Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/373,817

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF DOWNLINK CONTROL INFORMATION FOR SCHEDULING SIDELINK REFERENCE SIGNAL IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Sep 27, 2023
Priority
Oct 07, 2022 — provisional 63/414,093
Examiner
LINDENBAUM, ALAN LOUIS
Art Unit
2413
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
48%
Grant Probability
Moderate
3-4
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
64%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 48% of resolved cases
48%
Career Allowance Rate
210 granted / 434 resolved
-9.6% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+15.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 8m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
492
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.0%
-37.0% vs TC avg
§103
58.6%
+18.6% vs TC avg
§102
17.5%
-22.5% vs TC avg
§112
17.8%
-22.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 434 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 Arguments Applicant's arguments filed May 2, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that the claims are allegedly patentable because “In sharp contrast, Applicant's present claimed invention distinguishes SL-PRS and SL data transmission based on RNTI (used for CRC scrambling), not a bit field.” However, Li discloses “determining whether the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission or for sidelink reference signal transmission based on the RNTI,” as recited in the claims, in paragraph [0084], (new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration). Further, Applicant asserts that the claims are allegedly patentable because “Moreover and unlike Li, the pending claims also cover the determination of the sidelink resource pool based on the field of resource pool index and the RNTI, i.e., resource pool differentiation between the first sidelink resource pools and the second sidelink resource pools.” However, Li discloses, in paragraph [0084], that a new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resources, and in the table in paragraph [0090], that the sidelink resource pool is determined according to a resource pool index. Accordingly, in Li, “determination of the sidelink resource pool based on the field of resource pool index and the RNTI, i.e., resource pool differentiation between the first sidelink resource pools and the second sidelink resource pools” is determined based upon the scrambling by a SL-PRS-RNTI that indicates the presence of SL-PRS resource pool(s) and a particular resource pool index. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April, 22, 2026 has been considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-10 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 2024/0397472). Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a method of a first device (Li, paragraph [0006], receiving, by a user device, from a network device), comprising: receiving, from a network node, configuration of one or more first sidelink resource pools for at least sidelink data transmission (Li, Fig. 7; paragraph [0006], receiving, by a user device, from a network device, SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724); receiving, from a network node, configuration of one or more second sidelink resource pools dedicated for sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, Fig. 7; paragraph [0006], receiving, by a user device, from a network device, SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724); receiving a Downlink Control Information (DCI) for scheduling sidelink data transmission or sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, Fig. 7; paragraph [0006], receiving, by a user device, from a network device, SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724), wherein the DCI comprises a resource pool index (Li, paragraph [0090] and subsequent table, fields in the following table for the new DCI format: resource pool index) and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) of the DCI is scrambled by a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090] and subsequent table, fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); determining whether the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission or for sidelink reference signal transmission based on the RNTI (Li, paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration); determining one sidelink resource based on the resource pool index and the RNTI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink data transmission, the one sidelink resource pool is a first sidelink resource pool among the one or more first sidelink resource pools for at least sidelink data transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index), or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission, the one sidelink resource pool is a second sidelink resource pool among the one or more second sidelink resource pools dedicated for sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); acquiring or determining fields or information in the DCI based on a result of the determining whether the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission or for sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); determining a sidelink resource in the one sidelink resource pool based on the acquired or determined fields, or the information in the DCI (Li, paragraph [0085], SL-PRS resource assignment; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS resource assignment); and performing a sidelink transmission on the sidelink resource in the one sidelink resource pool (Li, Fig. 7; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724). Regarding claim 2, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for at least sidelink data transmission, the first device acquires or determines fields or information, in the DCI, according to sidelink data transmission-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for at least sidelink data transmission, the first device determines fields, in the DCI, as sidelink data transmission-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for at least sidelink data transmission, the first device determines presence of sidelink data transmission-related fields and/or absence of sidelink reference signal-related fields in the DCI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink data transmission, the first device acquires or determines fields or information, in the DCI, according to sidelink data transmission-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink data transmission, the first device determines presence of sidelink data transmission-related fields and/or absence of sidelink reference signal-related fields in the DCI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or the first sidelink resource pool is configured for sidelink data transmission and with sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index). Regarding claim 3, Li discloses the method of claim 2, wherein: the sidelink data transmission-related fields comprise or mean Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH)-related fields (Li, Fig. 7; paragraph [0006], receiving, by a user device, from a network device, SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], DCI allocates resources for SL-data transmission on PSSCH 712 and 714, and SL-PRS transmission 722 and 724); and/or there is at least one first field in the sidelink data transmission-related fields and/or not in the sidelink reference signal-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], existing fields in DCI format; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or the at least one first field comprises any one or any combination of a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process number field, a new data indicator field, a frequency resource assignment for sub-channel, a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH)-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field, or a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator field (Li, paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, HARQ process number, frequency resource assignment, feedback timing indicator, PUCCH resource indicator). Regarding claim 4, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device acquires or determines fields or information, in the DCI, according to sidelink reference signal-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device determines fields, in the DCI, as sidelink reference signal-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the one sidelink resource pool is configured for sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device determines presence of sidelink reference signal-related fields and/or absence of sidelink data transmission-related fields in the DCI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device acquires or determines fields or information, in the DCI, according to sidelink reference signal-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device determines presence of sidelink reference signal-related fields and/or absence of sidelink data transmission-related fields in the DCI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or the second sidelink resource pool is configured for sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index). Regarding claim 5, Li discloses the method of claim 4, wherein: the sidelink reference signal-related fields comprise or mean Sidelink (SL)-Positioning Reference Signal-(PRS)-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or there is at least one second field in the SL-PRS-related fields and/or not in the sidelink data transmission-related fields (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or the at least one second field comprises at least one SL-PRS resource Identity or Index field (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index). Regarding claim 6, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: determining whether the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission or for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission based on the RNTI being associated with sidelink data transmission or sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or when the RNTI is associated with sidelink data transmission, the first device determines the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or when the RNTI is associated with sidelink reference signal transmission, the first device determines the DCI is for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index). Regarding claim 7, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: a bit size of the DCI used for scheduling sidelink data transmission is same as a bit size of the DCI used for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0086], the size of the new DCI format can be the same or different from the existing format; information bits for the new DCI format); and/or a total bit number of sidelink data transmission-related fields, including padding bits, if any, in the DCI used for scheduling sidelink data transmission is same as a total bit number of sidelink reference signal-related fields, including padding bits, if any, in the DCI used for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0086], the size of the new DCI format can be the same or different from the existing format; information bits for the new DCI format; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index, padding bits). Regarding claim 8, Li discloses the method of claim 6, wherein: the RNTI associated with sidelink data transmission is SL-RNTI or SL-Configured Scheduling (CS)-RNTI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or the RNTI associated with sidelink reference signal transmission is SL-Positioning Reference Signal (PRS)-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or when the CRC of the DCI is scrambled by a SL-RNTI or a SL-CS-RNTI, the first device determines the DCI is for scheduling sidelink data transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index); and/or when the CRC of the DCI is scrambled by a SL- PRS-RNTI or a SL-PRS-CS-RNTI, the first device determines the DCI is for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0085], SL-RNTI or SL-CS-RNTI or SL-PRS-RNTI or SL-PRS-CS-RNTI; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, SL-PRS resource pool index). Regarding claim 9, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the first device determines the one sidelink resource pool based on the field of resource pool index and the RNTI (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink data transmission, the field of resource pool index indicates a first resource pool identity or index associated with the first sidelink resource pool (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or when the DCI is determined for scheduling sidelink reference signal transmission, the field of resource pool index indicates a second resource pool identity or index associated with the second sidelink resource pool (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index); and/or the first resource pool identity or index is the same as or different from the second resource pool identity or index (Li, paragraph [0065], fields of the DCI format; paragraph [0084], new DCI format is CRC scrambled by SL-PRS-RNTI to indicate SL-PRS resource configuration; paragraph [0090], fields in the following table for the new DCI format: SL-PRS Transmission indication: 0 for SL-PRS or 1 for SL data and SL-PRS, resource pool index). Regarding claim 10, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more first sidelink resource pools and the one or more second sidelink resource pools are configured in a same carrier, or a same cell, or a same SL Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Li, Fig. 1, single/same cell). Claim 20 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 1. Li additionally discloses a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute a program code (Li, Fig. 14; paragraphs [0175]-[0177], memory, processor, processor-executable instructions). 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. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Xiong et al. (US 20250287395) discloses configuration information configuring a resource pool associated with positioning reference signal communications. The DCI is decoded from the base station using a PDCCH. The DCI indicates a resource pool index and/or the presence of a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) in the indicated resource pool. An SL PRS is encoded for transmission to the second UE using the indicated resource pool. Lee et al. (US 20240381378) discloses requesting a configuration of a resource for a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL-PRS), receiving, from the base station, configuration information associated with a resource pool for the SL-PRS, transmitting, to the base station, information for requesting a SL-PRS resource, based on the configuration information, receiving, from the base station, first downlink control information (DCI) scheduling the SL-PRS resource, and transmitting the SL-PRS on the SL-PRS resource based on the first DC 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 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 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, Un Cho can be reached at (571) 272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /A.L.L/ Examiner, Art Unit 2413 /UN C CHO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 27, 2023
Application Filed
May 20, 2024
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
May 02, 2026
Response Filed
Jul 15, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
48%
Grant Probability
64%
With Interview (+15.9%)
3y 8m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 434 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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