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 Objections
Claims 1-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: The meaning of the term “2nd SCI” should be explicitly described at least once in the independent claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Priority date :2021-08-13
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) 1-3,5-8,10-13,15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GANESAN to (WO 2021090248 A1) in view of Chen to (US 20210067290 A1)
Regarding claims 1,11 GANESAN teaches a method of a first terminal of a communication system, ([0068] Discloses a TX-UE may select a TX resource pool for transmission, and/or the TX-UE may request a gNB for SL grant by transmitting a SR associated with a certain RP. In various embodiments, a multi bit SR configuration may be transmitted by a TX-UE ) comprising: identifying whether a 2nd SCI is transmitted along with data in a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) region; ([0069] a 2nd SCI mapping in a resource pool may depend on a sub-channel size, a reliability of a 2nd SCI transmission associated with a SL data transmission, and/or a mapping of the 2nd SCI with PSSCH may be performed if more than one layer PSSCH transmission is enabled... a 2nd SCI is transmitted with PSCCH but transmitted within the PSSCH resource. Thus, the determining of weather transmitting 2nd SCI with data or without data is inherent to the system) mapping the 2nd SCI to the PSSCH region based on the number of coded modulation symbols;([0074] discloses a 2nd SCI may be spatially multiplexed with PSSCH in an overlapped portion.., a 2nd SCI may be mapped scrambled and channel coded along with PSSCH... a mapping method used for 2nd SCI and PSSCH data transmission may be dynamically signaled in the 1st SCI, configured per resource pool, preconfigured per resource pool) and transmitting the 2nd SCI mapped to the PSSCH region to a second terminal([0073] .. a UE receiver may know which layers are mapped with 2nd SCI and PSSCH data)
GANESAN does not explicitly teach determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data; wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted
However, Chen teaches determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data;( [0071] discloses the starting time and/or frequency location of 2nd SCI can be (pre-) configured per resource pool/subchannel/bandwidth part/carrier and/or derived/determined based on a pre-defined rule. For link adaptation of the 2nd SCI, a full or partial MCS information for the data channels can be implicitly linked to a resource size or a coding rate for the 2nd SCI, which can be carried in the 1st SCI… the UE can derive the total resource size based on the 2nd SCI payload size/formats and the coding rate derived from the partial/full data MCS) wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data,( [0054] discloses 2nd-stage SCI carrying feedback information can be transmitted with or without an associated transport block…, the UE 102 can transmit a standalone 2nd-stage SCI without companion data in order to provide the feedback with a shorter delay) the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted([0072] discloses the REs for 2nd SCI can be mapped on the available/valid REs starting from the 1st data DMRS symbol in the slot or the symbol next to the 1st data DMRS symbol (e.g., after/before 1st data DMRS with or without one or a few symbols for gap))
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of GANESAN include determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data; wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted, as suggested by Chen. This modification would benefit the system to reduce transmission delay.
Regarding claims 6,15 GANESAN teaches a method of a second terminal of a communication system, a second terminal of a communication system, comprising: ([0068] Discloses a TX-UE may select a TX resource pool for transmission, and/or the TX-UE may request a gNB for SL grant by transmitting a SR associated with a certain RP. In various embodiments, a multi bit SR configuration may be transmitted by a TX-UE )
a transceiver;([0036] discloses apparatus 200 includes one embodiment of the remote unit 102. Furthermore, the remote unit 102 may include a processor 202, a memory 204, an input device 206, a display 208, a transmitter 210, and a receiver 212) and
a controller constituted to identify whether a 2nd SCI is transmitted along with
data in a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) region([0069] a 2nd SCI mapping in a resource pool may depend on a sub-channel size, a reliability of a 2nd SCI transmission associated with a SL data transmission, and/or a mapping of the 2nd SCI with PSSCH may be performed if more than one layer PSSCH transmission is enabled... a 2nd SCI is transmitted with PSCCH but transmitted within the PSSCH resource. Thus, the determining of weather transmitting 2nd SCI with data or without data is inherent to the system) and receive the 2nd SCI mapped to the PSSCH region from a first terminal based on a number of coded modulation symbols ([0074] discloses a 2nd SCI may be spatially multiplexed with PSSCH in an overlapped portion.., a 2nd SCI may be mapped scrambled and channel coded along with PSSCH... a mapping method used for 2nd SCI and PSSCH data transmission may be dynamically signaled in the 1st SCI, configured per resource pool, preconfigured per resource pool)
GANESAN does not explicitly teach determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data; wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted
However, Chen teaches determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data;( [0071] discloses the starting time and/or frequency location of 2nd SCI can be (pre-) configured per resource pool/subchannel/bandwidth part/carrier and/or derived/determined based on a pre-defined rule. For link adaptation of the 2nd SCI, a full or partial MCS information for the data channels can be implicitly linked to a resource size or a coding rate for the 2nd SCI, which can be carried in the 1st SCI… the UE can derive the total resource size based on the 2nd SCI payload size/formats and the coding rate derived from the partial/full data MCS) wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data,( [0054] discloses 2nd-stage SCI carrying feedback information can be transmitted with or without an associated transport block…, the UE 102 can transmit a standalone 2nd-stage SCI without companion data in order to provide the feedback with a shorter delay) the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted([0072] discloses the REs for 2nd SCI can be mapped on the available/valid REs starting from the 1st data DMRS symbol in the slot or the symbol next to the 1st data DMRS symbol (e.g., after/before 1st data DMRS with or without one or a few symbols for gap))
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of GANESAN include determining a number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI based on whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data; wherein, in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all PSSCH frequency resources in a symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted, as suggested by Chen. This modification would benefit the system to reduce transmission delay.
Regarding claims 2,7,12 GANESAN and Chen teaches wherein in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, ( Chen, [0054] discloses 2nd-stage SCI carrying feedback information can be transmitted with or without an associated transport block…, the UE 102 can transmit a standalone 2nd-stage SCI without companion data in order to provide the feedback with a shorter delay) the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined based on a parameter defined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to the all PSSCH frequency resources in a last symbol in which the 2nd SCI is transmitted(Chen,[0044] discloses The 2nd-stage SCI 321/421 can be transmitted with link adaptation based on channel conditions between the Tx UE 102 and the target UEs. For example, a high coding rate may be used for transmitting the 2nd-stage SCI 321/421 to improve spectra efficiency. The high coding rate can be determined based on a signal to noise ratio (SNR) level of channels between the Tx UE 102 and the target UEs. In an example, polar code is used for channel coding of the 2nd-stage SCI 321/421).
Regarding claims 3,8,13 GANESAN and Chen teaches wherein in case where the 2nd SCI is not transmitted along with the data, the number of coded modulation symbols for the 2nd SCI is determined such that the 2nd SCI is mapped from a first PSSCH demodulation reference signal (DMRS) symbol of the PSSCH region to a last symbol of the PSSCH, or such that the 2nd SCI is mapped from the first PSSCH DMRS symbol to a last PSSCH DMRS symbol in the PSSCH region, or such that the 2nd SCI is mapped to all the PSSCH regions(Chen,[0072] discloses the REs for 2nd SCI can be mapped on the available/valid REs starting from the 1st data DMRS symbol in the slot or the symbol next to the 1st data DMRS symbol (e.g., after/before 1st data DMRS with or without one or a few symbols for gap)).
Regarding claims 5,10 GANESAN and Chen teaches further comprising transmitting a 1st SCI to the second terminal in the physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) region, wherein the 1st SCI includes an information field to indicate whether the 2nd SCI is transmitted along with the data in the PSSCH region(Chen,[0071] discloses the 1st-stage SCI may carry a field indicating whether the 2nd-stage SCI is transmitted or not)
Claim(s) 4,9,14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GANESAN to (WO 2021090248 A1) in view of Chen to (US 20210067290 A1) further in view of Yu to (WO 2022189097 A1)
Regarding claims 4,9,14 GANESAN and Chen does not explicitly teach wherein the 2nd SCI transmitted in the PSSCH region corresponds to an SCI format for requesting inter-UE coordination or providing the inter-UE coordination information
However, Yu teaches wherein the 2nd SCI transmitted in the PSSCH region corresponds to an SCI format for requesting inter-UE coordination or providing the inter-UE coordination information ([0058] Said detection may be based on the at least one resource on which the adapted retransmission version of the SCI is received if the at least one resource is mapped/derived from the resources used for transmission of the original SCI or allocated by SL Tx UE 110 by inter-UE coordination/resource allocation. Alternatively, or in addition, said detection may be based on an explicit indication, e.g., if the adapted retransmission version of the SCI comprises one or multiple bits of reserved bits in the SCI format. For instance, reserved bits in the 2nd-stage SCI format field or the reserved bits at the end of the 1.sup.st stage SCI may be used)
Therefore; it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the system of GANESAN and Chen include wherein the 2nd SCI transmitted in the PSSCH region corresponds to an SCI format for requesting inter-UE coordination or providing the inter-UE coordination information, as suggested by Yu. This modification would benefit the system to reduce transmission delay.
Conclusion
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/ZEWDU A BEYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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