DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wei (US 2024/0114569 A1).
Wei is in the same field of invention as the instant invention, namely indicating a terminal type during sidelink communication before an exchange of capability information. Wei teaches indicating that a terminal type is a Reduced Capability (RedCap UE) before any further information is exchanged and/or resources are configured.
Regarding Claim 1, Wei teaches the below limitation(s):
A terminal recognition method, wherein the method is performed by a first terminal and comprises:
receiving a first message through a sidelink, wherein the first message is a message transmitted by a second terminal before the second terminal performs a capability information exchange process with the first terminal through the sidelink (Wei Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission, which occurs before steps 720/730 capability exchange; [0087] teaches capability negotiations between RedCap UE and non-RedCap UE, based at least in part on the early indication of the RedCap UE type); and
recognizing a terminal type of the second terminal based on the first message, wherein the terminal type comprises a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal ([0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; Fig 7 step 710 and [0085] RedCap UE may send an early indication of the RedCap UE type).
Regarding Claim 2, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
acquiring a type indication information from the first message, wherein the type indication information is configured to indicate the terminal type of the second terminal; and recognizing the terminal type of the second terminal based on the type indication information (Wei Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission; see associated [0085] and [0087]-[0088]; [0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication).
Regarding Claim 3, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 2.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the first message comprises at least one of a PC5 interface (PC5) based Security (PC5-S) message, a PCS based Radio Resource Control (PC5-RRC) message, a Media Access Control layer Control Element (MAC CE), a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) message (Wei [0087] RedCap UE may perform PC5-RRC communication which may include RedCap type; [0043] D2D communication link (i.e. sidelink) may use a PSCCH and [0091] non-RedCap UE may monitor the PSCCH for presence announcement (i.e. the first message) from the RedCap UE).
Regarding Claim 4, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 3.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the PC5-S message comprises at least one of a message of Discovery announce on PC5, a message of announce a Proximity Service (ProSe) Query Code on PC5, a message of a ProSe Response Code on PC5, a Direct Communication Request message, and a Direct Communication Accept message (Wei Fig 9 step 910 wherein first message is a presence announcement (with RedCap UE type information), which examiner is interpreting as a Discovery announce on PC5 (i.e. sidelink); [0052] sidelink communication may comprise Proximity Services (ProSe)).
Regarding Claim 5, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the recognizing a terminal type of the second terminal based on the first message, comprises:
recognizing the terminal type of the second terminal based on a resource pool to which a resource corresponding to the first message belongs (Wei [0076] NR sidelink may utilize resource pools allocated for sidelink; [0078] each resource pool may define a PSCCH configuration, PSSCH configuration, PSFCH configuration, a power control configuration, and the like).
Regarding Claim 6, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 5.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein resource pools of different terminal types satisfy at least one condition of:
resources in the resource pools of the different terminal types having no overlap in a time domain; the resources in the resource pools of the different terminal types having no overlap in a frequency domain; the resource pools of the different terminal types corresponding to different Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) scrambling code Identities (IDs); and the resource pools of the different terminal types corresponding to different Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) cyclic displacements (Wei [0078] each SL resource pool may define a PSFCH configuration).
Regarding Claim 7, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the recognizing a terminal type of the second terminal based on the first message, comprises:
acquiring a layer-2 ID of the first message (Wei [0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 (i.e. ID) configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; [0104] identification information may comprise a MAC layer identification, a RLC layer identification, a PDCP layer identification, a NAS layer identification, an IP layer identification, and an application identification (i.e. L2 ID(s))); and
recognizing the terminal type of the second terminal based on the layer-2 ID of the first message ([0102] indication of the RedCap UE may comprise identification information of the RedCap UE and/or identification of the non-RedCap UE (i.e. terminal type)).
Regarding Claim 8, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the recognizing a terminal type of the second terminal based on the first message, comprises:
acquiring a physical layer parameter corresponding to the first message (Wei [0059] based on the physical layer identity and the physical layer identity group number, UE can determine a physical cell identifier); and
recognizing the terminal type of the second terminal based on the physical layer parameter corresponding to the first message ([0102] indication of the RedCap UE may comprise identification information of the RedCap UE and/or identification of the non-RedCap UE (i.e. terminal type)).
Regarding Claim 9, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 8.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the physical layer parameter comprises at least one of a reference signal sequence and a reference signal cyclic shift (Wei [0098] RedCap UE may transmit the RedCap UE type indication using different sequence cyclic shift values … the cyclic shift sequence selected by the RedCap UE may serve as an indication of the RedCap UE type).
Regarding Claim 10, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the terminal type is configured to indicate at least one information of:
a terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal or a non-RedCap terminal ([0102] indication of the RedCap UE may comprise identification information of the RedCap UE and/or identification of the non-RedCap UE (i.e. terminal type));
a RedCap-terminal sub type of the terminal transmitting the first message, in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal; wherein the RedCap-terminal sub type comprises at least one of a high-level RedCap terminal, a low-level RedCap terminal, a RedCap terminal of a (Frequency Range) FR1 frequency band, and a RedCap terminal of a FR2 frequency band; the high-level RedCap terminal and the low-level RedCap terminal are RedCap terminals which are divided based on specified capability information, and the specified capability information comprises at least one of a transmission rate, the number of Receive (Rx) antennas, the number of Transport (Tx) antennas, and a maximum supported bandwidth ([0083] RedCap UE may operate on a narrow bandwidth (e.g. FR1, FR2) … scheduled bandwidth for PSSCH transmission should not exceed a maximum UE bandwidth capability associated with the indicated UE type (e.g. FR1 and FR2 for a RedCap UE));
an application scenario of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal;
the number of the Rx antennas of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal ([0083] RedCap UE may have a reduced number of receive branches or antennas (e.g. one or two));
the number of the Tx antennas of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal; and
a maximum bandwidth supported by the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal.
Regarding Claim 11, Wei teaches the below limitation(s):
A terminal recognition method, wherein the method is performed by a second terminal and comprises:
transmitting a first message through a sidelink before performing a capability information exchange process with a first terminal through the sidelink (Wei Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission, which occurs before steps 720/730 capability exchange; [0087] teaches capability negotiations between RedCap UE and non-RedCap UE, based at least in part on the early indication of the RedCap UE type),
wherein the first message is configured to indicate the first terminal to recognize a terminal type of the second terminal, and the terminal type comprises a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal ([0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; Fig 7 step 710 and [0085] RedCap UE may send an early indication of the RedCap UE type).
Regarding Claim 12, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 11.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the transmitting a first message through a sidelink, comprises:
transmitting the first message comprising type indication information through the sidelink, wherein the type indication information is configured to indicate the terminal type of the second terminal (Wei Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission; see associated [0085] and [0087]-[0088]; [0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication).
Regarding Claim 13, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 12.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the first message comprises at least one of a PC5-S message, a PC5-RRC message, a MAC CE, and a PSCCH message (Wei [0087] RedCap UE may perform PC5-RRC communication which may include RedCap type; [0043] D2D communication link (i.e. sidelink) may use a PSCCH and [0091] non-RedCap UE may monitor the PSCCH for presence announcement (i.e. the first message) from the RedCap UE).
Regarding Claim 14, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 13.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the PC5-S message comprises at least one of
a message of discovery announce on PC5, a message of announce a Proximity Service (ProSe) Query Code on PC5, a message of a ProSe Response Code on PC5, a Direct Communication Request message, and a Direct Communication Accept message (Wei Fig 9 step 910 wherein first message is a presence announcement (with RedCap UE type information), which examiner is interpreting as a Discovery announce on PC5 (i.e. sidelink); [0052] sidelink communication may comprise Proximity Services (ProSe)).
Regarding Claim 15, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 11.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the transmitting a first message through a sidelink, comprises:
transmitting the first message through the sidelink on a resource in a resource pool of the terminal type of the second terminal (Wei [0076] NR sidelink may utilize resource pools allocated for sidelink; [0078] each resource pool may define a PSCCH configuration, PSSCH configuration, PSFCH configuration, a power control configuration, and the like).
Regarding Claim 16, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 15.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein resource pools of different terminal types satisfy at least one condition of:
resources in the resource pools of the different terminal types having no overlap in a time domain;
the resources in the resource pools of the different terminal types having no overlap in a frequency domain;
the resource pools of the different terminal types corresponding to different DMRS scrambling code IDs; and
the resource pools of the different terminal types corresponding to different PPSFCH cyclic displacements (Wei [0078] each SL resource pool may define a PSFCH configuration).
Regarding Claim 17, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 11.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein before the transmitting a first message through a sidelink, the method further comprises:
setting a layer-2 ID in the first message to be a layer-2 ID corresponding to the terminal type of the second terminal (Wei [0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 (i.e. ID) configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; [0104] identification information may comprise a MAC layer identification, a RLC layer identification, a PDCP layer identification, a NAS layer identification, an IP layer identification, and an application identification (i.e. L2 ID(s))).
Regarding Claim 18, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 11.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the transmitting a first message through a sidelink, comprises:
transmitting the first message through the sidelink based on a physical layer parameter corresponding to the terminal type of the second terminal (Wei [0059] based on the physical layer identity and the physical layer identity group number, UE can determine a physical cell identifier; [0102] indication of the RedCap UE may comprise identification information of the RedCap UE and/or identification of the non-RedCap UE (i.e. terminal type));
wherein the physical layer parameter comprises at least one of a reference signal sequence and a reference signal cyclic shift ([0098] RedCap UE may transmit the RedCap UE type indication using different sequence cyclic shift values … the cyclic shift sequence selected by the RedCap UE may serve as an indication of the RedCap UE type).
Regarding Claim 19, Wei teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 11.
Wei further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the terminal type is configured to indicate at least one information of:
a terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal or a non-low capability terminal (Wei [0102] indication of the RedCap UE may comprise identification information of the RedCap UE and/or identification of the non-RedCap UE (i.e. terminal type));
a RedCap-terminal sub type of the terminal transmitting the first message, in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal; wherein the RedCap-terminal sub type comprises at least one of a high-level RedCap terminal, a low-level RedCap terminal, a RedCap terminal of a FR1 frequency band, and a RedCap terminal of a FR2 frequency band; the high-level RedCap terminal and the low-level RedCap terminal are RedCap terminals which are divided based on specified capability information, and the specified capability information comprises at least one of a transmission rate, the number of Rx antennas, the number of Tx antennas, and a maximum supported bandwidth ([0083] RedCap UE may operate on a narrow bandwidth (e.g. FR1, FR2) … scheduled bandwidth for PSSCH transmission should not exceed a maximum UE bandwidth capability associated with the indicated UE type (e.g. FR1 and FR2 for a RedCap UE));
an application scenario of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal; the number of the Rx antennas of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal ([0083] RedCap UE may have a reduced number of receive branches or antennas (e.g. one or two)); the number of the Tx antennas of the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal; and a maximum bandwidth supported by the terminal transmitting the first message in response to the terminal transmitting the first message being the RedCap terminal.
Regarding Claim 20, Wei teaches the below limitation(s):
A computer device, wherein the computer device is implemented as a first terminal and comprises:
memory; a transceiver (Wei Fig 4 transceiver 418 and memory 476), configured to
receive a first message through a sidelink, wherein the first message is a message transmitted by a second terminal before the second terminal performs a capability information exchange process with the first terminal through the sidelink (Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission, which occurs before steps 720/730 capability exchange; [0087] teaches capability negotiations between RedCap UE and non-RedCap UE, based at least in part on the early indication of the RedCap UE type); and
a processor (Fig 4 processor(s) 416/475), configured to
recognize a terminal type of the second terminal based on the first message, wherein the terminal type comprises a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal ([0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; Fig 7 step 710 and [0085] RedCap UE may send an early indication of the RedCap UE type); or
wherein the computer device is implemented as a first terminal and comprises:
a processor; a memory; a transceiver (Fig 4 processor(s) 416/475, transceiver 418 and memory 476), configured to
transmit a first message through a sidelink before performing a capability information exchange process with a first terminal through the sidelink (Fig 7 step 710 early indication of RedCap UE during SL-SSB transmission, which occurs before steps 720/730 capability exchange; [0087] teaches capability negotiations between RedCap UE and non-RedCap UE, based at least in part on the early indication of the RedCap UE type),
wherein the first message is configured to indicate the first terminal to recognize a terminal type of the second terminal, and the terminal type comprises a Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal ([0040] UE may include a sidelink identification component 198 configured to send an indication indicating a UE type for sidelink communication; Fig 7 step 710 and [0085] RedCap UE may send an early indication of the RedCap UE type).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. While not relied upon for the prior art rejection(s) above, examiner respectfully brings attention to the following reference: Chen (US 2024/0080872 A1) which anticipates the instant claims in the alternative to the primary reference Wei.
Chen is directed to same field of invention of transmission/reception of an indication of RedCap terminal type during sidelink and before subsequent communication. While the primary embodiment of Chen is a transmission of terminal type (e.g. RedCap terminal) and capability information in the first message (e.g. Chen Fig 2), Chen also teaches sending terminal type indication separately from the capability information. This second embodiment reads on at least the instant independent claims. See Chen Fig. 3 recreated below which examiner is interpreting as the first indication information comprising whether terminal is RedCap and/or type identifier information of a terminal, but not capability information..
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAWN D MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-8599. The examiner can normally be reached M-TR 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached at (571) 270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAWN D MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412