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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the amendments filed on 06/29/2026.
Claims 1-28 and 30 are currently pending.
Claims 1-28 and 30 are rejected.
Claims 1, 18 and 30 are independent claims.
Response to Amendment
- Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 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.
6. 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 of this title, 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.
7. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
8. Claims 1-28 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jongseob BAEK et al. (US 2022/0365163 A1), hereinafter BAEK, in view of Robin Thomas et al. (US 2024/0163835 A1), hereinafter Thomas.
For claim 1, BAEK teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a sidelink device, comprising:
reserving a first sidelink resource for transmission of a first positioning reference signal (PRS) by the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 124 and 180.).
reserving at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by at least one further sidelink device, wherein the at least one further sidelink resource occurs within a first time threshold of the first sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 180-185.).
BAEK does not explicitly teach reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
However, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device (Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in BAEK with reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device taught in Thomas. Because both references disclose sidelink resource allocation for PRS transmission in the same technical field, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
For claim 2, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: sensing for available sidelink resources of a sidelink resource pool; and determining that the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are available for PRS transmissions before reserving the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 184, 212. Thomas, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 187-191).
For claim 3, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, wherein: the first sidelink resource is reserved with a higher priority than the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig.9 and paragraph 122. Thomas, paragraph 283.).
For claim 4, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, wherein: the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are reserved via one or more reservation messages indicated in one or more sidelink control information (SCI) transmissions (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184. Thomas, paragraph 155.).
For claim 5, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a request for the at least one further sidelink device to transmit the at least one further PRS on the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 175-176.).
For claim 6, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting one or more indications that the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are reserved for PRS transmissions from the sidelink device and from the at least one further sidelink device, respectively (BAEK, Fig.11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 7, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting the first PRS on the first sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 16 and paragraph 233.);
receiving the at least one further PRS from the at least one further sidelink device on the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 16 and paragraph 233.); and
determining a range to the at least one further sidelink device based on a first time-of-flight of the first PRS from the sidelink device to the at least one further sidelink device, and a second time-of-flight of the at least one further PRS from the at least one further sidelink device to the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 16 and paragraphs 155, 236.).
For claim 8, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to a determination that there are no sidelink resources that occur within the first time threshold of the first sidelink resource, or that the at least one further sidelink resource has been preempted by a higher priority transmission (BAEK, paragraph 122. Thomas, paragraph 283.);
determining that a second sidelink resource is available for transmission of a second PRS, wherein the second sidelink resource is spaced from the first sidelink resource by a first time interval (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
determining that a third sidelink resource is available for transmission of a third PRS, wherein the third sidelink resource is spaced a second time interval from the second sidelink resource, wherein a difference between a first duration of the first time interval and a second duration of the second time interval has a magnitude less than a second time threshold (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
reserving the first sidelink resource for transmission of the first PRS (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
reserving the second sidelink resource for transmission of the second PRS by a second sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184. Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.); and
reserving the third sidelink resource for transmission of the third PRS by the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184. Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.).
For claim 9, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 8, wherein: the first sidelink resource and the second sidelink resource are reserved with a higher priority than the third sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraph 122.).
For claim 10, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 8, further comprising: transmitting a request to the second sidelink device to transmit the second PRS on the second sidelink resource and to measure the third PRS on the third sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 175-176, 186.).
For claim 11, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 8, further comprising: transmitting the first PRS on the first sidelink resource; and transmitting the third PRS on the third sidelink resource, wherein the first PRS and third PRS are transmitted based on a same time reference (BAEK, Fig. 17 and paragraphs 20, 175, 178, 181.).
For claim 12, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 8, further comprising:
in response to a determination that there are no sidelink resources available for selection as the third sidelink resource, or that the third sidelink resource has been preempted by a higher priority transmission (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
determining that a fourth sidelink resource is available for transmission of a third PRS, wherein the third sidelink resource is spaced from the second sidelink resource by a fourth time interval having a fourth duration, wherein a sum of the first duration and the fourth duration is no greater than a third time threshold (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.); and
reserving the fourth sidelink resource for transmission of a third PRS (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 13, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting a request to the second sidelink device to transmit the second PRS on the second sidelink resource and measure the third PRS on the fourth sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 175-176, 186.).
For claim 14, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting the first PRS on the first sidelink resource; and transmitting the third PRS on the third sidelink resource, wherein the first PRS and the third PRS are transmitted based on a same time reference (BAEK, Fig. 17 and paragraphs 20, 175, 178, 181.).
For claim 15, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: reserving the at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of additional PRS from one or more additional sidelink devices during different resource selection windows (BAEK, Fig. and paragraphs 175-177.).
For claim 16, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: reserving, on behalf of a plurality of further sidelink devices, a plurality of further sidelink resources for transmission of a plurality of further PRS by the plurality of further sidelink devices, wherein each sidelink resource of the plurality of further sidelink resources occurs within the first time threshold of the first sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 178, 213. Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in BAEK with reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device taught in Thomas. Because both references disclose sidelink resource allocation for PRS transmission in the same technical field, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.).
For claim 17, BAEK and Thomas further teach the method of claim 16, wherein: at least two or more of the further sidelink resources are on a same time resource in a frequency division multiplexed (FDM'ed) comb pattern (BAEK, Fig. 17 and paragraphs 20, 175, 178, 181, 185.).
For claim 18, BAEK teaches a sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 20 item 100), comprising:
a memory (BAEK, Fig. 20 item 104);
at least one transceiver (BAEK, Fig. 20 item 106); and
at least one processor (BAEK, Fig. 20 item 102) communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:
reserve a first sidelink resource for transmission of a first positioning reference signal (PRS) by the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 124 and 180.).
reserving at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by at least one further sidelink device, wherein the at least one further sidelink resource occurs within a first time threshold of the first sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 181-185.).
BAEK does not explicitly teach reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
However, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device (Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in BAEK with reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device taught in Thomas. Because both references disclose sidelink resource allocation for PRS transmission in the same technical field, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
For claim 19, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: sense for available sidelink resources of a sidelink resource pool; and determine that the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are available for PRS transmissions before reserving the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 184, 212.).
For claim 20, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim18, wherein: the first sidelink resource is reserved with a higher priority than the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig.9 and paragraph 122.).
For claim 21, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of clairn18, wherein: the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are reserved via one or more reservation messages indicated in one or more sidelink control information (SCI) transmissions (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 22, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, via the at least one transceiver, a request for the at least one further sidelink device to transmit the at least one further PRS on the at least one further sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 175-176.).
For claim 23, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, via the at least one transceiver, one or more indications that the first sidelink resource and the at least one further sidelink resource are reserved for PRS transmissions from the sidelink device and from the at least one further sidelink device, respectively (BAEK, Fig.11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 24, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
in response to a determination that there are no sidelink resources that occur within the first time threshold of the first sidelink resource, or that the at least one further sidelink resource has been preempted by a higher priority transmission (BAEK, paragraph 122.);
determine that a second sidelink resource is available for transmission of a second PRS, wherein the second sidelink resource is spaced from the first sidelink resource by a first time interval (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
determine that a third sidelink resource is available for transmission of a third PRS, wherein the third sidelink resource is spaced a second time interval from the second sidelink resource, wherein a difference between a first duration of the first time interval and a second duration of the second time interval has a magnitude less than a second time threshold (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
reserve the first sidelink resource for transmission of the first PRS (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
reserve the second sidelink resource for transmission of the second PRS by a second sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.); and
reserve the third sidelink resource for transmission of the third PRS by the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 25, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 24, wherein: the first sidelink resource and the second sidelink resource are reserved with a higher priority than the third sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraph 122.).
For claim 26, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
in response to a determination that there are no sidelink resources available for selection as the third sidelink resource, or that the third sidelink resource has been preempted by a higher priority transmission (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.);
determine that a fourth sidelink resource is available for transmission of a third PRS, wherein the third sidelink resource is spaced from the second sidelink resource by a fourth time interval having a fourth duration, wherein a sum of the first duration and the fourth duration is no greater than a third time threshold (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.); and
reserve the fourth sidelink resource for transmission of a third PRS (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraph 184.).
For claim 27, BAEK and Thomas further teach the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: reserve the at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of additional PRS from one or more additional sidelink devices during different resource selection windows (BAEK, Fig. and paragraphs 175-177.).
For claim 28, BAEK further teaches the sidelink device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: reserve, on behalf of a plurality of further sidelink devices, a plurality of further sidelink resources for transmission of a plurality of further PRS by the plurality of further sidelink devices, wherein each sidelink resource of the plurality of further sidelink resources occurs within the first time threshold of the first sidelink resource (BAEK, paragraphs 178, 213. Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in BAEK with reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device taught in Thomas. Because both references disclose sidelink resource allocation for PRS transmission in the same technical field, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.).
For claim 30, BAEK teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium (BAEK, Fig. 20 item 104) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a sidelink device, cause the sidelink device to:
reserve a first sidelink resource for transmission of a first positioning reference signal (PRS) by the sidelink device (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 124 and 180.).
reserving at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by at least one further sidelink device, wherein the at least one further sidelink resource occurs within a first time threshold of the first sidelink resource (BAEK, Fig. 11 and paragraphs 181-185.).
BAEK does not explicitly teach reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
However, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device (Thomas, Fig. 15 and paragraphs 155-156.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in BAEK with reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device taught in Thomas. Because both references disclose sidelink resource allocation for PRS transmission in the same technical field, Thomas explicitly teaches reserving, on behalf of at least one further sidelink device, at least one further sidelink resource for transmission of at least one further PRS by the at least one further sidelink device.
Response to Arguments
9. Applicant's arguments filed 06/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are because of the new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
10. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILL W LIN whose telephone number is (571)272-8749. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILL W LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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