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 .
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 1-20 are 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.
Claims 1 and 11 recite “[1]receive, from the second UE, a first beam measurement report; and [2] to determine, based on the first beam measurement report, a first beam indication; [3] transmit a first channel comprising the first beam indication, and [4] receive a second channel comprising an acknowledgement for the first channel.” This sequence of limitations is not disclosed in Applicant’s original Specification. Applicant’s original Specification discloses, for example in paragraph [0148], that an acknowledgement is transmitted in response to receiving a beam measurement report from a UE that receives and measures a CSI-RS. However, claims 1 and 11 recite that an acknowledgement is transmitted “for the first channel,” and recite that the first channel is transmitted by the UE that transmits the CSI-RS. Applicant’s original Specification does not appear to disclose that an acknowledgement is transmitted for [in response to] a beam indication that is transmitted by the same UE that transmits the CSI-RS.
Claims 2-10 and 12-20 are rejected because the depend from claims 1 and 10.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Liu et al. (US 2022/0046430).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a user equipment (UE) (Liu, paragraph [0007], UE) comprising:
a transceiver (Liu, Fig. 12, transceiver) configured to:
transmit, to a second UE, a sidelink (SL) channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) using multiple spatial domain transmit filters (Liu, paragraph [0007], transmitting to a second UE, over a sidelink, a plurality of beam measurement signals in a plurality of beam directions, each signal including a CSI-RS; paragraph [0148], UE 302a may transmit a plurality of beam measurement signals to the UE 302b in a plurality of CSI-RS resources, each beam measurement signal may be a CSI-RS), and
receive, from the second UE, a first beam measurement report (Liu, paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; paragraph [0100], feedback resource for reporting the preferred transmit beam direction; paragraph [0152], UE 302b may determine RSRP for each beam and determine the highest signal measurement and report the preferred transmit beam direction; paragraph [0154], UE 302b may report the M strongest beams); and
a processor operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured (Liu, Fig. 12, processor) to determine, based on the first beam measurement report, a first beam indication (Liu, paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; paragraph [0100], feedback resource for reporting the preferred transmit beam direction; paragraph [0148], UE 302a may configure the UE 302b with a CSI-RS resource configuration in a PSSCH, each CSI-RS resource may be identified by a resource ID and may have a QCL association with one of the beams; paragraph [0152], UE 302b may have received a CSI-RS configuration and be aware of the CSI-RS resources),
wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
transmit a first channel comprising the first beam indication (Liu, paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; paragraph [0148], UE 302a may configure the UE 302b with a CSI-RS resource configuration in a PSSCH, each CSI-RS resource may be identified by a resource ID and may have a QCL association with one of the beams; paragraph [0152], UE 302b may have received a CSI-RS configuration and be aware of the CSI-RS resources), and
receive a second channel comprising an acknowledgement for the first channel (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period, feedback on PSFCH can include ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback on PSFCH can include an ACK/NACK);
wherein the processor is further configured to determine a time for application of the first beam indication after an end time associated with the second channel (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period, feedback on PSFCH can include ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback on PSFCH can include an ACK/NACK),
wherein the transceiver is further configured to, transmit, after the time for application and based on the determined first beam indication, a first physical SL control channel (PSCCH) or physical SL shared channel (PSSCH) (Liu, paragraph [0007], transmitting, to the second UE over the sidelink, data in the preferred beam direction; paragraph [0097], transmit PSCCH/PSSCHs with different beams, the beam reference signal may include SCI-2 transmitted in a PSSCH; paragraph [0101], after receiving the preferred beam indication, the UE 302a may transmit a plurality of beam measurement SCI-2 signals using the preferred transmit beam so that the UE 302b may select a best receive beam; paragraph [0103], after selecting preferred transmit and received beams, UE 302b may receive PSSCH data from the UE 302a over the sidelink channel),
wherein the second channel is a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period, feedback on PSFCH can include ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback on PSFCH can include an ACK/NACK), and
wherein the time of application is a pre-configured value (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period, feedback on PSFCH can include ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback on PSFCH can include an ACK/NACK).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that an acknowledgement signal for a resource selection message would be configured to occur prior to the use of the selected resource. The motivation for the acknowledgement message would be to ensure that the resource to be used is properly the selected resource.
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein:
the transceiver is further configured to receive a SL CSI-RS (Liu, paragraph [0007], transmitting to a second UE, over a sidelink, a plurality of beam measurement signals in a plurality of beam directions, each signal including a CSI-RS) from a third UE (Liu, Fig. 2; paragraph [0082], UE 215c may communicate with UE 215d and UE 215e over the sidelink),
the processor is further configured to measure and determine a second beam measurement report (Liu, paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; paragraph [0082], UE 215c may communicate with UE 215d and UE 215e over the sidelink; paragraph [0100], feedback resource for reporting the preferred transmit beam direction), and
the transceiver is further configured to transmit the second beam measurement report to the third UE (Liu, paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; paragraph [0082], UE 215c may communicate with UE 215d and UE 215e over the sidelink; paragraph [0100], feedback resource for reporting the preferred transmit beam direction).
Regarding claim 3, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive, from the second UE, a second PSCCH or PSSCH based on the first beam indication (Liu, paragraph [0097], transmit PSCCH/PSSCHs with different beams, the beam reference signal may include SCI-2 transmitted in a PSSCH; paragraph [0101], after receiving the preferred beam indication, the UE 302a may transmit a plurality of beam measurement SCI-2 signals using the preferred transmit beam so that the UE 302b may select a best receive beam ; paragraph [0103], after selecting preferred transmit and received beams, UE 302b may receive PSSCH data from the UE 302a over the sidelink channel).
Regarding claim 4, Liu discloses the of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
receive a second beam indication from the second UE (Liu, paragraph [0103], UE 302b may or may not report the preferred receive beam to the UE 302a; paragraph [0104], UE 302b may or may not use the best receive beam as a transmit beam in the reverse direction for PSSCH data; paragraph [0154], UE may select M strongest beams from the transmit beams and report the M strongest beams), and
receive, from the second UE, a second PSCCH or PSSCH based on the second beam indication (Liu, paragraph [0103], UE 302b may or may not report the preferred receive beam to the UE 302a; paragraph [0104], UE 302b may or may not use the best receive beam as a transmit beam in the reverse direction for PSSCH data; paragraph [0154], UE may select M strongest beams from the transmit beams and report the M strongest beams).
Regarding claim 5, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to the second UE, a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) using a spatial domain transmit filter associated with the first PSCCH or PSSCH (Liu, paragraph [0100]], feedback resource in the PSFCH for reporting the preferred transmit beam direction).
Regarding claim 6, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein:
the processor is further configured to apply a beam indicated in the first beam indication, the time for application after the end time of the PSFCH reception (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period, feedback on PSFCH can include ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback on PSFCH can include an ACK/NACK; paragraph [0103], after selecting preferred transmit and received beams, UE 302b may receive PSSCH data from the UE 302a over the sidelink channel).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that an acknowledgement signal for a resource selection message would be configured to occur prior to the use of the selected resource. The motivation for the acknowledgement message would be to ensure that the resource to be used is properly the selected resource.
Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein:
the transceiver is further configured to: receive a third channel comprising a second beam indication (Liu, paragraph [0103], UE 302b may or may not report the preferred receive beam to the UE 302a; paragraph [0104], UE 302b may or may not use the best receive beam as a transmit beam in the reverse direction for PSSCH data), and
transmit a fourth channel comprising an acknowledgement for the third channel (Liu, paragraph [0075], ACK for a previously transmitted PSSCH; paragraph [0108], feedback can include an ACK/NACK); and
the processor is further configured determine a time for application of the second beam indication after an end time associated with the fourth channel (Liu, paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period).
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: perform sensing and resource exclusion, and determine, based on the sensing and resource exclusion, a candidate resource for the SL CSI-RS (Liu, paragraph [0087], UE may perform resource selection by sensing channel availability for transmissions by measuring the channel, and selecting a channel for transmission based on the measurements).
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive, from the second UE, a trigger to transmit the SL CSI-RS (Liu, paragraph [0053], CSI-RS trigger).
Regarding claim 10, Liu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein:
the first beam measurement report includes M measurement pairs (Liu, paragraph [0154], UE may select M strongest beams from the transmit beams and report the M strongest beams) and
each of the M measurement pairs includes a reference signal (RS) identifier (ID) and a corresponding reference signal received power (RSRP) (Liu, paragraph [0154], UE may determine the CSI-RS resource ID associated with the resource where the beam measurement with the highest RSRP is received and report the preferred transmit beam based on the resource ID, signal measurement for the transmit beam provides the RSRP).
Claims 11-20 are rejected under substantially the same rationale as claims 1-10, respectively
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed November 25, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that the claims are patentable because Liu allegedly does not have any disclosure regarding application of a beam indication or the time at which such a beam indication would be applied, or that a time of application is determined after an end time associated with second channel including the acknowledgement. However, this is incorrect.
Liu discloses, in paragraph [0007], receiving, from the second UE, an indication of a preferred beam direction; and in paragraph [0148], each CSI-RS resource may be identified by a resource ID and may have a QCL association with one of the beams; and in paragraph [0152], UE 302b may have received a CSI-RS configuration and be aware of the CSI-RS resources. The beam indicated of a preferred beam direction and the resource ID and the QCL association the beams are beam indications.
Liu discloses, in paragraph [0075], UE may transmit information for resource allocation of second-stage SCI; first stage SCI may include PSSCH resource assignment or resource reservation period. The time resource allocation for the PSSCH for which the indicated beam will be used is a time at which such a beam indication would be applied. Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that an acknowledgement signal for a resource selection message would be configured to occur prior to the use of the selected resource. The motivation for the acknowledgement message would be to ensure that the resource to be used is properly the selected resource.
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 ALAN LOUIS LINDENBAUM whose telephone number is (571)270-3858. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached at (571) 272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALAN L LINDENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466