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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 06-18-2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of independent claim(s) 1, 14, and 22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Bangolae in view of Kuang have been fully considered and are persuasive. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Liu et al (US 20230049307) in light of the amendments to the claims.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 6, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bangolae et al (WO 2016182597) in view of Kuang et al (US 20190364554) and further in view of Liu et al (US 20230049307)
As to claims 1 and 22 Bangolae discloses a method for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) (Relay UE of Fig.7 and 8), and an apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) (Bangolae ¶0143- 1st sentence), comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to (Bangolae ¶0117- 3rd sentence- The relay UE can comprise one or more processors and memory configured to: receive, from the eNodeB, a relay configuration message that includes one or more relay configuration parameters): receiving one or more messages identifying a configuration of the first UE as a relay node (Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence-the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB). The relay UE can determine to act as a relay based on a relay configuration message received from the network, or alternatively, the network can instruct the relay UE to act as a relay using the relay configuration message.); receiving, from a network entity, an indication of one or more resources based at least in part on the received one or more messages (Bangolae 1910 of Fig.19 ¶0117- 3rd sentence-: receive, from the eNodeB, a relay configuration message that includes one or more relay configuration parameters, 2010 of Fig.20, ¶0118- 3rd sentence); and transmitting, to the one or more second UEs, information comprising at least one resource of the one or more resources (Bangolae ¶0117- 6th sentence- transmit, from the relay UE, a discovery message to the remote UE in order to establish a direct connection between the relay UE and the remote UE).
Bangolae however is silent where the one or more messages is for indicating for the first UE to schedule resources for one or more second UEs; However, in an analogous art Kuang remedies this deficiency: (Kuang s202- s203 of Fig.2 ¶0207- ¶0211- a network server sends the first message to first user equipment. The first message includes first information, and the first information indicates a data channel sidelink resource allocated by the network server to corresponding second user equipment; ¶0208 -S202. Determine a second message; ¶0209 Specifically, the first user equipment receives the first message sent by the network server, and determines, based on the first message, the second message corresponding to the at least one second user equipment. ¶0210 S203. Send the second message. ¶211 Specifically, the first user equipment sends the at least one second message to the corresponding second user equipment. The second message includes the first information of the second user equipment; Kuang ¶0216- 1st sentence- in S201, the network server allocates a sidelink resource to the at least one second user equipment, and sends the first message to the first user equipment. The first message includes sidelink resource scheduling information that indicates the sidelink resource.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bangolae with that of Kuang for the purpose of resource scheduling of remote UEs by a network server – Kuang- Abstract.
The combined teachings of Bangolae and Kuang however are silent wherein resources for one or more second UEs are in accordance with a scheduling capability of the first UE and the scheduling information comprising at least one resource of the one or more resources in accordance with the scheduling capability of the first UE. However in an analogous art Liu remedies this deficiency: Liu , Fig.5, ¶0091- 3rd sentence- When the terminal device has a complete or partial scheduling capability, the terminal device A senses a resource, and performs scheduling processing by using a resource obtained through sensing; or when the terminal device A has a complete or partial scheduling capability, the network device configures a resource for the terminal device A, so that the terminal device A can perform scheduling processing by using the resource) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bangolae with that of Kuang for the purpose of providing one or more resources for a relay UE to schedule one or more remote UEs.
As to claim 2 and 23 the combined teachings Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method and apparatus of claims 1 and 22 respectively, wherein receiving the indication of one or more resources comprises: receiving radio resource SIB control signaling comprising the indication of one or more resources based at least in part on the first UE, the one or more second UEs, or a combination thereof being in a connected state (¶0073- last sentence-The sidelink UE relay interest indication message can be provided to the eNodeB at any point during which the UE is in RRC connected mode.¶0078- 2nd sentence- the relay initiation and configuration message can be part of an RRC connection reconfiguration message sent from the eNodeB to the relay UE.).
As to claims 3 and 24 the combined teachings Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method and apparatus of claims 2 and 23 respectively, further comprising: receiving the one or more messages in a system information block (Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence- the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB). The relay UE can determine to act as a relay based on a relay configuration message received from the network); and entering the connected state based at least in part on receiving the one or more messages (Bangolae ¶0087- the relay initiation and configuration message can be communicated from the eNodeB to the relay UE along with existing RRC messaging. For example, the relay initiation and configuration message can be part of an RRC connection reconfiguration message sent from the eNodeB to the relay UE).
As to claims 6 and 27 the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method and apparatus of claims 1 and 22 respectively, wherein the one or more messages comprise a first message identifying the configuration of the first UE as the relay node (Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence-the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB)) and a second message indicating for the first UE to schedule resources (Kuang ¶0216- 1st sentence- in S201, the network server allocates a sidelink resource to the at least one second user equipment, and sends the first message to the first user equipment. The first message includes sidelink resource scheduling information that indicates the sidelink resource).
As to claim 14 Bangolae discloses a method for wireless communication at a network entity (Bangolae 830 of Fig.8), comprising: transmitting, to a first user equipment (UE), one or more messages identifying a configuration of the first UE as a relay node (Bangolae ¶0063- 1st sentence-relay initiation signaling that enables a relay user equipment (UE) 820 to act as a relay between an eNodeB 830 and a remote UE 810. ¶0117- 3rd sentence- receive, from the eNodeB, a relay configuration message that includes one or more relay configuration parameters): receiving one or more messages identifying a configuration of the first UE as a relay node (Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence-the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB). The relay UE can determine to act as a relay based on a relay configuration message received from the network, or alternatively, the network can instruct the relay UE to act as a relay using the relay configuration message.); and transmitting, to the first UE, an indication of one or more resources based at least in part on the one or more messages(Bangolae ¶0064- 2nd sentence-the eNodeB 830 can communicate a relay initiation and configuration message to the relay UE 820. The relay initiation and configuration message can be dedicated signaling that is specific to the relay UE 820 ).
Bangolae however is silent where the one or more messages is for indicating for the first UE to schedule resources for one or more second UEs. However, in an analogous art Kuang remedies this deficiency: (Kuang s202- s203 of Fig.2 ¶0207- ¶0211- a network server sends the first message to first user equipment. The first message includes first information, and the first information indicates a data channel sidelink resource allocated by the network server to corresponding second user equipment; ¶0208 -S202. Determine a second message; ¶0209 Specifically, the first user equipment receives the first message sent by the network server, and determines, based on the first message, the second message corresponding to the at least one second user equipment. ¶0210 S203. Send the second message. ¶211 Specifically, the first user equipment sends the at least one second message to the corresponding second user equipment. The second message includes the first information of the second user equipment; Kuang ¶0216- 1st sentence- in S201, the network server allocates a sidelink resource to the at least one second user equipment, and sends the first message to the first user equipment. The first message includes sidelink resource scheduling information that indicates the sidelink resource.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bangolae with that of Kuang for the purpose of resource scheduling of remote UEs by a network server – Kuang- Abstract.
The combined teachings of Bangolae and Kuang however are silent wherein resources for one or more second UEs are in accordance with a scheduling capability of the first UE and the scheduling information comprising at least one resource of the one or more resources in accordance with the scheduling capability of the first UE. However in an analogous art Liu remedies this deficiency: Liu , Fig.5, ¶0091- 3rd sentence- When the terminal device has a complete or partial scheduling capability, the terminal device A senses a resource, and performs scheduling processing by using a resource obtained through sensing; or when the terminal device A has a complete or partial scheduling capability, the network device configures a resource for the terminal device A, so that the terminal device A can perform scheduling processing by using the resource) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bangolae with that of Kuang for the purpose of providing one or more resources for a relay UE to schedule one or more remote UEs.
As to claim 15 the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the indication of one or more resources comprises: transmitting radio resource control signaling comprising the indication of one or more resources based at least in part on the first UE, the one or more second UEs, or a combination thereof being in a connected state(¶0073- last sentence-The sidelink UE relay interest indication message can be provided to the eNodeB at any point during which the UE is in RRC connected mode.¶0078- 2nd sentence- the relay initiation and configuration message can be part of an RRC connection reconfiguration message sent from the eNodeB to the relay UE.) .
As to claim 16 the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: transmitting the one or more messages in a system information block(Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence- the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB). The relay UE can determine to act as a relay based on a relay configuration message received from the network).
As to claim 19 the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claim 14, wherein the one or more messages comprise a first message identifying the configuration of the first UE as the relay node(Bangolae ¶0038- 1st sentence-the relay UE can be initiated and/or configured to act as a relay via a generic network configuration in a system information block (SIB)) and a second message indicating the first UE to schedule resources for the one or more second UEs. (Kuang ¶0216- 1st sentence- in S201, the network server allocates a sidelink resource to the at least one second user equipment, and sends the first message to the first user equipment. The first message includes sidelink resource scheduling information that indicates the sidelink resource).
Claim(s) 4, 17, and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bangolae in view of Kuang in view of Liu and further in view of Ryu (US 20190364541).
As to claim 4 and 25 the combined teachings Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claims 1 and 2 respectively, however silent further comprising: transmitting, to the network entity, a message indicating a resource preference, wherein receiving the indication of one or more resources is based at least in part on the resource preference. However, in an analogous art Ryu remedies this deficiency: Ryu ¶0460-1st to 3rd sentences- a network node may receive resource preference information of a UE in S1410. ….. In particular, the MM (or AMF) may directly receive resource preference information of the UE from the UE via a NAS message and may transmit it to other network (e.g., SM (or SMF) or (R)AN (or eNB)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu with that of Ryu for the purpose of a providing network assistance information for indicating a resource operation scheme preferred by the UE (Ryu ¶0460- 4thsentence).
As to claim 17 the combined teachings of Bangolae Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claim 14, however silent further comprising: receiving, from the first UE, a UE of the one or more second UEs, or both a message indicating a resource preference, wherein transmitting the indication of one or more resources is based at least in part on the resource preference. However, in an analogous art Ryu remedies this deficiency: Ryu ¶0460-1st to 3rd sentences- a network node may receive resource preference information of a UE in S1410. ….. In particular, the MM (or AMF) may directly receive resource preference information of the UE from the UE via a NAS message and may transmit it to other network (e.g., SM (or SMF) or (R)AN (or eNB)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu with that of Ryu for the purpose of a providing network assistance information for indicating a resource operation scheme preferred by the UE (Ryu ¶0460- 4thsentence).
Claim(s) 8, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bangolae in view of Kuang in view of Liu and further in view of Ko et al (US 20230337318).
As to claims 8 and 29 the combined teachings Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method and apparatus of claims 1 and 22 respectively, however silent wherein transmitting the scheduling information comprises: transmitting sidelink control information comprising a resource pool index associated with one or more resource pools. However, in an analogous art Ko remedies this deficiency: (Ko ¶0251- 1st and 2nd sentences- if a plurality of SL resource pools are configured for the UE, the TX UE or the RX UE may inform another UE of which SL resource pool the DRX cycle used by the TX UE or the RX UE belongs to….. the TX UE or the RX UE may transmit SCI including information (e.g., resource pool index) related to a resource pool to which a specific DRX cycle is applied to another UE). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu with that of Ryu for the purpose of determining resources pools associated with sideling control information.
Claim(s) 9, 21 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bangolae in view Kuang, in view of Liu and further in view of Xu et al ( EP 3783980).
As to claims 9 and 30 the combined teachings Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method and apparatus of claims 1 and 22 respectively, however silent wherein the indication of one or more resources comprise a list of one or more resource pools. However, in an analogous art Xu remedies this deficiency: (Xu ¶0030- More specifically, the indication information may be, for example, included in radio resource control (RRC) signaling. In addition, the configured resource pool or resource pool list may be, for example, indicated by the RRC signaling or a system information block (SIB)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu with that of Xu for the purpose of providing indication of resources by RRC signaling (Xu ¶0030).
As to claim 21 the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu disclose the method of claim 14, wherein the indication of one or more resources comprise a list of one or more resource pools. However, in an analogous art Xu remedies this deficiency: Xu ¶0030- More specifically, the indication information may be, for example, included in radio resource control (RRC) signaling. In addition, the configured resource pool or resource pool list may be, for example, indicated by the RRC signaling or a system information block (SIB). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Bangolae, Kuang and Liu with that of Xu for the purpose providing indication of resources by RRC signaling (Xu ¶0030).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12 are allowed.
Claims 5, 7, 18, 20, 26, and 28 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
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.
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/DERRICK V ROSE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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