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 .
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)(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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ganesan (US 20230361955).
Regarding Claim 1 and 20, Ganesan discloses an apparatus performs a method for wireless communication by a first user equipment (UE) (see FIG. 4; UE-402; ¶¶0054, 0072, 0073; TX UE referred to as first UE (see ¶0054)), comprising:
a memory (see FIG. 2, Memory-204; see ¶0040); and
at least one processor (see FIG. 2, Processor-202; see ¶0040) coupled to the memory (see FIG. 2, Remote Unit – 102, Memory- 204, Processor-202; see ¶0040) and configured to:
transmitting a plurality of reference signals (RSs) (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) using a plurality of transmission beams (see FIG. 10; see ¶¶0117, 0058; The transmitted sidelink reference signal resource is transmitted via a plurality of beams. UE transmits plurality of reference signals via a plurality of beams) on a sidelink (see FIG. 1; UE-102s; ¶¶0035, 0117; First UE communicates with second UE via sidelink communication; see also FIG. 4; step-416; ¶0072; First UE – 402, transmits-416, CSI-RS-414, to the Second UE – 404, establishing a sidelink communication).
receiving a beam report , from a second UE (see FIG 4; see ¶0072; Second UE- 404 provides/transmits feedback/report - 420 to the first UE - 402; see also FIG. 10, step-1006; see also ¶0117; TX UE receive a beam measurement feedback/report from the RX UE), the beam report indicating a selected transmission beam from the plurality of transmission beams (see ¶¶0067, 0072, 0117; the feedback report includes measurement for a strongest/best beam) and a selected reception beam of the second UE (see ¶0067; the feedback report includes at least one (there are more than one) beam; see also FIG. 10, step -1002, 1004; The initial beam acquisition is part of the beam measurement feedback reporting) based on measurements of the transmitted RSs (see ¶0067; second UE is transmitting a feedback based on the received SL RSs; see also FIG. 10, step – 1002, 1004, 1006; The beam measurement feedback is based on the received plurality of reference signals); and
establishing a sidelink with the second UE communication (see FIG. 4, 5, step – 422, 520; see ¶¶0072, 0073; First UE provides a direct communication request 422 and the second UE accepts the direct communication message 520 establishing a sidelink/D2D/PC5 communication) using the selected transmission beam and the selected reception beam on the sidelink (see FIG. 5; see ¶0073; second UE-504 accepts the communication request from first UE-502 and provides a feedback 520 indicating usage of selected transmission beam and selected reception beam).
Regarding Claim 2, Ganesan discloses wherein the plurality of RSs ((see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) comprises at least one of a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS)(see ¶¶ 0057, 0058, 0080; Plurality of reference signals include signals like CSI-RS).
Regarding Claim 3, Ganesan discloses wherein the plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) are transmitted prior to the first UE starting to establish a communication link with the second UE(see FIG. 4; ¶0072; System 400 have plurality of transmission prior to the transmission of discovery request message(e.g. Before the first UE request direct communication with the second UE)), wherein the plurality of RSs include a CSI-RS (see FIG. 4; ¶0072; The transmission before the discovery request message includes SL CSI-RS).
Regarding Claim 5, Ganesan discloses wherein the CSI-RS is a standalone CSI-RS (see FIG. 4; ¶0072; The CSI-RS is standalone), and wherein the first UE and the second UE are preconfigured with a configuration of the standalone CSI-RS (see ¶0057, 0081; UEs (first and second) preconfigured with a common reference signal configuration based on CSI-RS).
Regarding Claim 6, Ganesan discloses wherein the plurality of RSs are transmitted (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) during the first UE establishing a communication link with the second UE (see FIG. 4, 5, step-422, 520; ¶0072, 0073; Frist UE – 402, 502 establishes communication link (step – 422, 520) with the second UE – 404, 504), wherein the plurality of RSs include a DMRS or a CSI-RS (see ¶¶ 0057, 0058, 0080; Plurality of reference signals include signals like CSI-RS).
Regarding Claim 7, Ganesan discloses wherein the plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) are transmitted within a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) (see ¶0072; First UE transmits PSCCH with reference signals) and a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) (see ¶0052, 0085; transmit PSSCH to second UE to convey information).
Regarding Claim 10, wherein transmitting the plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) comprises transmitting the RSs in a beam burst (see FIG.6; ¶¶0069, 0087, 0088; CSI-RS is transmitted in SCI, and multiple SCI is transmitted within multiple beams for measurement), the beam burst comprising one or more rounds of beam sweeping across the plurality of transmission beams (see ¶0088; First SCI is beam swept in the beam burst among other beams(e.g. 2nd SCI)).
Regarding Claim 11, wherein a number of the one or more rounds of beam sweeping (see ¶0088; First SCI is beam swept in the beam burst) is based on a number of reception beams of the second UE (see ¶0088; 2nd SCI and PSSCH are transmitted in a sub-set of beams which is based on the feedback of the second UE and 2nd SCI reception is signaled in the 1st SCI. So, the beam sweeping of the first SCI is based on the reception beam of the second SCI).
Regarding Claim 12, wherein a resource reservation granularity of the beam burst is indicated by sidelink control information (SCI) (see ¶0069, 0081; The transmission of CSI-RS is in a resource reserved and indicated by SCI in a beam burst (see also FIG. 6, 7; ¶0087, 0088, 0089, 0090; multiple SCIs in the beam burst transmits over multiple beams)).
Regarding Claim 13, wherein a burst boundary (see FIG. 6, 7, 8, 9; see ¶¶0087, 0089, 0090, 0093, 0095; Each beam burst has a beam burst boundary/size of 3 or 4 beams) and a burst grid (see FIG. 6, 7, 8, 9; Each beam burst has beams in a grid/table for transmission (e.g. 1st SCI, 2nd SCI, PSSCH etc.)) associated with the beam burst are preconfigured (see ¶0094; the beams that are used for sidelink communication are preconfigured) per at least one of a resource pool, a bandwidth part (BWP) (see ¶0123; the signal/beams configurations are configured per resource pool or per sidelink bandwidth part).
Regarding Claim 14, wherein the beam burst follows a beam burst pattern (see FIG. 6, 7A, 7B; each schematic block diagram of a beam burst follows different transmission pattern) selected from a plurality of beam burst pattern options (see FIG. 6, 7A, 7B; see ¶¶0087, 0089, 0090; Figure - 6, 7A and 7B shows different schematic block diagram of multiple options of beam burst patterns).
Regarding Claim 15, wherein the plurality of beam burst pattern options (see FIG. 6, 7A, 7B; see ¶¶0087, 0089, 0090; Figure - 6, 7A and 7B shows different schematic block diagram of multiple options of beam burst patterns) include at least one of:
a first option (see FIG. 6) in which beam sweeping is performed in a sequential cycle (see FIG. 6; see ¶0087; 1st SCI is getting beam swept each time the sequential beam cycle is complete (1st beam 602 – 1st SCI, 2nd SCI, PSSCH; 2nd beam 604 – 1st SCI, 2nd SCI, PSSCH; 3rd beam 606 – 1st SCI, 2nd SCI, PSSCH))
Regarding Claim 16, wherein the beam burst pattern see FIG. 6, 7A, 7B; see ¶¶0087, 0089, 0090; Figure - 6, 7A and 7B shows different schematic block diagram of multiple options of beam burst patterns) for the first UE is selected independently from a beam burst pattern for the second UE (see FIG. 7A, 7B; ¶¶0089, 0090, 0092; TX UE (first UE) and RX UE(second UE) stores usage of beam pair IDs with source destination IDs so that TX UE and RX UE can use different beams for transmission and reception).
Regarding Claim 18, wherein the beam burst is considered a unit for resource allocation (see ¶0132; Transmitting multiple beam burst (e.g. beam sweeping) in multiple direction to inform the users about resource allocation/occupancy. So, each burst in the sweeping is acting as a unit) and alignment in a resource pool (see ¶¶138, 139; The reference signal in the beam burst is using fixed port, number of frequency resources, number of time symbols, and periodicity indicating alignment. The reference signal configuration is also configured per resource pool).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan (US 20230361955) in view of Liu (US 20180048413).
Regarding Claim 4, Ganesan discloses wherein the CSI-RS is a standalone CSI-RS (see FIG. 4; ¶¶0010, 0072; The CSI-RS is standalone).
Although Ganesan discloses CSI-RS is standalone, Ganesan never explicitly discloses “CSI-RS being non-standalone”.
Liu discloses wherein the CSI-RS is a non-standalone CSI-RS (see FIG. 15; see ¶0100; non-standalone (NSA) transmission was sent with an CSI-RS to 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 make CSI-RS a non-standalone CSI-RS as taught by Liu, in the system of Ganesan, so that it would improve forward compatibility issues (Liu, see ¶0003).
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan (US 20230361955) in view of Zhao (US 20210306999).
Regarding Claim 8, Ganesan discloses wherein the plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE) include a CSI-RS (see ¶¶ 0057, 0058, 0080; Plurality of reference signals include signals like CSI-RS), the method further comprising:
transmitting sidelink control information (SCI) (see ¶0085; transmit SCI using beams) and transmitting plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE)
Although Ganesan discloses the plurality of RSs include a CSI-RS and transmitting sidelink control information (SCI) and also transmitting plurality of RSs, Ganesan never explicitly disclosed “transmitting sidelink control information (SCI) before transmitting the plurality of RSs and wherein SCI includes a first bit field indication a configuration of the CSI-RS”.
Zhao discloses transmitting sidelink control information (SCI) (see FIG. 3, step-S110; see ¶0043; transmit SCI from one UE to another UE) prior to transmitting a RS (see FIG. 3, step-S120; see ¶0044; transmit a reference signal according to the SCI indicates receiving SCI prior to the transmission of reference signal), wherein the SCI includes a first bit field (see ¶0055; The SCI includes a first indication/bit field) indicating a configuration of the CSI-RS (see ¶¶0054, 0055; CSI-RS carried in the SCI first bit/indication field which indicates a time-frequency resource which is a configuration for CSI-RS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to transmit sidelink control information prior to transmitting the plurality of RSs, wherein the SCI includes a first bit field indication a configuration of the CSI-RS as taught by Zhao, in the system of Ganesan, so that it would improve transmitting a sidelink reference signal on a sidelink (Zhao, see ¶0004).
Regarding Claim 9, Ganesan discloses SCI includes information.
Although Ganesan discloses SCI includes information, Ganesan never explicitly discloses “SCI includes a second bit field indicating a presence of the first bit field.
Zhao discloses wherein the SCI includes a second bit field (see ¶0061; The SCI includes a second indication/bit field) indicating a presence of the first bit field (see ¶0065; The second indication/bit field includes confirmation of resource indication information that is carried in the first indication/bit field. This confirms the second indication/bit field holds the presence of the first indication/bit field).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for SCI to include second bit field that indicates the presence of the first bit field as taught by Zhao, in the system of Ganesan, so that it would improve transmitting a sidelink reference signal on a sidelink (Zhao, see ¶0004).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan (US 20230361955) in view of ZHAO (US 20250343656).
Regarding Claim 17, Ganesan discloses wherein the beam burst (see FIG.6; ¶¶0069, 0087, 0088; CSI-RS is transmitted in SCI, and multiple SCI is transmitted within multiple beams for measurement) comprises a number of beam transmissions (see ¶0087; comprises number of beam transmission (e.g. beam 602, beam 604, beam 606)).
Although Ganesan discloses beam burst comprises beam transmission, Ganesan doesn’t explicitly disclose transmissions equal to a product of a number of transmission beams and a number of reception beams.
ZHAO discloses beam transmissions equal to a product of a number of transmission beams and a number of reception beams (see ¶¶0217, 0219; The transmission beams are determined by the product of the number of transmission beams supported by the first terminal device and the number of reception beams supported by the second terminal device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to put together the beam burst comprises a number of beam transmissions equal to a product of a number of transmission beams and a number of reception beams as taught by ZHAO, in the system of Ganesan, so that it would improve the transmission rate of the sidelink system (ZHAO, see ¶0003).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan (US 20230361955) in view of MIN (US 20220141680).
Regarding Claim 19, Ganesan discloses transmitting plurality of RSs (see FIG. 2, Transmitter-210, see ¶0047; see FIG. 10, step-1002; ¶0117; Transmitting user equipment transmits a plurality of reference signals to receiver user equipment; See also ¶0055; The transmitter UE is the first UE and the receiver UE is the second UE);
and
transmitting repeated data from previous transmissions alongside the plurality of RSs (see ¶¶0060, 0099, 0122, 0137; The plurality of reference signal is repeatedly transmitted and re-transmitted with same transmit beam).
Although Ganesan discloses transmitting plurality of RSs repeatedly alongside previous transmission, Ganesan never explicitly discloses, “determining that there is insufficient data to transmit”.
MIN discloses determining that there is insufficient data to transmit (see FIG. 8; device – 101; ¶0122; the device 101 determines missing/insufficient data and decides to transmit to the external electronic device 205).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to determining that there is insufficient data to transmit alongside the plurality of RSs; and transmitting repeated data from previous transmissions alongside the plurality of RSs as taught by MIN, in the system of Ganesan, so that it would provide better realism and additional information (MIN, see ¶0004)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
ZHAO (US 20250343656) FIG. 9-31
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mominur Rashid whose telephone number is (571)272-0535. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 7 AM - 5:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Ian N 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.
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Mominur Rashid Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/MOMINUR RASHID/Examiner, Art Unit 2469
/Ian N Moore/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2469