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
This communication is in response to the amendment of 2/25/2026. All changes made to the claims have been entered. Accordingly, Claims 1, 4-12, 15-21 are currently pending in the application.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the subject matter of
“perform inter-UE coordination (IUC) in Mode 2 resource allocation and receive, from the second UE device, the IUC information according to a first IUC scheme and a second IUC scheme, the IUC information including preferred or non-preferred resources for transmission of the first UE device in the first IUC scheme and an indication of expected/potential resource conflict on resources indicated by sidelink control information (SCI) of the first UE device in the second IUC scheme and the request for IUC information comprises a 1-bit signal” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 12, 18, 20 (dependent claims also being rejected since they are dependent upon rejected claims set forth) is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites the subject matter “perform inter-UE coordination (IUC) in Mode 2 resource allocation and receive, from the second UE device, the IUC information according to a first IUC scheme and a second IUC scheme, the IUC information including preferred or non-preferred resources for transmission of the first UE device in the first IUC scheme and an indication of expected/potential resource conflict on resources indicated by sidelink control information (SCI) of the first UE device in the second IUC scheme”. However such subject matter do not seem to be disclosed in the Specification and/or Drawings. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter and/or specifically pointing out such subject matter. Similar rationale is applied to claims 12, 18, 20 reciting similar subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1, 4, 5, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al. (US 2022/0322359), in view of Pan et al. (US 2024/0015755), in view of Baek et al. (US 2021/0315057), in view of "RAN1 Chair's Notes", 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104b-e e-Meeting, April 12th - 20th, 2021, hereinafter referred to as RAN1 Chair’s Notes.
Regarding claim 1, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, Ye discloses a first user equipment (UE) device (Apparatuses, systems, and methods for triggering and signaling of an inter-UE coordination message…coordinating UE receiving a sidelink coordination request message form the source UE, abstract and [0041] and [0079]-[0080] and [0177] and figure 5 and figure 8-9) configured to perform inter-UE coordination (IUC) in Mode 2 resource allocation (methods for triggering and signaling of an inter-UE coordination message, e.g., for V2X Mode 2 resource allocation, [0001]) and [0004] and [0090]), the first UE device comprising:
a transmitter ([0079]-[0080] and figure 3 and 5) configured to transmit a request for IUC information to a second UE device (the first UE may receive a sidelink coordination request message from the second UE. The sidelink coordination request message may be a triggering signal for the first UE to provide the second UE with an inter-UE coordination message, [0130]-[0131] and [0134] and [0141] and [0146] and [0157] and [0161] and [0163] and [0005] and figure 8-9), the request for lUC information comprising control information indicating a Destination identifier associated with the second UE device (The sidelink coordination request message…may include criteria for selecting a set of resources for sidelink communications as well as parameters for an inter-UE coordination message… parameters and/or requirements for the set of resources may include…destination UE ID of the set of resources and the first UE may receive the sidelink coordination request message based on the ID of the first UE and the ID of the second UE, [0134]-[0135] and [0130] and [0164]);
a receiver ([0079]-[0080] and figure 3 and 5) configured to receive, from the second UE device, the lUC information (The sidelink coordination request message may be a triggering signal for the first UE to provide the second UE with an inter-UE coordination message, [0130]-[0131] and [0134] and [0141] and [0146] and [0157] and [0161] and [0163] and figures 8-9); and
a controller ([0079]-[0080] and figure 3 and 5) configured to select, based at least partially on the lUC information, communication resources to be used for communication with the second UE device (The inter-UE coordination message may indicate a set of resources for the second UE to use for sidelink communications… the first UE may provide (e.g., send and/or transmit), to the second UE, an indication of a set of resources for sidelink communications, e.g., via an inter-UE coordination message, [0131]-[0132] and [0125] and [0127], [0139], [0144] and figures 8-9) wherein
the request for lUC information comprises a 1-bit signal (a sidelink coordination request message may include a single bit that indicates a request, [0130] and [0163]).
Ye however fails to disclose a Layer identifier, However in a similar field of endeavor, Pan discloses a Layer identifier (Destination ID, Source ID or the like may be carried in…inter-UE coordination request signal…Destination ID and source ID may be…MAC layer destination ID and source ID , higher layer destination ID and source ID, application layer destination ID and source ID or the like, [0306]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of having the destination ID in a IUC request signal be a MAC layer destination ID as disclosed by Pan into the triggering of an IUC message comprising a request signal with parameters of a destination ID as disclosed by Ye in order to improve the system and flexibly provide destination ID parameters in various fashions, such as via MAC layer destination ID.
Ye and Pan however fails to disclose layer 2 identifier (Destination L2 ID). However in a similar field of endeavor, Baek discloses layer 2 identifier (In the MAC layer, a layer 2 destination address for transmission of a discovery message may be defined, [0134]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of associating a MAC layer with layer 2 as disclosed by Baek into the triggering of an IUC message comprising a request signal with parameters of a MAC layer destination ID as disclosed by Ye and Pan in order to improve the system and to provide flexible nomenclature, such as the association of MAC layer and layer 2.
Ye, Pan, and Baek fails to disclose IUC information according to a first IUC scheme and a second IUC scheme, the IUC information including preferred or non-preferred resources for transmission of the first UE device in the first IUC scheme and an indication of expected/potential resource conflict on resources indicated by sidelink control information (SCI) of the first UE device in the second IUC scheme. Ye however discloses the inter-UE coordination message may include one or more preferred resources or non-preferred resources ([0125] and [0130] and [0135]). In a similar field of endeavor, RAN1 Chair’s Notes discloses IUC information according to a first IUC scheme and a second IUC scheme, the IUC information including preferred or non-preferred resources for transmission of the first UE device in the first IUC scheme and an indication of expected/potential resource conflict on resources indicated by sidelink control information (SCI) of the first UE device in the second IUC scheme (Support the following schemes of inter-UE coordination in Mode 2 and Inter-UE Coordination Scheme 1: The coordination information send from UE-A to UE-B is the set of resources preferred and/or non-preferred and Inter-UE Coordination Scheme 2: The coordination information sent from UE-A to UE-B is the presence of expected/potential and/or detected resource conflict on the resources indicated by UE-B’s SCI, page 106-108). It 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 to incorporate the concept of having coordination information include preferred or non-preferred of scheme 1 and expected/potential resource conflict of scheme 2 as disclosed by RAN1 Chair’s Notes into the triggering of an IUC message comprising a request signal as disclosed by Ye, Pan, and Baek in order to improve the system and flexibly provide a variety of parameters, such as preferred or non-preferred of scheme 1 and expected/potential resource conflict of scheme 2, so that coordination between devices may be achieved.
Similar rationale is applied to the other independent claims reciting similar subject matter.
Regarding claim 4, 15, Ye discloses wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the request for IUC information utilizing a set of communication resources dedicated to transmit requests for IUC information (criteria for selecting a set of resources for sidelink communications as well as resources for a sidelink coordination request message may be negotiated between a first UE and a second UE, [0129]-[0130])
Regarding claim 5, 16, Ye discloses wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the request for IUC information over a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH)( the sidelink coordination request message may be frequency division multiplexed with PSFCH resources at the end of a time slot, [0130] and [0164]).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al., in view of Pan et al., in view of Baek et al., in view of RAN1 Chair’s Notes, in further view of Hahn et al. (US 2022/0303059),
Regarding claim 6, Ye discloses wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a message containing resource assignment information for one or more UE devices (The inter-UE coordination message may include at least an indication of the set of resources. Transmitting the inter-UE coordination message may include any, any combination of, and/or all of (e.g., at least one of and/or one or more of) the UE periodically broadcasting the inter-UE coordination message, periodically groupcasting the inter-UE coordination message, and/or periodically unicasting the inter-UE coordination message and the set of resources may be indicated via an indication of…a time-frequency of available resources, [0005] and [0008] and [0124]-[0125] and [0129] and [0132] and [0138]-[0139]).
Ye fails to disclose Physical Resource Block (PRB) index. However in a similar field of endeavor, Hahn discloses Physical Resource Block (PRB) index with respects to resource allocation (frequency resource allocation information may be one or a combination of two or more of…,PRB index(es), [0104] and [0127] and [0131]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of having resource allocation information comprise PRB index as disclosed by Hahn into the triggering of an IUC message comprising an indication of time-frequency resources as disclosed by Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes in order to improve the system and to flexibly provide resource assignment information for communications, such as via PRB index.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al., in view of Pan et al., in view of Baek et al., in view of RAN1 Chair’s Notes, in further view of Ali et al. (US 2022/0124466).
Regarding claim 7, Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes fails to disclose wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a message containing the Destination L2 ID for one or more UE devices. However in a similar field of endeavor, Ali discloses receive a message containing the Destination L2 ID for one or more UE devices (transmitting or receiving one or more messages to mediate rules for communication with UE, wherein the one or more messages includes quality of service information or L2 destination identifier, [0216] and [0005] and [0012] and [0042] and [0043] and [0053]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of receiving one or more messages including L2 destination identifier to mediate rules for communication as disclosed by Ali into the triggering of an IUC message comprising destination ID as disclosed by Ye, Pan, Baek and RAN1 Chair’s Notes in order to improve the system and properly mediate rules for communications, such as receiving destination L2 ID such that communication may be achieved between a source and a destination.
Claim(s) 8, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al., in view of Pan et al., in view of Baek et al., in view of RAN1 Chair’s Notes , in further view of Khoryaev et al. (US 2024/0073930)
Regarding claim 8, 17, Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes fails to disclose wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the IUC information in a next available Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) resource, which is selected from a coordination message resource pool. However in a similar field of endeavor, Khoryaev discloses wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the IUC information in a next available Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) resource, which is selected from a coordination message resource pool (PSCCH resources for SCI format carrying inter-UE coordination information are configured separately from PSCCH resources for SCI format 1-A transmission. In another option, the same PSCCH resource pool is used for SCI carrying inter-UE coordination information, [0181] and [0227]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of having PSCCH resources and corresponding resource pool carry UE coordination information as disclosed by Khoryaev into the triggering of an IUC message as disclosed by Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes in order to improve the system and efficiently obtain the proper resources for IUC communication between devices.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al., in view of Pan et al., in view of Baek et al., in view of RAN1 Chair’s Notes , in further view of Hui et al. (US 2023/0389002).
Regarding claim 9, Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes fails to disclose wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the request for IUC information at least an integer number of slots before the first UE device intends to send a data transmission to the second UE device. However in a similar field of endeavor, Hui discloses wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the request for IUC information at least an integer number of slots before the first UE device intends to send a data transmission to the second UE device (before transmitting the one or more sidelink transmissions, the second wireless device may send/transmit, to the first wireless device and via sidelink, a request message, for requesting the first set of resources, to trigger the inter-UE coordination and a sidelink transmission be transmitted via a sidelink slot in the time domain, [0324] and [0235] and [0231] and figure 28 and figure 18 and figure 19). It 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 to incorporate the concept transmitting a IUC request before intended sidelink transmission which is based upon slots in the time domain as disclosed by Hui into the triggering of an IUC message as disclosed by Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes in order to improve the system and efficiently obtain the proper resources for sidelink communication between devices in a timely manner.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al., in view of Pan et al., in view of Baek et al., in view of RAN1 Chair’s Notes, in further view of Adachi et al. (US 2019/0028947)
Regarding claim 11, Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes fails to disclose wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to a base station, a request for physical resources, the request for physical resources indicating that the request for physical resources is associated with the Destination L2 ID associated with the second UE device. However in a similar field of endeavor, Adachi discloses wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to a base station, a request for physical resources, the request for physical resources indicating that the request for physical resources is associated with the Destination L2 ID associated with the second UE device (The UE 100 may request, by using the sidelink UE information message, a radio resource for direct communication with a short-range communication device and The sidelink UE information message may include a destination ID list for a short-range communication device and the eNB 200 can allocate information on the radio resource for short-range communication to the UE, [0148]-[0153]). It 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 to incorporate the concept transmitting to a base station a request for resources comprising destination ID as disclosed by Adachi into the triggering of an IUC message as disclosed by Ye, Pan, Baek, and RAN1 Chair’s Notes in order to improve the system and efficiently obtain the proper resources for sidelink communication between devices.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 4-12, 15-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Basu Mallick et al. (US 2024/0057207) disclosing determined Set of sidelink resources may include a preferable resource based on a sensing result, a non-preferable resource based on the sensing result, and/or a resource having a potential collision ([0076]).
Ganesan et al. (US 2023/0189292) disclosing the requested scheme for determining the set of resources indicates a preferred resource set, a non-preferred resource set, an expected resource conflict, a potential resource conflict, a detected resource conflict, or some combination thereof ([0073]).
Sun et al. (US 2024/0163903) disclosing three types of inter-UE coordination schemes have been evaluated and studied in 3GPP RAN1 meeting in the following categories: (1) Type A: UE-A (e.g., UE 101 illustrated and shown in FIG. 1) sends to UE-B (e.g., any of UE 102 to UE 105 illustrated and shown in FIG. 1) a set of resources preferred for UE-B's transmission, e.g., based on its sensing result. (2) Type B: UE-A sends to UE-B a set of resources not preferred for UE-B's transmission, e.g., based on its sensing result and/or expected/potential resource conflict. (3) Type C: UE-A sends to UE-B a set of resources where the resource conflict is detected ([0036]-[0039]).
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 NGUYEN HOANG NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-8398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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, Kwang Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGUYEN H NGO/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
Prosecution Insights