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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 29 January 2024.
Claims 1-20 are under examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 28 May 2024 and 21 July 2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being 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.
Claims 1-7 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Freda et al. (US Publication 2021/0385694).
With respect to claim 1, Freda teaches A multi-carrier communication method for a sidelink, comprising:
determining, by a first user equipment (UE), a first carrier set based on first information, wherein the first carrier set is a subset of a second carrier set for sidelink communication; (in the case of informing upper layers of a failure to reserve resources, a WTRU may perform any of the following actions: (1) a WTRU UE may change any of a BWP or a carrier associated with transmission. For example, a WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97. a WTRU may select the associated resource pattern, for example, based on a CBR and/or a QoS of a bearer and/or a link being established. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with rules for selecting a pattern. That is, according to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with pattern selection rules for selecting another (e.g., a different) configured pattern. For example, a WTRU may select a pattern of reserved resources in a case where the reserved resources may be (e.g., are) used to transmit data associated with bearers having different QoS aspects (e.g. different PQI/PFI), paragraph 113) and
performing, by the first UE, an operation on a carrier in the first carrier set. (WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97)
With respect to claims 2 and 19, Freda teaches wherein the first information comprises part or all of at least one of: a first application identifier (ID), a first service ID, a first provider service ID or an intelligent transportation system application ID (PSID/ITS-AID), a first quality of service (QoS) attribute, a first layer 2 ID (L2 ID), a first bearer, or a first logical channel. (an SCI for reservation of any of multiple or indefinite resources may contain any of the following information: (1) any of: a bearer ID, a logical channel ID, a QoS flow ID, or similar, paragraph 102)
With respect to claim 3, Freda teaches wherein performing, by the first UE, the operation on the carrier in the first carrier set comprises at least one of: detecting, by the first UE, a first message carried by the carrier in the first carrier set; or sending, by the first UE, a first message through the carrier in the first carrier set. (a WTRU, upon reception of a reservation signal, may exclude resources reserved by the reservation signal from resources the WTRU may use for resource selection, paragraph 114)
With respect to claim 4, Freda teaches wherein the first message comprises at least one of: a first physical layer channel, a first media access control control element (MAC CE), a protocol data unit controlled by a first radio link control or a packet data convergence protocol (RLC/PDCP Control PDU), a first proximity communication 5 - radio resource control (PC5-RRC) message, a first PC5-S message, or a first discovery message. (a WTRU may transmit a periodic resource reservation signal to reserve resources for transmission of any of: (1) PSSCH (i.e. data for the unicast/multicast link); (2) PSCCH (i.e. control information—SCI—related to the data transmitted in PSSCH); (3) physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) resources (e.g., for HARQ feedback transmissions by the said UE or by the peer UE(s); (4) CSI or other reference signals required for unicast/multicast link; and (5) CSI or other feedback by the said UE or peer UE(s), paragraph 100)
With respect to claim 5, Freda teaches wherein performing, by the first UE, the operation on the carrier in the first carrier set comprises: detecting, by the first UE, the first carrier set to perform a first function. (a WTRU may reserve periodic sidelink resources according to measurements performed by the WTRU indicating certain conditions. For example, a WTRU may reserve periodic resources when measurements of any of a carrier, a bandwidth part (BWP), a channel, indicate any of the following conditions: (i) a measured channel busy ratio (CBR) is below a threshold; (ii) a measured CR (channel occupancy ratio) for a WTRU is below a threshold; or (iii) a percentage of available resources (e.g., determined by sensing) is greater than an amount (e.g., for one or more predefined or configured periods of time),paragraph 93)
With respect to claim 6, Freda teaches wherein the first function comprises a measurement or detection function. (A WTRU may determine a result of the resource reservation procedure (e.g. whether resource reservation is successful) based on any of the following: (1) bearer IDs, which may indicate the QoS requirements of the radio bearers such as data rate, latency, reliability, and range; (2) a measured CBR for any of: a resource pool, a carrier, a BWP, or a subset of resources for which the WTRU may be configured to perform measurement for a radio bearer; (3) a measured channel occupancy ratio (CR) of the WTRU; (4) time and transmission opportunities a WTRU may have (e.g., may be available to the WTRU) for any number of radio bearers; (5) a transmission type of data associated with a radio bearer, which may include types such as slot-based and symbol based transmission types; and (6) a QoS parameter associated with a bearer, such as any of a PQI/PFI or set of PQI/PF, paragraph 95)
With respect to claim 7, Freda teaches wherein the measurement or detection function comprises at least one of: determining whether a radio link failure (RLF) occurs; performing reference signal reception power (RSRP) measurement on a sidelink of a second UE; performing channel state information (CSI) measurement on a second UE; or performing beam measurement on a second UE. (a WTRU may transmit a periodic resource reservation signal to reserve resources. For example, a WTRU may transmit a periodic resource reservation signal to reserve resources for transmission of any of: (1) PSSCH (i.e. data for the unicast/multicast link); (2) PSCCH (i.e. control information—SCI—related to the data transmitted in PSSCH); (3) physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) resources (e.g., for HARQ feedback transmissions by the said UE or by the peer UE(s); (4) CSI or other reference signals required for unicast/multicast link; and (5) CSI or other feedback by the said UE or peer UE(s), paragraph 100)
With respect to claim 10, Freda teaches A multi-carrier communication apparatus for a sidelink, comprising a processor and a memory for storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, (the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, a speaker/microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display/touchpad 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power source 134, a global positioning system (GPS) chipset 136, and/or other peripherals 138, among others, paragraph 32) causes the processor to:
determine a first carrier set based on first information, wherein the first carrier set is a subset of a second carrier set for sidelink communication; (in the case of informing upper layers of a failure to reserve resources, a WTRU may perform any of the following actions: (1) a WTRU UE may change any of a BWP or a carrier associated with transmission. For example, a WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97. a WTRU may select the associated resource pattern, for example, based on a CBR and/or a QoS of a bearer and/or a link being established. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with rules for selecting a pattern. That is, according to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with pattern selection rules for selecting another (e.g., a different) configured pattern. For example, a WTRU may select a pattern of reserved resources in a case where the reserved resources may be (e.g., are) used to transmit data associated with bearers having different QoS aspects (e.g. different PQI/PFI), paragraph 113) and
perform an operation on a carrier in the first carrier set. (WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97)
With respect to claims 11 and 16, Freda teaches wherein the multi-carrier communication apparatus is a first user equipment (UE), (a WTR, paragraph 32) and a correspondence between the first information and the first carrier set is configured to the first UE in a pre-configuration manner, a network configuration manner, or a configuration manner through signaling of a second UE. (a WTRU may determine a periodicity for transmitting a periodic reservation signal. According to embodiments, the periodicity of (e.g., for transmitting) a periodic reservation according to any of: (1) a network configuration; (2) a measured CBR; (3) a WTRU's (e.g., its own) sensing window, and/or (e.g., in combination with) information associated with other WTRU's sensing windows (e.g., a time period over which another WTRU accumulates sensing results); and (4) a QoS property (e.g. reliability) associated with flow(s) and/or bearer(s) which may be mapped (e.g., in order) to use reserved resources. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured (e.g., preconfigured) with a mapping, for example, a mapping of reservation signal periodicity to measured CBR, paragraph 105)
With respect to claim 12, Freda teaches wherein the network configuration manner includes: configuring the correspondence between the first information and the first carrier set to the multi-carrier communication apparatus through a system message or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling. (any of conditions or timing for transmission of an SCI reserving resources for indefinite or multiple periods may be configured (e.g., by a network), paragraph 101)
With respect to claim 13, Freda teaches wherein the dedicated RRC signaling comprises RRCReconfiguration signaling. (QoS profile information may be any of: provided by the network (e.g. in RRC configuration), provided by upper layers, or preconfigured in the WTRU. For example, a WTRU may sum up the rate requirements of each of the active QoS flows to determine the overall rate requirement at the WTRU, paragraph 143)
With respect to claim 14, Freda teaches wherein the configuration manner through the signaling of the second UE includes: configuring the correspondence between the first information and the first carrier set to the multi-carrier communication apparatus through proximity communication 5 - radio resource control (PC5-RRC) signaling of the second UE. (PC5 quality of service (QoS) may be managed according to parameters including PPPP and prose per packet reliability (PPPR). A WTRU performing LTE V2X may receive any of a PPPP or a PPPR associated with a packet from upper layers. The PPPP may be used for prioritization in logical channel prioritization (LCP). WTRUs may prioritize data according to a PPPP. For example, WTRUs may prioritize data having a lower PPPP when selecting data to be transmitted in a sidelink grant. A PPPP may be implicitly provided to a base station (e.g., gNB, eNB, RSU, etc.) using a LCG. In the case of implicitly providing the PPPP, a base station may prioritize mode 3 transmissions between different WTRUs based on the PPPP. A WTRU may be configured with a PPPR threshold by a network. A WTRU may use a PPPR when determining whether to duplicate a transmission over two separate carriers, paragraph 83. In the case of unicast and multicast types of traffic, all the QoS characteristics defined in 5QI, and additionally, a parameter of data rate, may apply. Further, a minimum required communication range may be treated as a parameter (e.g., only, specifically) for PC5 use. In the case of broadcast traffic, NR V2X may not use a bearer concept. In such a case, a 5QI may be used in a manner that of using a PPPP/PPPR. For example, a 5QI (or information associated with a 5QI) may be included or tagged with each of packet. Furthermore, a new set of 5QI, which may be referred to as any of a PC5 5QI (PQI), a PC5 QoS Flow ID (PFI), or a PQI/PFI, may be defined (e.g., specifically) for NR V2X, Paragraph 86)
With respect to claim 15, Freda teaches A multi-carrier communication apparatus for a sidelink, comprising a processor and a memory for storing a computer program that, (processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, a speaker/microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display/touchpad 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power source 134, a global positioning system (GPS) chipset 136, and/or other peripherals 138, among others, paragraph 32) when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
configure a correspondence between first information and a first carrier set for a first user equipment (UE), causing the first UE to determine the first carrier set based on the first information (With respect to NW configuration information, a WTRU may be configured with any of a default or WTRU specific configuration for resource reservation that may be used for creation of a radio bearer (e.g., configuration information indicating an amount of resources, periodicity of pattern of the resources, etc.). In a case where a WTRU determines a need for a radio bearer, for example, based on an establishment of a unicast link, the WTRU may initiate a resource reservation for the needed resources. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with information associated with: (1) any of a minimum or maximum amount of resources; and/or (2) a resource reservation pattern to be applied for data associated with any of a (e.g., specific) logical channel, logical channel type, or PQI/PFI, Paragraph 111) and to perform an operation on a carrier in the first carrier set, wherein the first carrier set is a subset of a second carrier set for sidelink communication. (WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97)
With respect to claim 17, Freda teaches wherein the network configuration manner includes: configuring the correspondence between the first information and the first carrier set to the first UE through a system message or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling, wherein the dedicated RRC signaling comprises RRCReconfiguration signaling. (QoS profile information may be any of: provided by the network (e.g. in RRC configuration), provided by upper layers, or preconfigured in the WTRU. For example, a WTRU may sum up the rate requirements of each of the active QoS flows to determine the overall rate requirement at the WTRU, paragraph 143)
With respect to claim 18, Freda teaches wherein the configuration manner through the signaling of the second UE includes: configuring the correspondence between the first information and the first carrier set to the first UE through proximity communication 5 - radio resource control (PC5-RRC) signaling of the second UE. (PC5 quality of service (QoS) may be managed according to parameters including PPPP and prose per packet reliability (PPPR). A WTRU performing LTE V2X may receive any of a PPPP or a PPPR associated with a packet from upper layers. The PPPP may be used for prioritization in logical channel prioritization (LCP). WTRUs may prioritize data according to a PPPP. For example, WTRUs may prioritize data having a lower PPPP when selecting data to be transmitted in a sidelink grant. A PPPP may be implicitly provided to a base station (e.g., gNB, eNB, RSU, etc.) using a LCG. In the case of implicitly providing the PPPP, a base station may prioritize mode 3 transmissions between different WTRUs based on the PPPP. A WTRU may be configured with a PPPR threshold by a network. A WTRU may use a PPPR when determining whether to duplicate a transmission over two separate carriers, paragraph 83. In the case of unicast and multicast types of traffic, all the QoS characteristics defined in 5QI, and additionally, a parameter of data rate, may apply. Further, a minimum required communication range may be treated as a parameter (e.g., only, specifically) for PC5 use. In the case of broadcast traffic, NR V2X may not use a bearer concept. In such a case, a 5QI may be used in a manner that of using a PPPP/PPPR. For example, a 5QI (or information associated with a 5QI) may be included or tagged with each of packet. Furthermore, a new set of 5QI, which may be referred to as any of a PC5 5QI (PQI), a PC5 QoS Flow ID (PFI), or a PQI/PFI, may be defined (e.g., specifically) for NR V2X, Paragraph 86)
With respect to claim 20, Freda teaches A chip comprising: a processor for invoking and running a computer program from a memory, to cause a device installed with the chip to perform the multi-carrier communication: (the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmit/receive element 122, a speaker/microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display/touchpad 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power source 134, a global positioning system (GPS) chipset 136, and/or other peripherals 138, among others, paragraph 32)
determining, by a first user equipment (UE), a first carrier set based on first information, wherein the first carrier set is a subset of a second carrier set for sidelink communication; (in the case of informing upper layers of a failure to reserve resources, a WTRU may perform any of the following actions: (1) a WTRU UE may change any of a BWP or a carrier associated with transmission. For example, a WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97. a WTRU may select the associated resource pattern, for example, based on a CBR and/or a QoS of a bearer and/or a link being established. According to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with rules for selecting a pattern. That is, according to embodiments, a WTRU may be configured with pattern selection rules for selecting another (e.g., a different) configured pattern. For example, a WTRU may select a pattern of reserved resources in a case where the reserved resources may be (e.g., are) used to transmit data associated with bearers having different QoS aspects (e.g. different PQI/PFI), paragraph 113) and
performing, by the first UE, an operation on a carrier in the first carrier set. (WTRU may start operation on a BWP (or carrier, etc.) with a larger number of available subchannels or may change operation to any of a BWP or a carrier with a lower CBR, paragraph 97)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Freda et al. (US Publication 2021/0385694) in view of Liu et al. (US Publication 2024/0080691).
With respect to claim 8, Freda teaches wherein detecting, by the first UE, the carrier in the first carrier set to determine whether the RLF occurs comprises: detecting, by the first UE, the carrier in the first carrier set; (a WTRU may reserve periodic sidelink resources according to measurements performed by the WTRU indicating certain conditions. For example, a WTRU may reserve periodic resources when measurements of any of a carrier, a bandwidth part (BWP), a channel, indicate any of the following conditions: (i) a measured channel busy ratio (CBR) is below a threshold; (ii) a measured CR (channel occupancy ratio) for a WTRU is below a threshold; or (iii) a percentage of available resources (e.g., determined by sensing) is greater than an amount (e.g., for one or more predefined or configured periods of time),paragraph 93)
Freda doesn’t teach increasing, by the first UE, a value of a counter if a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) is not received; and determining, by the first UE, that the RLF has occurred when the counter reaches a maximum value.
Liu teaches increasing, by the first UE, a value of a counter if a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) is not received; and determining, by the first UE, that the RLF has occurred when the counter reaches a maximum value. (HARQ-based SL RLF detection is introduced for a unicast connection. Transmit end UE uses a counter to count a quantity of times that a PSFCH is not received consecutively. Further, if the transmit end UE fails to receive the PSFCH, the transmit end increases a count value of the counter by 1. If the PSFCH is received by the transmit end UE, the transmit end UE initializes/sets a count value of the counter to 0. If the count value of the counter reaches a threshold, the transmit end UE triggers an RLF, paragraph 119)
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement system of Freda with determining, by the first UE, that the RLF has occurred when the counter reaches a maximum value as taught by Liu. The motivation for combining Freda and Liu is to be able to avoid false triggering of an RLF or reduce a probability of false triggering of the RLF.
With respect to claim 9, Freda doesn’t teach wherein detecting, by the first UE, the first carrier set to determine whether the RLF occurs further comprises: resetting, by the first UE, the counter if the PSFCH is received.
Liu teaches wherein detecting, by the first UE, the first carrier set to determine whether the RLF occurs further comprises: resetting, by the first UE, the counter if the PSFCH is received. (HARQ-based SL RLF detection is introduced for a unicast connection. Transmit end UE uses a counter to count a quantity of times that a PSFCH is not received consecutively. Further, if the transmit end UE fails to receive the PSFCH, the transmit end increases a count value of the counter by 1. If the PSFCH is received by the transmit end UE, the transmit end UE initializes/sets a count value of the counter to 0. If the count value of the counter reaches a threshold, the transmit end UE triggers an RLF, paragraph 119)
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement system of Freda with determining, by the first UE, that the RLF has occurred when the counter reaches a maximum value as taught by Liu. The motivation for combining Freda and Liu is to be able to avoid false triggering of an RLF or reduce a probability of false triggering of the RLF.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wu et al. (US Publication 2023/0403733) discloses a UE may select a CC from the set of candidate CCs, for example, using a carrier selection configuration, and may select a resource in the CC for a sidelink communication. In a second example, a UE may select multiple candidate resources for a sidelink communication, for example, using a resource selection configuration and based on sensing performed by the UE. To indicate the reservation of a candidate resource, the UE may indicate both a CC in which the reserved resource is located and a location of the reserved resource within the carrier. The UE may transmit a sidelink message using a selected candidate resource in the unlicensed spectrum.
Sha et al. (US Publication 2022/0095394) discloses determining, by UE, whether information of a service carrier frequency sent by a base station is received, wherein the service carrier frequency is the carrier frequency to carry traffic selected by the base station when a target cell carrying the UE is a multi-carrier cell; residing, by the UE, at a carrier frequency corresponding to the information for a service carrier frequency, if so; and, otherwise, residing, by the UE, at an original camped carrier frequency. With the embodiments of the disclosed technologies, the problem that a service carrier frequency selecting strategy in related techniques is to perform selection passively and lacks initiative is solved, and a technical basis for balancing loads on carrier frequencies carrying traffic is provided and further system efficiency is enhanced for an NB-IoT system, which is mainly to transmit small data.
Any inquiry concerning this communication from the examiner should be directed to ABDULLAHI AHMED whose telephone number is (571) 270-3652. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Khalid Kassim can be reached on 571-270-3370. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDULLAHI AHMED/Examiner, Art Unit 2475