DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Acknowledgment is made of the present application is a national stage application filed under 37 U.S.C. 371 based on International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2022/106962, filed Jul. 21, 2022, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202110825600.1 filed Jul. 21, 2021.
Examiner's Notes
3. Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
Preliminary Amendment
4. Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s submission of the preliminary amendment on January 17, 2024. Claims 3-5, 9, 13, 14 and 17-19 have been amended; claims 6 and 7 have been canceled; claims 20-22 are newly added.
Upon entering the amendment, claims 1-5 and 8-22 are pending. This communication is considered fully responsive and sets forth below.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s submission of information disclosure statement (IDS), dated on January 17, 2024 and September 10, 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 Objections
6. Claim 17 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 17, it recites, “The method of claim 15, wherein
the SL signal type comprises one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), a sidelink synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (S-SSB), a sidelink channel state information reference signal (SL CSI-RS), or a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS); and
the channel access type comprises one of a first channel access type or a second channel access type,
wherein a sensing duration of in a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value, and a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the second channel access type is a random value or a fixed value.”
The examiner objects the usage of “a sensing duration of in a channel access procedure” as indicated in italics in the second wherein-clause, and suggests to amend the term to “a sensing duration of [[in ]]a channel access procedure,” so the claim language flows better.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
8. Claims 3 and 10-12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Regarding claim 3, it recites “The method of claim 1, further comprising: in a case where the first channel access type or the second channel access type is used for performing channel access and an accessed channel is sensed to be idle in the sensing duration, sending the SL signal to be sent, or sending a filling signal and the SL signal to be sent.”
Claim 3 depends from claim 1 and claim 1 recites, “A channel access method, applied to a first communication node, comprising:
determining a transmission resource corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent; and
in a case where a sent SL signal satisfying a preset condition is detected at a previous occasion of the transmission resource, performing channel access by using a first channel access type,
wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value.”
Claim 3 is rejected since there is a lack of antecedent basis for the usage of the term “the second channel access type” as indicated in italics above.
Claims 10-12 are rejected since they all depend from claim 3.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
9. 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.
10. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
11. Claims 1-5 and 8-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xue et al. (US 2022/0061095).
Regarding claim 1, Xue et al. teach the channel access method, applied to a first communication node (paragraph [0043] lines 1-30; Examiner’s Notes: the first UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first communication node;” in fact, the channel resource access/selection performed by the first UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the channel access method, applied to a first communication node” in the instant application), comprising:
determining a transmission resource corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent (paragraph [0043] lines 1-30; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink control information (SCI) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent;”
in fact, determining a channel resource according to the SCI in the prior art teaches the limitation of “determining a transmission resource corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent” in the instant application); and
in a case where a sent SL signal satisfying a preset condition is detected at a previous occasion of the transmission resource (paragraph [0043] lines 18-30; Examiner’s Notes: the resource selection trigger in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a preset condition;”
in fact, sensing/determining a sidelink signal according to the resource selection trigger in the prior art teaches the limitation of “in a case where a sent SL signal satisfying a preset condition is detected at a previous occasion of the transmission resource” in the instant application),
performing channel access by using a first channel access type (paragraph [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first channel access type;”
in fact, performing channel selection/access by using the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “performing channel access by using a first channel access type” in the instant application),
wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value (paragraph [0047] lines 7-16; Examiner’s Notes: the duration of a channel occupancy time (COT) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a fixed value;”
in fact, sensing window/duration, e.g., a COT, regards to type 1 LBT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 2, Xue et al. teach the channel access method, further comprising: in a case where the sent SL signal satisfying the preset conditions is not detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, performing channel access by using a second channel access type (paragraph [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 2 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a second channel access type;”
in fact, performing channel selection/access by using the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 2 LBT, in a case no resource selection trigger detected at the previous sensing occasion in the prior art teaches the limitation of “in a case where the sent SL signal satisfying the preset conditions is not detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, performing channel access by using a second channel access type” in the instant application),
wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the second channel access type is a random value or a fixed value (paragraph [0047] lines 7-16; Examiner’s Notes: the duration of a channel occupancy time (COT) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a fixed value;”
in fact, sensing window/duration, e.g., a COT, regards to type 2 LBT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the second channel access type is a random value or a fixed value” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 3, Xue et al. teach the channel access method, further comprising: in a case where the first channel access type or the second channel access type is used for performing channel access and an accessed channel is sensed to be idle in the sensing duration (paragraph [0088] lines 1-14; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access/candidate channel, e.g., type 1 LBT, is idle in the prior art teaches the limitation of “in a case where the first channel access type or the second channel access type is used for performing channel access and an accessed channel is sensed to be idle in the sensing duration” in the instant application),
sending the SL signal to be sent, or sending a filling signal and the SL signal to be sent (paragraph [0088] lines 1-11; Examiner’s Notes: transmitting the sidelink signal in a case the resource access/candidate channel, e.g., type 1 LBT, is idle in the prior art teaches the limitation of “sending the SL signal to be sent;”
consequently, the cited art teaches the limitation of “sending the SL signal to be sent, or sending a filling signal and the SL signal to be sent” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 4, Xue et al. teach the channel access method, further comprising: in a case where the sent SL signal satisfying the preset condition is detected and a channel access procedure corresponding to a second channel access type has been started, switching a current channel access type to the first channel access type (paragraph [0088] lines 1-14; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access channel, e.g., type 2 LBT, is detected and busy in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a second channel access type has been started;”
in fact, refraining/switching the resource access channel to type 1 LBT, in the case of type 2 LBT is detected and busy in the prior art teaches the limitation of “in a case where the sent SL signal satisfying the preset condition is detected and a channel access procedure corresponding to a second channel access type has been started, switching a current channel access type to the first channel access type” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 5, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein the sent SL signal satisfying the preset condition being detected comprises one of:
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource;
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, and a time domain length of the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within X symbols, wherein X is a positive integer greater than 2 and less than 7;
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, and the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within a remaining channel occupied time (COT) indicated by the detected and sent SL signal; or
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within a remaining COT indicated by the detected and sent SL signal, and a priority of the SL signal to be sent is higher than or equal to a priority of the detected and sent SL signal (paragraph [0043] lines 18-30; Examiner’s Notes: detecting the sidelink signal at the previous occasion according to the resource selection trigger detected in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource;”
consequently, detecting the sidelink signal at the previous occasion according to the resource selection trigger detected in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the sent SL signal satisfying the preset condition being detected comprises one of:
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource;
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, and a time domain length of the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within X symbols, wherein X is a positive integer greater than 2 and less than 7;
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, and the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within a remaining channel occupied time (COT) indicated by the detected and sent SL signal; or
the sent SL signal is detected at the previous occasion of the transmission resource, the transmission resource of the SL signal to be sent is within a remaining COT indicated by the detected and sent SL signal, and a priority of the SL signal to be sent is higher than or equal to a priority of the detected and sent SL signal” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 8, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein one sent SL signal being detected comprises: sidelink control information (SCI) carried in the sent SL signal is acquired, or a type of the sent SL signal is acquired (paragraph [0038] lines 1-17; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink control information (SCI) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “sidelink control information (SCI) carried in the sent SL signal is acquired;”
in fact, the sidelink control information (SCI) regards to the sidelink signal detected in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein one sent SL signal being detected comprises: sidelink control information (SCI) carried in the sent SL signal is acquired, or a type of the sent SL signal is acquired” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 9, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein a type of the SL signal to be sent comprises at least one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), a sidelink synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (S-SSB), a sidelink channel state information reference signal (SL CSI-RS), and a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) (paragraph [0038] lines 6-17; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink communication over a PSCCH in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH);”
in fact, the sidelink communication over a PSCCH in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a type of the SL signal to be sent comprises at least one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), a sidelink synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (S-SSB), a sidelink channel state information reference signal (SL CSI-RS), and a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS)” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 10, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein the SL signal to be sent or both the filling signal and the SL signal to be sent carry at least one of: a priority indication of the SL signal to be sent, an indication of a remaining channel occupied time (COT), or an indication of whether to send the filling signal (paragraph [0142] lines 1-13; Examiner’s Notes: the traffic priority associated with sidelink signal in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a priority indication of the SL signal to be sent;”
in fact, the traffic priority associated with sidelink signal in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the SL signal to be sent or both the filling signal and the SL signal to be sent carry at least one of: a priority indication of the SL signal to be sent, an indication of a remaining channel occupied time (COT), or an indication of whether to send the filling signal” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 11, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein the indication of the remaining COT comprises one of: a difference value between a remaining COT indicated by the detected and sent SL signal and a duration of a transmission resource occupied by the SL signal to be sent; a remaining COT corresponding to the priority of the SL signal to be sent; or zero (paragraph [0114] lines 1-9; Examiner’s Notes: the counter value in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a difference value;”
the counter value between the remaining COT and the duration of sending the sidelink signal in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a difference value between a remaining COT indicated by the detected and sent SL signal and a duration of a transmission resource occupied by the SL signal to be sent;”
in fact, the counter value between the remaining COT and the duration of sending the sidelink signal in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the indication of the remaining COT comprises one of: a difference value between a remaining COT indicated by the detected and sent SL signal and a duration of a transmission resource occupied by the SL signal to be sent; a remaining COT corresponding to the priority of the SL signal to be sent; or zero” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 12, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein a priority of the SL signal to be sent comprises one of: a channel access priority class (CAPC) of the SL signal to be sent, or a prose per-packet priority (PPPP) carried by the SL signal to be sent (paragraph [0227] lines 1-21; Examiner’s Notes: the channel access priority class (CAPC) associated with sidelink transmission in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a channel access priority class (CAPC) of the SL signal to be sent;”
in fact, the channel access priority class (CAPC) associated with sidelink transmission in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a priority of the SL signal to be sent comprises one of: a channel access priority class (CAPC) of the SL signal to be sent, or a prose per-packet priority (PPPP) carried by the SL signal to be sent” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 13, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein the previous occasion and the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent are in a same time slot, or
the previous occasion is in a time slot before a time slot to which the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent belongs (paragraph [0092] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the previous time slot n before a time slot m to which the transmission resource belongs regards to sending the sidelink signal, as illustrated in FIG. 4 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the previous occasion is in a time slot before a time slot to which the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent belongs;”
in fact, the previous time slot n before a time slot m to which the transmission resource belongs regards to sending the sidelink signal, as illustrated in FIG. 4 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the previous occasion and the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent are in a same time slot, or
the previous occasion is in a time slot before a time slot to which the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent belongs” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 14, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein the transmission resource is determined in one of the following manners:
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on a scheduling of a second communication node;
autonomously selecting the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent from a resource pool;
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on a configuration of the second communication node; or
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on an associated SL signal (paragraph [0178] lines 1-17; Examiner’s Notes: scheduling a sidelink UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a scheduling of a second communication node;”
sensing/determining the resource of transmitting sidelink signal based on scheduling a sidelink UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on a scheduling of a second communication node;”
in fact, sensing/determining the resource of transmitting sidelink signal based on scheduling a sidelink UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the transmission resource is determined in one of the following manners:
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on a scheduling of a second communication node;
autonomously selecting the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent from a resource pool;
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on a configuration of the second communication node; or
determining the transmission resource corresponding to the SL signal to be sent based on an associated SL signal” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 15, Xue et al. teach the channel access method, applied to a second communication node (paragraph [0008] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the second UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a second communication node;” in fact, the channel resource access/selection performed by the second UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the channel access method, applied to a second communication node” in the instant application), comprising:
configuring at least one transmission resource or at least one transmission resource pool of a sidelink (SL) signal corresponding to each SL signal type (paragraphs [0008] lines 1-12 & [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink resource type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “SL signal type;”
in fact, configuring the sidelink signal corresponding to the sidelink resource type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “configuring at least one transmission resource or at least one transmission resource pool of a sidelink (SL) signal corresponding to each SL signal type” in the instant application)
so that a first communication node transmits the SL signal by using the at least one transmission resource or a transmission resource in the at least one transmission resource pool (paragraph [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the first UE transmitting the sidelink signal via a resource candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “so that a first communication node transmits the SL signal by using the at least one transmission resource;”
in fact, the first UE transmitting the sidelink signal via a resource candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “so that a first communication node transmits the SL signal by using the at least one transmission resource or a transmission resource in the at least one transmission resource pool” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 16, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein configuration information of the at least one transmission resource or the at least one transmission resource pool comprises at least one of:
a resource position of the SL signal corresponding to the each SL signal type in the at least one resource pool and a channel access type corresponding to the each SL signal type;
a channel access priority level corresponding to the SL signal corresponding to the each SL signal type; or
a mapping relationship between a channel access priority level (CAPC) of the SL signal and a prose per-packet priority (PPPP) of the SL signal (paragraph [0227] lines 1-21; Examiner’s Notes: the channel access priority class (CAPC) associated with sidelink signal corresponding to the resource candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a channel access priority level corresponding to the SL signal corresponding to the each SL signal type;”
in fact, the channel access priority class (CAPC) associated with sidelink signal corresponding to the resource candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein configuration information of the at least one transmission resource or the at least one transmission resource pool comprises at least one of:
a resource position of the SL signal corresponding to the each SL signal type in the at least one resource pool and a channel access type corresponding to the each SL signal type;
a channel access priority level corresponding to the SL signal corresponding to the each SL signal type; or
a mapping relationship between a channel access priority level (CAPC) of the SL signal and a prose per-packet priority (PPPP) of the SL signal” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 17, Xue et al. further teach the channel access method, wherein
the SL signal type comprises one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), a sidelink synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (S-SSB), a sidelink channel state information reference signal (SL CSI-RS), or a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) (paragraph [0038] lines 6-17; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink communication over a PSCCH in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the SL signal type comprises one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH);”
in fact, the sidelink communication over a PSCCH in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the SL signal type comprises one of a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), a sidelink synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (S-SSB), a sidelink channel state information reference signal (SL CSI-RS), or a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS)” in the instant application); and
the channel access type comprises one of a first channel access type or a second channel access type (paragraph [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first channel access type;”
in fact, performing channel selection/access by using the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the channel access type comprises one of a first channel access type or a second channel access type” in the instant application),
wherein a sensing duration of in a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value (paragraph [0047] lines 7-16; Examiner’s Notes: the duration of a channel occupancy time (COT) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a fixed value;”
in fact, sensing window/duration, e.g., a COT, regards to type 1 LBT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value” in the instant application), and
a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the second channel access type is a random value or a fixed value (paragraph [0047] lines 7-16; Examiner’s Notes: the duration of a channel occupancy time (COT) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a fixed value;”
in fact, sensing window/duration, e.g., a COT, regards to type 2 LBT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the second channel access type is a random value or a fixed value” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 18, Xue et al. teach the channel access device (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “channel access device” in the instant application), comprising
a communication module (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: LBT Aware Sidelink Sensing Module 1408 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a communication module” in the instant application),
a memory (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: memory 1404 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a memory” in the instant application), and
at least one processor (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: processor 1402 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “one processor” in the instant application), wherein,
the communication module is configured to perform a communication interaction between a first communication node and a second communication node (paragraph [0008] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: the first UE and the second UE in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first communication node and a second communication node” in the instant application); and
the memory is configured to store at least one program; wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement:
determining a transmission resource corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent (paragraph [0043] lines 1-30; Examiner’s Notes: the sidelink control information (SCI) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent;”
in fact, determining a channel resource according to the SCI in the prior art teaches the limitation of “determining a transmission resource corresponding to a sidelink (SL) signal to be sent” in the instant application); and
in a case where a sent SL signal satisfying a preset condition is detected at a previous occasion of the transmission resource (paragraph [0043] lines 18-30; Examiner’s Notes: the resource selection trigger in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a preset condition;”
in fact, sensing/determining a sidelink signal according to the resource selection trigger in the prior art teaches the limitation of “in a case where a sent SL signal satisfying a preset condition is detected at a previous occasion of the transmission resource” in the instant application),
performing channel access by using a first channel access type (paragraph [0047] lines 1-7; Examiner’s Notes: the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a first channel access type;”
in fact, performing channel selection/access by using the resource access/candidate type, e.g., type 1 LBT, in the prior art teaches the limitation of “performing channel access by using a first channel access type” in the instant application),
wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value (paragraph [0047] lines 7-16; Examiner’s Notes: the duration of a channel occupancy time (COT) in the prior art teaches the limitation of “a fixed value;”
in fact, sensing window/duration, e.g., a COT, regards to type 1 LBT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein a sensing duration of a channel access procedure corresponding to the first channel access type is a fixed value” in the instant application).
Regarding claim 19, Xue et al. teach the non-transitory storage medium (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: memory 1404 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “non-transitory storage medium” in the instant application), storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: processor 1402 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “processor” in the instant application), implements the channel access method of claim 1 (Examiner’s Notes: see the claim 1 rejection above).
Regarding claim 20, Xue et al. teach the non-transitory storage medium (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: memory 1404 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “non-transitory storage medium” in the instant application), storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor (paragraph [0199] lines 1-12; Examiner’s Notes: processor 1402 in UE 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 in the prior art teaches the limitation of “processor” in the instant application), implements the channel access method of claim 1 (Examiner’s Notes: see the claim 15 rejection above).
Regarding claim 21, Xue et al. further teach the method, wherein the first communication node is a UE that is allowed to use the remaining COT; or
the first communication node is a UE of a group of UEs that are allowed to use the remaining COT (paragraph [0114] lines 1-9; Examiner’s Notes: the first UE using the remaining COT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “the first communication node is a UE of a group of UEs that are allowed to use the remaining COT;”
in fact, the first UE using the remaining COT in the prior art teaches the limitation of “wherein the first communication node is a UE that is allowed to use the remaining COT; or
the first communication node is a UE of a group of UEs that are allowed to use the remaining COT” in the instant application).
Allowable Subject Matter
12. Claim 22 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claim(s).
Regarding claim 22, the prior art in single or in combination fails to teach "wherein in a case where the first communication node is the UE that is allowed to use the remaining COT, an UE identification corresponding to the SL signal to be sent is indicated by the sent SL signal; or in a case where the first communication node is the UE of the group of UEs that are allowed to use the remaining COT, information of the group of UEs is indicated by the sent SL signal,” in combination with other limitation of the claim(s).
Conclusion
13. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zhang et al. (US 2023/0155773) is cited to show the method for determining a quasi -co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals for multi-transmission-reception-point operation in a wireless communication system, wherein a wireless device establishes wireless links with multiple transmission-reception-points of a cellular network, receives downlink control information, the wireless device determines a quasi-co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals for the downlink control information, and signals received according to the quasi-co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals are buffered by the wireless device if a scheduling offset for the downlink control information is below a scheduling offset;
He et al. (US 11,071,172) is cited for the technology for a user equipment (UE) configured for bandwidth adaptation (BWA), wherein the UE decodes resource allocation information for a first radio frequency (RF) bandwidth including a primary subband available to the UE for data communication, the UE decodes resource allocation information for a second RF bandwidth, wherein the second RF bandwidth comprises the first RF bandwidth and at least one secondary subband available to the UE for data communication, the UE encodes data for transmission to a next generation NodeB (gNB) using resources allocated for the second RF bandwidth in the primary subband and the secondary subband, and then the UE has a memory interface configured to send to a memory the resource allocation information for the first RF bandwidth and the second RF bandwidth.
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/WEI ZHAO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473