DETAILED ACTION
Claims status
In response to the application filed on 09/05/2023, claims 1-20 are currently pending for the examination. The present application, filed on or after March 1wl16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries 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 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 1, 13, and 14-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xue et al. (US 2021/0400732 A1) in view of SUN et al. (US 2022/0060944 A1).
Regarding claim 1; Xue teaches a method for performing, by a first device (See Fig. 6: UE 115-e or first device), wireless communication, the method comprising:
receiving, from a second device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
determining to use the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
performing channel sensing for a transmission resource within the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 660,…UE 115-e may determine the procedures for gaining access to the TDM shared resources, the TDM shared resources themselves, or both based on fields in the TDM sharing indicator or based on a window (e.g., COT duration) in which the TDM sharing indicator is received. Gaining access to the TDM shared resources may involve an LBT procedure (i.e., channel sensing for TX). ¶ [0116]); and
performing sidelink (SL) communication based on a result of the channel sensing (See Fig. 6: At 665, UE 115-e may transmit a sidelink data message in the second slot of the COT. UE 115-d may refrain from transmitting in the second slot of the COT (e.g., based on sharing these resources with other UEs 115 using TDM techniques). ¶ [0116]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Regarding claim 11, Xue teaches the method wherein the SL communication is performed on the second device (See Fig. 6: at 635, UE 115-d may concurrently transmit a sidelink data message on a second sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth (e.g., in frequency resources not shared by the FDM COT sharing). ¶ [0113]).
Regarding claim 12; Xue teaches the method wherein the COT sharinginformation is received through SCI (See Fig. 4: One or more slots 420 in the COT 460 may include SCI 455 (e.g., SCI 1, SCI 2, or a combination thereof) in sidelink control resources 440. Each SCI 455 may include a pointer 415 linked to a location in sidelink data resources 445 in which FDM COT sharing information 450 is transmitted. ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 14; Xue teaches a first device for performing wireless communication, the first device comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor, and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to perform operations, wherein the operations include:
receiving, from a second device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
determining to use the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
performing channel sensing for a transmission resource within the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 660,…UE 115-e may determine the procedures for gaining access to the TDM shared resources, the TDM shared resources themselves, or both based on fields in the TDM sharing indicator or based on a window (e.g., COT duration) in which the TDM sharing indicator is received. Gaining access to the TDM shared resources may involve an LBT procedure (i.e., channel sensing for TX). ¶ [0116]); and
performing sidelink (SL) communication based on a result of the channel sensing (See Fig. 6: At 665, UE 115-e may transmit a sidelink data message in the second slot of the COT. UE 115-d may refrain from transmitting in the second slot of the COT (e.g., based on sharing these resources with other UEs 115 using TDM techniques). ¶ [0116]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Regarding claim 15; Xue teaches a device adapted to control a first user equipment (UE), the device comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor, and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, cause the first UE to perform operations, wherein the operations include:
receiving, from a second device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
determining to use the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
performing channel sensing for a transmission resource within the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 660,…UE 115-e may determine the procedures for gaining access to the TDM shared resources, the TDM shared resources themselves, or both based on fields in the TDM sharing indicator or based on a window (e.g., COT duration) in which the TDM sharing indicator is received. Gaining access to the TDM shared resources may involve an LBT procedure (i.e., channel sensing for TX). ¶ [0116]); and
performing sidelink (SL) communication based on a result of the channel sensing (See Fig. 6: At 665, UE 115-e may transmit a sidelink data message in the second slot of the COT. UE 115-d may refrain from transmitting in the second slot of the COT (e.g., based on sharing these resources with other UEs 115 using TDM techniques). ¶ [0116]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Regarding claim 16; Xue teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a first device to:
receiving, from a second device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
determining to use the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same zone ID as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
performing channel sensing for a transmission resource within the COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 660,…UE 115-e may determine the procedures for gaining access to the TDM shared resources, the TDM shared resources themselves, or both based on fields in the TDM sharing indicator or based on a window (e.g., COT duration) in which the TDM sharing indicator is received. Gaining access to the TDM shared resources may involve an LBT procedure (i.e., channel sensing for TX). ¶ [0116]); and
performing sidelink (SL) communication based on a result of the channel sensing (See Fig. 6: At 665, UE 115-e may transmit a sidelink data message in the second slot of the COT. UE 115-d may refrain from transmitting in the second slot of the COT (e.g., based on sharing these resources with other UEs 115 using TDM techniques). ¶ [0116]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Regarding claim 17; Xue teaches a method for performing, by a second device, wireless communication, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a first device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
wherein the COT duration is determined to be used by the first device duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same zone ID as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Regarding claim 19; Xue teaches a second device for performing wireless communication, the second device comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor, and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, cause the second device to perform operations, wherein the operations include:
transmitting, to a first device, channel occupancy time (COT) sharing information for a COT duration (See Fig. 6: At 620, UE 115-d (i.e., second device) may identify a set of resources (e.g., a window) for transmission of a sharing indicator and may transmit, on a sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth, a sidelink control message including the sharing indicator. In some aspects, the sharing indicator may indicate FDM sharing for a portion of the occupancy time (e.g., COT of the shared channel bandwidth) ¶ [0111]), including a first identifier (ID) (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]);
wherein the COT duration is determined to be used by the first device duration (See Fig. 6: At 625, UE 115-e (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115) may gain access to the first sub-channel of the shared channel bandwidth based on the FDM sharing indicator based on a window (i.e., COT) duration in which the FDM sharing indicator is received). ¶ [0112]…see also ¶ [0075] for the UE 115 to have access the one or more sub-channels for a specific time duration (e.g., a specific number of symbols or slots) shared by the COT sharing indicator), based on the first ID being the same zone ID as a second ID of the first device (See Fig. 6: share a COT with UEs 115 located in a location within a distance threshold from a location of the COT sharing provider UE 115 (e.g., a COT sharing receiver UE 115 may be within a same coverage area 210 as the COT sharing provider UE 115, within a same zone identifier (ID) (i.e., first ID/second ID) as the COT sharing provider UE 115, ¶ [0084]).
Xue doesn’t explicitly provide determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device.
However, Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor further discloses a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device (Sun-See Fig. 5G: the UE 120-2, to determine that the source identifier associated with the SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the SCI) transmitted as indicated by reference number 504, and a source identifier associated with the other SCI (e.g., which may be indicated in an SCI-1 component or an SCI-2 component of the other SCI), are the same source ID associated the UE 120-1. ¶ [0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a method of determining the first ID being the same as a second ID of the first device as taught by Sun to have incorporated in the system of Xue, so that it would provide the method of refraining the UEs from using the resources associated with the one or more sidelink transmission opportunities and the corresponding channel access gaps may increase the likelihood that the channel access procedure for at least one of the sidelink transmission opportunities is successful, so that the UE 120-1 may obtain a COT on the sidelink. Sun-¶ [0072].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 13, 18, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon the rejected base claims but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
LIU et al. (US 2022/0217771 A1 to discuss the method for Contention Window Adjustment for group channel occupancy time sharing).
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/SAI AUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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