DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 § 102
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claims 1, 4, 6-9, 12 and 14-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fakoorian et al. (US 2021/0409993 A1, hereinafter “Fakoorian”).
Regarding claims 1, 9 and 26, Fakoorian teaches an apparatus comprising: one or more interfaces configured to communicate with a first communication device, a second communication device and a network entity (figs. 1-4, 13, 14, ¶ [0168], ¶ [0180]); and processing circuitry configured to control the one or more interfaces and to control communication between the first communication device and a third communication (figs. 3-10, ¶ [0079]) device by: receiving a space allocation non-compliance (SANC) message from the first communication device, the SANC message comprising information indicating a usage of a radiation boundary area by the second communication device, the radiation boundary area being assigned for usage by the first communication device (figs. 3, ¶ [0076], the UEs 315a and 315c are located within a coverage area 340 of the BS 305. ¶ [0077], the BS 305 may allocate resources for sharing between the sidelink 320 and the direct link 310. Fig. 4, ¶ [0081], ¶ [0098], ¶ [0100], At action 450, the direct link receiving UE 315c transmits a sidelink interference measurement report to the BS 305. The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. The report may further indicate an ID of the interfering transmitter (e.g., the sidelink transmitting UE 315a) determined from the waveform sequence of the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource); determining an interference between communication signals of the first and second communication devices in the assigned radiation boundary area (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report.); and transmitting, by the network entity, information indicating the determined interference to at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device for use in adjusting of communication of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the transmitted information about the determined interference (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report. ¶ [01230, the BS 305 may perform action 905 as part of action 460 of the method 400 of FIG. 4. ¶ [0124] At action 910, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink transmission cancellation request to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. ¶ [0133], At action 1010, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink power control configuration to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. The sidelink power control configuration may indicate a power backoff request and/or a power backoff amount. ¶ [0135]).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SANC message comprises at least one of information indicating a position of the second communication device, information indicating a direction of arrival of a communication signal from the second communication device received at the first communication device or a radiation density of the communication signal of the second communication device received at the first communication device (¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0184]).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive information indicating a reason of the usage of the radiation boundary area from the second communication device, and determine a usage priority of the radiation boundary area for communication by at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device (Figs. 7-10, ¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0103], ¶ [0114]-¶ [0117], ¶ [0123] and ¶ [0124]).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transmit information indicating the usage priority to at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device (figs. 7-10, ¶ [0124], ¶ [0133]).
Regarding claim 8, Fakoorian teaches a transportation vehicle comprising the apparatus of claim 1 (figs. 4, 7-9, ¶ [0005], ¶ [0051], ¶ [0127], ¶ [0128] ¶ [0136], ¶ [0137]]).
Regarding claims 16 and 27, Fakoorian teaches a method for a first communication device (e.g., direct link Rx UE in figs. 4, 7-10. Fig.14, ¶ [0180]); for improving a usage of a radiation boundary area assigned by a network entity for usage to the first communication device, the method comprising: detecting a communication signal of a second communication device in the radiation boundary area assigned for usage to the first communication device, the communication signal of the second communication device interfering with a communication signal of the first communication device (figs. 3, ¶ [0076], the UEs 315a and 315c are located within a coverage area 340 of the BS 305. ¶ [0077], the BS 305 may allocate resources for sharing between the sidelink 320 and the direct link 310. Fig. 4, ¶ [0081], ¶ [0098], the second instruction may instruct the direct link receiving UE 315c to report an interference measurement for each sidelink interference measurement resource. Depending on the report type indicated by the second configuration, the direct link receiving UE 315c may compute an RSRP or an RSSI for a reference signal received in sidelink interference measurement resource. For instance, to compute an RSRP for the first sidelink interference measurement resource, the direct link receiving UE 315c may perform a signal detection for a particular reference signal (e.g., an SRS or a CSI-RS as indicated by the second configuration) in the first sidelink interference measurement resource and compute the RSRP upon detecting the particular reference signal); transmitting to the network entity a space allocation non-compliance (SANC) message comprising information indicating a usage of the radiation boundary area by the second communication device for use by the network entity in deteremining interference between communication signals of the first and second communication devices in the assigned radiation boundary area (fig. 3, ¶ [0076], figs. 4-10, [0100], At action 450, the direct link receiving UE 315c transmits a sidelink interference measurement report to the BS 305. The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. The report may further indicate an ID of the interfering transmitter (e.g., the sidelink transmitting UE 315a) determined from the waveform sequence of the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource ); and receiving information indicating the determined interference from the network entity at the first communication device and/or the second communication device for use in adjusting of communication of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the transmitted information about the determined interference (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report. ¶ [01230, the BS 305 may perform action 905 as part of action 460 of the method 400 of FIG. 4. ¶ [0124] At action 910, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink transmission cancellation request to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. ¶ [0133], At action 1010, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink power control configuration to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. The sidelink power control configuration may indicate a power backoff request and/or a power backoff amount. ¶ [0135]).
Regarding claim 17, Fakoorian teaches the method of claim 16, further comprising: detecting a direction of arrival of a communication signal of the second communication device; and transmitting to the network entity information indicating the direction of arrival of the communication signal of the second communication device (¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0184]).
Regarding claim 18, Fakoorian teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the SANC message comprises at least one of information indicating a position of the second communication device, information indicating a direction of arrival of a communication signal from the second communication device received at the first communication device or a radiation density of the communication signal of the second communication device received at the first communication device ((¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0184]).
Regarding claim 19, Fakoorian teaches an apparatus comprising: one or more interfaces configured to communicate with a first communication device, a second communication device and a network entity (e.g., direct link Rx UE in figs. 4, 7-10. Fig. 14, ¶ [0180]);; and processing circuitry configured to control the one or more interfaces and to improve usage of a radiation boundary area by: detecting a communication signal of the second communication device in a radiation boundary area assigned for usage to the first communication device, the communication signal of the second communication device interfering with a communication signal of the first communication device (figs. 3, ¶ [0076], the UEs 315a and 315c are located within a coverage area 340 of the BS 305. ¶ [0077], the BS 305 may allocate resources for sharing between the sidelink 320 and the direct link 310. Fig. 4, ¶ [0081], ¶ [0098], the second instruction may instruct the direct link receiving UE 315c to report an interference measurement for each sidelink interference measurement resource. Depending on the report type indicated by the second configuration, the direct link receiving UE 315c may compute an RSRP or an RSSI for a reference signal received in sidelink interference measurement resource. For instance, to compute an RSRP for the first sidelink interference measurement resource, the direct link receiving UE 315c may perform a signal detection for a particular reference signal (e.g., an SRS or a CSI-RS as indicated by the second configuration) in the first sidelink interference measurement resource and compute the RSRP upon detecting the particular reference signal); transmitting to a network entity a space allocation non-compliance (SANC) message comprising information indicating a usage of a radiation boundary area by the second communication device for use by the network entity in determining interference between communication signals of the first and second communication device in the assigned radiation boundary area (figs. 4-10, [0100], At action 450, the direct link receiving UE 315c transmits a sidelink interference measurement report to the BS 305. The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. The report may further indicate an ID of the interfering transmitter (e.g., the sidelink transmitting UE 315a) determined from the waveform sequence of the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource ); and receiving information indicating the determined interference from the network entity at the first communication device and/or the second communication device for use in adjusting of communication of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the transmitted information about the determined interference (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report. ¶ [01230, the BS 305 may perform action 905 as part of action 460 of the method 400 of FIG. 4. ¶ [0124] At action 910, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink transmission cancellation request to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. ¶ [0133], At action 1010, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink power control configuration to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. The sidelink power control configuration may indicate a power backoff request and/or a power backoff amount. ¶ [0135]).
Regarding claim 20, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect a direction of arrival of a communication signal of the second communication device, and transmit to the network entity information indicating the direction of arrival of the communication signal of the second communication device (¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0184]).
Regarding claim 21, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the SANC message comprises at least one of information indicating a position of the second communication device, information indicating a direction of arrival of a communication signal from the second communication device received at the first communication device or a radiation density of the communication signal of the second communication device received at the first communication device (¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0184]).
Regarding claim 22, 24 and 28, Fakoorian teaches a method for a second communication (e.g., SL Tx UE (Aggressor) UE in figs. 4, 7-10. Fig. 14, ¶ [0180]) device for improving a usage of a radiation boundary area, the method comprising: receiving from a network entity information indicating a determined interference between a communication signal of the second communication device and a communication signal of a first communication device in a radiation boundary area assigned, by the network entity, for use by the first communication device (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], the BS 305 transmits a sidelink power control configuration to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. The sidelink power control configuration may indicate a power backoff request and/or a power backoff amount. ¶ [0133], ¶ [0135]); and effecting an adjustment of a communication of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the received information indicating the determined interference (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0046], ¶ [0103], ¶ [0129], Upon receiving the sidelink transmission cancellation request in the feedback resource, the sidelink transmitting UE 315a may refrain from transmitting a sidelink communication signal to the sidelink receiving UE 315b over the sidelink. ¶ [0133], ¶ [0135], At action 1030, in response to receiving the sidelink power control configuration, the sidelink transmitting UE 315a transmits a sidelink communication signal (e.g., SCI and/or sidelink data) over the sidelink to the sidelink receiving UE 315b in the resource shared by the sidelink and the direct link at a reduced power).
Regarding claims 23 and 25, Fakoorian teaches the method of claim 22, further comprising the second communication device transmitting, to the network entity, information indicating a reason of the usage of the radiation boundary area by the second communication device (Figs. 7-10, ¶ [0100], The report may also indicate a sidelink traffic priority and/or interference directional information determined from the reference signal received in the first sidelink interference measurement resource. ¶ [0103], ¶ [0114]-¶ [0117], ¶ [0123] and ¶ [0124], ¶ [0146], the configuration may indicate whether the sidelink transmitting UE 315a is to report a RSRP or a RSSI and/or whether to report priority information and/or interference direction information for a certain sidelink interference measurement resource).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Claims 2, 3, 5, 10, 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fakoorian in view of Ren et al. (US 2023/0262493 A1, hereinafter “Ren”).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
Fakoorian does not explicitly teach wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain a position of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device, and wherein determining the interference is based on the obtained position.
Ren teaches obtain a position of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device, and wherein mitigating interference is based on the obtained position (figs. 3-8, ¶ [0119], At 530, the first UE 115a generates and transmits a CLI measurement report to the base station 105 based on the CLI measurement. For example, the first UE 115a generates and transmits a CLI report message including a determined CLI value. ¶ [0120], At 535, the first UE 115a generates and transmits an AoA estimation report to the base station 105. For example, the first UE 115a generates and transmits an AoA report message including an estimated AoA value. ¶ [0122], At 540, the base station 105 may optionally determine CLI elimination information based on the CLI measurement report and UE positioning information based on the AoA measurement report. For example, the base station 105 may determine one or more adjustments to reduce or eliminate CLI between UEs, such as between the first and second UEs 115a and 115b; the base station 105 may determine a position of first UE 115a, the second UE 115b, or both, based on the AoA value of the AoA measurement report, ¶ [0106], ¶ [0107]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to obtain a position of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device, and to determine/mitigate the interference based on the obtained position in the system of Fakoorian to further enhance system efficiency and/or reliability (¶ [0108] of Ren).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to request a measurement report from another communication device in at least one of a surrounding of the radiation boundary area or a surrounding of the position of the second communication device (figs. 3, 4, ¶ [0096], ¶ [0098], the second configuration and the second instruction may instruct the direct link receiving UE 315c to report an interference measurement for each sidelink interference measurement resource, ¶ [0079]).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Fakoorian teaches the apparatus of claim 4.
Fakoorian does not explicitly teach wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the position of the second communication device based on the SANC message.
Ren teaches determine the position of the second communication device based on the SANC message ( ¶ [0124], the CLI measurement report and the AoA estimation report may be transmitted in the same message or transmission. ¶ [0119], At 530, the first UE 115a generates and transmits a CLI measurement report to the base station 105 based on the CLI measurement. For example, the first UE 115a generates and transmits a CLI report message including a determined CLI value. ¶ [0120], At 535, the first UE 115a generates and transmits an AoA estimation report to the base station 105. For example, the first UE 115a generates and transmits an AoA report message including an estimated AoA value, ¶ [0106], the network entity 405 generates CLI estimation information based on the CLI report 458 and generates UE positioning information based on the AoA report 460. The UE positioning information may include positioning information of the UE 115 (victim UE), the aggressor UE, or both. ¶ [0107]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to determine the position of the second communication device based on the SANC message in the system of Fakoorian to further enhance system efficiency and/or reliability (¶ [0108] of Ren).
Response to Arguments
11. Applicant's arguments filed on October 15, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
12. Applicant argues “…For example, the cited prior art fails to teach or suggest the claimed invention that determines an interference between communication signals of the first and second communication devices in the assigned radiation boundary area, and transmits, by the network entity, information indicating the determined interference to at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device for use in adjusting of communication of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the transmitted information about the determined interference, as recited in the independent claims…”
Examiner respectfully disagrees and submits that Fakoorian teaches determining an interference between communication signals of the first and second communication devices in the assigned radiation boundary area (fig. 3, ¶ [0076], In the scenario 300, the UEs 315a and 315c are located within a coverage area 340 of the BS 305. ¶ [0077], the sidelink transmitting UE 315a can cause interference to a DL reception in the DL resource at the direct link receiving UE 315c as shown by the dashed arrow 330. The sidelink transmitting UE 315a may be referred to as an aggressor UE and the direct link receiving UE 315c may be referred to as a victim UE. Figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report.); and transmitting, by the network entity, information indicating the determined interference to at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device for use in adjusting of communication of at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device based on the transmitted information about the determined interference (figs. 4, 7-10, ¶ [0103], At action 460, upon receiving the sidelink interference measurement report, the BS 305 determines sidelink interference handling based on the received report. ¶ [01230, the BS 305 may perform action 905 as part of action 460 of the method 400 of FIG. 4. ¶ [0124] At action 910, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink transmission cancellation request to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. ¶ [0133], At action 1010, in response to determining the sidelink has a lower priority than the direct link, the BS 305 transmits a sidelink power control configuration to the sidelink transmitting UE 315a. The sidelink power control configuration may indicate a power backoff request and/or a power backoff amount. ¶ [0135]).
Therefore, amended claims 1, 9, 16, 19, 22 and 24 are anticipated by Fakoorian, as set forth above.
Conclusion
13. 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.
14.. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANDISH RANDHAWA whose telephone number is (571)270-5650. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday (9 AM-7 PM).
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/MANDISH K RANDHAWA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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