Office Action Predictor
Last updated: April 16, 2026
Application No. 18/579,825

METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING PHYSICAL SIDELINK SHARED CHANNEL IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND DEVICE FOR SAME

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
Jan 16, 2024
Examiner
SAMPAT, RUSHIL PARIMAL
Art Unit
2469
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Lg Electronics INC.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 6m
To Grant
92%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allow Rate
286 granted / 327 resolved
+29.5% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
356
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.3%
-38.7% vs TC avg
§103
58.5%
+18.5% vs TC avg
§102
23.5%
-16.5% vs TC avg
§112
14.9%
-25.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 327 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
DETAILED ACTION Claim(s) 1-12, 15-17 and 21 are presented for examination. Claim(s) 1, 2, 11, 12, 15-17 and 21 are amended. Claim(s) 13, 14 and 18-20 are canceled. 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 As required by M.P.E.P.201.14(c), acknowledgement is made to applicant’s claim for priority based on application(s) KR10-2021-0093010 submitted on July 15th, 2021. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on January 16th, 2024; April 24th, 2025; and September 8th, 2025 follow the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Specification Applicant’s amendment to the specification of the disclosure filed January 16th, 2024 is being considered. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains a legal phraseology “comprises …” in line 2. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Claim Objections Claim(s) 4-6 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 4 recites “HARQ-ACK …” in line 3. Since the limitation is being introduced for a first time, it is suggested to provide the acronym (i.e. hybrid automatic repeat request -acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK)). Claim 5 and 6 are also being objected for being dependent on an objected base claim as set forth above. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim(s) 3, 8-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 3 recites “the Tx-Rx switching symbol …” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 8 recites a similar limitation. Claims 9 and 10 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base clams as set forth above. Claim 12 recites “the other UE …” in line 4. It is unclear if the limitation is referring to a first user equipment (UE) or a second UE in claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, examiner will interpret as best understood. Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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. 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. Claim(s) 1-5, 7-12, 15-17 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over SHIN et al. (US 2021/0007081 A1) hereinafter “Shin” in view of LIU et al. (US 2022/0167402 A1) hereinafter “Liu”. Regarding Claims 1 and 17, Shin discloses a first user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a transmission UE “5-01”], the first UE [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the transmission UE “5-01”] comprising: one or more transceivers [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a transceiver]; one or more processors configured to control the one or more transceivers [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the transceiver receives and outputs, to a processor, a signal through a wireless channel, and transmits a signal output from the processor through the wireless channel]; and one or more memories operably connected to the one or more processors [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a memory storing a program and data], wherein the one or more memories are configured to store instructions performing operations based on being executed by the one or more processors [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the processor implementing the stored program and data in the memory required for operations of the UE], wherein the operations [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the required operations] comprise: transmitting [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, in a case of broadcast transmission, the transmission UE “5-01” broadcasts], to a second UE [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, to the reception UE “5-02”], a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) related to a scheduling of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, sidelink control information (SCI) via physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) without having to perform additional radio resource control (RRC) connection of sidelink (SL)]; and transmitting [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, data is broadcasted], to the second UE [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, to the reception UE “5-02”], the PSSCH [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, via PSSCH], wherein one or more reserved resources are determined based on first sidelink control information (SCI) related to the PSCCH [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 9, ¶106 lines 5-12, in Mode 2, the transmission UE “5-01” directly performs scheduling on SL by performing sensing and transmission resource selection, and transmits following scheduling information added to SCI: transmission time points of initial transmission and retransmission and frequency allocation location information field; NDI field; RV field; and an information field indicating reservation interval], wherein the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window [see fig. 5: Step “5-30”, pg. 8, ¶104 lines 20-25, when data traffic for V2X is generated in the transmission UE “5-01”, the transmission UE “5-01” is configured with a resource pool via the system information received from the gNB “5-03” and selects a time/frequency domain resource according to a transmission operation configured in the configured resource pool]. Although Shin discloses the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window, Shin does not explicitly teach “at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before-talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources”. However Liu discloses transmitting [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, communicating, by the first UE “305-1”], to a second UE [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, with a second UE “305-2”], a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) related to a scheduling of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, via one or more sidelink channels “310” including a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) “315” … to communicate control information]; and transmitting [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, communicating, by the first UE “305-1”], to the second UE [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, with the second UE “305-2”], the PSSCH [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, the physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) “320” to communicate data], wherein one or more reserved resources are determined based on first sidelink control information (SCI) related to the PSCCH [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶55 lines 1-15, the PSCCH “315” carries sidelink control information (SCI) indicating various control information used for sidelink communications (i.e. a stage one SCI (SCI-1) “330”, which includes an indication of one or more resources (e.g., time resources, frequency resources, spatial resources, and/or the like); and an SCI format and a beta offset for stage two sidelink control information (SCI-2) “335” transmitted on the PSSCH “320”], wherein the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶59 lines 1-6, the UE “305” perform resource selection and/or scheduling by sensing channel availability for transmissions], and wherein at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before-talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources [see fig. 3, pg. 7, ¶65 lines 1-9; pg. 9, ¶75 lines 22-35, prior to gaining access to and/or transmitting over an unlicensed channel, a transmitting device (e.g., UE “305”) performs an LBT procedure … to exclude resources when selecting resources in the used region of the shared COT]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before-talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards [see Liu, pg. 1, ¶4 lines 8-18]. Regarding Claim 2, Shin discloses the method of claim 1. Shin does not explicitly teach “the LBT is related to a time duration in which a Type 1 channel access procedure or a Type 2 channel access procedure is performed before sidelink (SL) transmission”. However Liu discloses the LBT is related to a time duration in which a Type 1 channel access procedure is performed before sidelink (SL) transmission [see pg. 9, ¶79 lines 18-23, the UE performs a Type-1 random resource selection in the effective resource selection window “514”, which generally corresponds to a projected used COT sharing region “520” (e.g., a region of a COT that is used for transmission by the initiating UE and shared with other UEs)]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “the LBT is related to a time duration in which a Type 1 channel access procedure or a Type 2 channel access procedure is performed before sidelink (SL) transmission” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 3, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 1. Shin further discloses wherein the PSSCH related to the Tx-Rx switching symbol is based on a repetition of the PSSCH for a pre-defined symbol in a slot for the transmission of the PSSCH [see pg. 12, ¶128 lines 19-24, when SCI is transmitted via a PSCCH resource “m” from a slot to assigned as a resource pool, a slot and subchannel corresponding to the PSSCH transmission is determined as follows …]. Regarding Claim 4, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 1. Shin further discloses receiving a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) from the second UE [see pg. 25, ¶212 lines 22-28, HARQ feedback information of a PSSCH transmitted from the slots “12-25” through “12-27” is transmitted and received by being included in a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) that is transmitted from the slot “12-28”], wherein the PSFCH is related to HARQ-ACK information for a reception of the PSSCH [see pg. 25, ¶212 lines 22-28, the HARQ feedback information of a PSSCH transmitted from the slot “12-24” is unable to be transmitted from the same slot “12-24” because time is insufficient for a UE to finish decoding of a PSSCH transmitted from the slot “12-24” and then transmit a PSFCH from the slot]. Regarding Claim 5, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 4. Shin further discloses wherein the PSCCH and the PSSCH are repeatedly transmitted until time before a reception of the PSFCH [see pg. 12, ¶128 lines 1-7, repeatedly transmitting the PSCCH in a PSSCH region according to a size of a subchannel is considered], and wherein the repeatedly transmitted PSCCH and PSSCH are based on a same transport block (TB) or different TBs [see pg. 5, ¶65 lines 36-44, in the NR system-based SL, not only are blind retransmission and HARQ feedback-based retransmission supported, but also the maximum number of retransmissions for one TB is increased]. Regarding Claim 7, Shin discloses the method of claim 4. Shin does not explicitly teach “a sidelink signal related to a channel occupancy is received until time before a reception of the PSFCH after the transmission of the PSSCH”. However Liu discloses a sidelink signal related to a channel occupancy is received until time before a reception of the PSFCH after the transmission of the PSSCH [see pg. 9, ¶74 lines 11-18, SCI-1 is carried over a PSCCH and has a small payload size to enable decoding by all UEs, and is therefore unable to accommodate a COT sharing signal with a large payload. Furthermore, SCI-2 carried over a PSSCH is unsuitable to carry the COT sharing signal because SCI-2 is not decoded by all UEs and/or some UEs lacks capabilities to support SCI-2]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “a sidelink signal related to a channel occupancy is received until time before a reception of the PSFCH after the transmission of the PSSCH” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 8, Shin discloses the method of claim 1. Shin does not explicitly teach “based on the PSSCH being transmitted in a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the PSSCH, the one or more reserved resources include the Tx-Rx switching symbol”. However Liu discloses based on the PSSCH being transmitted in a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the PSSCH [see pg. 9, ¶75 lines 22-35, the UE initiating the COT transmits SCI to indicate non-shareable resources (e.g., the time and frequency resources reserved to initial transmissions by the UE)], the one or more reserved resources include the Tx-Rx switching symbol [see pg. 9, ¶75 lines 22-35, and responding UEs select other resources, excluding the non-shareable resources, to use for transmissions in the used portion of the shared COT]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “based on the PSSCH being transmitted in a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the PSSCH, the one or more reserved resources include the Tx-Rx switching symbol” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 9, Shin discloses the method of claim 8. Shin does not explicitly teach “a channel secured through an LBT-related sensing is occupied during the COT duration”. However Liu discloses a channel secured through an LBT-related sensing is occupied during the COT duration [see pg. 9, ¶75 lines 1-11, a UE that has one or more packets to transmit initially performs random resource selection within a resource selection window, as the UE is unable to determine prior to a successful LBT procedure whether the resources that are selected will be within a COT initiated by the UE or piggybacked on a shared COT initiated by a different UE]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “a channel secured through an LBT-related sensing is occupied during the COT duration” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 10, Shin discloses the method of claim 8. Shin does not explicitly teach “the first SCI related to the PSCCH or a second SCI related to the PSSCH includes information on the COT duration”. However Liu discloses the first SCI related to the PSCCH or a second SCI related to the PSSCH includes information on the COT duration [see pg. 9, ¶74 lines 11-18, SCI-1 is carried over a PSCCH and has a small payload size to enable decoding by all UEs, and is therefore unable to accommodate a COT sharing signal with a large payload. Furthermore, SCI-2 carried over a PSSCH is unsuitable to carry the COT sharing signal because SCI-2 is not decoded by all UEs and/or some UEs lacks capabilities to support SCI-2]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “the first SCI related to the PSCCH or a second SCI related to the PSSCH includes information on the COT duration” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 11, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 1. Shin further discloses wherein the transmission of the PSSCH starts from a pre-configured slot [see pg. 25, ¶212 lines 39-52, when a PSSCH is received from a slot n and a resource capable of transmitting a PSFCH is configured or provided in a slot “n+x”], and wherein the pre-configured slot is based on a slot that has a starting point later than a starting point of a slot for an uplink transmission among slots capable of a sidelink transmission [see pg. 25, ¶212 lines 39-52, the UE that received the PSSCH uses “x” that is a smallest integer among integers greater than and equal to “K” to map and transmits HARQ-ACK feedback information of a PSSCH to a PSFCH of the slot “n+x”. “K” is a value pre-configured by a transmission UE or a value configured in a resource pool where a corresponding PSSCH or PSFCH is transmitted …]. Regarding Claim 12, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 1. Shin further discloses wherein the at least one resource is related to a reserved resource of the other UE [see pg. 12, ¶121 lines 1-8, a resource allocation configuration signaling interpretation method when a resource is reserved for retransmission is described]. Regarding Claim 15, The combined system of Shin and Liu discloses the method of claim 1. Shin further discloses wherein a reserved resource of other UE is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources [see pg. 12, ¶121 lines 1-8, when a resource is not reserved for retransmission but only a resource for initial transmission is present, only resource allocation information for the initial transmission is signaled]. Regarding Claim 16, Shin discloses the method of claim 15. Shin does not explicitly teach “the reserved resource is within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the other UE”. However Liu discloses the reserved resource is within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the other UE [see pg. 9, ¶75 lines 1-11, a UE that has one or more packets to transmit initially performs random resource selection within a resource selection window, as the UE is unable to determine prior to a successful LBT procedure whether the resources that are selected will be within a COT initiated by the UE or piggybacked on a shared COT initiated by a different UE]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “the reserved resource is within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration related to the other UE” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin for the same motivation as set forth in claim 1. Regarding Claim 21, Shin discloses a second user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a reception UE “5-02”], the second UE [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the reception UE “5-02”] comprising: one or more transceivers [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a transceiver]; one or more processors configured to control the one or more transceivers [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the transceiver receives and outputs, to a processor, a signal through a wireless channel, and transmits a signal output from the processor through the wireless channel]; and one or more memories operably connected to the one or more processors [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, a memory storing a program and data], wherein the one or more memories are configured to store instructions performing operations based on being executed by the one or more processors [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the processor implementing the stored program and data in the memory required for operations of the UE], wherein the operations [see fig(s). 5 & 14, pg. 39, ¶360 lines 1-3, the required operations] comprise: receiving [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, in a case of broadcast transmission, the transmission UE “5-01” broadcasts], from a first UE [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, to the reception UE “5-02”], a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) related to a scheduling of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, sidelink control information (SCI) via physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) without having to perform additional radio resource control (RRC) connection of sidelink (SL)]; and receiving [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, data is broadcasted], from the first UE [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, to the reception UE “5-02”], the PSSCH [see fig. 5: Step “5-60”, pg. 8, ¶105 lines 1-6, via PSSCH], wherein one or more reserved resources are determined based on first sidelink control information (SCI) related to the PSCCH [see fig. 5: Step “5-50”, pg. 9, ¶106 lines 5-12, in Mode 2, the transmission UE “5-01” directly performs scheduling on SL by performing sensing and transmission resource selection, and transmits following scheduling information added to SCI: transmission time points of initial transmission and retransmission and frequency allocation location information field; NDI field; RV field; and an information field indicating reservation interval], wherein the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window [see fig. 5: Step “5-30”, pg. 8, ¶104 lines 20-25, when data traffic for V2X is generated in the transmission UE “5-01”, the transmission UE “5-01” is configured with a resource pool via the system information received from the gNB “5-03” and selects a time/frequency domain resource according to a transmission operation configured in the configured resource pool]. Although Shin discloses the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window, Shin does not explicitly teach “at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before-talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources”. However Liu discloses receiving [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, communicating, by the first UE “305-1”], from a first UE [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, with a second UE “305-2”], a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) related to a scheduling of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, via one or more sidelink channels “310” including a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) “315” … to communicate control information]; and receiving [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, communicating, by the first UE “305-1”], from the first UE [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, with the second UE “305-2”], the PSSCH [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶54 lines 1-14, the physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) “320” to communicate data], wherein one or more reserved resources are determined based on first sidelink control information (SCI) related to the PSCCH [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶55 lines 1-15, the PSCCH “315” carries sidelink control information (SCI) indicating various control information used for sidelink communications (i.e. a stage one SCI (SCI-1) “330”, which includes an indication of one or more resources (e.g., time resources, frequency resources, spatial resources, and/or the like); and an SCI format and a beta offset for stage two sidelink control information (SCI-2) “335” transmitted on the PSSCH “320”], wherein the one or more reserved resources are selected based on resources within a resource selection window [see fig. 3, pg. 6, ¶59 lines 1-6, the UE “305” perform resource selection and/or scheduling by sensing channel availability for transmissions], and wherein at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before- talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources [see fig. 3, pg. 7, ¶65 lines 1-9; pg. 9, ¶75 lines 22-35, prior to gaining access to and/or transmitting over an unlicensed channel, a transmitting device (e.g., UE “305”) performs an LBT procedure … to exclude resources when selecting resources in the used region of the shared COT]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide “at least one resource related to a resource overlapping with a listen-before-talk (LBT) is excluded from the selection of the one or more reserved resources” as taught by Liu in the system of Shin to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards [see Liu, pg. 1, ¶4 lines 8-18]. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 6 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all 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. United States Patent Application Publication: MOON et al. (US 2022/0255680 A1); see fig. 2, pg. 7, ¶72-¶76. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RUSHIL P SAMPAT whose telephone number is (469) 295-9141. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri (8 AM - 5 PM). 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, Ian Moore can be reached on (571) 272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RUSHIL P. SAMPAT/Primary Examiner- TC 2400, Art Unit 2469
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 16, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103, §112
Mar 23, 2026
Response Filed

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
92%
With Interview (+4.8%)
2y 6m
Median Time to Grant
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