DETAILED ACTION
Applicant's submission filed on 10 December 2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 3-7, 9-12, 15-24, and 26-30 are currently amended; claims 2, 13, and 25 are cancelled; claims 8 and 14 are previously presented; claims 31-33 have been added. Claims 1, 3-12, 14-24, and 26-33 are pending and ready for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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 for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 8, 16, 24, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2020/0053768 A1), hereafter referred Chen, further in view of Uchiyama et al. (US 2020/0084811 A1), hereafter referred Uchiyama.
Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:
a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory (Chen, Fig. 2, [0032]-[0039] and [0527]; a transmitter system 210 and a receiver system 250 each have data processors where the algorithm may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor where the software module may reside in data memory), configured to:
receive information indicating a plurality of resources for a resource pool associated with sidelink communication (Chen, Fig. 16, [0493]-[0494]; the first communication device is configured with a plurality of resource pools by a base station for a cell);
identify a set of resources of the plurality of resources to be included in the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; the first communication device receives a grant from the base station wherein the grant indicates a resource associated with a resource pool of the plurality of resource pools through a resource pool index in the grant);
and communicate on the resource pool using at least part of the set of resources (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; using the resource to perform a transmission on a device-to-device interface).
Chen does not expressly teach wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Uchiyama teaches wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Uchiyama, [0119]-[0123]; sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information, channel usage rate threshold information for sub resource pool addition request, where the sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information is used to set an anchor resource pool).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen to include the above recited limitations as taught by Uchiyama in order to achieve low power consumption and enhance communication quality of device-to-device communication (Uchiyama, [0004]-[0005]).
Regarding claim 16, Chen teaches a network entity for wireless communication, comprising:
a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory (Chen, Fig. 2, [0032]-[0039] and [0527]; a transmitter system 210 and a receiver system 250 each have data processors where the algorithm may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor where the software module may reside in data memory), configured to:
identify a plurality of resources for a resource pool associated with sidelink communication, wherein a set of resources of the plurality of resources are included in the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0493]-[0494]; the first communication device is configured with a plurality of resource pools by a base station for a cell); and
transmit information indicating the plurality of resources for the resource pool or the set of resources for the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; the first communication device receives a grant from the base station wherein the grant indicates a resource associated with a resource pool of the plurality of resource pools through a resource pool index in the grant).
Chen does not expressly teach wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Uchiyama teaches wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Uchiyama, [0119]-[0123]; sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information, channel usage rate threshold information for sub resource pool addition request, where the sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information is used to set an anchor resource pool).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen to include the above recited limitations as taught by Uchiyama in order to achieve low power consumption and enhance communication quality of device-to-device communication (Uchiyama, [0004]-[0005]).
Regarding claim 24, Chen teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
receiving information indicating a plurality of resources for a resource pool associated with sidelink communication (Chen, Fig. 16, [0493]-[0494]; the first communication device is configured with a plurality of resource pools by a base station for a cell);
identifying a set of resources of the plurality of resources to be included in the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; the first communication device receives a grant from the base station wherein the grant indicates a resource associated with a resource pool of the plurality of resource pools through a resource pool index in the grant); and
communicating on the resource pool using at least part of the set of resources (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; using the resource to perform a transmission on a device-to-device interface).
Chen does not expressly teach wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Uchiyama teaches wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Uchiyama, [0119]-[0123]; sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information, channel usage rate threshold information for sub resource pool addition request, where the sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information is used to set an anchor resource pool).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen to include the above recited limitations as taught by Uchiyama in order to achieve low power consumption and enhance communication quality of device-to-device communication (Uchiyama, [0004]-[0005]).
Regarding claim 27, Chen teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a network entity, comprising:
identifying a plurality of resources for a resource pool associated with sidelink communication, wherein a set of resources of the plurality of resources are included in the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0493]-[0494]; the first communication device is configured with a plurality of resource pools by a base station for a cell); and
transmitting information indicating the plurality of resources for the resource pool or the set of resources for the resource pool (Chen, Fig. 16, [0494]; the first communication device receives a grant from the base station wherein the grant indicates a resource associated with a resource pool of the plurality of resource pools through a resource pool index in the grant).
Chen does not expressly teach wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Uchiyama teaches wherein the set of resources is based at least in part on one or more resources of the plurality of resources having a bandwidth that satisfies a threshold, and wherein the set of resources excludes the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Uchiyama, [0119]-[0123]; sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information, channel usage rate threshold information for sub resource pool addition request, where the sub resource pool minimum bandwidth information is used to set an anchor resource pool).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen to include the above recited limitations as taught by Uchiyama in order to achieve low power consumption and enhance communication quality of device-to-device communication (Uchiyama, [0004]-[0005]).
Regarding claim 8, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 above. Further, Chen teaches wherein a sub-channel size for the resource pool is independent of a slot type of the set of resources (Chen, [0190]-[0194]; the UE shall maximize the size of the segment to fill the grant as much as possible up to fit the whole SDU into the remaining resources).
Claims 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 17, 19, 20, 23, 26, 28, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Uchiyama as applied to claims 1, 16, 24, and 27 above, and further in view of Hou et al. (US 2021/0306885 A1), hereafter referred Hou.
Regarding claims 3 and 26, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 and the method of claim 24 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the bandwidth satisfies the threshold based at least in part on whether a bandwidth of an uplink portion of the one or more resources satisfies the threshold.
However, Hou teaches wherein the bandwidth satisfies the threshold based at least in part on whether a bandwidth of an uplink portion of the one or more resources satisfies the threshold (Hou, [0103], [0104], and [0110]; the use of a measurement configuration where each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI can include two mini-slots and the CBR is defined as a proportion of sub-channels having an S-RSSI exceeding a predetermined threshold within a time period, the time period being several time slots or several mini-slots).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Regarding claims 4, 17, and 28, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1, the network entity of claim 16, and the method of claim 27 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the resource pool contains only one of: resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold, or uplink resources.
However, Hou teaches wherein the resource pool contains only one of: resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold, or uplink resources (Hou, [0103]-[0104]; the use of a measurement configuration in which each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI of the NR sidelink can include two mini-slots, where the configuration can indicate to measure only the OFDM symbols in a mini-slot).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Regarding claims 6, 19, and 30, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1, the network entity of claim 16, and the method of claim 27 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the resource pool can contain at least one of: resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold, or uplink resources.
However, Hou teaches wherein the resource pool can contain at least one of: resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold, or uplink resources (Hou, [0103]-[0104]; the use of a measurement configuration in which each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI of the NR sidelink can include two mini-slots, where the configuration can indicate to measure only the OFDM symbols in a mini-slot).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Regarding claim 7, Chen in view of Uchiyama further in view of Hou teaches the UE of claim 6 above. Further, Chen teaches wherein a number of sub-channels for the resource pool is configured separately for the resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold and for the uplink resources (Chen, [0091]; select an amount of frequency resources within the range that is configured by upper layers between minSubchannel-NumberPSSCH and maxSubchannel-NumberPSSCH included in pssch-Tx-ConfigList and am amount of frequency resources in cbr-pssch-TxConfigList for the highest priority of the sidelink logical channel).
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 and the network entity of claim 19 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein a sub-channel size for the resource pool is dependent on a slot type of the set of resources, wherein the slot type indicates whether the set of resources are resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold or uplink resources.
However, Hou teaches wherein a sub-channel size for the resource pool is dependent on a slot type of the set of resources, wherein the slot type indicates whether the set of resources are resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold or uplink resources (Hou, [0103], [0104], and [0110]; the use of a measurement configuration where each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI can include two mini-slots and the CBR is defined as a proportion of sub-channels having an S-RSSI exceeding a predetermined threshold within a time period, the time period being several time slots or several mini-slots).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Regarding claims 12 and 23, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 and the network entity of claim 22 above. Further, Chen teaches wherein the information indicating the plurality of resources indicates a first set of resource blocks for uplink resources (Chen, [0472]-[0475]; the one or more bandwidth parts could be uplink BWPs). Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the information indicating the plurality of resources indicates a second set of resource blocks for resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Hou teaches wherein the information indicating the plurality of resources indicates a second set of resource blocks for resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Hou, [0103], [0104], and [0110]; the use of a measurement configuration where each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI can include two mini-slots and the CBR is defined as a proportion of sub-channels having an S-RSSI exceeding a predetermined threshold within a time period, the time period being several time slots or several mini-slots).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Claims 5, 18, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Uchiyama as applied to claims 1, 16, and 27 above, in view of Hou and further in view of Chae et al. (US 2021/0051510 A1), hereafter referred Chae.
Regarding claims 5, 18, and 29, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1, the network entity of claim 16, and the method of claim 27 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the resource pool is a first resource pool that contains only resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Hou teaches wherein the resource pool is a first resource pool that contains only resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Hou, [0103]-[0104]; the use of a measurement configuration in which each slot involved in the measuring of an RSSI of the NR sidelink can include two mini-slots, where the configuration can indicate to measure only the OFDM symbols in a mini-slot).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Hou in order to provide measurement using predetermined thresholds and time periods that include mini-slots (Hou, [0110]).
Chen in view of Uchiyama further in view of Hou does not expressly teach receive information indicating another plurality of resources for a second resource pool associated with sidelink communication, wherein the other plurality of resources includes only uplink resources.
However, Chae teaches receive information indicating another plurality of resources for a second resource pool associated with sidelink communication, wherein the other plurality of resources includes only uplink resources (Chae, [0240]; the duration of the CBR measurement window can use the same number of slots).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama further in view of Hou to include the above recited limitations as taught by Chae in order to meet communication requirements (Chae, [0240]).
Claims 10, 11, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Uchiyama as applied to claims 1 and 19 above, and further in view of Shrivastava (US 2024/0073765 A1).
Regarding claims 10 and 21, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 and the network entity of claim 19 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the information indicating the plurality of resources indicates a set of resource blocks for uplink resources, and wherein the one or more processors, to identify the set of resources, are configured to cause the UE to:
identify a truncated set of resource blocks, from the set of resource blocks, for a resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold.
However, Shrivastava teaches wherein the information indicating the plurality of resources indicates a set of resource blocks for uplink resources (Shrivastava, [0119]-[0129]; the MAC entity is configured with configured uplink grant), and wherein the one or more processors, to identify the set of resources, are configured to cause the UE to:
identify a truncated set of resource blocks, from the set of resource blocks, for a resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold (Shrivastava, [0119]-[0129]; all the generated BSRs are short Truncated BSRs).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Shrivastava in order to provide coordinated switching gap operations (Shrivastava, [0012]).
Regarding claims 11 and 22, Chen in view of Uchiyama further in view of Shrivastava teaches the UE of claim 10 and the network entity of claim 21 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the truncated set of resource blocks includes an uplink portion of the resource and a gap.
However, Shrivastava teaches wherein the truncated set of resource blocks includes an uplink portion of the resource and a gap (Shrivastava, [0301]; receiving a switching gap configuration from the first network operator apparatus in the grant for uplink transmission).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Shrivastava in order to provide coordinated switching gap operations (Shrivastava, [0012]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Uchiyama as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chae.
Regarding claim 14, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the plurality of resources is a plurality of slots.
However, Chae teaches wherein the plurality of resources is a plurality of slots (Chae, [0240]; the duration of the CBR measurement window can use the same number of slots).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Chae in order to meet communication requirements (Chae, [0240]).
Claim 15 and 31-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Uchiyama as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Novlan (US 2022/0132499 A1).
Regarding claims 15 and 31-33, Chen in view of Uchiyama teaches the UE of claim 1, the network entity of claim 16, the method of claim 24, and the method of claim 27 above. Chen in view of Uchiyama does not expressly teach wherein the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold are slot-based full duplex (SBFD) resources.
However, Novlan teaches wherein the one or more resources having the bandwidth that satisfies the threshold are slot-based full duplex (SBFD) resources (Novlan, [0059]; the multiplexing option can correspond to a slot and indicate capability of using full duplex operation on that slot).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Chen in view of Uchiyama to include the above recited limitations as taught by Novlan in order to perform dynamic resources coordination (Novlan, [0018]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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.
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/R.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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