DETAILED ACTION
Status of Case
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 3/22/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on 9/18/2024 has been considered by Examiner.
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 1, 3, 11-12, 15, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jacobsen (USPAN 2024/0057065) in view of Bayesteh (USPAN 2021/0076367).
Consider claims 1 and 20, Jacobsen discloses a transmitting user equipment (UE) (Tx UE) for wireless communication, comprising one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (see figure 13, wherein disclosed is said UE comprising a memory and a processor), and a corresponding method of wireless communication performing by a transmitting user equipment (UE) (Tx UE) (see paragraph 4 and figure 11, reproduced below for convenience), configured to:
receive a co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration for identifying and selecting a sidelink resource of a first network based, at least in part, on whether the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a subframe of a sidelink resource of a second network; and transmit a sidelink message to a receiving UE in accordance with the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration (see paragraph 2, wherein disclosed is “NR slot aggregation in radio sidelink (SL) co-channel coexistence”; see paragraph 4 and figure 11, wherein disclosed is “The method may include determining that one or more slots of a first radio access technology overlaps a subframe of a second radio access technology. The method may also include detecting whether the second radio access technology is using the subframe of the second radio access technology. The method may further include determining by an outcome of at least one evaluated condition whether to transmit in the one or more overlapping slots or refrain to transmit in the one or more overlapping slots. In addition, the method may include performing transmission with a same transmit power in all the slots that overlap the subframe of the second radio access technology.” Examiner notes that it is implicit that Jacobsen’s disclosure would include receiving/using some type of co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration in order to use the noted overlapping slots in the manner described above and to thereby transmit the sidelink data based on the coexistence configuration).
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Although Jacobsen implicitly discloses receiving a sidelink configuration and transmitting a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration (see above), Jacobsen does not explicitly disclose receiving a sidelink configuration and transmitting a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration.
Bayeseh explicitly discloses receiving a sidelink configuration and transmitting a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration (see paragraph 5 and paragraph 118: determining a suitable configuration for sidelink signals 450; as a side note, Examiner notes that paragraph 120 of Bayeseh [“…that enable the coexistence of sensing signals and communication signals in a communication network”] can be taken for the disclosure of paragraph 118 to be coexistence sidelink configurations).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Bayeseh. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for improving sidelink communications by configuring signals in a wireless communication network (see paragraphs 1-4 of Bayeseh).
Consider claims 3 and 17, Jacobsen discloses that the one or more processors are configured to apply the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration, wherein applying the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration includes identifying that the sidelink resource of the first network at least partially overlaps the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see paragraphs 2 and 4, and figure 11: applying the configuration based on said identifying that the sidelink resource of the first network overlaps the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network).
Although Jacobsen implicitly discloses receiving a sidelink configuration (see above), Jacobsen does not explicitly disclose receiving a sidelink configuration.
Bayeseh explicitly discloses receiving a sidelink configuration (see paragraph 5 and paragraph 118: determining a suitable configuration for sidelink signals 450; as a side note, Examiner notes that paragraph 120 of Bayeseh [“…that enable the coexistence of sensing signals and communication signals in a communication network”] can be taken for the disclosure of paragraph 118 to be coexistence sidelink configurations).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Bayeseh. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for improving sidelink communications by configuring signals in a wireless communication network (see paragraphs 1-4 of Bayeseh).
Consider claim 11, although Jacobsen discloses to apply the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration, wherein applying the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration includes selecting the sidelink resource of the first network based, at least in part, on the sidelink resource of the first network occurring during a first part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see above), Jacobsen does not specifically selecting, via a medium access control (MAC) layer, the resource.
Bayeseh discloses selecting, via a medium access control (MAC) layer, the resource (see paragraph 174: the configuration could be signaled to one or more UEs through L1 signaling and/or through higher layer signaling such as RRC and MAC CE signaling)
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Bayeseh. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for improving sidelink communications by configuring signals in a wireless communication network (see paragraphs 1-4 of Bayeseh).
Consider claim 12, although Jacobsen discloses to apply the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration, wherein applying the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration includes selecting the sidelink resource of the first network based, at least in part, on the sidelink resource of the first network occurring during a first part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network or the sidelink resource of the first network being among a contiguous set of sidelink resources relative to a reference resource that occurs during the first part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see above), Jacobsen does not specifically selecting, via a medium access control (MAC) layer, the resource.
Bayeseh discloses selecting, via a medium access control (MAC) layer, the resource (see paragraph 174: the configuration could be signaled to one or more UEs through L1 signaling and/or through higher layer signaling such as RRC and MAC CE signaling)
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Bayeseh. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for improving sidelink communications by configuring signals in a wireless communication network (see paragraphs 1-4 of Bayeseh).
Consider claim 15, Jacobsen discloses a network node for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (see figure 13, wherein disclosed is said network node comprising a memory and a processor), configured to:
transmit a co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration for configuring a transmitting user equipment (UE) (Tx UE) to identify and select a sidelink resource of a first network based, at least in part, on whether the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a subframe of a sidelink resource of a second network; and configure the Tx UE to transmit a sidelink message to a receiving UE in accordance with the co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration (see paragraph 2, wherein disclosed is “NR slot aggregation in radio sidelink (SL) co-channel coexistence”; see paragraph 4 and figure 11, wherein disclosed is “The method may include determining that one or more slots of a first radio access technology overlaps a subframe of a second radio access technology. The method may also include detecting whether the second radio access technology is using the subframe of the second radio access technology. The method may further include determining by an outcome of at least one evaluated condition whether to transmit in the one or more overlapping slots or refrain to transmit in the one or more overlapping slots. In addition, the method may include performing transmission with a same transmit power in all the slots that overlap the subframe of the second radio access technology.” Examiner notes that it is implicit that Jacobsen’s disclosure would include transmitting/using some type of co-channel coexistence sidelink configuration in order to use the noted overlapping slots in the manner described above and to thereby receive the sidelink data based on the coexistence configuration).
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Although Jacobsen implicitly discloses transmitting a sidelink configuration and receiving a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration (see above), Jacobsen does not explicitly disclose receiving a sidelink configuration and transmitting a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration.
Bayeseh explicitly discloses transmitting a sidelink configuration and receiving a sidelink message based on the sidelink configuration (see paragraph 5 and paragraph 118: determining a suitable configuration for sidelink signals 450; as a side note, Examiner notes that paragraph 120 of Bayeseh [“…that enable the coexistence of sensing signals and communication signals in a communication network”] can be taken for the disclosure of paragraph 118 to be coexistence sidelink configurations).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Bayeseh. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for improving sidelink communications by configuring signals in a wireless communication network, as well as providing an ability to send and receive sidelink signals according to specific configuration parameters (see paragraphs 1-4 of Bayeseh).
Claims 2 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jacobsen (USPAN 2024/0057065) in view of Bayesteh (USPAN 2021/0076367) and Rajagopal (USPAN 2018/0248787).
Consider claims 2 and 16, Jacoben does not specifically disclose that the first network is associated with a first numerology and the second network is associated with a second numerology different from the first numerology.
Rajagopal discloses that the first network is associated with a first numerology and the second network is associated with a second numerology different from the first numerology (see paragraph 17: the first local network implements a first numerology while the second remote network implements a second numerology).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Rajagopal. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for supporting low latency applications in a cloud radio access network, as well as provide different numerologies such as subcarrier spacing for different networks (see paragraphs 2-10 of Rajagopal).
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jacobsen (USPAN 2024/0057065) in view of Bayesteh (USPAN 2021/0076367) and Parkvall (USPAN 2017/0290000).
Consider claim 4, Jacobsen in view of Bayesteh do not specifically disclose that the one or more processors, to identify that the sidelink resource of the first network at least partially overlaps the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network, are configured to determine that the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a first part or a second part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network.
Parkvall discloses that the one or more processors, to identify that the sidelink resource of the first network at least partially overlaps the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network, are configured to determine that the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a first part or a second part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see figure 4 and paragraph 34: a type 1 subframe can be used to transmit data in a first (temporal) part of a subframe and a type 2 subframe can be used to transmit data in a second (temporal) part of a subframe, wherein the first and second parts can overlap in time. For example, these types of subframes could be used in sidelink communications operating using full duplex communications, e.g., frequency division duplex (FDD)).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Parkvall. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for providing a frame structure to enable direct mobile-to-mobile sidelink communications (see paragraph 1 of Parkvall).
Consider claim 5, although Jacobsen discloses to identify that the sidelink resource of the first network at least partially overlaps the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see above), and although Bayesteh discloses setting a first bit or setting a second bit for purposes of indicating (see paragraph 160: transmitting at least a portion of a sensing signal configuration can include transmitting signaling with one or more indicator(s) that explicitly or implicitly convey the sensing signal parameters), Jacobsen in view of Bayesteh do not specifically disclose determine that the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a first part or a second part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network.
Parkvall discloses to determine that the sidelink resource of the first network occurs during a first part or a second part of the subframe of the sidelink resource of the second network (see figure 4 and paragraph 34: a type 1 subframe can be used to transmit data in a first (temporal) part of a subframe and a type 2 subframe can be used to transmit data in a second (temporal) part of a subframe, wherein the first and second parts can overlap in time. For example, these types of subframes could be used in sidelink communications operating using full duplex communications, e.g., frequency division duplex (FDD)).
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 invention of Jacobsen and combine it with the noted teachings of Parkvall. The motivation to combine these references is to provide a method for providing a frame structure to enable direct mobile-to-mobile sidelink communications (see paragraph 1 of Parkvall).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10, 13-14, and 18-19 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jamal Javaid whose telephone number is 571-270-5137 and email address is Jamal.Javaid@uspto.gov.
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/JAMAL JAVAID/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412