Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-9 and 11-12, 14, 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang (2021/0392646).
Regarding claim 1, Yang discloses a method comprising: configuring by a first wireless communications device (115-c), a transmission power for a wireless sidelink communication of a SL connection (para 97-100, Figure 5, Figure 14, ) with a second wireless communications device (115-b), the transmission power configured to be greater than a minimum transmission power (para 97 and 155), and transmitting by the first wireless communications device, the wireless SL transmission to the second wireless communications device according to the configured transmission power (Figure 14, 1410, also see para 147-149 and 150-170)
Regarding claim 11, Yang discloses a first device (figure 6) comprising a transceiver (610,620) and one or more processors (para 173) configured to configure a transmission power for a wireless sidelink communication of a SL connection (para 97-100, Figure 5, Figure 14, ) with a second wireless communications device (115-b), the transmission power configured to be greater than a minimum transmission power (para 97), and transmit by the transceiver, the wireless SL transmission to the second wireless communications device according to the configured transmission power (Figure 14, 1410, also see para 147-149 and 150-170).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Yang further discloses that the SL connection is one of an unlicensed (para 136- LTE-U) or SL-carrier aggregation (SL-Ca) connection.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Yang discloses that the first device comprises a reduced capability device (para 121 and para 124, UE can be an IoT device, which is a reduced capability device).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Yang further discloses that the wireless communications device transmits to the 2nd wireless device at the transmission which is less than max power (para 159-160 as well as para 97,155 – transmit power is computed based on pathloss/conditions and is set to be at a minimum level, which is below a maximum power of the system).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Yang further discloses that the first or second device is a vehicle and another one of the first or second device comprises a user device of a pedestrian (para 128, can do V2V or V2X communications - by definition v2x communications include pedestrians.).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Yang further discloses that the SL connection between the first and second wireless devices is in an unlicensed frequency band (Para 136, system can operate in an LTE-U (unlicensed) system).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Yang further discloses establishing by the wireless communications device, a cellular connection with a base station (105) in a licensed frequency band (Figures 2-3, also Figure 5 – communications 510), and co-operating a SL connection in an unlicensed frequency band (LTE-U, para 136, Figure 5, 520)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 3, 10, 13, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Wang (2024/0314697).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Yang discloses the use of new radio networks (102).but doesn’t explicitly disclose the maximum power is a function of SL transmission and new radio power. However, Wang teaches in an analogous art, the use of a maximum transmission power output as a function of the SL transmission and NR transmission powers (para 49, 54, 86, use of NR networks with sidelink communications and determination of min, max powers associated with the communications – note PSSCH is associated with the NR system). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a maximum power in order to provide complete coverage in a sidelink communication.
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Yang discloses that the power output of the wireless device is configured to be between a lower transmission (above minimum transmission power, para 97 and 155). Yang doesn’t disclose transmit powers are configured to be a maximum power below an upper power, for a first slot of SL connection that overlaps in a time domain with a cellular connection. However, Wang teaches in an analogous art, setting a transmission power below a maximum (upper transmission power, para 86), Wang also teaches that both the SL and the cellular (main network/NR/LTE, etc.) can overlap in time slot (para 54, 61, 108). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include power constraints in order to provide error free communications.
Claims 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Zhang (11,102,631).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Yang discloses the use of a transmission power that is greater than a minimum (para 97, 155) transmission power. Yang doesn’t explicitly disclose that the power is less than a maximum transmission power. However, Zhang teaches that a sidelink transmission power is constraint by a maximum power (para 131-132, use of max power levels in determining SL transmit power) which is lower than the allowed maximum. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to set SL power lower than the maximum power level in order to prevent inter-signal interference between devices at maximum power.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu (11570726) disclose sidelink power control based on reference power received
Ryu (2020/0395991) disclose transmit power control for sidelink communications
Fakoorian (2021/0051600 disclose updated transmit power control based on real-time RSRP measurements)
Zhao (2021/0377871) disclose use of max transmission power in sidelink power control
Niu (2023/0354429) disclose NR sidelink control information.
Lohr (WO 2023/0227991) disclose power control with QoS for sidelink communications.
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WILLIAM GEORGE TROST IV
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/WILLIAM G TROST IV/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641