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
Claims 1, 15-17 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
1. Applicant's arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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, 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”).
Claim 1. TANG teaches: A user equipment (UE), comprising: - See Fig. 6
at least one memory; - See Fig. 6, ¶ [0036], (“memory”) and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: - See Fig. 6, ¶ [0030], (“apparatus 600 can be used to implement functions of the UEs…can include…processing circuitry”)
obtain configuration information regarding one or more sidelink slots, - See Fig. 3, ¶ [0025], (“At step 310, a UE (e.g., the UE 110-3) can receive a configuration indicating that a preconfigured number of consecutive symbols within a slot are used for a sidelink transmission…from a BS (e.g., the BS 120-1), and included in an RRC message or a media access control-control element (MAC-CE)…the UE 110-3 can be preconfigured a slot configuration first, and then receive the configuration indicating a preconfigured number that is different from a number of consecutive symbols of the slot configuration.”)
wherein each sidelink slot within the one or more sidelink slots includes multiple sets of symbols, each set of symbols including: - See Fig. 3, ¶ [0025], (“…a configuration indicating that a preconfigured number of consecutive symbols within a slot are used for a sidelink transmission…”)
transmit data, via a sidelink of the UE, using the one or more sidelink slots. - See Fig. 3, 4A-4C, ¶ [0027], (“the UE 110-3 can further perform another sidelink transmission over the preconfigured number of consecutive symbols within the slot.”)
TANG does not explicitly teach:
a start half symbol that includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the start half symbol in a time domain; and
an end half symbol that includes a switching gap in the time domain between a transmission operation of the UE and a reception operation of the UE;
However, LEE teaches:
a start half symbol that includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the start half symbol in a time domain; - See Fig. 32, ¶ [0199], (“in a first symbol within one S-TTI, only a half-symbol may be used for AGC…in a last symbol (a symbol #6)…half-symbol may be used for puncturing for switching time.”); ¶ [0229], (“each symbol may be divided into two 0.5 symbols to secure AGC and TX/RX switching time (gap), and a front half-symbol of a symbol #0 may be used as the AGC, and a rear half-symbol of a symbol #1 may be used as the switching time (gap).”) and an end half symbol that includes a switching gap in the time domain - See Fig. 32, ¶ [0199], (“…a last symbol (a symbol #6)…half-symbol may be used for puncturing for switching time.”); ¶ [0229], (“each symbol may be divided into two 0.5 symbols to secure AGC and TX/RX switching time (gap), and a front half-symbol of a symbol #0 may be used as the AGC, and a rear half-symbol of a symbol #1 may be used as the switching time (gap).”) between a transmission operation of the UE and a reception operation of the UE; - See Fig. 32, ¶ [0108], (“a time gap in a process in which a BS and a UE switch from a TX mode to an RX mode “); ¶ [0229], (“each symbol may be divided into two 0.5 symbols to secure AGC and TX/RX switching time (gap)…a rear half-symbol of a symbol #1 may be used as the switching time (gap).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG with LEE to include a start half symbol and an end half symbol, as taught by LEE. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve resource usage, as suggested by LEE, there is a need for a signal transmission method in which each UE can effectively use a resource while reducing unnecessary interference to another UE as much as possible. - ¶ [0006]
Combination of TANG and LEE does not explicitly teach:
a start half symbol that includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the start half symbol in a time domain;
However, HONG teaches:
a start half symbol that includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol - See Fig. 36, ¶ [0357], (“a signal transmitted in the AGC time duration may be truncation of the first half of the PSFCH transmitted in the 12th symbol.”) after the start half symbol in a time domain; - See Fig. 36, ¶ [0355], (“a time duration used for AGC in the 11th symbol”…¶ [0357], (“the AGC time duration may be set/defined as half of one symbol duration. Referring to FIG. 36, for example, a signal transmitted in the AGC time duration may be truncation of the first half of the PSFCH transmitted in the 12th symbol.”); ¶ [0031], (“A signal for AGC may be transmitted in a remaining part of the first symbol. The PSFCH may be transmitted in a symbol next to the first symbol…¶ [0032] The remaining part may correspond to half of the first symbol.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG and LEE with HONG to include start half symbol includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the start half symbol in a time domain, as taught by HONG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve sidelink resource usage, as suggested by HONG, the efficiency of resource use in physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission may be maximized. - ¶ [0038]
Claim 14. Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG teaches The UE of Claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
TANG teaches:
wherein, to transmit using the one or more sidelink slots, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to transmit, via the sidelink of the UE, using one of the one or more sidelink slots at one time instance. - See Fig. 3, 4A-4C, ¶ [0027], (“the UE 110-3 can further perform another sidelink transmission over the preconfigured number of consecutive symbols within the slot.”)
Claims 15-17 are rejected under the same rationale as Claim 1 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claims 2-4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”) and HWANG et al. (US 20220191862, hereinafter, “HWANG”).
Claim 2. Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG teaches The UE of Claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG does not explicitly teach:
wherein the configuration information regarding the one or more sidelink slots includes: a first list of one or more information elements, wherein each information element in the first list is associated with one sidelink slot within the one or more sidelink slots; and a total number of the one or more sidelink slots.
However, HWANG teaches:
wherein the configuration information regarding the one or more sidelink slots includes: – in ¶ [0176], (“SL slot…in the TDD-UL-DL configuration common information as a sidelink slot”)
a first list of one or more information elements, - in ¶ [0144], Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE { referenceSubcarrierSpacing SubcarrierSpacing, pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern OPTIONAL, -- Need R ... } TDD-UL-DL-Pattern ::= SEQUENCE”) wherein each information element in the first list is associated with one sidelink slot within the one or more sidelink slots; - See Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon…nrofSidelinkSlots”); ¶ [0176], (“SL slot…in the TDD-UL-DL configuration common information as a sidelink slot”) and
a total number of the one or more sidelink slots. – See Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE…pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern…nrofSidelinkSlots”); ¶ [0145], (“(TDD-UL-DL-Pattern in Table 6) may include information on the number of SL slots (nrofSidelinkSlots)“)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, and HONG with HWANG to include lists of information elements, as taught by HWANG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce signaling overhead, as suggested by HWANG, SL communication is under consideration as a solution to the overhead of an eNB caused by rapidly increasing data traffic. - ¶ [0002]
Claim 3. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 2, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
HWANG further teaches:
wherein each of the information elements in the first list includes at least one of: an identifier (ID) of the one sidelink slot; a slot pattern ID of the one sidelink slot; - in ¶ [0144], Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE { referenceSubcarrierSpacing SubcarrierSpacing, pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern OPTIONAL, -- Need R ... } TDD-UL-DL-Pattern ::= SEQUENCE…nrofSidelinkSlots”); ¶ [0208], (“the TDD-UL-DL configuration information may include TDD-UL-DL pattern indication information…may include…information on the slot number of the SL resource”) or a second list of one or more information elements - in ¶ [0144], Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon…pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2…nrofSidelinkSlots INTEGER (0..maxNrofSlots), nrofSidelinkSymbols”) associated with one or more symbols within the one sidelink slot. – in ¶ [0208], (“TDD-UL-DL configuration information may include TDD-UL-DL pattern indication information…information on the slot number of the SL resource”); ¶ [0152], (“Mth symbol and (M−L+1)th symbol through (M−1)th symbol of (N−K)th slot in the TDD-UL-DL transmission period”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, and HONG with HWANG to include lists of information elements, as taught by HWANG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce signaling overhead, as suggested by HWANG, SL communication is under consideration as a solution to the overhead of an eNB caused by rapidly increasing data traffic. - ¶ [0002]
Claim 4. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 3, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
HWANG further teaches:
wherein each of the information elements in the first list includes the slot pattern ID, - in ¶ [0144], Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE { referenceSubcarrierSpacing SubcarrierSpacing, pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern OPTIONAL, -- Need R ... } TDD-UL-DL-Pattern ::= SEQUENCE…nrofSidelinkSlots”) in response to two or more slot patterns configured for the one sidelink slot. – in ¶ [0163], (“two TDD-UL-DL patterns…Z1 bits for indicating the number of slots of the first SL resource for the first TDD-UL-DL pattern and Z2 bits for indicating the number of slots of the second SL resource for the second TDD-UL-DL pattern”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, and HONG with HWANG to include lists of information elements, as taught by HWANG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce signaling overhead, as suggested by HWANG, SL communication is under consideration as a solution to the overhead of an eNB caused by rapidly increasing data traffic. - ¶ [0002]
Claim 6. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 3, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
TANG further teaches:
wherein each symbol within the one or more symbols is one of: a full symbol; - See Fig. 3, ¶ [0025], (“At step 310, a UE (e.g., the UE 110-3) can receive a configuration indicating that a preconfigured number of consecutive symbols within a slot are used for a sidelink transmission…from a BS (e.g., the BS 120-1)…”) a half symbol; or a combined symbol, wherein the combined symbol comprises two half symbols with different types. - This does not require teaching since it’s stated as optional.
Claim 8. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 6, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
TANG further teaches:
wherein the full symbol includes at least one of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmission, a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) transmission, or a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission. - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0007], (“the data transmission of the sidelink transmission located at the first symbol of the slot…the slot can be a sidelink data slot…sidelink transmission including physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH)”)
Claim 10. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 6, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
HONG further teaches:
wherein the half symbol includes one of: - See Fig. 36, ¶ [0357], (“the AGC time duration may be set/defined as half of one symbol duration.”)
a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the half symbol in a time domain; - See Fig. 36, ¶ [0355], (“a time duration used for AGC in the 11th symbol”…¶ [0357], (“the AGC time duration may be set/defined as half of one symbol duration…a signal transmitted in the AGC time duration may be truncation of the first half of the PSFCH transmitted in the 12th symbol.”); ¶ [0031], (“A signal for AGC may be transmitted in a remaining part of the first symbol. The PSFCH may be transmitted in a symbol next to the first symbol”) a copy of a second half of a full symbol before the half symbol in the time domain; a switching gap in the time domain between a transmission operation of the UE and a reception operation of the UE; or information associated with a preamble sequence. - This does not require teaching since it’s stated as optional.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG and LEE with HONG to include half symbol includes a copy of a first half of a full symbol after the start half symbol in a time domain, as taught by HONG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve sidelink resource usage, as suggested by HONG, the efficiency of resource use in physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission may be maximized. - ¶ [0038]
Claim 13. Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG teaches The UE of Claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
HWANG further teaches:
wherein the configuration information regarding the one or more sidelink slots is associated with one of: a resource pool; a zone; or a frequency band. - in ¶ [0145], Table 6, (“the TDD UL-DL pattern information (TDD-UL-DL-Pattern in Table 6) may include information on the number of SL slots (nrofSidelinkSlots…information on the number of SL slots, information on the number of SL symbols, and the like may be referred to as information on SL resources.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, and HONG with HWANG to include configuration information regarding the one or more sidelink slots is associated a resource pool, as taught by HWANG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce signaling overhead, as suggested by HWANG, SL communication is under consideration as a solution to the overhead of an eNB caused by rapidly increasing data traffic. - ¶ [0002]
Claims 18-19 are rejected under the same rationale as Claims 2-3 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”), HWANG et al. (US 20220191862, hereinafter, “HWANG”) and ZHAO et al. (US20220124677, hereinafter, “ZHAO”).
Claim 5. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 3, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG does not explicitly teach:
wherein the second list includes a total number of the one or more symbols, and wherein each information element in the second list includes an ID of one symbol within the one or more symbols.
However, HWANG teaches:
wherein the second list includes a total number of the one or more symbols, and wherein each information element in the second list includes an ID of one symbol within the one or more symbols. - in ¶ [0144], Table 6, (“TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon…pattern1 TDD-UL-DL-Pattern, pattern2…nrofSidelinkSlots INTEGER (0..maxNrofSlots), nrofSidelinkSymbols INTEGER (0..maxNrofSymbols-1”); ¶ [0146], (“information on the number of sidelink slots (nrofSidelinkSlots)…number of sidelink symbols (nrofSidelinkSymbols).”)
Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG does not explicitly teach:
wherein each information element in the second list includes an ID of one symbol within the one or more symbols.
However, ZHAO teaches:
wherein each information element in the second list includes an ID of one symbol within the one or more symbols. – in ¶ [0025], (“Current detailed signaling is as follows: TDD - UL - DL – ConfigCommon…pattern1 TDD - UL - DE - Pattern , pattern2…maxNrotSymbols - 1 INTEGER : = 13 – Maxim99um index identifying a symbol within a slot ( 14 symbols , indexed from 0..13”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG with ZHAO to include each information element in the second list includes an ID of one symbol within the one or more symbols, as taught by ZHAO. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce payload size, as suggested by ZHAO, This can reduce a payload size of the information (such as a TDD configuration). - ¶ [0041]
Claims 7, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”) and XU et al. (US 20230171807, hereinafter, “XU”).
Claim 7. Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG teaches The UE of Claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of TANG, LEE, and HONG does not explicitly teach:
wherein each of the sidelink slots includes one or more sub-slots, wherein each set within the multiple sets of symbols corresponds to one sub-slot within the one or more sub-slots, and the one sub-slot includes at least one of: a full symbol; a half symbol; or a combined symbol, wherein the combined symbol comprises two half symbols with different types.
However, XU teaches:
wherein each of the sidelink slots includes one or more sub-slots, - See Fig. 2, ¶ [0065], (“Each slot 202 may be time-partitioned into P number of mini-slots 208.”); ¶ [0032], (“sidelink slot structure configuration may include fourteen symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols) in a slot”)
wherein each set within the multiple sets of symbols corresponds to one sub-slot within the one or more sub-slots, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0065], (“Each slot 202 may be time-partitioned into P number of mini-slots 208. Each mini-slot 208 may include one or more symbols 206…when a slot 202 includes N number of symbols 206, a mini-slot 208 may have a length between one symbol 206 and (N−1) symbols 206…mini-slot 208 may have a length of about two symbols 206, about four symbols 206, or about seven symbols 206.”) and
the one sub-slot includes at least one of: a full symbol; a half symbol; or a combined symbol, wherein the combined symbol comprises two half symbols with different types. - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0111], (“The beginning symbol 816 may include a first portion 815 and a second portion 817 of a full symbol in time…the first portion 815 may be a first half symbol…and the second portion 817 may be a second half symbol…A half symbol may refer to the midpoint or about the midpoint of a full symbol in time.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, and HONG with XU to include sidelink slots includes one or more sub-slots, as taught by XU. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve sidelink communication, as suggested by XU, Sidelink UEs may receive or transmit V2X sidelink communications using a plurality of sidelink slot structure configurations. - ¶ [0031]
Claim 20 is rejected under the same rationale as Claim 7 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claims 9, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”) and HWANG et al. (US 20220191862, hereinafter, “HWANG”) and XU et al. (US 20230171807, hereinafter, “XU”).
Claim 9. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 6, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG does not explicitly teach:
wherein a length of the full symbol is equal to a length of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in a time domain, and wherein a starting point of the full symbol is aligned with one of: a starting point of the OFDM symbol; or a starting point of a second half of the OFDM symbol.
However, XU teaches:
wherein a length of the full symbol is equal to a length of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in a time domain, - in ¶ [0111], (“The slot 806 may include fourteen symbols including a symbol 812 and a symbol 814…A half symbol may refer to the midpoint or about the midpoint of a full symbol in time.”); ¶ [0032], (“sidelink slot structure configuration may include fourteen symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols) in a slot”) and
wherein a starting point of the full symbol is aligned with one of: - in ¶ [0092], (“The slot 608 may include fourteen symbols including a beginning symbol 616”) a starting point of the OFDM symbol; or a starting point of a second half of the OFDM symbol. - in ¶ [0094], (“the starting point 638 may be at Time T0, which is at a start of the beginning symbol 616…An OFDM transmission (e.g., sidelink transmission 604) may begin at the start of a symbol boundary (e.g., Time T0).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG with XU to include length of the full symbol is equal to a length of an OFDM symbol, as taught by XU. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve sidelink communication, as suggested by XU, Sidelink UEs may receive or transmit V2X sidelink communications using a plurality of sidelink slot structure configurations. - ¶ [0031]
Claim 11. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG teaches The UE of Claim 6, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
XU further teaches:
wherein a length of the combined symbol is equal to a length of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in a time domain. - in ¶ [0111], (“the first portion 815 may be a first half symbol…and the second portion 817 may be a second half symbol…a half symbol may have a duration of half or about half of a full symbol…The second portion 817…may be a repetition of the symbol 818 and may include an AGC symbol.”); ¶ [0032], (“sidelink slot structure configuration may include fourteen symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols) in a slot”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, HONG, and HWANG with XU to include a length of the combined symbol is equal to a length of an OFDM symbol, as taught by XU. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve sidelink communication, as suggested by XU, Sidelink UEs may receive or transmit V2X sidelink communications using a plurality of sidelink slot structure configurations. - ¶ [0031]
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TANG et al. (US 20210092737, hereinafter, “TANG”, provided in the IDS by the applicant) in view of LEE et al. (US 20210036834, hereinafter, “LEE”), and further in view of HONG et al. (US 20220217657, hereinafter, “HONG”), XU et al. (US 20230171807, hereinafter, “XU”) and Liu et al (US 20230067706, hereinafter, “Liu”).
Claim 12. Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and XU teaches The UE of Claim 7, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of TANG, LEE, HONG, and XU does not explicitly teach:
wherein a sub-slot within the one or more sub-slots is one of: a first type of sub-slot, wherein the first type of sub-slot comprises one or more symbols carrying at least one of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmission or a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) transmission; and a second type of sub-slot, wherein the second type of sub-slot comprises one or more symbols carrying a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission.
However, Liu teaches:
wherein a sub-slot within the one or more sub-slots is one of: - in ¶ [0111], (“a slot (e.g., 14-symbol slot) may include multiple data mini-slots (e.g., mini-slot 510-a, mini slot 510”)
a first type of sub-slot, wherein the first type of sub-slot comprises one or more symbols carrying at least one of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmission or a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) transmission; - in ¶ [0111], (“each data mini-slot may include one or more short physical sidelink shared channel (sPSSCH).”) and
a second type of sub-slot, wherein the second type of sub-slot comprises one or more symbols carrying a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission. – in ¶ [0113], (“the mini-slot may include a number of symbols of a given slot (e.g., a portion of symbols of a 14-symbol slot) in the time domain…each mini-slot may map to an individual sidelink feedback resource partition (e.g., PSFCH partition)…first mini-slot may map to a first sidelink feedback resource partition, a second mini-slot may map to a second sidelink feedback resource partition”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified TANG, LEE, HONG, and XU with Liu to include a sub-slot is one of two types of sub-slots, as taught by Liu. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve reliability for sidelink communication, as suggested by Liu, By using short TTIs for sidelink feedback, latency associated with sidelink feedback messages may be reduced, and hence overall latency and reliability for sidelink communications may be improved. - ¶ [0003]
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 Shima Wasel whose telephone number is (703)756-4725. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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, Khaled Kassim can be reached at (571) 270-3770. 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.
/SHIMA WASEL/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475