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 § 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 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) 1-4, 6-8, and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US Pub 2023/0403660A1; hereinafter “ZHANG”) in view of Zhao et al. (US Pub No 2021/0377871A1; hereinafter “ZHAO”), or ZHAO in view of ZHANG, and further in view of Farag (US 20240276397 A1; hereinafter “FARAG”).
Regarding claim 1, ZHANG teaches a wireless communication method for generating or sending a message (see ZHANG, abstract, sidelink PRS), comprising:
determining, by a first wireless communication device, a power (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0018-19]); and
sending, by the first wireless communication device, a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) with the power (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S12, para. [0020], transmit power equal to base transmit power),
wherein the power is determined based on one or more sidelink parameters including: a first sidelink parameter related to a Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.max.CBR), a second sidelink parameter related to capability (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.cmax), and at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.PRS.SL).
ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein sending, by the first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device, and wherein a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHAO teaches a device wherein sending, by the first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device (see ZHAO, fig. 1, sidelink, 121 to 122, para. [0034]), and wherein a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level (see ZHAO, para. [0056]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG with the teaching of ZHAO in order to mitigate interference to the base station uplink and ensure positioning reliability (see ZHAO, para. [0078]).
The combination of ZHANG and ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, FARAG teaches a method wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI) (see FARAG, para. [0166], priority valued in SCI format), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS (see FARAG, para. [0240-0255]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG and ZHAO with the teaching of FARAG in order to improve sidelink power control and allow massive connections (see FARAG, para. [0005-6]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the first sidelink parameter includes a parameter, PMAX,CBRSL-PRS,
wherein the parameter PMAX,CBRSL-PRS represents a sidelink maximum transmission power for the first wireless communication device based on the CBR to send the SL PRS (see ZHANG, para. [0021], P.max,CBR).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the parameter PMAX,CBRSL-PRS is determined by at least one of the following parameters: sl-MaxTxPower-PRS, or PCMAX (see ZHANG, para. [0021])
Regarding claim 4, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 3, further comprising:
determining, by the first wireless communication device, that the parameter sl- MaxTxPower-PRS is provided by a higher layer (see ZHANG, para. [0021]); and
determining, by the first wireless communication device, the parameter PMAX,CBRSL-PRS by the parameter sl-MaxTxPower-PRS based on the priority level that is associated with the SL PRS and a CBR range (see ZHAO, para. [0057], table 1).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 3, further comprising:
determining, by the first wireless communication device, that the parameter sl- MaxTxPower-PRS is not provided (see ZHAO, para. [0091]); and
determining, by the first wireless communication device, the parameter PMAX,CBRSL-PRS, SL-PRS as PMAX,CBRSL-PRS, SL-PRS = PCMAX (see ZHAO, para. [0063]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter related to pathloss includes: PSL-PRS,D (i) and PSL-PRS,SL(l),wherein the parameter PSL-PRS,D (i) represents a power based on downlink pathloss, and the parameter PSL-PRS,SL (i) represents a power based on sidelink pathloss (see ZHAO, para. [0097]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 7, wherein the parameter PSL-PRS,D (i) is selectively determined based on and ;and wherein the parameter represents an expected power, and the parameter represents the downlink pathloss factor (see ZHAO, para. [0067]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of ZHANG, ZHAO and FARAG teaches the wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the parameter PMAX,CBRSL-PRS is configured by a base station (see FARAG, fig. 1, gNB 101, para. [0033]).
Regarding claim 13, ZHANG teaches a first wireless communication device, comprising: at least one processor configured to:
determine a power (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0018-19]); and
send, via a transmitter to a second wireless communication device, a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) with the power (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S12, para. [0020], transmit power equal to base transmit power),
wherein the power is determined based on one or more sidelink parameters including: a first sidelink parameter related to a Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.max.CBR), a second sidelink parameter related to capability (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.cmax), and at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S11, para. [0021], P.PRS.SL).
ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein sending, by the first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device, and wherein a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHAO teaches a device wherein sending, by the first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device (see ZHAO, fig. 1, sidelink, 121 to 122, para. [0034]), and wherein a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level (see ZHAO, para. [0056]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG with the teaching of ZHAO in order to mitigate interference to the base station uplink and ensure positioning reliability (see ZHAO, para. [0078]).
The combination of ZHANG and ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, FARAG teaches a device wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI) (see FARAG, para. [0166], priority valued in SCI format), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS (see FARAG, para. [0240-0255]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG and ZHAO with the teaching of FARAG in order to improve sidelink power control and allow massive connections (see FARAG, para. [0005-6]).
Regarding claim 14, ZHAO teaches a second wireless communication device (see ZHAO, fig. 1, 121, 122, sidelink), comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
receive, via a receiver from a first wireless communication device, a sidelink with a power (see ZHAO, fig. 1, 121, 122, sidelink, fig. 2, S210, para. [0039])),
wherein the power is determined by the first wireless communication device based on one or more sidelink parameters including: a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level and a Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) (see ZHAO, para. [0056-57]), a second sidelink parameter related to capability (see ZHAO, para. [0063], P.cmax), and at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss (see ZHAO, para. [0094-96], path loss).
ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the sidelink is a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS), and wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHANG teaches a system wherein the sidelink is a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S12, para. [0020], transmit power equal to base transmit power).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHAO with the teaching of ZHANG in order to meet the positioning requirements in V2X (see ZHANG, para. [0002-3]).
The combination of ZHANG and ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, FARAG teaches a device wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI) (see FARAG, para. [0166], priority valued in SCI format), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS (see FARAG, para. [0240-0255]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG and ZHAO with the teaching of FARAG in order to improve sidelink power control and allow massive connections (see FARAG, para. [0005-6]).
Regarding claim 15, ZHAO teaches a wireless communication method (see ZHAO, fig. 1, sidelink), comprising:
receiving, by a second wireless communication device from a first wireless communication device, a sidelink with a power (see ZHAO, fig. 1, 121, 122, sidelink, fig. 2, S210, para. [0039]),
wherein the power is determined by the first wireless communication device based on one or more sidelink parameters including: a first sidelink parameter related to a priority level and a Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) (see ZHAO, para. [0056-57]), a second sidelink parameter related to capability (see ZHAO, para. [0063], P.cmax), and at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss (see ZHAO, para. [0094-96], path loss).
ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the sidelink is a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS), and wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHANG teaches a system wherein the sidelink is a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) (see ZHANG, fig. 1, S12, para. [0020], transmit power equal to base transmit power).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHAO with the teaching of ZHANG in order to meet the positioning requirements in V2X (see ZHANG, para. [0002-3]).
The combination of ZHANG and ZHAO is silent to teaching that wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS.
In the same field of endeavor, FARAG teaches a method wherein the priority level is indicated by one of a plurality of integers indicated in sidelink control information (SCI) (see FARAG, para. [0166], priority valued in SCI format), wherein the at least one sidelink parameter related to pathloss is calculated using referenceSignalPower and higher layer filtered reference signal received power (RSRP), where the referenceSignalPower is obtained from a SL PRS per resource element (RE), and the higher layer filtered RSRP is a RSRP that is obtained from the SL PRS and reported to the first wireless communication device from the second wireless communication device receiving the SL PRS (see FARAG, para. [0240-0255]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ZHANG and ZHAO with the teaching of FARAG in order to improve sidelink power control and allow massive connections (see FARAG, para. [0005-6]).
Regarding claims 16-20, the dependent claims are interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claims 2-4, 6, respectively.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 13-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEN WU HUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7852. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/WEN W HUANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648