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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/05/2024, 03/10/2025, and 11/03/2025; the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 2 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 1 discloses “a first terminal”, and creates ambiguity as it draws its dependency from claim 1 which defines “a terminal”. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim 15 uses the term “PSFCH” without first defining it. Please correct.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 objected to because of the following informalities: using exemplary terms “correctly” without identifying or defining what the criteria is for “correctly”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 8, 9, 11-13, 15-19 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN-112235765-B to Zheng in view of "Reliability and Latency Enhancements for Mode 2," 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104-e, R1-2101910, Jan. 25th – Feb. 5th, 2021, Agenda item: 8.11.1.2, Source: Qualcomm Incorporated; from hereon Qualcomm.
Regarding claim 1 Zheng teaches…an information processing method, comprising (page 1, Lns. 35-38 discloses a method, device, and terminal for resource selection): transmitting, by a first terminal, first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel (page 7, Lns. 11-12 discloses…the sending and reception of the direct link information SCI indicating the resource selected); wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on a target physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) resource (page 1 Lns. 50-53 discloses…part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI collide with the transmission resources reserved by the third terminal or all or part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI conflict with the transmission resources of the first terminal ); wherein the first channel is a sequence-based second channel (page 6, Lns. 25 P. ); but does not teach…or, the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH.
Qualcomm teaches… or, the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH) (page 9, Lns. 1-6P. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng by incorporating the teachings of Qualcomm because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources preferred to UE based on sensing results and or expected potential resource conflict and sending from UE-A to UE-B the set of resource where the resource is conflict (Qualcomm, agreement Release-17). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 2 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 1, Zheng teaches…wherein when the first channel is the sequence-based second channel, the transmitting, by a first terminal, first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel, comprises: transmitting, by the first terminal, the first indication information to the second terminal through different sequences of the second channel, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by PSSCH corresponding to the second channel (page 19, Lns. 47-50); or, transmitting, by the first terminal, the first indication information to the second terminal through a same sequence with different cyclic shift values of the second channel, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by PSSCH corresponding to the second channel (pag6, Lns. 31-33).
Regarding claim 8 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 2, Zheng teaches…wherein the second channel is time-division multiplexed or frequency-division multiplexed with PSCCH or PSSCH (page 1 and y, Lns. 24-30).
Regarding claim 9 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 2, Zheng teaches…further comprising determining frequency domain resources occupied by the second channel in a manner including: calculating an index number of the second channel based on one or more of the following information: an index number of the first terminal and an index number of the second terminal (page 1, Lns. 45-50).
Regarding claim 11 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 9, Zheng teaches…wherein if the second channel and PSFCH occupy different symbols in a same slot or occupy different slots, the calculating an index number of the second channel, includes: PSRCH_Index=(K+M)Mod(L*Y) wherein PSRCH_Index represents the index number of the second channel; K represents a truncated layer-2 (L2) source ID carried in sidelink control information (SCI) associated with PSSCH transmitted by the first terminal or the second terminal; M represents a calculation parameter, which is related to a resource conflict feedback mode; L represents the number of PRBs of candidate resources of the second channel; Y represents the number of cyclic shift value pairs of resource conflict feedback that can be carried in a PRB (page 6, Lns. 52-60).
Regarding claim 12 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 11, Zheng teaches…wherein when the resource conflict feedback mode is unicast resource conflict feedback, M=0;when the resource conflict feedback mode is multicast resource conflict feedback, M=0 or M is a multicast member ID of a receiving terminal (page 9, Lns. 38-45).
Regarding claim 13 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 1, Zheng teaches…wherein when the first channel is Type2 PSFCH, the transmitting, by a first terminal, first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel, includes (Type2 PSFCH is known in the art as sidelink communication specifically transmitting PSFCH over sidelink communication; page P. ): transmitting the first indication information to the second terminal through the Type2 PSFCH on a target resource, Qualcomm teaches…wherein the target resource is PSFCH resource which is not used by terminals of a target type (secton 2, observation 12 proposal 1 discloses the target resource is PSFCH which is not used by the terminal of the target type and used to send information using unused resources).
Regarding claim 15 Zheng teaches an information processing method, comprising (page 1, Lns. 35-38 discloses a method, device, and terminal for resource selection): receiving, by a second terminal, first indication information(page 7, Lns. 11-12 discloses…the sending and reception of the direct link information SCI indicating the resource selected)wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on a target physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) resource(page 1 Lns. 50-53 discloses…part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI collide with the transmission resources reserved by the third terminal or all or part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI conflict with the transmission resources of the first terminal ); and selecting, by the second terminal, a transmission resource, according to the first indication information; wherein the first channel is a sequence-based second channel(page 6, Lns. 25 P. ); but does not teach…; or, the first channel is Type2 PSFCH.
Qualcomm teaches… or, the first channel is a Type2 PSFCH (page 9, Lns. 1-6P. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng by incorporating the teachings of Qualcomm because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources preferred to UE based on sensing results and or expected potential resource conflict and sending from UE-A to UE-B the set of resource where the resource is conflict (Qualcomm, agreement Release-17). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 16 Zheng teaches…a first terminal, comprising: a memory, a transceiver and processor (page 1, Lns. 35-38 discloses a method, device, and terminal for resource selection; page 23, Lns. 53-60 discloses the processor, memory, transceiver); wherein the memory is used to store a computer program; the transceiver is used to receive and transmit data under control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer program in the memory and perform the following steps (page 23, Lns. 53-60): transmitting first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel (page 7, Lns. 11-12 discloses…the sending and reception of the direct link information SCI indicating the resource selected); wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on a target physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) resource(page 1 Lns. 50-53 discloses…part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI collide with the transmission resources reserved by the third terminal or all or part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI conflict with the transmission resources of the first terminal ); wherein the first channel is a sequence-based second channel(page 6, Lns. 25 P. ); but does not teach… or, the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH).
Qualcomm teaches… or, the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH) (page 9, Lns. 1-6P. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng by incorporating the teachings of Qualcomm because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources preferred to UE based on sensing results and or expected potential resource conflict and sending from UE-A to UE-B the set of resource where the resource is conflict (Qualcomm, agreement Release-17). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 17 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the first terminal according to claim 16, Zheng teaches…wherein when the first channel is the sequence-based second channel, the processor is further used to read the computer program in the memory and perform the following steps: transmitting the first indication information to the second terminal through different sequences of the second channel, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by PSSCH corresponding to the second channel(page 19, Lns. 47-50);; or, transmitting the first indication information to the second terminal through a same sequence with different cyclic shift values of the second channel, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by PSSCH corresponding to the second channel(pag6, Lns. 31-33). .
Regarding claim 18 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the first terminal according to claim 16, Zheng teaches…wherein when the first channel is Type2 PSFCH, the processor is further used to read the computer program in the memory and perform the following steps(Type2 PSFCH is known in the art as sidelink communication specifically transmitting PSFCH over sidelink communication; page P. ): transmitting the first indication information to the second terminal through the Type2 PSFCH on a target resource, wherein the target resource is PSFCH resource which is not used by terminals of a target type(secton 2, observation 12 proposal 1 discloses the target resource is PSFCH which is not used by the terminal of the target type and used to send information using unused resources). .
Regarding claim 19 Zheng teaches…a second terminal for performing the method according to claim 15 (see rejection claims 15),comprising: a memory, a transceiver and processor; wherein the memory is used to store a computer program; the transceiver is used to receive and transmit data under control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer program in the memory and perform the following steps (page 1, Lns. 35-38 discloses a method, device, and terminal for resource selection; page 23, Lns. 53-60 discloses the processor, memory, transceiver; Page 23, Lns. 53-60): receiving first indication information through a first channel(page 7, Lns. 11-12 discloses…the sending and reception of the direct link information SCI indicating the resource selected); wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on a target physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) resource(page 1 Lns. 50-53 discloses…part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI collide with the transmission resources reserved by the third terminal or all or part of the transmission resources indicated in the SCI conflict with the transmission resources of the first terminal ); selecting a transmission resource according to the first indication information; wherein the first channel is a sequence-based second channel(page 6, Lns. 25 P. ); but does not teach the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH).
Qualcomm teaches… teach the first channel is a Type 2 physical sidelink feedback channel (Type2 PSFCH) (page 9, Lns. 1-6P. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng by incorporating the teachings of Qualcomm because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources preferred to UE based on sensing results and or expected potential resource conflict and sending from UE-A to UE-B the set of resource where the resource is conflict (Qualcomm, agreement Release-17). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 22. Zheng teaches…a processor-readable storage medium, comprising: a computer program stored thereon (page 1, Lns. 35-38 discloses a method, device, and terminal for resource selection; page 23, Lns. 53-60 discloses the processor, memory, transceiver; page 23, Lns. 53-60); wherein the computer program is used to cause a processor to execute the method according to claim 1 (See rejection of claim 1 above).
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN-112235765-B to Zheng and "Reliability and Latency Enhancements for Mode 2," 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104-e, R1-2101910, Jan. 25th – Feb. 5th, 2021, Agenda item: 8.11.1.2, Source: Qualcomm Incorporated; from hereon Qualcomm in view of US-20200288286-A1 to Hwang et al., from hereon Hwang.
Regarding claim 3 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 2, Zheng teaches…wherein a sequence length of the second channel is 12 and occupies 12 subcarriers of a resource block (RB) (Page 6, 7, Lns. 52-58); but do not teach…the cyclic shift value is selected from a set {1, 2, 3, 6} (P. ).
Hwang teaches… the cyclic shift value is selected from a set {1, 2, 3, 6} (P.75 ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng and Qualcomm by incorporating the teachings of Hwang because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources related to PSFCH with information related to resource blocks available to transmit the PSFCH (Hwang, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN-112235765-B to Zheng and "Reliability and Latency Enhancements for Mode 2," 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104-e, R1-2101910, Jan. 25th – Feb. 5th, 2021, Agenda item: 8.11.1.2, Source: Qualcomm Incorporated from hereon Qualcomm in view of US-20230064036-A1 to Hanh.
Regarding claim 4 Zheng and Qualcomm teach…the method according to claim 2, but do not teach…wherein the second channel occupies one or two symbols; when the second channel occupies two symbols, a first symbol occupied by the second channel and a second symbol occupied by the second channel are duplicated.
Hanh teaches… wherein the second channel occupies one or two symbols; when the second channel occupies two symbols, a first symbol occupied by the second channel and a second symbol occupied by the second channel are duplicated (P. 7 discloses the amount of symbols for sending the information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Zheng and Qualcomm by incorporating the teachings of Hanh because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration the sending of resources based on SCI and sequence (Hanh, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 10, and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the main reason for objection of the claims under discussion is the inclusion of “one second channel is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by one or more PSSCHs.”, “wherein when one second channel is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by one PSSCH, if information represented by the second channel meets a first condition, it means that there is a resource conflict in the resources occupied by the PSSCH; if the information represented by the second channel meets a second condition, it means that there is no resource conflict in the resources occupied by the PSSCH; the first condition and the second condition are different.”, and “receiving, by the first terminal, second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate a priority between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode is to indicate whether a resource indicated by SCI is received correctly, and the second mode is to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI; wherein when the first indication information is used to indicate whether the resource indicated by the SCI is received correctly and whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI, the transmitting, by a first terminal, first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel, includes: if it is determined according to the second indication information that a priority of the first mode is higher than a priority of the second mode, only feeding back by the first terminal, through the Type2 PSFCH, whether the resource indicated by the SCI is received correctly; if it is determined according to the second indication information that the priority of the first mode is lower than the priority of the second mode, only indicating by the first terminal, through the Type2 PSFCH, whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI.” as the prior art of record in stand-alone form nor in combination read into the disclosed claims. Furthermore, the nearest prior art such as US-20220014325-A1 to Zhao, US-20210037549-A1 to Akkarakaran, US-20230284241-A1 to He are silent on one second channel is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by one or more PSSCHs.”, “wherein when one second channel is used to indicate whether there is a resource conflict in resources occupied by one PSSCH, if information represented by the second channel meets a first condition, it means that there is a resource conflict in the resources occupied by the PSSCH; if the information represented by the second channel meets a second condition, it means that there is no resource conflict in the resources occupied by the PSSCH; the first condition and the second condition are different, and receiving, by the first terminal, second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate a priority between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode is to indicate whether a resource indicated by SCI is received correctly, and the second mode is to indicate whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI; wherein when the first indication information is used to indicate whether the resource indicated by the SCI is received correctly and whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI, the transmitting, by a first terminal, first indication information to a second terminal through a first channel, includes: if it is determined according to the second indication information that a priority of the first mode is higher than a priority of the second mode, only feeding back by the first terminal, through the Type2 PSFCH, whether the resource indicated by the SCI is received correctly; if it is determined according to the second indication information that the priority of the first mode is lower than the priority of the second mode, only indicating by the first terminal, through the Type2 PSFCH, whether there is a resource conflict on the resource indicated by the SCI. Claims 6 and 7 are allowed as they depend from an allowed claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20220014325-A1 to Zhao, US-20210037549-A1 to Akkarakaran, US-20230284241-A1 to He.
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/L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2476
/AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476