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 .
Priority
The instant application claims priority to the Provisional filed on 04/03/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted, IDS - 09/18/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 01/29/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3-8, 12-13, 15-18, 20-23, 25-27 and 29-30 remain pending in the application. Claims 1, 3-8, 13, 15-18, 20-21, 23, 25-27, and 29-30 are amended. Remaining claims were cancelled.
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
he 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:
• Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
• Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
• Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
• Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating
• obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the
claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any
evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to
point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly
owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to
consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)
prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3-5, 12-13, 15-17, 20-23, 25-27 and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang Yi et al (US20250374318A1) hereinafter “Zhang Yi” in view of Lin et al. (US-20250185040-A1, prov. 63/396,766, 08/10/2022) hereinafter “Lin”.
Regarding Claim 1,
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘A first user equipment (UE) for wireless communications (UE), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code’ (User device Fig. 20 includes processor page 34 [0017-0018]);
And discloses, ‘and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to:
receive, from a second UE via a first set of time-frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration, a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure, the sidelink beam management procedure being between the first UE and the second UE in accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration’ (Fig. 1 and Fig. 20 communication device. And, in Fig. 4, Illustrates the beam management configuration and SL procedure between the first UE and the second UE. The configuration is used for a resource set to a receiving beam and SL to UE on the time-frequency resources [0206-0215]. The configuration includes the resource sets, and the RS as part of configuration [0181] and Fig. 4a; And, multiple transmit/receive beam set to determine/select a set of candidate resource set corresponding of time-frequency resources in Fig. 4a [0184-0185] and Fig. 4b [0225]. And, A candidate time-frequency resource set of the beams (beam 1, 2, 3….etc.) in Fig. 8 step-804 [0276] and Fig. 6.
And discloses, ‘receive, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel, wherein the second set of time-frequency resources is with the first set of time-frequency resources’ (A second candidate resource set received in Fig. 4a step-402 [0204]. A candidate time-frequency resource set includes the second set of time-frequency resources and the first set [0276] and Fig. 8 and associated with channel, PSSCH DMRS [0289]. In Fig. 8 includes to trigger resource selection in a slot n; In Fig. 9 a range of frequency-domain resources in sensing time window.);
And didn’t disclose, ‘non-overlapping’
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Zhang Yi and to include with that of Lin to come up with the claim invention,
Lin in the relevant art discloses, non-overlap to the set of time-frequency/set of candidate resource set [0365], in Fig. 18 and Fig. 25 (prov. identical drawings to main disclosure, prov. [0287]).
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Zhang Yi and to include with that of Lin to come up with the claim invention,
Motive would be to effectively utilize resources maximize the bandwidth and improve transmission. Disclosure of Zhang Yi, selection of the time-frequency resources to avoid collision [0128, 0186]. Provide motive efficient utilization of resource avoid interference and collision uses space domain [0071, 0128]. Lin, maximize the resource usage, allocate fully/partial/non-overlapped also consider space domain avoid resource collision. And, the resource allocation utilizations by allocation sub-set of SL resources uses priority when overlapped [0344] (prov. [0267]).
And discloses, ‘and transmit, to the second UE and as part of the sidelink beam management procedure, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’ (Disclosure, beam management procedure includes feedback, measurement/RSRP [0179, 0197]. Fig. 4 illustrates transmit and receiving between the UEs and the RSs as beam management procedures page 20 [0028-0035]. The disclosure includes sidelink control information SCI is decoded and the measurement for the SL channels to decode the SCI and PSSCH of the time-frequency resources in the PSSCH/PSCCH [0289]. As disclosed above in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 trigger resource selection slot n and sensing time window. In addition, Fig. 10 includes measurements. An indication of a SL-configuration/TCI of a SL-RS includes SL-SSB/SL-DMRS [0321]. And, the SL-TCI is the beam management configuration.)
Regarding Claim 3,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: perform the sidelink beam management procedure using the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.’ (The SL beam management procedure includes plurality of the RS between the UEs [0195]. And, TCI of the RS that is DMRS [0321].)
Regarding Claim 4,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: perform a received power measurement procedure for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or a combination thereof, wherein the sidelink message indicates one or more received power measurements associated with the received power measurement procedure.’ (perform the RSRP measurement of the plurality of the RSs [0195-0196] and in Fig. 10.)
Regarding Claim 5,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the feedback indicates resources associated with a reference signal measurement that exceeds a measurement threshold.’ (The measurement of the RSRP and the threshold [0195-0196] and Fig. 10).
Regarding Claim 12,
‘The first UE of claim 1’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the plurality of sidelink reference signals are received, aperiodically, or according to a periodicity based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’ (periodic and non-periodic resources page-12, page-25, page-26 and page-36)
And didn’t disclose ‘semi-persistently’,
Lin in the relevant art discloses, SPS resources [0160, 0170, 0204] (prov. [0148, 0151]), in Fig. 18 and Fig. 25 (identical drawings to prov.).
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Zhang Yi and to include with that of Lin to come up with the claim invention,
Motive would be to include as part of non-periodic/semi-persistent or periodicity based SL resource configuration by Lin [0169-0170, 0327-0329] (prov. [0256-0258]). Increase the resource allocation uses resource allocation model within the communication network coverage, autonomously select and resource pool to improve resource utilization efficiency, Zhang Yi, page-11.
Regarding Claim 13,
Identical to Claim 1 disclosed above (instead receive from the second UE transmit to the second UE and further disclosure provide), ‘A first user equipment (UE) for wireless communications, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code;
and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to:
transmit, using a plurality of transmit beams of the first UE: a subset of a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure via a subset of a first set of time- frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration of the first UE,
wherein: the sidelink beam management procedure is between the first UE and a second UE in accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration’ (That is a communication between the UEs transmit at least three RS as part of beam training procedure; the UE separately receives the RSs 1 to 3 uses beam set of eight beams [0195]. Disclosure includes configuration for the beam training beam set of a maximum 64 transmit beams and the time-frequency resources [0179] and In Fig. 4.);
And discloses, ‘and the subset of the first set of time-frequency resources
and a second set of time-frequency resources’ (first and second resource set disclosed above),
And didn’t disclose, ‘non-overlapping’ (discloses by Lin identical to Claim 1 and motive would be identical.)
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘a first subset of a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel via a first subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the first subset of the second set of time- frequency resources’
And ‘the first set of time-frequency resources’ (beam training and measurement of a candidate resource set [0275-0277, 0318] and Fig. 4, Fig. 8-9. During the sensing window SL-channel includes DMRS time-frequency resources [0289]; determines candidate resource sets [0296]);
And to include from disclosure of Lin, ‘non-overlapping’ (disclosed by Lin identical to disclosed above),
Identical to Claim element disclosed above (a set of time-frequency resource set include first and the second subset as part of sensing window SSB-transmission-time and beam transmission periodicity pattern Zhang Yi [0258]), ‘and a second subset of the plurality of demodulation reference signals via a second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources overlaps with the first set of time-frequencv resources, and wherein at least one time-frequency resource of the first set of time-frequency resources is replaced with the sidelink channel associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals;
Identical to Claim 1 last claim element disclosed above and rejected, ‘and receive, from the second UE, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals or both based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’
Regarding Claim 15
The first UE of claim 14’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 2 and Claim 3 disclosed above, ‘wherein the sidelink beam management procedure is based at least in part on the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both’ (Zhang discloses).
Regarding Claim 16,
‘The first UE of claim 13 [[14]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 5 disclosed above, ‘wherein the feedback indicates a plurality of received power measurements associated with the plurality of transmit beams based at least in part on the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.’ (Zhang Fig. 8, page-15, page-24 and page-27.)
Regarding Claim 17,
‘The first UE of claim 13 [[14]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang discloses, ‘wherein the feedback indicates resources associated with at least one transmit beam of the plurality of transmit beams based at least in part on the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.’ (feedback time-frequency resources, page-15 and beam Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 20,
‘The first UE of claim 19’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 10 disclosed above, ‘wherein, to transmit the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: transmit one or more demodulation reference signals of the plurality of demodulation reference signals via a subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the subset overlaps the set of time-frequency resources.’
Regarding Claim 21,
‘The first UE of claim 19’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 11 disclosed above, ‘wherein a time-frequency resource of the set of time-frequency resources is replaced with the sidelink channel associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals based at least in part on the sidelink channel being associated with a same transmit beam as a sidelink reference signal associated with the time-frequency resource.’
Regarding Claim 22,
‘The first UE of claim 13’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 12 disclosed above, ‘wherein the plurality of sidelink reference signals are transmitted semi-persistently, aperiodically, or according to a periodicity based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’
Regarding Claim 23,
Identical to method Claim 1 disclosed above, ‘A method for wireless communications at a first user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving, from a second UE via a set of time-frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration, a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure, the sidelink beam management procedure being between the first UE and the second UE in accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration;
receiving, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequencv resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel, wherein the second set of time-frequencv resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time- frequencv resources;
and transmitting, to the second TE and as part of the sidelink beam management procedure, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’
Regarding Claim 25,
‘The method of claim 23 [[24]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 3 disclosed above, ‘further comprising: performing the sidelink beam management procedure using the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.’
Regarding Claim 26,
‘The method of claim 23 [[24]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 4 disclosed above, ‘further comprising: performing a received power measurement procedure for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or a combination thereof, wherein the sidelink message indicates one or more received power measurements associated with the received power measurement procedure.’
Regarding Claim 27,
Identical to method Claim 13 disclosed above, ‘A method for wireless communications at a first user equipment (UE), comprising:
transmitting, using a plurality of transmit beams of the first UE:a subset of a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure via a subset of a first set of time-frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration of the first UE, wherein: the sidelink beam management procedure is between the first UE and a second UE in accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration; and the subset of the first set of time-frequency resources is non- overlapping with a second set of time-frequency resources; a first subset of a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel via a first subset of the second set of time- frequency resources, wherein the first subset of the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time-frequency resources; and a second subset of the plurality of demodulation reference signals via a second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources overlaps with the first set of time-frequency resources, and wherein at least one time-frequency resource of the first set of time-frequency resources is replaced with the sidelink channel associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals; and receiving, from the second UE, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.’
Regarding Claim 29,
‘The method of claim 27 [[28]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 15 disclosed above, ‘wherein the sidelink beam management procedure is based at least in part on the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.’
Regarding Claim 30,
‘The method of claim 27 [[28]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 16 disclosed above, ‘wherein the feedback indicates a plurality of received power measurements associated with the plurality of transmit beams based at least in part on the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both.
Claims 6-8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
over Zhang Yi et al. in view of Lin et al and further in view of Lee et al. (US-20210336688-A1) hereinafter “Lee”.
Regarding Claim 6,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: perform a received power measurement procedure for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or a combination thereof’,
Perform beam training and ‘that is triggered based at least in part on one or more reference signal measurements and a measurement threshold’
(The measurement of the RSRP includes the feedback page 19 [0045-0048]. And, the RS includes DMRS page 27 [0033].);
And didn’t disclose, ‘and initiate a beam failure recovery procedure based at least in part on a beam failure’,
that is triggered based at least in part on one or more reference signal measurements and a measurement threshold.
Lee in the relevant art discloses, the BFR as part of beam management procedure in SL [0008, 0024] and include measurement threshold RSRP for the beam RS [0145]. Discloses, the UE resource-selection uses set of resources time-frequency domain [0112]
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Zhang Yi and to include with that of Lee to come up with the claim invention,
Disclosure of Zhang Yi includes beam management procedure for SL and also specify the BFR that is included in FR2 [0180] and decode as part of beam management procedure. Zhang Yi motive perform to perform efficient beam training includes sweeping and the selection in Fig. 17 and 18. And, in Fig. 4 includes FR2 SL communication with the motive to efficient use of FR2 features of beam direction [0180]. Someone would include BFR as part of beam management procedure that exemplify beamforming technique to acquire the beam and spatial directivity and maximize the RSRP measurement Zhang Yi page 14. This would improve the communication quality Zhang Yi [0180].
Regarding Claim 7,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: decode a plurality of sidelink channels associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals’’ (The disclosure includes sidelink control information SCI for the SL channels to decode the SCI based on RSRP of PSSCH-DMRS of the time-frequency resources [0289]);
And didn’t disclose,
‘and initiate a beam failure recovery procedure based at least in part on a beam failure that is triggered based at least in part on the decoding of the plurality of sidelink channels and an error threshold.’
Lee in the relevant art discloses, the BFR as part of beam management procedure in SL configures the BFR parameter on error-rate threshold [0008, 0024]. And, decode in the plurality of SL-CH [0179] that SL channels of DMRS-sequence [0138].
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Zhang Yi and to include with that of Lee to come up with the claim invention,
Motive would be identical to Claim 7. Zhang Yi, motive to reduce complexity in allocation [0141] while decode the channels. Lee provide beam configurations and the BFR that can increase latency, reliability, and reduces error rates BLR threshold [0196-0197].
Regarding Claim 8,
‘The first UE of claim 1 [[2]]’ (disclosed above),
Zhang Yi discloses, ‘wherein the plurality of sidelink reference signals and a plurality of sidelink channels associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals’ (Disclosed above in Claim 2 to Claim 4),
And didn’t disclose, ‘time division multiplexed are in a slot.’
Lee in the relevant art discloses, TDM method [0059, 0211] and uses time slots or slots in time domain and also defined TTIs [0062-0063].
Zhang Yi includes resource configuration, SL channel configurations uses SCI to carry PSCCH/PSSCH perform SL in time-frequency resource to reduce complexity in the detection [0128, 0141]. Zhang Yi motive to improve communication quality [0005] uses directed beam to efficiently transform the beam into the channels increase reliability. Conformed by Lee to improve data transfer rate in D2D communication increased transmission capacity [0087-0089, 0124].
Regarding Claim 18,
‘The first UE of claim 13 [[14]]’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 8 disclosed above, ‘wherein the plurality of sidelink reference signals and a plurality of sidelink channels associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals are time division multiplexed in a slot.’
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are
not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments do not comply with 37 CFR 1.111(c) because they do not clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
Arguments:
Status of the Claims
Before this Amendment, claims 1-30 were present for examination. In this Amendment: claims 1, 3-8, 13, 15-18, 20, 21, 23, 25-27, 29, and 30 are amended; claims 2, 9-11, 14, 19, 24, and 28 are canceled without prejudice or disclaimer; and no new claims are added. Therefore, claims 1, 3-8, 12, 13, 15-18, 20-23, 25-27, 29, and 30 are present for examination, and claims 1, 13, 23, and 27 are the independent claims. Support for the amendments to the claims may be found throughout the Specification as filed including at least at Paragraphs [0101], [0104], [0106]-[0108], [0110], [0112], [0114], [0117]-[0124], [0127], and [0131], as well as Figures 3- 6. No new matter is added with these amendments.
In the non-final Office Action dated November 26, 2025 ("Office Action"): claims 5, 16, 17, and 30 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b); claims 1-5, 13-17, and 23-30 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102 over International Patent Publication No. WO 2024/169396 to Zhang Yi et al. ("Zhang Yi"); claims 6-8 and 18 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Zhang Yi, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0336688 to Lee et al. ("Lee"); and claims 9-12 and 19-22 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Zhang Yi, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2025/0185040 to Lin et al. ("Lin"). Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration.
35 U.S.C. _$112(b)
The Office Action rejected claims 5, 16, 17, and 30 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) as being allegedly indefinite.
Regarding claim 5, the Office Action alleges that there is "insufficient antecedent basis" for the phrase "[t]he first UE of claim 2, wherein the feedback indicates resources associated with a reference signal measurement that exceeds a measurement threshold," as recited in original claim 5. See Office Action, p. 3. The Office Action makes similar allegations of claims 16, 17, and 30. See id. Without conceding the assertion that the features of claims 5 are indefinite, Applicant has amended dependent claim 5 to depend from independent claim 1, as noted by the Office Action. See id. Similarly, Applicant has amended dependent claims 16 and 17
to depend from independent claim 13 and amended dependent claim 30 to depend from independent claim 27.
Accordingly, Applicant requests that the rejection of claims 5, 16, 17, and 30 under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) be reconsidered and withdrawn.
35 U.S.C. 102
The Office Action rejected claims 1-5, 13-17, and 23-30 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 over Zhang Yi.
For a valid anticipation rejection, the Office must show that each feature of a claim
appears in a single piece of prior art. The Federal Circuit has affirmed that "unless a reference discloses within the four corners of the document not only all of the limitations claimed but also all of the limitations arranged or combined in the same way as recited in the claim, it cannot be said to ...anticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102." Net MoneylN, Inc. v. VeriSign, Inc., 545 F.3d 1359,
1371 (Fed. Cir. 2008).
Independent Claims 1 and 23
Without conceding the merits of the rejection of independent claims 1, 13, 23, and 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 102-and solely to expedite prosecution-Applicant has amended independent claims 1 and 23 to incorporate subject matter from original dependent claim 2. For example, independent claim 1 has been amended to recite, in part:
receive, from a second UE via a first set of time-frequency resources
associated with a sidelink beam management configuration, a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure, the sidelink beam management procedure being between the first UE and the second UE in
accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration;
receive, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources,
a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel, wherein the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the
first set of time-frequency resources; and
transmit, to the second UE and as part of the sidelink beam management
procedure, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference
signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both based at least in
part on the sidelink beam management configuration.
Independent claim 23 has been amended to include similar features. Zhang Yi does not disclose all the features of amended independent claims 1 and 23.
Zhang Yi is generally directed to a method by which "a receive-end terminal device ... determines a plurality of receive beams, obtains an intersection set between candidate resource sets of the plurality of receive beams, and then indicates the intersection set to a transmit-end terminal device ... by using configuration information." Zhang Yi, Abstract. At portions cited by the Office Action, Zhang Yi describes "the first UE sends configuration information to the second UE," where "[t]he configuration information indicates a candidate resource set corresponding to the receive beam, and the candidate resource set is used for the second UE to send sidelink information to the first UE." Id. [0241] and [0243]. The UE may determine the candidate resource set by first determining "one receive beam in the receive beam set" and then determining "a candidate resource set corresponding to the receive beam," where determining the receive beam may be based at least in part on "receiv[ing] at least two reference signals from the second UE." Id. [0229] and [0231]. Zhang Yi also describes a UE sending indication information as part of sending the configuration information, where "[t]he indication information indicates an SL TCI state of a reference signal," where "[t]he reference signal may be an [sidelink synchronization signal block] SL-SSB, an SL [channel state information reference signal] CSI-RS, a [demodulation reference signal] DMRS, or the like." Id. [0310]. Specifically, Zhang Yi describes the indication information in the context of the configuration information that indicates a candidate resource set. See id. [0306] and FIGs. 4(a) and 4(b). In other words, Zhang Yi notes that the "at least two reference signals" may be DMRSs.
The Office Action alleges that the DMRSs of Zhang Yi disclose "receive, from the
second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel, wherein the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the set of time-frequency resources," as recited in original dependent claim
2. Office Action, p. 5 and 6 (citing Zhang Yi [0141], [0161], [0162], and [0310]).
However, reference signals that may be DMRSs, as in Zhang Yi, do not disclose "receive, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel, wherein the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time-frequency resources," as recited in amended independent claim 1. While Zhang Yi discusses a UE receiving multiple reference signals from another UE, and notes that the reference signals may be DMRSs, Zhang Yi does not disclose receiving DMRS "via a second set of time-frequency resources" as claimed. Indeed, even if the reference signals in Zhang Yi could be relied upon to disclose "receive, from a second UE via afirst set of time-frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration, a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure," or "receive, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel" as recited in amended independent claim 1-which Applicant does not concede-the Office Action has not shown how the reference signals of Zhang Yi can be relied upon to teach both limitations.
Second, as Zhang Yi does not disclose "receive, from the second UE via a second set of time-frequency resources, a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel," as claimed, Zhang Yi also does not disclose "wherein the second set of time- frequency resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time-frequency resources," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Further, even if the reference signals of Zhang Yi were to describe both "a first set of time-frequency resources" and "a second set of time-frequency resources," as claimed-which Applicant does not concede-Zhang Yi makes no mention of how the two sets would be related, and does not disclose "the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time-frequency resources," as claimed.
Thus, Zhang Yi does not disclose at least the above limitations as recited in amended independent claim 1.
Therefore, for at least these reasons, amended independent claim 1 is allowable,
including but not limited to over Zhang Yi. Amended independent claim 23 is allowable for at least similar reasons.
Accordingly, Applicant requests that the rejection of independent claims 1 and 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
Independent Claims 13 and 27
Without conceding the merits of the rejection of independent claims 13 and 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 102-and solely to expedite prosecution-Applicant has amended independent claims 13 and 27 to incorporate subject matter from original dependent claim 19. For example, independent claim 13 has been amended to recite:
A first user equipment (UE) for wireless communications, comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and
individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the first UE to: transmit, using a plurality of transmit beams of the first UE: a subset of a plurality of sidelink reference signals for a sidelink beam management procedure via a subset of a first set of time-frequency resources associated with a sidelink beam management configuration of the first UE, wherein: the sidelink beam management procedure is between the first UE and a second UE in accordance with the sidelink beam management configuration; and the subset of the first set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with a second set of time- frequency resources;
a first subset of a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with a sidelink channel via a first subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the first subset of the second set of time-frequency resources is non-overlapping with the first set of time-frequency resources; and a second subset of the plurality of demodulation reference signals via a second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second subset of the second set of time- frequency resources overlaps with the first set of time-frequency resources, and wherein at least one time-frequency resource of the first set of time-frequency resources is replaced with the sidelink channel associated with the plurality of demodulation reference signals; and
receive, from the second UE, a sidelink message in response to the plurality of sidelink reference signals and the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the sidelink message comprising feedback for the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both, wherein the sidelink message indicates beam management information corresponding to the plurality of sidelink reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals, or both based at least in part on the sidelink beam management configuration.
Independent claim 27 has been amended to recite similar features. Zhang Yi does not disclose all the features of amended independent claims 13 and 27.
For example, Zhang Yi does not disclose "transmit ... a plurality of demodulation
reference signals associated with a sidelink channel via ...the second set of time-frequency resources," as recited in amended independent claim 13. As noted above, Zhang Yi describes "at least two reference signals" which may be DMRSs, but said reference signals do not disclose transmitting DMRS "via ...the second set of time-frequency resources" as claimed, for at least the reasons discussed above with reference to amended independent claim 1.
In addition, the Office Action concedes that Zhang Yi does not disclose "wherein the second set of time-frequency resources at least partially overlaps the set of time-frequency resources," as recited in original dependent claim 9 and 19. See Office Action, pp. 17-20. Instead, the Office Action relies on Lin as allegedly overcoming the deficiencies of Zhang Yi. See id.
As independent claim 13 has been amended to incorporate material from original
dependent claim 19, and in light of the concession referenced above, Applicant requests that the rejection of independent claim 13 under 35 U.S.C. 102 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
Lin is generally directed to a wireless device receiving configuration parameters indicating "a sidelink resource pool of a sidelink bandwidth part configured in a shared spectrum, one or more resource blocks for a physical sidelink feedback channel transmission via the sidelink resource pool, and a first common interlace index... configured for the PSFCH transmission via the sidelink resource pool." Lin, Abstract. At portions cited by the Office Action, Lin describes a first wireless device and a second wireless device transmitting over first resources and second resources, respectively, where "[t]he first wireless device may determine a resource collision between the first resources and the second resources based on the first resources and the second resources being partially and/or fully overlapped." Id. [0344]. Lin describes that in the case where there is a resource collision, the "first wireless device may trigger a resource re-evaluation (e.g., a resource evaluation action of a second resource selection procedure)" and "a resource reselection . .. for selecting second resources (e.g., reselected resources after resource reselection in FIG. 25) based on the resource re-evaluation." Id.[0345]. That is, Lin describes the device triggering an action to select new resources in the event of a resource collision.
However, the mere possibility of overlapping resources as described in Lin does not teach or suggest "transmit ... a second subset of the plurality of demodulation reference signals via a second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources overlaps with the first set of time-frequency resources," as recited in amended independent claim 13. Indeed, Lin specifically describes the wireless device performing a "resource reselection" in the event of a resource collision. Selecting new resources in the event of a resource collision does not teach or suggest transmission "via a second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second subset of the second set of time-frequency resources overlaps with the first set of time-frequency resources,"
as claimed.
Therefore, Lin does not teach or suggest at least the above limitations of amended independent claim 13 and does not overcome the deficiencies of Zhang Yi.
Lee does not overcome the deficiencies of Zhang Yi and Lin, nor does the Office Action suggest otherwise.
Therefore, for at least these reasons, amended independent claim 1 is allowable,
including but not limited to over Zhang Yi. Amended independent claims 13, 23, and 27 are allowable for at least similar reasons.
Accordingly, Applicant requests that the rejection of independent claims 1, 13, 23, and 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
Dependent Claims 3-5, 15-]7, 25, 26, 29, and 30
Dependent claims 3-5, 15-17, 25, 26, 29, and 30 each depend from one of independent claims 1, 13, 23, and 27 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons that
independent claims 1, 13, 23, and 27 are allowable. Dependent claims 3-5, 15-17, 25, 26, 29, and 30 also recite allowable features that have not been shown to be disclosed by Zhang Yi.
Accordingly, for at least these reasons, Applicant requests that the rejection of dependent claims 3-5, 15-17, 25, 26, 29, and 30 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
35 U.S.C. 103
The Office Action rejected claims 6-12 and 18-22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over the stated combinations of Zhang Yi, Lee, and Lin.
Factual findings made by the Office are the "necessary underpinnings to establish
obviousness." MPEP § 2141(II). The Office must set forth "the relevant teachings of the prior art relied upon." MPEP § 2142. In KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., the Supreme Court noted that the analysis supporting a rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 must be made explicit. See 550 U.S. 398, 418 (2007); MPEP § 2142. "[Obviousness [also] requires a suggestion of all limitations in a claim." In re Wada and Murphy, Appeal 2007-3733 (citing CFML; Inc. v. YieldUP International Corp., 349 F.3d 1333, 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2003)).
Dependent Claims 6-8, 12, 18, and 20-22
Dependent claims 6-8, 12, 18, and 20-22 each depend from one of independent claims 1 and 13 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons that independent claims 1 and 13 are allowable. Dependent claims 6-8, 12, 18, and 20-22 also recite allowable features that have not been shown to be taught or suggested by Zhang Y, Lee, and Lin, alone or in any combination.
Accordingly, for at least these reasons, Applicant requests that the rejection of dependent claims 6-8, 12, 18, and 20-22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
Examiners response:
With respect to applicant’s arguments/remarks, examiner responses are:
Examiner reviewed the applicant’s arguments/remarks and further amended claims and provided relevant disclosures in the office actions from the closest and relevant prior arts. Addressed all the claims and applicant’s argument/remarks disclosed from the presented prior arts “Zhang Yi”, “Lin” and “Lee”.
Regarding the amended Claims and the claim subject matter,
Beam management configuration of SL [Wingdings font/0xE0]
SL-RS beam management procedure
Set of Time-frequency resources included first set
Second set time-frequency resources DMRS non-overlap
Transmit SL message comprises feedback i.e. measurement/RSRP of plurality of RSs and plurality of DMRS
BFR and error threshold
Zhang Yi discloses beam management procedures beam training/sweeping/selection and SL beam configuration max 64 TCI and possible RS in the SSB and can have max 64 transmits beam [0163, 0179-0181]; and SL-TCI [0191]. Disclosure distinctly includes plurality of RS of time-frequency resource includes beam set of eight beam [0195], Fig. 4 and periodicity of SL SSB transmission [0258] and SL-TCI include DMRS that can determine the SL-TCI of the RS based on indication [0310]. As part of beam management spatially directional beam [0165-0167]. Perform measurement/RSRP, decoded and measurement of RSs and the DMRS of a time-frequency resource [0289]. For clarity examiner provided SL beam multi-beam NR-transmission that includes reference beam/RS in a multiple periodicity, SCI, DMRS, and PSCCH/PSSCH that complements Fig. 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17-18 Zhang Yi.
And though discloses intersection that is overlap-partially, didn’t disclose non-overlapping. That is disclosed by Lin non-overlapped of the first and the second set of resources of time-frequency [0343, 0365]. And, parameters for SL-resource sensing-window and selection reserve-period; parameters indicated SL-RS DMRS of PSCCH/PSSCH [0297, 0315-0322] and Fig. 21-22.
Regarding the BFR, error rate and error threshold disclosed by Lee [0008, 0024, 0138, 0145, 0179, 0196-0197].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure:
3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #96, R1-1902439 Athens, Greece, 25th February to 1st March 2019 (Year: 2019);
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ETSI TR 137 985 V16.0.0 (2020-07); LTE; 5G; Overall description of Radio Access Network (RAN) aspects for Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) based on LTE and NR (Year: 2020).
5G; Study on New Radio (NR) access technology (3GPP TR 38.912 version 17.0.0 Release 17) Study on New Radio (NR) access technology (Year: 2022).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
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 extension
fee 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 date of this final action.
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/S.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466