are not detected and beam sweep operations and beam-level measurements).
Regarding claim 21, Li in view of Luong and Deenoo, Deenoo teaches wherein the one or more processors, when sensing, using the beam sweeping operation, are configured to sense on a beam, and wherein the one or more processors, when performing the wireless communication action, are configured to transmit a physical random access channel signal on the beam (Paragraphs [0216]; [0287]; [0288]-[0289] describes the integration of sensing results with RACH transmission procedures on specific beams).
Claim 24 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 9 respectively.
Claim 26 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 13 respectively.
Claim 27 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 14 respectively.
Claim 28 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 21 respectively.
Conclusion
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 MEHERET WOLDEGEBREAL KIDANE whose telephone number is (571)270-3642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F8:30-5.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/M.W.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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