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 filled on 10/29/2025 has been entered.
Claims 12-29, 31, and 39 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant arguments filed on 10/29/2025 have been fully considered and but are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that “Lee fails to teach at least “wherein the first resource and the second resource are separated by at least a time gap to enable the first terminal device to receive a coordination message from a second terminal device within the time gap.””
Examiner respectfully disagrees; first and foremost, applicant is reminded that claims are given the broadest reasonable interpretations. As such, the limitation “…a time gap to enable the first terminal device to receive a coordination message from a second terminal device within the time gap” is interpreted accordingly. Without further information to specify first terminal device receiving a coordination message from a second terminal device within the time gap, examiner maintains the teaching of Lee, in [0104] …time gap information notifying additional time gap may be signaled by using reserved bit included in an SCI field of at least one of TX1 and TX2. Herein, additional time gap corresponds to a time gap between the first group and the second group (indicated as Z in FIG. 11) and a time gap between TX3 and TX4 of the second group (indicated as X.sub.2 in FIG. 11), met the requirement of claimed limitation. Second, the limitation “a time gap to enable the first terminal device to receive a coordination message…”, does not necessarily mean a coordination message is received in a time gap, if that is the intention, the claim language should specify. Therefore, examiner maintains rejection(s).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) is/are 12-15,24,28-29,39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee to (US20200008025)
Regarding claims 12,39 Lee teaches a method in a first terminal device, comprising: initiating a first transmission on a first resource, and reserving a second resource for a second transmission, ([0069] The SCI format 1 may be used for scheduling of the PSSCH. The SCI format 1 may include priority (3 bit), resource reservation (4 bit), frequency resource position of initial transmission and retransmission (the number of bits of which may differ depending on the number of sub-channels of a sidelink), time gap between initial transmission and retransmission (4 bit), MCS (5 bit), retransmission index (1 bit), and reserved information bit. In what follows, the reserved information bit may be called a reserved bit for short. Reserved bits may be added until the bit size of the SCI format 1 becomes 32 bit. In other words, the SCI format 1 includes a plurality of fields, each of which has different information from each other, where the number of remaining bits excluding the total number of bits of the plurality of fields from the total number of fixed bits (32 bit) of the SCI format 1 may be called reserved bits) wherein the first resource and the second resource are separated by at least a time gap to enable the first terminal device to receive a coordination message from a second terminal device within the time gap([0104] Discloses time gap information notifying additional time gap may be signaled by using reserved bit included in an SCI field of at least one of TX1 and TX2. Herein, additional time gap corresponds to a time gap between the first group and the second group (indicated as Z in FIG. 11) and a time gap between TX3 and TX4 of the second group (indicated as X.sub.2 in FIG. 11)).
Regarding claim 13, Lee teaches The method of claim 12, wherein the second transmission is a next transmission following the first transmission, or the first transmission and the second transmission are consecutive transmissions(claim 2, 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transmission is performed after an elapse of a first time gap after performing the first retransmission).
Regarding claim 14, Lee teaches The method of claim 12, wherein the second resource is reserved by including a reservation for the second resource in the first transmission or transmitting a reservation for the second resource on a sidelink control channel([0069] The SCI format 1 may be used for scheduling of the PSSCH. The SCI format 1 may include priority (3 bit), resource reservation (4 bit), frequency resource position of initial transmission and retransmission (the number of bits of which may differ depending on the number of sub-channels of a sidelink), time gap between initial transmission and retransmission (4 bit), MCS (5 bit)).
Regarding claim 15, Lee teaches The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting the reservation on the sidelink control channel comprising transmitting the reservation via Sidelink Control Information, SCI([0069] The SCI format 1 may be used for scheduling of the PSSCH. The SCI format 1 may include priority (3 bit), resource reservation (4 bit), frequency resource position of initial transmission and retransmission (the number of bits of which may differ depending on the number of sub-channels of a sidelink), time gap between initial transmission and retransmission (4 bit), MCS (5 bit)).
Regarding claim 24, Lee teaches The method of claim 16, wherein the second transmission is a retransmission of the first transmission or another transmission([0008] The second transmission may be performed after an elapse of a first time gap after performing the first retransmission)
Regarding claim 28, Lee teaches The method of claim 12, wherein the time gap is dependent on a priority of the second transmission and/or a Channel Busy Ratio, CBR, measurement([0100] As another example, although up to 3 subframes are selected within the selection window, if a 4.sup.th subframe cannot be expressed due to the restrictions in signaling, retransmission may be performed for up to only 3 times while abandoning (or renouncing) the corresponding subframe).
Regarding claim 29, Lee teaches The method of claim 12, wherein the first transmission and the second transmission are sidelink transmissions([0058] The present invention is related to V2X communication and more particularly, to a method for sidelink retransmission).
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.
Claim(s) 16-23,25-27,31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee to (US20200008025) in view of ERICSSON: "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions", 3GPP DRAFT; R1-1912599, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES : F-06921 SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS CEDEX : FRANCE. From IDS
Regarding claim 31, Lee teaches a method in a second terminal device, comprising: receiving a transmission from a first terminal device on a first resource and a reservation for a second resource for a retransmission by the first terminal device; ([0069] The SCI format 1 may be used for scheduling of the PSSCH. The SCI format 1 may include priority (3 bit), resource reservation (4 bit), frequency resource position of initial transmission and retransmission (the number of bits of which may differ depending on the number of sub-channels of a sidelink), time gap between initial transmission and retransmission (4 bit), MCS (5 bit), retransmission index (1 bit), and reserved information bit. In what follows, the reserved information bit may be called a reserved bit for short. Reserved bits may be added until the bit size of the SCI format 1 becomes 32 bit. In other words, the SCI format 1 includes a plurality of fields, each of which has different information from each other, where the number of remaining bits excluding the total number of bits of the plurality of fields from the total number of fixed bits (32 bit) of the SCI format 1 may be called reserved bits) and transmitting, to the first terminal device, a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, Negative Acknowledgement, NACK,( [0128] Based on the decoding result of the PSSCH, if the receiving UE verifies whether or not additional retransmission is performed via the reserved bits, for the packets being retransmitted, the buffer is not emptied and waits until the same HARQ ID is sensed)
Lee does not explicitly teach a coordination message, wherein the HARQ NACK is associated with the transmission and the coordination message contains a request for a resource reselection or pre-emption at the first terminal device
However, "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, Negative Acknowledgement, NACK( section, "5.2 Combination of HARQ-based and blind retransmissions") , and a coordination message (" section, 4.3
Pre-emption") , wherein the HARQ NACK is associated with the transmission
(section , 5.2 Combination of HARQ-based and blind retransmissions") and the
coordination message contains a request for a resource reselection or pre-
emption at the first terminal device (" section ,4.3 Pre-emption")
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Lee include a coordination message, wherein the HARQ NACK is associated with the transmission and the coordination message contains a request for a resource reselection or pre-emption at the first terminal device, as suggested by "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions." This modification would benefit the system to reduce network resource waste.
Regarding claim 16, Lee does not explicitly teach further comprising: receiving the coordination message from the second terminal device
However, "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches receiving the coordination message from the second terminal device(" section ,4.3 Pre-emption")
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Lee include receiving the coordination message from the second terminal device, as suggested by "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions." This modification would benefit the system to reduce network resource waste.
Regarding claim 17, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches wherein the coordination message contains a request for a resource reselection or pre-emption at the first terminal device( "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" , section, "5.2 Combination of HARQ-based and blind retransmissions").
Regarding claim 18, , Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 17, wherein the request comprises a Negative Acknowledgement, NACK, associated with the reserving of the second resource( "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" , section, "5.2 Combination of HARQ-based and blind retransmissions").
Regarding claim 19, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 16, wherein the coordination message is carried via control signaling("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions", section 4.1 selection winddown).
Regarding claim 20, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The The method of claim 19, wherein the control signaling comprises Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel, PSFCH, signaling( "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" , section, "5.2 Combination of HARQ-based and blind retransmissions").
Regarding claim 21, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 20, wherein the first resource and the second resource are separated by a time spacing that is larger than a time interval between the first transmission and a first PSFCH occasion following the first transmission, and smaller than a time interval between the first transmission and a second PSFCH occasion subsequent to the first PSFCH occasion("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" ,page 19 ,section 5.2, fig.10b discloses a combination of HARG-based and blind retransmissions. For example, for a HARQ-based transmission, N blind retransmissions of the same TB could be sent by a UE. In this case an ACK/NACK is expected in the PSFCH following the second retransmission as depicted in Figure 10(a). In addition, it is argued that the interference caused by the feedback channel is reduced as compared to the case depicted in Figure 10(b) where PSFCH’s are sent after each retransmission. However, in the latter case there is a higher probability that the interference caused by the PSCCH+PSSCH channels will be reduced as compared to the case (a) because of an eventual ACK because PSCCH+PSSCH #2 will not be transmitted).
Regarding claim 22, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 16, further comprising, prior to receiving the coordination message: transmitting, to the second terminal device, a request for the coordination message(“Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions”, " section ,4.3 Pre-emption").
Regarding claim 23, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 16, further comprising: reselecting a third resource for the second transmission in response to receiving the coordination message(("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" , section 4.3, resource reselection mechanism is depicted in Figure 6).
Regarding claim 25, Lee does not explicitly teach the retransmission comprises a blind retransmission or a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, based retransmission
However, "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches wherein the retransmission comprises a blind retransmission or a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, based retransmission("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" ,page 19 ,section 5.2, fig.10b discloses a combination of HARG-based and blind retransmissions. For example, for a HARQ-based transmission, N blind retransmissions of the same TB could be sent by a UE. In this case an ACK/NACK is expected in the PSFCH following the second retransmission as depicted in Figure 10(a). In addition, it is argued that the interference caused by the feedback channel is reduced as compared to the case depicted in Figure 10(b) where PSFCH’s are sent after each retransmission. However, in the latter case there is a higher probability that the interference caused by the PSCCH+PSSCH channels will be reduced as compared to the case (a) because of an eventual ACK because PSCCH+PSSCH #2 will not be transmitted)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of Lee include the retransmission comprises a blind retransmission or a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, based retransmission, as suggested by "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions." This modification would benefit the system to reduce network resource waste.
Regarding claim 26, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 25, wherein when the retransmission is the HARQ based retransmission, the time gap is larger than time required for the first terminal device to receive a HARQ Acknowledgement, ACK, or Negative Acknowledgement, NACK, associated with the first transmission("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" ,page 19 ,section 5.2, fig.10b discloses a combination of HARG-based and blind retransmissions. For example, for a HARQ-based transmission, N blind retransmissions of the same TB could be sent by a UE. In this case an ACK/NACK is expected in the PSFCH following the second retransmission as depicted in Figure 10(a). In addition, it is argued that the interference caused by the feedback channel is reduced as compared to the case depicted in Figure 10(b) where PSFCH’s are sent after each retransmission. However, in the latter case there is a higher probability that the interference caused by the PSCCH+PSSCH channels will be reduced as compared to the case (a) because of an eventual ACK because PSCCH+PSSCH #2 will not be transmitted).
Regarding claim 27, Lee and "Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" teaches The method of claim 26, wherein the HARQ ACK or NACK is received in a same PSFCH as the coordination message("Resource allocation for Mode-2 transmissions" ,page 19 ,section 5.2, fig.10b discloses a combination of HARG-based and blind retransmissions. For example, for a HARQ-based transmission, N blind retransmissions of the same TB could be sent by a UE. In this case an ACK/NACK is expected in the PSFCH following the second retransmission as depicted in Figure 10(a). In addition, it is argued that the interference caused by the feedback channel is reduced as compared to the case depicted in Figure 10(b) where PSFCH’s are sent after each retransmission. However, in the latter case there is a higher probability that the interference caused by the PSCCH+PSSCH channels will be reduced as compared to the case (a) because of an eventual ACK because PSCCH+PSSCH #2 will not be transmitted).
Conclusion
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 ZEWDU A BEYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
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, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZEWDU A BEYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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