DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-8,19-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryu to (US 20210014831A1)Regarding claims 1,18,19, Ryu teaches communication method, comprising: receiving scheduling information, wherein the scheduling information indicates a transmission resource of a sidelink,([0253] discloses the BS 1810 may transmit sidelink scheduling information to the groupcast transmission UE 1820a through a downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)) in operation 1805. In operation 1807, the transmission UE 1820a receiving the sidelink scheduling information may transmit sidelink control information and data information to the reception UEs 1820b-1 to 1820b-N through a PSCCH and a PSSCH based on scheduling information of the BS 1810) and the transmission resource corresponds to at least two Physical Sidelink Feedback CHannels (PSFCHs);([0158] discloses The information refers to information on a frequency axis in a frequency resource pool in which a PSCCH, a PSSCH, and a PSFCH are resources of a transmitted and specifically may include an index of a sidelink resource resource block included in the resource pool or an index of a pool sub-channel including two or more resource blocks. Information on (1) In the case in which sidelink HARQ-ACK is operated, at whether sidelink least one piece of the following information may be included. HARQ-ACK is (1-1) The number of maximum retransmissions operated (1-2) HARQ-ACK timing: refers to a time from a time point at which the sidelink reception UE receives sidelink control information and data information from the sidelink transmission UE to a time point at which the sidelink reception UE transmits HARQ-ACK/NACK information to the sidelink transmission ) and determining a reference time unit, wherein the reference time unit is used to determine a sending time unit of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information, and the HARQ-ACK information indicates a reception status of the sidelink([0158] discloses the resource pool or an index of a pool sub-channel including two or more resource blocks. Information on (1) In the case in which sidelink HARQ-ACK is operated, at whether sidelink least one piece of the following information may be included. HARQ-ACK is (1-1) The number of maximum retransmissions operated (1-2) HARQ-ACK timing: refers to a time from a time point at which the sidelink reception UE receives sidelink control information and data information from the sidelink transmission UE to a time point at which the sidelink reception UE transmits HARQ-ACK/NACK information to the sidelink transmission UE. A unit of time may be a slot or one or more OFDM symbols. (1-3) A format of the PSFCH or an HARQ feedback method: when two or more PSFCH formats are operated, one PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 1 bit or 2 bits. Another PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 3 bits or more. Meanwhile, when the HARQ-ACK/NACK information is transmitted through the PSFCH, each of the ACK information and the NACK information may be transmitted through the PSFCH. When successfully decoding the PSSCH transmitted from the sidelink transmission UE, the sidelink reception UE may transmit ACK through the PSFCH. When failing in decoding, the sidelink reception UE may transmit NACK through the PSFCH)
Regarding claims 2,20 Ryu teaches wherein the reference time unit is a time unit where a first PSFCH is located, and the first PSFCH is one of the at least two PSFCHs([0158] discloses refers to a time from a time point at which the sidelink reception UE receives sidelink control information and data information from the sidelink transmission UE to a time point at which the sidelink reception UE transmits HARQ-ACK/NACK information to the sidelink transmission UE. A unit of time may be a slot or one or more OFDM symbols. (1-3) A format of the PSFCH or an HARQ feedback method: when two or more PSFCH formats are operated, one PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 1 bit or 2 bits. Another PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 3 bits or more. Meanwhile, when the HARQ-ACK/NACK information is transmitted through the PSFCH, each of the ACK information and the NACK information may be transmitted through the PSFCH).
Regarding claims 3,21 Ryu teaches wherein the first PSFCH is the last PSFCH among the at least two PSFCHs([0158] discloses refers to a time from a time point at which the sidelink reception UE receives sidelink control information and data information from the sidelink transmission UE to a time point at which the sidelink reception UE transmits HARQ-ACK/NACK information to the sidelink transmission UE. A unit of time may be a slot or one or more OFDM symbols. (1-3) A format of the PSFCH or an HARQ feedback method: when two or more PSFCH formats are operated, one PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 1 bit or 2 bits. Another PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 3 bits or more. Meanwhile, when the HARQ-ACK/NACK information is transmitted through the PSFCH, each of the ACK information and the NACK information may be transmitted through the PSFCH)..
Regarding claims 4,22 Ryu teaches wherein said determining the reference time unit comprises: determining the reference time unit based on the transmission resource indicated by the scheduling information and a first time interval([00158] discloses to transmit only the NACK information through the PSFCH) may be included. (1-4) A set of time/frequency/code resources included in the PSFCH: includes an index of a slot or a symbol in which the PSFCH is transmitted and a period in the case of time resources. In the case of frequency resources, the set of time/frequency/code resources may include a start point and an end point (or a start point and the length of frequency resources) of a sub-channel including a frequency Resource Block (RB) in which the PSFCH is transmitted or two or more successive blocks).
Regarding claims 5,23 Ryu teaches wherein the transmission resource is a first transmission resource indicated by the scheduling information ([0253] discloses the BS 1810 may transmit sidelink scheduling information to the groupcast transmission UE 1820a through a downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)) in operation 1805. In operation 1807, the transmission UE 1820a receiving the sidelink scheduling information may transmit sidelink control information and data information to the reception UEs 1820b-1 to 1820b-N through a PSCCH and a PSSCH based on scheduling information of the BS 1810).
Regarding claims 6,24,26,28, Ryu teaches wherein the first time interval is configured by a network device, or the first time interval is a preset value([0158] Information on the sidelink resource pool configured by the BS, configured by PC-5 RRC, or pre-configured in the UE).
Regarding claims 7,25,29 Ryu teaches wherein the first time interval is configured by the network device, and said configuring the first time interval by the network device comprises: configuring one or more values through RRC signaling, and/or instructing, through MAC CE or DCI, the RRC signaling to configure one of the one or more values([0108] Discloses the BS provides a sidelink transmission/reception resource pool for a sidelink to the UE through system information or an RRC message (for example, an RRC reconfiguration).
Regarding claims 8,27 Ryu teaches further comprising: determining the sending time unit of the HARQ-ACK information based on the reference time unit; and transmitting the HARQ-ACK information in the sending time unit([0158] discloses when two or more PSFCH formats are operated, one PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 1 bit or 2 bits. Another PSFCH format may be used to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK information of 3 bits or more. Meanwhile, when the HARQ-ACK/NACK information is transmitted through the PSFCH, each of the ACK information and the NACK information may be transmitted through the PSFCH).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZEWDU A BEYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZEWDU A BEYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461