Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/262,814

SIDELINK REFERENCE SIGNAL REQUEST FIELD FOR CSI AND POSITIONING MEASUREMENT DERIVATION AND PROCEDURES

Final Rejection §102§103
Filed
Jul 25, 2023
Priority
Mar 31, 2021 — GR 20210100217 +1 more
Examiner
KAYAL, DAVID M
Art Unit
2464
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
2 (Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
41 granted / 49 resolved
+25.7% vs TC avg
Strong +31% interview lift
Without
With
+30.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
81
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
91.5%
+51.5% vs TC avg
§102
5.8%
-34.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 49 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 Applicant’s amendment filed on February 4, 2026, has been entered. Claims 1-38 are presently pending with claims 1, 18, 37, and 38 being independent. Claims 2, 4-10, 13, 22-27, 30 and 34-35 are original claims. Claims 1, 3, 11, 12, 14-21, 28-29, 31-33, and 36-38 are currently amended. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments, pages 10-14, filed February 4, 2026, with respect to 35 U.S.C. §112(b), claims 1, 4, 17, 19-21, 31, and 36, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The invocation of §112(b), claims 1, 4, 17, 19-21, 31, and 36, has been withdrawn. Applicant's arguments, pages 10-14, filed February 4, 2026, with respect to claim objections because of informalities, claims 1 and 33, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim objections, claims 1 and 33, have been withdrawn. Applicant's arguments, pages 10-14, filed February 4, 2026, with respect to 35 U.S.C. §102, claims 1-6, 8-11, 14-24, and 26-28; and §103, claims 7 and 25, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Guo’s (US 2020/0022089 A1; hereinafter Guo) “configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal” is provided in the sidelink control information (SCI) “for the UE-B to measure the requested channel state information (CSI).” Applicant argues that “Guo’s configuration describes sidelink reference signals (SL-RS) and that UE-A (the sender of the SCI) will transmit, so that UE-B (the receiver of the SCI) knows what to measure. The express purpose of Guo’s SCI is “to request the measurement and reporting CSI of the sidelink between the UE-A and the UE-B” and not to provide parameters for UE-B to apply when UE-B transmits or receives its own SL-RS.” Applicant argues that the parameters in claim 1 are for “a receiving UE to use when it performs its own SL-RS transmission or reception, and not configuration information describing another UE’s transmission for measurement purposes as in Guo.” However, the claim language does not require that the indicated parameters be limited to parameters for the receiving UE’s own generated SL-RS transmission, nor does the claim exclude parameters that describe another UE’s SL-RS transmission to enable the receiving UE to receive or measure that SL-RS. Claim 1 broadly recites receiving, in SCI, an indication of parameters “for the UE to apply when transmitting or receiving” SL-RS. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), parameters that identify or configure the SL-RS resource to be received and measured by the UE are parameters applied by the UE when receiving SL-RS. “Apply” includes using the indicated SL-RS configuration to receive, locate, identify, measure, or decode the SL-RS. Guo teaches that UE-A sends sidelink control signaling, such as SCI, to UE-B to request measurement and reporting of channel state information (CSI), and that the SCI may include “the configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal for the UE-B to measure the requested CSI.” Guo further teaches that the SL-RS configuration may include parameters such as SL-RS resource identity, number of antenna ports, mapping configuration, symbol location, power offset, and scrambling identifier, and that SCI may include a bit-field/codepoint indicating the SL-RS resource to be transmitted (Guo ¶¶ [0221] and [0227]-[0230]). Even though the SL-RS is transmitted by UE-A, the configuration is provided to UE-B so that UE-B can apply the indicated configuration when receiving and measuring the SL-RS. Because Applicant’s distinction is based on a narrow reading of claim 1 and Guo’s teaching of the disputed limitation under BRI, the current rejection of claim 1 is maintained. Applicant argues that amended independent claims 1, 18, 37, and 38, as well as claims 2-6, 8-11, 14-17, 19-24, 26-28, and 32-36 depending thereon, are allowable, however for the reasons stated above, mutatis mutandis, the rejection of independent claims 1, 18, 37, and 38, as well as claims 2-6, 8-11, 14-17, 19-24, 26-28, and 32-36 are maintained. Regarding claims 7 and 25, applicant does not make specific arguments. Since independent claims 1 and 18 stand rejected, the rejection of claims 7 and 25 is maintained. 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 1-6, 8-11, 14-24, 26-28, and 32-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Guo (US 2020/0022089 A1; hereinafter Guo). Regarding claim 1 and 37, Guo teaches a method by a first user equipment and an apparatus for wireless communications (Fig. 3, element 116 UE; ¶ [0063] Example UE.; ¶ [0072] the present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems.), comprising: at least one memory comprising instructions; and one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to (Fig. 3, element 360 Memory; ¶ [0064] The UE includes memory. The memory includes an operating system (OS) and one or more applications.; ¶ [0067] The processor can include processors and execute the OS stored in the memory in order to control the overall operation of the UE.): receive a request in sidelink control information (SCI) from another UE that includes an indication of one or more parameters (read as information elements) for the UE to apply when transmitting or receiving sidelink reference signals (SL-RS) (Fig. 18, illustrates transmitting and receiving SL-RS; ¶ [0202] The UE-A transmits SL-RS for the UE-B to measure.; ¶ [0220] The first UE can send sidelink control information to a second UE to request the second UE to measure the CSI.; ¶ [0221] A UE-A can send a sidelink control signaling (for example SCI format sent in PSCCH) to a UE-B to request the measurement. The control signaling the UE-A sends can include one or more of the following information elements: the ID of target UE; the configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal and/or the configuration of sidelink feedback channel or resource.), wherein the parameters comprise at least one of power control parameters, quasi co-location (QCL) information for receiving or transmitting the SL-RS, or type of SL-RS for transmission (¶ [0227] Configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include the power offset between the SL-RS and the PSSCH and PSCCH.; ¶ [0231] The SCI format includes the information of resource allocation.; ¶ [0370] Sidelink reference signals that are transmitted on sidelink: sidelink DM-RS; sidelink CSI-RS; and sidelink PT-RS.; ¶ [0376] For the sidelink CSI-RS, the UE can be configured with an EPRE value parameter SL-CSI-RS-Power.; Note: MPEP 2143.03: When a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art. See, e.g., Fresenius USA, Inc. v. Baxter Int’l, Inc., 582 F.3d 1288, 92 USPQ2d 1163, 1171 (Fed. Cir. 2009)); and transmit or receive SL-RS in accordance with the indication (¶ [0232] A UE-A can send one SCI format to indicate the transmission of a first SL-RS. The SCI format includes the information of resource allocation and transmission configuration. A first UE can be a receiver UE to receive transmission from a second UE, that can be a transmitter UE. A first UE can measure the reference signal transmitted by a second UE and the reference signal can be a SL-RS.). Regarding claim 2, Guo teaches wherein the request is received in at least one of: a first stage SCI of a two stage SCI; or a second stage SCI of the two stage SCI (Fig. 2, illustration of two stage SCI; ¶ [0035] Two stage SCI. The communication between a first transmitting UE and a second receiving UE. The transmitting UE can transmit the first stage SCI to the receiving UE. The transmitting UE can transmit the second stage SCI to the receiving UE.). Regarding claim 3 and 21, Guo teaches receive signaling indicating different sets of transmission parameters (read as multiple SL-RS resources) (¶ [0229] Multiple SL-RS resources can be configured with the same codepoint in SCI.), wherein the request includes a code point that selects one of the sets of transmission parameters (read as resources) to apply when transmitting or receiving the SL-RS (¶ [0230] SCI format can include a first bit-field as the indicator of triggering the transmission of one or more SL-RS resources, and the mapping between the codepoints of a first bit-field and one or more SL-RS resources can be configured as part of the configuration of one sidelink resource pool.). Regarding claim 4 and 22, Guo teaches wherein: the request comprises a request for the UE to receive SL-RS from at least a second UE (¶ [0221] A UE-A can send a sidelink control signaling (for example SCI format sent in PSCCH) to a UE-B to request the measurement. The control signaling the UE-A sends can include one or more of the following information elements: the configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal.); and the code point selects a set of transmission parameters that includes transmit power information for the SL-RS transmitted from the second UE (¶ [0227] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include the power offset.; ¶ [0228] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include a value of codepoint of a first-bit-field in physical layer control signaling.; ¶ [0230] SCI format can include a first bit-field as the indicator of triggering the transmission of one or more SL-RS resources, and the mapping between the codepoints of a first bit-field and one or more SL-RS resources can be configured as part of the configuration of one sidelink resource pool.; ¶ [0376] The UE can be configured with an EPRE value through a higher layer parameter SL-CSI-RS-Power.). Regarding claim 5 and 23, Guo teaches wherein: the request comprises a request for the UE to transmit SL-RS to at least a second UE (¶ [0181] First UE to transmit SL-RS in sidelink connection and configure a second UE.; ¶ [0221] A UE-A can send a sidelink control signaling (for example SCI format sent in PSCCH) to a UE-B to request the measurement. The control signaling the UE-A sends can include one or more of the following information elements: the configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal.); and the code point selects a set of transmission parameters that includes one or more power control parameters to apply when transmitting the SL-RS to the second UE (¶ [0227] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include the power offset.; ¶ [0228] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include a value of codepoint of a first-bit-field in physical layer control signaling.; ¶ [0230] SCI format can include a first bit-field as the indicator of triggering the transmission of one or more SL-RS resources, and the mapping between the codepoints of a first bit-field and one or more SL-RS resources can be configured as part of the configuration of one sidelink resource pool.; ¶ [0376] The UE can be configured with an EPRE value through a higher layer parameter SL-CSI-RS-Power.). Regarding claim 6 and 24, Guo teaches wherein the code point maps to an identifier (ID) that selects the parameters from a configured table of parameters (¶ [0227] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include one ID for the sidelink reference signal (SL-RS) resource identity.; ¶ [0228] The configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include a value of codepoint of a first bit-field, in physical layer control signaling, for example one SCI format that corresponds to this SL-RS resource. A first SL-RS resource is configured with a value A of the codepoint of a first bit-field. Then, if the UE-A transmits SCI format with a bit-field’s codepoint=A, the first SL-RS resource is transmitted.). Regarding claim 8 and 26, Guo teaches wherein the request includes a code point that maps to: a first set of one or more transmission parameters to apply for receiving a first SL-RS from a second UE (¶ [0096] Devices scan the whole PSCCH pool to search if a SCI format matching their group identifier can be detected.; ¶ [0178] The configuration of one SL-RS can include symbol location, number of SL-RS antenna ports, sequence, frequency domain mapping offset, and slot level periodicity.; ¶ [0230] SCI format can include a first bit-field as the indicator of triggering the transmission of one or more SL-RS resources, and the mapping between the codepoints of a first bit-field and one or more SL-RS resources can be configured as part of the configuration of one sidelink resource pool.; ¶ [0232] A first UE can measure a reference signal by a second UE and the reference signal can be a SL-RS.); and a second set of one or more transmission parameters to apply for transmitting a second SL-RS (read as SL-RS sent between UE-A and UE-B) to a third UE (read as UE-C) (¶ [0189] The UE-A can send SL-RS on sidelink according to selected SL-RS configuration. The UE-C then can measure the SL-RS sent from the UE-A to measure the CSI of sidelink between the UE-A and the UE-C.). Regarding claim 9, Guo teaches wherein the second (read as UE-C) and third UEs (read as UE-D) are the same UE (read as receiver UE) (¶ [0130] UE-A can transmit a first SCI and the UE-B can transmit a second SCI. The receiver UE (for example UE-C or UE-D).). Regarding claim 10 and 27, Guo teaches wherein the first set of one or more transmission parameters comprises transmit power information for the first SL-RS (¶ [0305] The UE-A can be requested to transmit the sidelink reference signal with configured transmit power level.). Regarding claim 11 and 28, Guo teaches measure reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement for the received SL-RS (¶ [0306] The UE-B can be requested to measure the sidelink reference signal sent by the UE-A and measure the RSRP.); and calculate path loss based on the transmit power information and the RSRP measurement (¶ [0305] The UE-B can be requested to measure the sidelink reference signal with assumed transmit power level that can be configured by higher layer to calculate the pathloss of sidelink between the UE-A and the UE-B.; ¶ [0306] The UE-B can measure the RSRP.). Regarding claim 14 and 32, Guo teaches wherein: transmit or receive SL-RS in accordance with the indication comprises transmit SL-RS to a second UE (read as receiver UE); and the one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to a report from the second UE based on the transmitted SL-RS (Fig. 3, element 360 Memory; ¶ [0064] The UE includes memory. The memory includes an operating system (OS) and one or more applications.; ¶ [0067] The processor can include processors and execute the OS stored in the memory in order to control the overall operation of the UE.; ¶ [0232] A receiver UE (first UE) to receiver transmission from a transmitter UE (second UE). A first UE can measure a reference signal transmitted by a second UE and the reference signal can be a SL-RS. A first UE can report the CSI information of sidelink channel between a first UE and a second UE through a sidelink feedback channel.). Regarding claim 15, Guo teaches wherein: transmit or receive SL-RS in accordance with the indication comprises receiving first SL-RS from a second UE (¶ [0195] UE-B transmits SL-RS and a UE-A can receive.) and transmitting second SL-RS to a third UE (read as UE-C) (¶ [0186] The UE-A can inform his selected SL-RS configuration to one or more UEs on sidelink. A UE-A informs his selected SL-RS configuration to the UE-C. After that the UE-A can transmit SL-RS on sidelink.); and the one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to receive a report from the third UE based on the transmitted second SL-RS (Fig. 3, element 360 Memory; ¶ [0064] The UE includes memory. The memory includes an operating system (OS) and one or more applications.; ¶ [0067] The processor can include processors and execute the OS stored in the memory in order to control the overall operation of the UE.; ¶ [0186] UE-C can measure the SL-RS sent from the UE-A to measure the CSI of sidelink.; ¶ [0190] To support MIMO transmission on sidelink, CSI of sidelink is necessary.; ¶ [0193] If the UE-A wants to transmit to the UE-C, then the UE-A would need the CSI of the UE-A-to-UE-C sidelink.). Regarding claim 16, 34 and 35, Guo teaches wherein: transmit or receive SL-RS in accordance with the indication comprises receive at least first SL-RS from a first relay UE (read as UE-A) and at least one other RS (read as downlink reference signal) (¶ [0013] Receive from a base station (BS) a downlink reference signal (RS).; ¶ [0180] UE-A transmits SL-RS. UE-B can measure the SL-RS sent from the UE-A.; ¶ [0230] The control signaling (for example one SCI format) sent from the UE-A can indicate the transmission of one SL-RS resource. SCI format can include a first bit-field as the indicator of one SL-RS resource to indicate the transmission of that SL-RS.); and the at least one other RS comprises at least one of a downlink RS from a base station or a second SL-RS from a second relay UE (¶ [0013] Receive from a base station (BS) a downlink reference signal (RS).). Regarding claim 17 and 36, Guo teaches a first set of one or more transmission parameters to apply for receiving a first SL-RS from a first relay UE (read as first UE) (¶ [0182] The serving gNB can configure a first UE to transmit SL-RS on sidelink connection. The gNB can configure a first UE with parameters for each SL-RS resource.); ¶ [0183] A gNB can configure a second UE to measure SL-RS on sidelink connection.); a second set (read as SL-RS configuration index) of one or more transmission parameters to apply for receiving a second SL-RS from the second relay UE (¶ [0189] A lead UE can broadcast the information of {UE ID, the selected SL-RS configuration index}. Each UE associated with the same lead UE can be aware of configurations of SL-RS selected by all the UE.; ¶ [0193] If the UE-B wants to transmit a packet with MIMO to the UE-D, the UE-B would need the CSI of the UE-B-to-UE-D sidelink.); and a third set of one or more transmission parameters (read as configuration information) to apply for receiving the downlink RS from a base station (¶ [0013] Receive from a base station (BS) configuration information including a downlink reference signal. Receive from the BS, the downlink RS based on the configuration information.). Regarding claim 18 and 38, Guo teaches a method by a wireless node (read as user equipment (UE)) and an apparatus, for wireless communications (¶ [0013] The user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system.), comprising: at least one memory comprising instructions; and one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to (Fig. 3, element 360 Memory; ¶ [0064] The UE includes a memory. The memory includes an operating system (OS) and one or more applications.): send a first user equipment (UE) a request that includes an indication of one or more parameters for the first UE to apply when transmitting or receiving sidelink reference signals (SL-RS) (Fig. 18, illustrates transmitting and receiving SL-RS; ¶ [0202] The UE-A transmits SL-RS for the UE-B to measure.; ¶ [0220] The first UE can send sidelink control information to a second UE to request the second UE to measure the CSI.; ¶ [0221] A UE-A can send a sidelink control signaling (for example SCI format sent in PSCCH) to a UE-B to request the measurement. The control signaling the UE-A sends can include one or more of the following information elements: the ID of target UE; the configuration of transmission of sidelink reference signal and/or the configuration of sidelink feedback channel or resource.), wherein the parameters comprise at least one of power control parameters, quasi co-location (QCL) information for receiving or transmitting the SL-RS, or type of SL-RS for transmission (¶ [0227] Configuration of one sidelink reference signal can include the power offset between the SL-RS and the PSSCH and PSCCH.; ¶ [0231] The SCI format includes the information of resource allocation.; ¶ [0370] Sidelink reference signals that are transmitted on sidelink: sidelink DM-RS; sidelink CSI-RS; and sidelink PT-RS.; ¶ [0376] For the sidelink CSI-RS, the UE can be configured with an EPRE value parameter SL-CSI-RS-Power.; Note: MPEP 2143.03: When a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art. See, e.g., Fresenius USA, Inc. v. Baxter Int’l, Inc., 582 F.3d 1288, 92 USPQ2d 1163, 1171 (Fed. Cir. 2009)); and receive, in response to the request, at least one of SL-RS transmitted in accordance with the indication or a report generated based on SL-RS transmitted in accordance with the indication (¶ [0232] A UE-A can send one SCI format to indicate the transmission of a first SL-RS. The SCI format includes the information of resource allocation and transmission configuration. A first UE can be a receiver UE to receive transmission from a second UE, that can be a transmitter UE. A first UE can measure the reference signal transmitted by a second UE and the reference signal can be a SL-RS.). Regarding claim 19, Guo teaches wherein the apparatus comprises a relay UE (¶ [0177] The UE-A can first report the selected configuration of SL-RS to a lead UE and the lead UE then can broadcast the configuration of SL-RS of UE-A to other UEs.). Regarding claim 20, Guo teaches wherein: the apparatus comprises a base station (Fig. 2, element 102 a gNB; ¶ [0049] The gNG provides wireless broadband access to the network.); and the request is sent to the first UE via a relay UE (¶ [0177] The UE-A can first report the selected configuration of SL-RS to a lead UE and the lead UE then can broadcast the configuration of SL-RS of UE-A to other UEs.; ¶ [0181] A serving gNB can configure a first UE to transmit SL-RS in sidelink connection and configure a second UE to measure some SL-RS.). Regarding claim 33, Guo teaches transmit first SL-RS to the first UE (read as UE-B) in accordance with the indication (¶ [0180] UE-A transmits SL-RS as configured. UE-B can measure the SL-RS sent from the UE-A.), wherein receiving, in response to the request, at least one of SL-RS transmitted in accordance with the indication or a report generated based on SL-RS transmitted in accordance with the indication comprises receiving, from the first UE, a report generated by a second UE based on second SL-RS transmitted by the first UE in accordance with the indication (¶ [0182] A first UE transmits one or more periodic SL-RS on sidelink connection.; ¶ [0183] A second UE measures one or more periodic SL-RS on sidelink connection.; ¶ [0184] A first UE monitors the sidelink for CSI feedback.). 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claims 7 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Wu et al. (CN113133121A; hereinafter Wu). Regarding claim 7 and 25, Guo does not explicitly teach wherein the QCL information comprises at least one of spatial QCL information, delay, or Doppler information. In analogous art, Keying teaches wherein the QCL information comprises at least one of spatial QCL information, delay, or Doppler information (¶ [n0181] The first node transmits the first signal and the first type of reference signal using the same spatial filter.; ¶ [n0182] The first node uses the same spatial filter to transmit the first signal and receive the first type of reference signal.; ¶ [n0420] The first reference signal and the second reference signal QCL, and the corresponding QCL type is QCL-TypeD.; ¶ [0421] The first node uses the same spatial filter to transmit/receive the first reference signal and transmit/receive the second reference signal.; Note: MPEP 2143.03: When a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art. See, e.g., Fresenius USA, Inc. v. Baxter Int’l, Inc., 582 F.3d 1288, 92 USPQ2d 1163, 1171 (Fed. Cir. 2009)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine QCL information taught by Wu with transmitting or receiving SL-RS taught by Guo. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve link reliability and reduce overhead by using QCL information to align the SL-RS transmit or receive parameters so that the UE selects the proper beam and power for SL-RS for more accurate measurements (Wu: ¶ [n0002]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 12-13 and 29-31 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ganesan et al. (US 2020/0260472 A1) discloses “Method and Apparatus for Communicating Two Stage Sidelink Control Information” Sarkis et al. (US 2024/0422740 A1) discloses “Mapping Two-Stage Sidelink Control with Multi-Layer Sidelink Data Channel” Yoshioka et al. (US 2022/0417867 A1) discloses “Terminal and Communication Method” THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DAVID M KAYAL whose telephone number is (703)756-4576. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30 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, Ricky Ngo can be reached at 571-272-3139. 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. /D.M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464 /RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 25, 2023
Application Filed
Nov 14, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Jan 13, 2026
Interview Requested
Jan 27, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Jan 27, 2026
Examiner Interview (Telephonic)
Feb 04, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 10, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+30.8%)
3y 1m (~1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 49 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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