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.
Claim(s) 34-35,41,44-47,53 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0276462 A1 to Hwang et al., in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0051525 A1 to Cao et al.
As to claim 34, Hwang discloses an apparatus, comprising:at least one processor; andat least one memory comprising computer program code,the at least one memory and computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to (Fig. 12: terminal C 1210-3; Fig. 26: terminals A-C, teaching the “apparatus”, and components therein):
sense a first sidelink feedback transmission from a receiver user equipment (UE) in a first Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource (Figs. 12-14, paragraphs 187-195, Fig. 26, paragraphs 209, 235-242, disclosing terminal C 1210-3/2610-3 [“apparatus”] sensing feedback from terminal B 1210-2/2610-2 [“a receiver UE”] to terminal A 1210-1/2610-1 transmitted on PFSCH);
determine, based on the first Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource, a first radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) received a first data transmission from a transmitter user equipment (UE) (Figs. 12-14, paragraphs 187-195, Fig. 26, paragraphs 209, 235-242, disclosing terminal C 1210-3/2610-3 [“apparatus”] sensing feedback from terminal B 1210-2/2610-2 [“a receiver UE”] to terminal A 1210-1/2610-1 [“transmitter UE”] transmitted on PSfCH, where this PSFCH feedback includes information related to/on the “location of the PSSCH transmitted in step S2601 [“a first radio resource”] and the location of the PSSCH to be used in the future”; also see similar teachings re “feedback signal” transmitted in beams 1244-n in Figs. 12-14, where such feedback signal “may include information related to the resource used by the terminal A 1210-1 and the terminal B 1210-2, for example, information related to the PSSCH used to transmit sidelink data. Specifically, the information related to the PSSCH is information related to the location of the PSSCH, and may include information for estimating or predicting the location of the PSSCH or information indicating the PSSCH” );
a resource allocation determination method comprising sensing a particular sidelink feedback transmission from the receiver user equipment (UE) in a particular Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource; determining, based on the particular Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource, a particular radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) received a particular data transmission from the transmitter user equipment (UE) (see citations and discussion above, disclosing this resource allocation determination method);
and determine, based on at least one of the determined first radio resource or second radio resource, a third radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) is expected to receive a third data transmission from the transmitter user equipment (UE) (Figs. 12-14, paragraphs 187-195, Fig. 26, paragraphs 209, 235-242, disclosing terminal C 1210-3/2610-3 [“apparatus”] sensing feedback from terminal B 1210-2/2610-2 [“a receiver UE”] to terminal A 1210-1/2610-1 [“transmitter UE”] transmitted on PSfCH, where this PSFCH feedback includes information related to/on the “location of the PSSCH transmitted in step S2601 [“a first radio resource”] and the location of the PSSCH to be used in the future”; also see similar teachings re “feedback signal” transmitted in beams 1244-n in Figs. 12-14, where such feedback signal “may include information related to the resource used by the terminal A 1210-1 and the terminal B 1210-2, for example, information related to the PSSCH used to transmit sidelink data. Specifically, the information related to the PSSCH is information related to the location of the PSSCH, and may include information for estimating or predicting the location of the PSSCH or information indicating the PSSCH”, where “information for estimating or predicting the location of the PSSCH or information indicating the PSSCH” teaches “third radio resource”; further see paragraph 195, where “periodicity” of the “first radio resource” is determined and used to determine a third radio resource excluding such “first radio resource” ).
Hwang does not appear to explicitly disclose the User Equipment continuously and iteratively performing a resource allocation determination method.
Cao discloses the User Equipment continuously and iteratively performing a resource allocation determination method (paragraphs 75-79, Fig. 4, paragraphs 111-114,122-126, in particular, steps 430 > 410 disclosing continuously/iteratively performing the method).
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Cao above, in conjunction with the method as disclosed and taught by Hwang, to reject this claim. In particular, it would have been obvious to a phosita that the resource allocation determination method continuously performed as disclosed in Cao, may be embodied by the resource allocation determination method disclosed in Hwang featuring the sensing of a PSFCH signal as discussed above, since both Cao and Hwang’s methods involve the sensing of resource allocation information of other UEs/elements in the network. Furthermore, since Cao teaches that Cao’s resource allocation determination method is performed continuously, i.e., iteration after iteration, this teaching in view of Hwang’s resource allocation determination method discussed above is sufficient to render it obvious that Hwang’s resource allocation determination method may be performed continuously, iteratively, so that Hwang’s teaching of “a resource allocation determination method comprising sensing a particular sidelink feedback transmission from the receiver user equipment (UE) in a particular Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource; determining, based on the particular Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource, a particular radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) received a particular data transmission from the transmitter user equipment (UE)” may be performed continuously/iteratively with respect to successive/consecutive “particular”/second PSFCH resources, “particular”/second radio resources, and “particular”/second data transmissions [subsequent to Hwang’s first iteration of “sense a first sidelink feedback transmission from a receiver user equipment (UE) in a first Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource; determine, based on the first Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource, a first radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) received a first data transmission from a transmitter user equipment (UE)”], to reject “sense a second sidelink feedback transmission from the receiver user equipment (UE) in a second Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource;determine, based on the second Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) resource, a second radio resource in which the receiver user equipment (UE) received a second data transmission from the transmitter user equipment (UE)”, as recited.
The cited references are in the same field of endeavor regarding control channel resource management and allocation, featuring sensing resource allocation signaling in wireless/sidelink networks. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve the usage and management of network resources for control signaling, especially in wireless/sidelink networks (Hwang, paragraphs 1-21; Cao, paragraphs 1-23). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date.
As to claim 35, Hwang and Cao teach the subject matter of the parent claim 34.
Hwang discloses wherein at least one of:the apparatus comprises a user equipment (UE) (Figs. 12-14, 26, paragraphs 187-195, Fig. 26, paragraphs 209, 235-242: terminal C 1210-3/2610-3 [“apparatus”]).
As to claim 41, Hwang and Cao teach the subject matter of the parent claim 34.
Hwang discloses wherein the determined third radio resource comprises a configured minimum or maximum number of contiguous subchannels for the third data transmission, starting with a determined subchannel of at least one of the first transmission or second data transmission. (Figs. 12-14, paragraphs 187-195, Fig. 26, paragraphs 209, 235-242, disclosing terminal C 1210-3/2610-3 [“apparatus”] sensing feedback from terminal B 1210-2/2610-2 [“a receiver UE”] to terminal A 1210-1/2610-1 [“transmitter UE”] transmitted on PSfCH, where this PSFCH feedback includes information related to/on the “location of the PSSCH transmitted in step S2601 [“a first radio resource”] and the location of the PSSCH to be used in the future”; further disclosing “the terminal may determine resources to be used by the other terminals based on the identified used resource and periodicity of sidelink communication and perform sidelink communication using at least some of the remaining resources except for the determined resources in a resource pool” [paragraph 195] and “ terminal C 2610-3 may select a collision-free resource based on the sensing result using the PSFCH and transmit data through the selected resource”, thus teaching configuring number of resources permitted for the third radio resource(s) starting from first resource/subchannel after the last resource/subchannel of the first radio resource in order to avoid collision, teaching this limitation).
As to claim 44, Hwang and Cao teach the subject matter of the parent claim 34.
Hwang further discloses wherein the sensing of at least one of the first sidelink feedback transmission or the second sidelink feedback transmission is performed on a beam being used or to be used for transmission by the apparatus (Fig. 12 and paragraph 187-188, disclosing beam(s) usable by terminals B and C, used by terminal B in transmitting PSFCH)
As to claims 45, 53, please see rejection for claim 34.
As to claim 46, Hwang and Cao teach the subject matter of the parent claim 45.
Hwang does not appear to disclose wherein at least one of:the first and second radio resources comprise a same subchannel in frequency.
Cao discloses wherein at least one of:the first and second radio resources comprise a same subchannel in frequency (Fig. 3, disclosing, for instance, “UE1 RV0” in F0in successive times T0, teaching first and second resources that are in the same frequency).
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Cao above, in conjunction with the method as disclosed and taught by Hwang, to reject this claim. In particular, it would have been obvious to a phosita that the resource allocation determination method continuously performed as disclosed in Cao, may be embodied by the resource allocation determination method disclosed in Hwang featuring the sensing of a PSFCH signal as discussed above, since both Cao and Hwang’s methods involve the sensing of resource allocation information of other UEs/elements in the network. The cited references are in the same field of endeavor regarding control channel resource management and allocation, featuring sensing resource allocation signaling in wireless/sidelink networks. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve the usage and management of network resources for control signaling, especially in wireless/sidelink networks (Hwang, paragraphs 1-21; Cao, paragraphs 1-23). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date.
As to claim 47, Hwang and Cao teach the subject matter of the parent claim 45.
Hwang does not appear to disclose further comprising one of:deprioritizing or excluding from a set of candidate radio resources, for transmission by the first user equipment (UE), a candidate radio resource that at least partially overlaps with the determined third radio resource.
Cao discloses further comprising one of: deprioritizing or excluding from a set of candidate radio resources, for transmission by the first user equipment (UE), a candidate radio resource that at least partially overlaps with the determined third radio resource (paragraphs 75-79, Fig. 4, paragraphs 111-114,122-126: disclosing exclusion of certain resources that may collide or conflict with certain resources).
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Cao above, in conjunction with the method as disclosed and taught by Hwang, to reject this claim. In particular, it would have been obvious to a phosita that the resource allocation determination method continuously performed as disclosed in Cao, may be embodied by the resource allocation determination method disclosed in Hwang featuring the sensing of a PSFCH signal as discussed above, and that the deprioritization method disclosed in Cao could have been incorporated in the resource determination/allocation scheme disclosed in Hwang, since both Cao and Hwang’s methods involve the sensing of resource allocation information of other UEs/elements in the network. The cited references are in the same field of endeavor regarding control channel resource management and allocation, featuring sensing resource allocation signaling in wireless/sidelink networks. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve the usage and management of network resources for control signaling, especially in wireless/sidelink networks (Hwang, paragraphs 1-21; Cao, paragraphs 1-23). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 36-40,42,43,48-52 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
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/CHI TANG P CHENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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