DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on October 23, 2023.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on October 23, 2023. These drawings are accepted.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
regarding claim 14 line 2, the limitation “indications a capability” should be replaced with ---indications of a capability---. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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.
Claims 1, 3, 5-7, 11, 13, 15, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pub. No. 2023/0052126 (hereinafter “Nam”).
Nam discloses, teaches or suggests:
regarding claims 1 and 20, a method of wireless communication of a first user equipment (UE) (see at least Fig. 4 and paragraph 102, UE 115-f corresponds to the first UE), the method and the first UE comprising:
a memory (see at least Fig.7 and paragraphs 129 and 132, memory 730); and
at least one processor coupled to the memory (see at least Fig. 7 and paragraphs 129 and 133, processor 740 coupled to memory 730 via a bus 745) and configured to:
transmit sidelink control information to one or more second UEs (see at least Fig. 4, step 415, and paragraph 106, UE 115-f transmits SCI associated with the SL-PRS to UE 115-g (i.e., one or more second UEs)),
wherein the sidelink control information includes:
an indication of first resource reserved for transmitting first sidelink positioning reference signals (SL-PRSs) from the first UE to the one or more second UE (see at least paragraph 106, an indication that UE 115-f reserves the resource for a single transmission instance, semi-persistently, or periodically for transmission of the SL-PRS); and
an indication requesting the one or more second UEs to transmit second SL-PRSs to the first UE in response to receiving the first SL-PRSs from the first UE (see at least paragraphs 106 and 111, UE 115-f transmits an indication of a resource (such as a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions) to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, which corresponds to an indication requesting UE 115-g to transmit a responsive SL-PRS in response to receiving the SL-PRS from UE 115-f); and
transmit the first SL-PRSs on the first resource to the one or more second UEs (see at least Fig. 4, steps 420 and 425, paragraphs 107-108, UE 115-f transmits the SL-PRS and one or more additional SL-PRSs on the resource indicated in the SCI at step 415);
regarding claim 3, the sidelink control information further includes an indication of a second resource reserved for the one or more second UEs to transmit the second SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least paragraphs 106 and 111, the SCI includes an indication of a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, where UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS));
regarding claim 5, the sidelink control information and the first SL-PRSs are transmitted in a same transmission slot (see at least paragraphs 89 106, UE 115-f transmits the SCI associated with the SL-PRS to reserve resources across multiple slots (such as a current slot and one or more future slots));
regarding claim 6, further comprising receiving, from the one or more second UEs, measurements of the first SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 100-102, UE 115-f may be examples of UEs described with reference to Figs. 1-3, where Fig. 3 and paragraphs 100-101 describe that UE 115-e (corresponding to the one or more second UEs) may report the measured pseudo-ranges or OTDOA values to UE 115-d (corresponding to the first UE)); and
regarding claim 7, further comprising sensing available resources prior to transmitting the sidelink control information and the first SL-PRSs (see at least Fig. 4, step 410, and paragraph 105, UE 115-f performs a channel sensing procedure including sensing resources of a resource pool to identify resources that are available for the transmission of the requested SL-PRS).
Nam discloses, teaches or suggests:
regarding claim 11, a method of wireless communication of a second user equipment (UE) (see at least Fig. 4 and paragraph 102, UE 115-g corresponds to the second UE), the method comprising:
receiving, from a first UE, sidelink control information (see at least Fig. 4, step 415, and paragraph 106, UE 115-f transmits SCI associated with the SL-PRS, which is received by UE 115-g (i.e., second UE)),
wherein the sidelink control information includes:
an indication of first resource reserved for receiving first sidelink positioning reference signals (SL-PRSs) from the first UE (see at least paragraph 106, an indication that UE 115-f reserves the resource for a single transmission instance, semi-persistently, or periodically for transmission of the SL-PRS from UE 115-f (i.e., first UE), which is received by UE 115-g); and
an indication requesting the second UE to transmit second SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least paragraphs 106 and 111, UE 115-f transmits an indication of a resource (such as a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions) to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, which corresponds to an indication requesting UE 115-g to transmit a responsive SL-PRS in response to receiving the SL-PRS from UE 115-f);
receiving, from the first UE, the first SL-PRSs on the first resource (see at least Fig. 4, steps 420 and 425, paragraphs 107-108, UE 115-f transmits the SL-PRS and one or more additional SL-PRSs on the resource indicated in the SCI at step 415, which is received by UE 115-g); and
transmitting the second SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least Fig. 4, steps 435 and 440, and paragraph 111, UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS to UE 115-f using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS));
regarding claim 13, the sidelink control information further includes an indication of a second resource reserved for the second UE to transmit the second SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least paragraphs 106 and 111, the SCI includes an indication of a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, where UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS));
regarding claim 15, the sidelink control information and the first SL-PRSs are received in a same transmission slot (see at least paragraphs 89 and 106, UE 115-f transmits the SCI associated with the SL-PRS to reserve resources for SL-PRS transmission across multiple slots (such as a current slot and one or more future slots), which is received by UE 115-g); and
regarding claim 16, further comprising transmitting, to the first UE, measurements of the first SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 100-102, UE 115-f may be examples of UEs described with reference to Figs. 1-3, where Fig. 3 and paragraphs 100-101 describe that UE 115-e (corresponding to the second UE) may report the measured pseudo-ranges or OTDOA values to UE 115-d (corresponding to the first UE)).
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.
Claims 2, 4, 8-10, 12, 14, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0323910 (hereinafter “Pan”).
Regarding claim 2, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests all of the subject matter of claim 1, as described above, but does not explicitly disclose that the sidelink control information further includes an indication triggering the one or more second UEs to transmit measurements of the first SL-PRSs to the first UE in response to receiving the first SL-PRSs from the first UE.
However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests sidelink control information including an indication triggering the one or more second UEs to transmit measurements of the first SL-PRSs to the first UE in response to receiving the first SL-PRSs from the first UE (see at least paragraphs 66-68, 71, 73, and 77-79, when a measurement request includes SCI indicating a selected SL PRS resource ID/SL PRS resource set ID, which is received by target UEs, the target UEs should start to receive corresponding SL PRSs, where the measurement request further includes some selected SL PRS configuration that a UE requires other UE to measure, where a sidelink measurement report is transmitted in response to the measurement request).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the measurement request and the measurement report, as taught by Pan, in to the invention of sidelink sensing and positioning of Nam. The motivation for doing so would be to allow the first UE to calculate positioning estimate based on the measurement report (see at least paragraph 90 of Pan).
Regarding claim 4, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests all of the subject matter of claim 1, as described above, but does not explicitly disclose requesting the one or more second UEs to report a capability of transmission of the second SL-PRSs and a capability of measurements of the first SL-PRSs.
However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests requesting the one or more second UEs to report a capability of transmission of the second SL-PRSs and a capability of measurements of the first SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 61, 62, 120, 132, and 133, transmitting sidelink related capability request, which requests for a sidelink related capability provision/response from a target UE, where the sidelink related capability provision/response includes SL PRS receiving capability, SL PRS processing/measurement capability, and SL PRS reporting capability).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the sidelink related capability request and the sidelink related capability provision/response, as taught by Pan, in to the invention of sidelink sensing and positioning of Nam. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce positioning latency (see at least paragraphs 133 and 134 of Pan).
Regarding claim 8, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests the method of claim 1, as described above, and further comprising:
performing sensing of available resources (see at least Fig. 4, step 410, and paragraph 105, UE 115-f performs a channel sensing procedure including sensing resources of a resource pool to identify resources that are available for the transmission of the requested SL-PRS);
selecting, based on the sensing, second resource for the one or more second UEs to transmit the second SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 106 and 111, UE 115-f transmits an indication of a resource (such as a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions) to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, where UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS)); and
transmitting, via SCI, indications of the second resource to the one or more second UEs for transmitting the second SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 106, 107, and 111, UE 115-f transmits, via the SCI, an indication of a resource (such as a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions) to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, where UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS)).
Nam does not explicitly disclose transmitting, via a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) or higher layer signaling, indications of the second resource.
However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests transmitting, via a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) or higher layer signaling, indications of the second resource (see at least paragraphs 139 and 141, the sidelink (SL) measurement request or trigger may be the MAC-CE or SCI (first stage SCI or second stage SCI), where the trigger content may include 2) selected SL PRS resource ID/SL PRS resource set ID in assistance data configuration or a SL PRS configuration to indicate the PRSs that the initiating UE wishes to receive from other target UEs).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the transmission/reception via SCI, as taught by Nam, with the transmission/reception via MAC CE, as taught by Pan, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out such a substitution and the results were reasonably predictable.
Regarding claim 9, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests receiving, from at least one of the one or more second UEs, second control information including an indication that the at least one second UE uses the second resource for transmitting the second SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least Fig. 4, step 430, and paragraph 111, UE 115-g transmits an indication of a resource to be used for the SL-PRS via the SCI, which is received by UE 115-f).
Regarding claim 10, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests the second control information includes a reservation, by the at least one second UE, of the second resource (see at least paragraph 111, UE 115-g transmits an indication of a resource to be used for the SL-PRS via the SCI to UE 115-f, where UE 115-g reserves resources across multiple slots and across different sub-channels).
Regarding claim 12, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests all of the subject matter of claim 11, as described above, but does not explicitly disclose that the sidelink control information further includes an indication triggering the second UE to transmit measurements of the first SL-PRSs to the first UE.
However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests sidelink control information including an indication triggering the second UE to transmit measurements of the first SL-PRSs to the first UE (see at least paragraphs 66-68, 71, 73, and 77-79, when a measurement request includes SCI indicating a selected SL PRS resource ID/SL PRS resource set ID, which is received by target UEs, the target UEs should start to receive corresponding SL PRSs, where the measurement request further includes some selected SL PRS configuration that a UE requires other UE to measure, where a sidelink measurement report is transmitted in response to the measurement request).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the measurement request and the measurement report, as taught by Pan, in to the invention of sidelink sensing and positioning of Nam. The motivation for doing so would be to allow the first UE to calculate positioning estimate based on the measurement report (see at least paragraph 90 of Pan).
Regarding claim 14, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests all of the subject matter of claim 11, as described above, but does not explicitly disclose transmitting, to the first UE, indications a capability of transmission of the second SL-PRSs and a capability of measurements of the first SL-PRSs.
However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests transmitting, to the first UE, indications a capability of transmission of the second SL-PRSs and a capability of measurements of the first SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 61, 62, 120, 132, and 133, transmitting, to an initiating UE, sidelink related capability provision/response, which includes SL PRS transmitting capability, SL PRS processing/measurement capability, and SL PRS reporting capability).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the sidelink related capability provision/response, as taught by Pan, in to the invention of sidelink sensing and positioning of Nam. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce positioning latency (see at least paragraphs 133 and 134 of Pan).
Regarding claim 18, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests receiving, from the first UE via sidelink control information, indications of second resource for transmitting the second SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 106, 107, and 111, UE 115-f transmits, via the SCI, an indication of a resource (such as a reserved resource or one or more candidate transmission timings or occasions) to be used for a responsive SL-PRS, where UE 115-g transmits the SL-PRS using the resource indicated by the SCI received at step 415 (indicating a resource for a responsive SL-PRS)).
Nam does not explicitly disclose receiving, via a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) or higher layer signaling, indications of the second resource. However, in an analogous art, Pan discloses, teaches, or suggests receiving, via a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) or higher layer signaling, indications of the second resource (see at least paragraphs 139 and 141, the sidelink (SL) measurement request or trigger may be the MAC-CE or SCI (first stage SCI or second stage SCI), where the trigger content may include 2) selected SL PRS resource ID/SL PRS resource set ID in assistance data configuration or a SL PRS configuration to indicate the PRSs that the initiating UE wishes to receive from other target UEs).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the transmission/reception via SCI as taught by Nam with the transmission/reception via MAC CE as taught by Pan because one of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out such a substitution and the results were reasonably predictable.
Regarding claim 19, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests transmitting, to the first UE, second control information including a reservation of the second resource for transmitting the second SL-PRSs (see at least Fig. 4, step 430, and paragraph 111, UE 115-g transmits an indication of a resource to be used for the SL-PRS via the SCI to UE 115-f).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0388405 (hereinafter “Huang”).
Regarding claim 17, Nam discloses, teaches, or suggests all of the subject matter of the claimed invention of claim 11, as described above, but does not explicitly disclose performing sensing of available resources and selecting, based on sensing, resources to transmit the second SL-PRSs when the sidelink control information from the first UE does not indicate resources reserved for transmitting the second SL-PRSs.
However, in an analogous art, Huang discloses, teaches, or suggests performing sensing of available resources (see at least paragraph 194, sensing an occupied SL PRS resource when transmitting the SL PRS) and selecting, based on sensing, resources to transmit the second SL-PRSs when the sidelink control information from the first UE does not indicate resources reserved for transmitting the second SL-PRSs (see at least paragraphs 190-194, sensing an occupied SL PRS resource when transmitting the SL PRS using first information including a parameter of SL PRS, where the sidelink control information does not indicate resources reserved for transmitting the second SL-PRSs because the first information is shared by a plurality of terminals and does not indicate resources specifically reserved for transmitting the second SL-PRSs; paragraphs 190-194 correspond to pages 18-19 of CN202210114396.7, which has the effective filing date of January 30, 2022).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the sensing technique, as taught by Huang, in to the invention of sidelink sensing and positioning of Nam. The motivation for doing so would be to reduce interference to the SL PRS (see at least paragraph 194 of Huang).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Pub. No. 2023/0354268 (Zhou et al.) – resource allocation for sidelink positioning (see at least paragraphs 147-159).
U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0414742 (Yang et al.) – resource configuration of sidelink positioning reference signal (see at least paragraphs 65-79).
U.S. Pub. No. 2026/0040263 (Ko et al.) – positioning reference signal configuration for sidelink positioning between a target UE and a server UE (see at least Fig. 18 and paragraphs 366-378).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pawaris Sinkantarakorn whose telephone number is (571)270-1424. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hadi Armouche can be reached at (571) 270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAO SINKANTARAKORN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409 04/13/2026
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